Core Competency Five
Reference & User Services
LIS 205: Introduction to Information Sources and Services
Dr. Shari Lee
Fall 2016
Artifact 1
All Images © 2018. Matthew A. Hamilton. All rights reserved
Screenshot: SpringShare Link
Artifact 2
Description
The American Library Association (ALA) requires graduates of accredited MLIS programs to be fully knowledgeable of the eight core competencies of librarianship. My assignments for LIS 205: Introduction to Information Sources and Services, taught by Dr. Shari Lee, focused on the fifth core competency: Reference and User Services (ALA, 2009). With diligence and dedication, and the patient and thorough guidance from Dr. Lee, I learned valuable reference concepts, principles, and techniques utilized by information professionals.
The fifth core competency stresses the "concepts, principles, and techniques of reference and user services that provide access to relevant and accurate recorded knowledge and information to individuals of all ages and groups." (ALA 2009).
The fifth core competency was met by successfully completing a LibGuide entitled: A College Freshman's Guide to Academic Research and Writing (Brennan, Hamilton, Joseph, 2016) and a Search Strategy Analysis PowerPoint Presentation.
The LibGuide project was chosen for inclusion for two reasons. First, it provided me with a platform to demonstrate the skills and knowledge I learned by providing a service for young adult learners. Second, it allowed me to network with a small team of librarians, thus complying with the Vincentian understanding of respect, which is: "A courteous regard for all people whose diversity is embraced and shared in learning, teaching and service to others within the University community and beyond," (Our Mission-St. John’s University, 2017).
Activities for this project took several weeks to complete. I worked with two additional MLIS candidates, Ms. Marianne Brennan and Ms. Nancie Joseph, in order to successfully complete the LibGuide project. After a brief meeting, we first decided on four Label catagories: Home, Research, Writing Process, and Citation Help. Second, we decided on the order of responsibility. Ms. Brennan set up the LibGuide and wrote a brief introduction to the guide's purpose. Ms. Joseph provided the best videos that showcased proper research methods, academic writing, and how to correctly cite sources. I edited the Libguide and repaired any broken or outmodded links. Lessons learned from class readings and the experience gained working alongside these talented individuals, allowed me to directly sharpen my skills as an editor, researcher, and digital librarian. Furthermore, working on this project provided me with valuable hands-on experience analyzing information sources and conducting research in an active and successful information environment.
Second, the Search Strategy Analysis Presentation[1] allowed me to properly cultivate my information finding skills, data management skills, and analytical skills. Dr. Lee asked each class member to give a PowerPoint presentation. My assignment centered around the following hypothetical situation: a junior electrical engineering student requesting my assistance with the following assignment: “For my term paper in my Engineering Ethics class, I want to write about the ethical and privacy concerns of using RFID chip implants in humans. The prof said we are required to use at least 10 scholarly articles from peer reviewed journals. Where would I find these articles?”
In order to narrow the student’s search, I wanted to help the student find as much specific information as possible regarding RFID chip implants. Therefore, I created a strategy worksheet that provided all the key words necessary to begin a viable search: Engineering Ethics, Privacy, RFID chip implants, and humans. From there, I collected a list of additional key words to narrow the search even more, as seen here:
Google Scholar seemed to have been a better starting point for this exercise. However, I determined that ProQuest Social Science Premium Collection was a more reliable and valued information source. It provided a surplus of respected databases for quality research.
There are numerous search tools. Based on my findings, however, the tools that would be more beneficial to the student were the following: Boolean Logic, Range Searching, and Field Searching. Together, I found that these search tools would narrow down the topic and provide the best available information for the student to make an informed decision regarding the focus of their research paper.
Reflection
Both the Group Project requirement and the Search Strategy Analysis requirement for LIS 205, because of their hands-on approach to learning, was beneficial for my continued success in the field of library reference and user services. The Group Project, for example, helped me understand and properly provide digital resources for first year college students by completing a valuable LibGuide (Brennan, Hamilton, Joseph 2016). Working on this project also provided insight on the appropriate methods of not only organizing digital information, but assuring accurate information and knowledge that comply to American Library Association Guidelines (ALA 2009), and St. John’s University standards (Graduation Requirements 2017).
The Search Strategy Project was also beneficial for my continued success in librarianship. For example, the project provided me with an opportunity to improve my fluency with web-based content and digital library information resources. The digital environment contains an immeasurable amount of information. As a librarian, it is my responsibility to help students or patrons to find, collect, and analyze the best material available in order to complete their research projects.
I received a BA in History from Belmont Abbey College (1999) and an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University (2013). Therefore, trained as an historian and writer, I was comfortable in my research and editing environment. Furthermore, because I worked with two talented librarians, the project was a success. The LibGuide we created enriched the academic significance of digital collections and, in particular, the St. John's University community.[2]
I gained a wealth of experience with these projects. They not only increased my already energetic drive to discover new information and to appropriately collect, organize, and provide knowledge and information to college freshman, they also improved my knowledge and skills regarding electronic repositories. I am self-assured that, after having completed LIS 205, I will contribute productive ideas and outcomes to information professional communities and academic societies.
References
ALA. (2009). ALA's core competencies of librarianship. Retrieved
from http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/sites/ala.org.educationcareers
nt/careers/corecomp/corecompetences/finalcorecompstat09.pdf
Brennan, M., Hamilton, M., Joseph, N. A. College Freshman's Guide to Academic
Research and Writing. (2016). Retrieved
from http://libraryschool.libguidescms.com/content.php?pid=703759
Hamilton, M. Search strategy analysis presentation (2016). St. John's University.
[1] Please see Artifact 2 above for the complete presentation.
[2]SpringShare, the company that hosted our LibGuide, recently reorganized their database and, therefore, our LibGuide was not transferred to the new system and was lost. When Dr. Lee and her students were made aware of the change, it was too late to retrieve the collected data and LibGuide.