As I mentioned in my previous post, I undertook last week the lengthy task of reorganizing my books. I have quite a few books, and even lost a significant number during my move from Texas to Pennsylvania (lost on purpose, I guess sold is a better word). Still, the mess that is my books was highly unorganized. Actually, the majority of things in my home are unorganized. Yes, I'm a soon-to-be librarian, love order, and systems, but somehow my clutter in my home is my organization. It is only because of my partner, Kirke, things seem to stay in the same spots. Even though I may put my glasses or water glass down in various spots throughout the day, I always know where it is, that is unless Kirke comes behind me and moves them (which he frequently does!)
But, I digress... And so comes the riveting end to my bookshelf organizational schema story!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Taming the Books, Pt. 1
I've decided to bring this riveting blog post to my readers in a two part series! Enjoy the cliffhanger, come back tomorrow...
This afternoon I decided to tackle the mess that is my bookshelf. For a librarian, my bookshelf was in a pretty atrocious state; with good reason though- I moved three times last year! And, my last move in December was a particularly fast and hectic one (my partner and I moved out of a bad-news apartment). I just haven't had the time the dedicate the attention my book library deserves.
This afternoon I decided to tackle the mess that is my bookshelf. For a librarian, my bookshelf was in a pretty atrocious state; with good reason though- I moved three times last year! And, my last move in December was a particularly fast and hectic one (my partner and I moved out of a bad-news apartment). I just haven't had the time the dedicate the attention my book library deserves.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Explore Your Library: Music Collection
Yesterday evening I participated in one of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Explore Your Library collection tours. I received an invitation to the special event highlighting the Oakland branch of the CLP rich and diverse music collection. I invited a classmate of mine from the University of Pittsburgh who is enrolled in the WISE course, Music Librarianship from the University of Illinois, Campaign-Urbana, with me.
The two hour self-guided tours and presentations highlighted various aspects of CLP's music collection. Though the Oakland branch of the library is so close to school, I have rarely had a chance to visit the library due to my busy school and internships schedule. It was a real treat to be able to spend two hours exploring the collection and the library building.
Most definitely my favorite highlight were the musical scores and compositions. I have no, and I really do mean zilch, knowledge of music. Scores and sheet music look completely foreign to me and I am absolutely and incredibly tone deaf. The librarians had laid out numerous scores to highlight; some were to operatic pieces we would recognize, rare materials, and others were chosen for their beautiful composition.
George Crumb's Star Child folio composition was strikingly amazing. The score, written in 1977, was unique in it's performance as well as composition. Many of the orchestra assembles were composed in a circular style, visually representing the repetition of the performance.
What I was absolutely amazed with, besides the beautiful composition, was the fact that this over sized folio (over two feet in height!) was available for circulation! A patron can check this piece out, take it on the bus ride home, and then keep it for two weeks! I was baffled! Coming from an academic art library, I am so accustomed to so many of the books being non-circulating. Usually just the size of a work will automatically bump it into non-circulation.
I pressed the librarian on why they choose to circulate such unique materials and was reminded that this folio belongs to a public library collection! A public library's collection operates vastly different from an academic or museum collection; the materials are there for the public to experience and share. I think this is a great and invaluable service to the citizens of Pittsburgh.
I hope that one day (hopefully soon) I can become a steward of such a great and eclectic collection that is truly accessible to everyone.
The two hour self-guided tours and presentations highlighted various aspects of CLP's music collection. Though the Oakland branch of the library is so close to school, I have rarely had a chance to visit the library due to my busy school and internships schedule. It was a real treat to be able to spend two hours exploring the collection and the library building.
Most definitely my favorite highlight were the musical scores and compositions. I have no, and I really do mean zilch, knowledge of music. Scores and sheet music look completely foreign to me and I am absolutely and incredibly tone deaf. The librarians had laid out numerous scores to highlight; some were to operatic pieces we would recognize, rare materials, and others were chosen for their beautiful composition.
George Crumb's Star Child folio composition was strikingly amazing. The score, written in 1977, was unique in it's performance as well as composition. Many of the orchestra assembles were composed in a circular style, visually representing the repetition of the performance.
What I was absolutely amazed with, besides the beautiful composition, was the fact that this over sized folio (over two feet in height!) was available for circulation! A patron can check this piece out, take it on the bus ride home, and then keep it for two weeks! I was baffled! Coming from an academic art library, I am so accustomed to so many of the books being non-circulating. Usually just the size of a work will automatically bump it into non-circulation.
I pressed the librarian on why they choose to circulate such unique materials and was reminded that this folio belongs to a public library collection! A public library's collection operates vastly different from an academic or museum collection; the materials are there for the public to experience and share. I think this is a great and invaluable service to the citizens of Pittsburgh.
I hope that one day (hopefully soon) I can become a steward of such a great and eclectic collection that is truly accessible to everyone.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Welcome to the World! My New LibGuide!
Hooray! I have completed my first solo LibGuide! This Spring semester, I am an intern at the University of Pittsburgh's Frick Fine Arts Library under the direction of the wonderful, Ray Anne Lockhard.
LibGuides (short for library guide) are helpful tools for students and patrons to aid in research on specific topics. Ray Anne and I have jointly worked on her LibGuides this semester, but I have also authored my own guide, Information Literacy for the Frick Fine Arts Library.
LibGuides (short for library guide) are helpful tools for students and patrons to aid in research on specific topics. Ray Anne and I have jointly worked on her LibGuides this semester, but I have also authored my own guide, Information Literacy for the Frick Fine Arts Library.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Back from the Artic: VRA + ARLIS/NA Conference Review
So, I realized the issue with my original "Back from ARLIS/NA" post. I had made myself a clever list of blog post topics I wanted to write about in the coming weeks. By doing this, when I went back and edited or completed them, the published date was the date of the original draft, thus explaining why the post did not show up where I expected it to. I have changed the publication date of my original post it is available in the proper date, in its entirety (there may be some repeating, as I thought I had lost this post all together!)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Yahoo! News on Resume Fact or Fiction
While, I don't normally trust Yahoo! as an authoritative news source (it is a great source for celebrity gossip!) their most recent article about resumes is rather interesting.
Yahoo! 10 Resume Rules
Rule #10, Resume Paper, is really timely, as I just printed copies of my resume for the conference I went to in Minneapolis. I couldn't really find much information on-line about whether to use regular paper or "fancy" paper, so I erred with tradition and got Kinko's to print my resume on heavy-duty resume paper. I choose a standard bright-white paper, not much thicker than regular copy paper.
I'm happy with my choice, the cost of professional printing was not too terribly expensive. I feel that while on-line applications and PDFs copies are increasingly becoming the norm, during this early transition time, it is important to rely on some of the standard traditions.
Yahoo! 10 Resume Rules
Rule #10, Resume Paper, is really timely, as I just printed copies of my resume for the conference I went to in Minneapolis. I couldn't really find much information on-line about whether to use regular paper or "fancy" paper, so I erred with tradition and got Kinko's to print my resume on heavy-duty resume paper. I choose a standard bright-white paper, not much thicker than regular copy paper.
I'm happy with my choice, the cost of professional printing was not too terribly expensive. I feel that while on-line applications and PDFs copies are increasingly becoming the norm, during this early transition time, it is important to rely on some of the standard traditions.
Back from the Twin Cities!
It has been almost a week since I have been back home, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from the cold, cold city of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The VRA + ARLIS/NA Conference was a great experience. It was my first professional conference and I am glad to have one under my belt. I learned alot, met great people, and have alot to think about. It was an exhausting and daunting experience- I went to Minneapolis alone, no other students from my institution were there.
The conference was a joint conference between the VRA (Visual Resources Association) and ARLIS/NA (Art Librarian Association of North America). Since the conference was joint, there were many, many programs, workshops, sessions, and meeting to choose to go to. Sometimes a little too much to choose from. While the organized events were great and informative, the professionals I met and the discussions that ensued were much more informative.
I now have the important task of following up on the networks and contacts that I met a week ago. I exchanged business cards and now just need to make time in my busy schedule to sit down and write to these people. I can't imagine before the prevalence of email and the internet how new professionals and students were to cement the networks that they created at conferences.
Technology has made the "Art of Networking" so much easier.
The VRA + ARLIS/NA Conference was a great experience. It was my first professional conference and I am glad to have one under my belt. I learned alot, met great people, and have alot to think about. It was an exhausting and daunting experience- I went to Minneapolis alone, no other students from my institution were there.
The conference was a joint conference between the VRA (Visual Resources Association) and ARLIS/NA (Art Librarian Association of North America). Since the conference was joint, there were many, many programs, workshops, sessions, and meeting to choose to go to. Sometimes a little too much to choose from. While the organized events were great and informative, the professionals I met and the discussions that ensued were much more informative.
I now have the important task of following up on the networks and contacts that I met a week ago. I exchanged business cards and now just need to make time in my busy schedule to sit down and write to these people. I can't imagine before the prevalence of email and the internet how new professionals and students were to cement the networks that they created at conferences.
Technology has made the "Art of Networking" so much easier.
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