Practicum Journal Entries 1015

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Angela Bulloch
LM 6890 Practicum Journal Entry
August 29, 2014
Week One
I have arranged to complete my remaining practicum hours at Snowcrest Jr. High, where I’ve taught English, Creative Writing, and Drama for twenty-one years. Fortunately, my principal has allowed me to teach a partial schedule this semester, so that I may complete these hours during the school day and work with students who come into the library on their own or with designated classes. I already know the library well, which is a definite plus, and since our library media specialist (Ray Hunter) is retiring at the end of this school year, the completion of my hours is timely. Mr. Hunter has mentored me previously during some of my coursework and is allowing me to select and order all of this year’s books and additional collection materials in accordance with the current budget.
This week, I have browsed several sites that will assist me in collection development, including TitleWave, which networks with our Follett Destiny automated system. TitleWave allows users to create book lists and wish lists for future purchasing—and assists librarians in meeting specific processing needs. The site provides pertinent information about potential books, such as genre, interest level, reading level, and provides a brief synopsis for each work. When one clicks on author names, the site provides additional information about additional works and specifies whether selected books are part of a series or extended collection. Non-fiction materials provide subject links that specify how they may enhance school curriculum. Since the site is part of an automated system, new selections alert users when potential materials are already part of the school’s collection. Users may choose formats (hardbound, paperback, audio, eBook, etc…) and titles are subtracted from the overall budget as selections are made. Thus far, I’ve “spent” $800+ of the over $3,000 allotment.
In addition to utilizing TitleWave’s many book options, I am consulting other sites, such as YALSA’s award winning YA books from the previous three years—and adding titles our library does not own. The Beehive Book Awards site is also helpful, as content reviews materials and their appropriateness to the age group we serve (12-15). I’ve searched fiction sites with diverse protagonists, book sites that review male protagonist titles, reluctant reader sites, and additional sources that will assist me in making sound choices for all readers. Various publications are also excellent resources for librarians, such as the Perma-Bound catalog. Though this is a jobber source, the synopses and recommendations provide additional information that is helpful to collection development. Through my research I’ve discovered that some of the library’s series are incomplete—and I’ve added those missing titles. My plan is to fill the wish list by the end of September, submit the order, and then process the books as they come in. I also plan to highlight new materials by displaying them creatively when they arrive.
To further supplement our library’s collection, I have asked each of our small school’s seventeen teachers to come in and browse the collection (especially non-fiction materials) and to

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provide titles we don’t own that will enhance class curriculum. The current library media specialist suggests that I focus a larger percent of the budget on fiction materials, as these are the books that circulate most. Many of the teachers who utilize non-fiction materials do so through databases and other forms of internet research. Though I understand the reality of underutilized non-fiction materials, I feel it’s necessary to search for “holes” that can be filled through various fiction and non-fiction resources. Hopefully, teachers will assist me in this process, so that our collection remains balanced and current. The process is forcing me to become familiar with the collection at-large, as I must cross-check selections with current materials—and with the district’s eBook offerings. I feel a sense of empowerment and responsibility in guiding the selection process. I’ve learned a great deal in the first few days and look forward to searching additional book sources in order to make varied, appropriate, and cost-effective choices for future use.
Week Two
Though it’s been a shorter work-week, due to the Labor Day holiday, I am diving back into the book ordering process and learning more about the automated system. I am excited to be ordering all of the new materials for the library this year, as the process propels me to utilize many outside resources that are helpful in selecting fiction and non-fiction for young adults. I especially appreciate YALSA’s award-winning titles and feel they are well-suited to the age group we serve. So far, I haven’t received any title recommendation requests from the faculty (after asking them each individually), and I’m hoping they will offer some guidance for our non- fiction materials. I’ll give them another week and then send out a reminder before I finalize the growing list. I’d like to enhance teachers’ curriculum through some of the collection purchases. One of my goals for our library, in general, is to make the space and our offerings more accessible to teachers, as they rarely check out materials—and generally only come into the library when there is a faculty meeting or on the rare occasion when they bring in classes. There is truly a wealth of information available in our library that is underutilized. And since people generally support what they help create, I’m hoping their input in the ordering process will propel them to use our library more often.
Besides the book ordering project, my mentor (Ray Hunter) is having me start the year’s inventory. Beginning with non-fiction, I am handling each work in the greater collection as I scan the barcodes one at a time. Though I’ve just begun a process that will inevitably take months, the activity allows me to literally interact with each of our 10,000 titles. Much of the collection has universally-placed barcodes on the front cover (vertically, near the top). This position is easy to scan, as I pull the book slightly outward from the top and scan quickly. While doing so, I listen on a nearby laptop for the ascending two musical notes—which indicates a successful scan. When a monotone low hum sounds, I must scan the material again. Sometimes, the “dud” sound just needs the second scanning, but when the low hum is heard a second time, I know something is “off” with the inventory of a particular item. The nearby laptop provides further information. Occasionally, a book may need a new scan sticker, which is processed on the computer to correspond with the original entry. In other cases, the material’s record may need modifications in order for the item to successfully appear in the inventory list. This activity

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is a nice diversion to the book ordering, and automatically continues from where I left off when I login to the inventory program. As books are checked in and out (whether they have been scanned for inventory or not), they are added to the current inventory status. When inventory is eventually completed, a summary of un-scanned books will need double-checking. As I continue with this long-term project, I am on the lookout for materials that may need repair or may need to be weeded from the collection, altogether. Overall, I find the system and set-up to be quite efficient—and fun!
These two initial projects are providing me with plenty to do during these first several weeks. Not only am I working directly with the system I will eventually oversee, the inventory work and the ordering of new materials are both helping me become very familiar with our current and future collection. I especially appreciate these opportunities, as it’s extremely difficult (if not impossible) for a library media specialist to know every item in a collection. The more I become familiar with the collection at-large, the better I can assist students in searching, accessing, and circulating library materials.
Week Three
Much of this week has been spent doing the annual inventory, via the Follett Destiny automated, hand-held system. I have finished the reference materials and am up to the 600s in the non-fiction section. Most of the work is a bit tedious, as I pull print resources from the shelf just enough to scan the barcodes—while listening for the ascending notes that indicate a correct scan. I’ve only had two titles, thus far, that have given me an incorrect response or “dud” sound. These were both reprocessed, using the original barcodes of each item and took only minutes to re-catalog correctly. The greatest benefit for me is to interact with the collection in order to become more familiar with our school’s offerings.
One aspect that I find slightly annoying is that not all of the barcodes are universally placed on print materials. Though most barcodes are placed vertically on the front cover near top and parallel to the spine, others are located on the bottom portion of the cover. A few are on the back near the ISBN barcode. The barcode searching process slows down the flow of inventory, which can be slightly frustrating. Our media specialist said that he opted to change subsequent collection materials to the front cover when he was hired, but did not change the former barcode positions of books that had already been processed. It isn’t a huge issue—and is only noticed during inventory as such items take a few seconds longer. Since many of the non-fiction materials hold value long after their copyright dates, the difference in barcode alignment slows down the non-fiction inventory—while the fiction section has a greater turnover. I can see that it would be very tedious to change barcodes on materials to match his current system. Therefore, I understand that taking extra moments to search for barcodes once a year is a better option than reprocessing these items.
Besides the inventory, I’ve gathered several books that are in need of slight repairs. Most need extra tape on their barcodes or reinforced taping of covers and/or gluing in specific areas. It’s interesting to pull aside these materials, because I’ve seen a pattern with a few series. The Discovery Eyewitness book series (many subjects) seem to need the most repairs—as do the

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Ripley’s Believe it or Not series. Both are hardbound series. At first, I wondered if these books accrue more damage due to higher circulation. Mr. Hunter and I discussed the matter and determined that the Ripley’s Believe it or Not series is checked out more often by students, which would explain the damages over time. However, the Discovery Eyewitness books do not circulate as often. Thus, their bindings are inadequate for long term wear.
These discoveries reinforce the need to purchase hard bound materials, whenever possible. As I’m simultaneously ordering collection materials for the year, I can see more fully why Mr. Hunter prefers hardbound copies for the library. Theoretically, the budget would allow for twice as many books if paperback purchases were the norm. However, the annual wear and tear of items makes hardbound materials more attractive for the life of a collection. Each of these small and large lessons prepares me to make preventive and proactive decisions for the collection that I will oversee when I replace Mr. Hunter, following his upcoming retirement.
Week Four
My library duties for the week have been varied. I have two current long-term projects which provide daily work (inventory and the ordering of all materials for the year). It’s nice to have these projects, because each requires different skills from me as a future media specialist. The inventory helps me get to know the collection better and the ordering of materials gives me a glimpse of the future collection I’ll oversee. Both enable me to learn the Follett Destiny/Titlewave systems better.
One of the elements of my practicum that I am readily learning is that there are always interruptions that must be addressed—as a library serves the student body, faculty, staff, administrators, and greater learning community. Some of the interruptions have steered me away from these long-term projects, which allows me to practice flexibility, a critical aspect of library services. For example, the English department of which I am currently part, received a shipment of novels that were all paperback copies. To give them added life, I reinforced the covers (front and back) with wide tape. These books will inevitably be tossed into lockers, retrieved from backpacks, and will sustain wear over time. However, the reinforcing features should give them longer life and benefit the department. Learning how to be flexible to the arising needs of a school is important, and having larger projects on the horizon provides more immediate flexibility for interruptions, as they can be put on hold during the interim. I like that I can offer quick help when needed and still have plenty to do when there are fewer immediate needs.
Another project I’m working on that interrupts the flow of these others is book repair. As I continue inventory, I come across numerous books that need minor repairs. I set them aside as I go until I have a dozen or so. When I don’t have other pressing practicum tasks, I glue, tape, and beautify these materials. Often, I must put them in a vice overnight to compress any glued places, and then they are ready to shelve in the morning after I remove them from the vice. It’s a good process, and I’m happy to be adding life to the collection as I’ve done with the English paperback novels. These maintenance tasks are necessary, and doing them intermittently as I come upon repairs does not feel overwhelming.
Some difficulties have arisen in regard to repairs, however. I’ve discovered book corner

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that look like they’ve been eaten by dogs and bindings that are compromised. At times, such repairs require two or three steps (gluing pages, then bindings, then reinforcing corners, etc., and requires drying time in between steps. The process for more damaged materials generally moves from the center of the book—outward. I am amazed that these step-by-step processes actually reap amazing results as the books evolve from their former states. Many of these materials would become weeded from the collection if they didn’t undergo the makeovers. Ultimately, the best practice for book repair may be to repair them individually as they are circulated, assess appropriate fines, and keep up on current repairs. Though the process is messy and meticulous at times, I enjoy the end result and the knowledge that many materials can be preserved.
Week Five
This week has mostly been devoted to inventory—a necessary task to record, maintain, and weed items within the collections we oversee. Fortunately, the process is much easier than it was before the digital age. Now, automated library systems include inventory processes that are compatible with book sources for the ordering and processing of new materials. Though the scanning of individual books is tedious, it’s an important element in library services.
Since I’ve completed the non-fiction inventory, my mentor (Ray Hunter) has shown me how to check myself for errors. He demonstrated how to print an in-progress inventory report that shows what items are unaccounted for. The results were enlightening! I assumed I had scanned all items, but as I watched the few pages of unaccounted materials emerge from the printer, Ray showed me that I had actually missed pertinent materials. The first red flag was that the 710s through the 759s were listed as missing. When I went to the shelves, I immediately saw that the “missing” numbers all appeared within one shelf of three rows. Thus, I had missed scanning an entire shelf of books. Normally, I mark where I’ve left off by setting three books on their sides, so I can continue in the same place the next day. Apparently, I did not mark the right place for the next day’s work. Not only did I miss a shelf, but I missed a section of graphic novels, atlases, and some oversized books that are not shelved with the regular non-fiction items. After locating and scanning the unaccounted books, I was very pleased to see that such reports can be printed to improve inventory accuracy.
After locating missing materials and scanning them, I have returned to the inventory process a little humbled. Now, I check behind stacks of books to see if others are hiding in dusty recesses. I am not hasty when I mark my stopping place. As I go, I am more thorough and slower. The checks and balances of the Follett Destiny system are reassuring, as errors are bound to be made when scanning 10,000+ books.
Another report I’ve utilized is the Dewey Decimal title order of books within the non- fiction section. A teacher recently had Mr. Hunter gather materials about animals for a novel project. As materials were checked out, checked in, moved, and used during library time, they became mixed up on the shelves. When the time came to return them, the task seemed a bit daunting, as not all non-fiction books provide numbers beyond the decimal point. I did my best (based on the available information on the spine), and then used a printed shelf list to perfect the order of each shelf. I found the report helpful in returning the books to their previously organized

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state.
These features have helped me in my process and I see there are additional possibilities for reports that may prove useful, such as genre breakdowns, books at various reading levels, etc… The data collected from circulation practices can also be utilized to make decisions about ordering additional copies of popular books or titles within the same series. Ultimately, this data can improve library services and may guide additional decisions that benefit patrons.
Week Six
This week I completed the annual inventory—much earlier than my work plan indicated. To truly complete the process, unaccounted materials must first be located, if possible, to determine their actual status. Six of the eighteen unaccounted items were “found” by searching behind shelves or around student study areas. The remainder of the missing materials required further analysis. I checked to see when the materials were last circulated (most hadn’t been checked out in nearly a year). At this point, I reviewed each item from the unaccounted for list and discovered that four of the books listed were part of larger class-set novels that had been previously weeded, while select copies had been housed in the fiction section. The barcodes of missing items didn’t match those on the shelves, so I deleted (weeded) these items from the collection, under the guidance of Ray Hunter, and added the titles that showed discrepancies. After weeding select items and adding the few remaining missing titles to this year’s book order, I was able to get the inventory to the required 100% completion status.
Once this was achieved, I wondered if the report would be submitted to the district. Ray said that this was not a requirement. He said that at the end of each school year, he indicates on a document that he has completed the annual inventory, but there is no entity to check the process. There is also no accounting for weeded materials (or newly purchased materials) at a district level. Personally, I am surprised that there aren’t built-in checks and balances for library media specialists—as we oversee expensive collections.
When the inventory doesn’t quite reach 100% completion, Mr. Hunter marks outstanding items as weeded in order to complete the process. He indicated that some years a book will “show up” that has been previously weeded from the collection due to its unaccounted for status. When it returns, he must then add it back into the system. I understand the process of reaching the 100% status for inventory, but I struggle with the idea of deleting books from the system to make the inventory accurate. I’m not sure how to rectify this process when I am a media specialist, but I feel that something more must be done to search for missing items besides waiting for them to return.
Through my practicum hours, I am learning how to navigate a variety of issues that will be part of my job. An additional project I’m working on is ordering books for the year, which I have returned to this week. Several resources have assisted me in adding titles to the current wish list. I feel fortunate to learn these processes before I will be required to complete them on my own, and the knowledge I’m gaining will prepare me to serve students better, while maintaining our growing collection.

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Week Seven
This has been a fun week in the library. Since I finished inventory earlier than planned, I created a display of scary Halloween-type books. I covered a shelf table with black paper, retrieved a skeleton, skull, and headstone from the Halloween decorating supplies, and displayed several books with inherently spooky stories. Among these were classics (Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), Edgar Allan Poe collections, suspense and mystery fiction, R.L. Stine, etc… The display turned out very well. For a final touch, I added a sign that reads: …Dying to read a SCARY STORY? I also added “Read in Peace” to the headstone. Hopefully, the display increases circulation and brings in more library patrons.
Besides the decorating and display, I’ve been reprocessing materials that Mr. Hunter has found in the collection that were not processed correctly prior to his arrival at our school. A set of Holocaust books were listed as reference, but housed with other World War II materials. However, their labels had not been changed. Every time an issue comes up with a book (great or small), Ray lets me lead the process, so I’ll learn how to trouble-shoot library issues that are bound to arise. While reprocessing the Holocaust books, it became evident that one of them was missing from the collection, but had successfully been inventoried. Since I’ve recently completed the annual inventory, the school catalog shows it as available—meaning it would most likely be somewhere other than its rightful place. A short reconnaissance mission into the non-fiction section brought the book out from its hiding place, where it could be processed correctly.
The task reminded me that if a book is processed incorrectly and isn’t in the right spot, that a patron may never find the material, thereby diminishing its usefulness. This potential inaccessibility is critical to the purpose of the media center and to my role as a future school librarian. With some of my practicum hours, I plan to go through the entire collection and re- shelve materials that are not in their proper places. I enjoy opportunities like these to test my growing knowledge and to think about the greater impact of accessibility. I feel that these instances prepare me to do my job and give me a deeper understanding of the pitfalls I face in overseeing a diverse collection.
Though the practicum work is going very well, I am struggling with my e-Portfolio a bit. I understand the procedures of its creation and the artifacts and evidence I must include. However, finding the time to complete it—along with teaching and practicum hours can be overwhelming, at times. The only way through it is through it, however. We can do this!
Week Eight
This week is short, due to our fall break schedule. I have spent my practicum hours going through the 300s and 400s—reorganizing shelf order and checking the call numbers and authors against the record listings. Ray Hunter, my mentor, has noticed that some of our materials were not processed correctly in the past. Small errors in numbers and/or corresponding letters are present, though not prevalent. I’ve already located six books from the 100s and 200s that need to be re-labeled for accuracy.
The task is quite tedious, but I feel fortunate to have been given the opportunity to check

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each item, as I’m truly becoming familiar with our collection—much more so than I did by simply doing inventory. Using a school laptop with the pre-loaded list in view, I am checking titles, authors, call numbers, and their corresponding spaces. Each book takes only a few seconds to check. I highlight each as I go and forgo highlighting when a book is missing from its spot, but cannot be readily found on the same shelf. Usually, “missing” books are found nearby and returned to their rightful places. When a book doesn’t match its record, I highlight it in another color.
I like the fact that our collection is becoming more accurate. However, there are additional issues with previous processing. Some numbers only go out one space, while others list up to three numbers following the decimal point. The result is that the books appear to be out of order in some areas from their spine label/alphabet discrepancies, even though they are technically in order. This fact bothers me slightly, because students who are looking for a particular title may not find it readily among the others, and I’m afraid users will give up in their quests to locate materials if the order isn’t evident. I feel the best long term fix is to re-label all materials so that three numbers are present after the decimal point. Mr. Hunter doesn’t feel this is necessary at this time, so I may take on this project after I resume his role—as he is retiring at the close of the school year. These discrepancies can limit access, which is fundamental to library media services.
For now, I’m gathering the books that don’t specifically match their records and relabeling them. Some labeling requires a little tweaking, as well. For example, the Chicken Soup for the Soul series has expanded to the point that some of the titles may be housed outside of the psychology (100s) section. There is a book in this series that targets teenage girls, specifically. Currently, it is shelved with materials relating to women. However, most users would not see the book easily among its companions, since all of the other Chicken Soup for the Soul books are housed together. In this case, it may be better to re-label it to “fit” with the corresponding collection rather than its technical place. These decisions, as well as others are some that I have been addressing this week.
The semester is moving along quickly! I have learned a great deal. However, there is still much to learn and do before my hours are complete. The portfolio, for ONE! Aside from the upcoming observation and completion of hours, this is my priority. Bring on week nine!
Week Nine
This has been a short week for me, as I took two school days off, following Fall Break to go to Washington DC (which was amazing!). It’s also the end of the term. As a result, I earned fewer practicum hours. The majority of these limited hours were spent on the shelf-list project, where I am going through the non-fiction section to reorganize books that are out of sync, re- label those that have not been correctly processed, and to determine if specific books should be housed somewhere else for greater access. The project is a bit tedious, but I’m becoming quite familiar with the collection I will oversee in the future, which is a great benefit to me.
As I go through each section, I pay attention to the spine labels—as these are the initial markers that assist students in locating materials. Some of the non-fiction materials are

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mislabeled in a few different ways. The processing of numbers beyond the decimal point are inconsistent, which makes it difficult to organize them correctly at face value. Others have incorrect letters of the alphabet for authors or list a single letter listed, while others list the first three. These inconsistencies may present students with difficulties in finding specific titles they seek.
Certainly, library patrons can read titles on spines, but when they must locate one among dozens on a wide shelf, they may abandon their searches altogether. This possibility creates more work for a library media specialist, who must direct students individually toward items when they should be able to find them on their own through catalog searches. Snowcrest Jr. High has had a few different librarians over the years—hence the differences in processing. Though I understand how these discrepancies occur, I feel it’s important to have a uniform system, so that everyone has equal access to all materials without limiting factors. I may choose to re-label all divergent materials when I am the actual library media specialist.
This task reminds me how critical it is for libraries to be consistent…in policy, processing, organization, and a variety of other necessary elements. If we are not consistent, our jobs become more difficult and are filled with minute tasks. A librarian’s time can be better spent in assisting students with their research questions—in guiding them toward appropriate materials, rather than helping them search for specific items that are not easily found due to label inconsistencies. If we make accessibility a primary goal—and ensure that all aspects of accessibility are accurately met, our time may be freed up to serve students, staff, administration, and community members more effectively.
Week Ten
I had the pleasure of meeting our professor, Stephen Irving, this week! First of all, I think it’s a great practice to have actual observations for the endorsement program (when possible). Though the work is done online, there are many aspects of what we do that must be seen to understand. Library Media Specialists are teachers, and it’s difficult to assess teachers without seeing them in action. Even though observations can be a bit stressful, I appreciate the opportunity to gain valuable feedback from a seasoned library educator.
My lesson was on the Dewey Decimal Classification System and how to locate books in our library. I began with a short video clip (The Two Ronnies: The Confusing Library, YouTube) and included a fun candy sorting activity, in which students were divided into groups and given various candies to classify by shared characteristics. The students created a variety of classification groups based on size, shape, color, and content. It was interesting to see how they determined a candy’s group—as some had groups for chocolate and caramel and didn’t quite know what to do with a Rollo (caramel-covered chocolate candy). After the short activity, I did a PowerPoint presentation that detailed Dewey’s system and reinforced the need for classification.
Though I felt generally good about the lesson, I needed another 10-15 minutes to complete it. I did not get to all of the material I had intended and will follow up afterward. Our professor gave me excellent feedback on particular areas of my lesson. For example, he suggested that I introduce the topic before showing the opening video clip. I agree that I rushed

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the beginning and the end. The feedback helps me see my lesson as an observer, and reminds me that students may need more information before jumping into a new topic or activity.
I learned a lot through the observation and follow-up discussion with Professor Irving. My goal in the future is to teach mini library lessons on a regular basis. We discussed these goals, and I agree with Steve that teacher buy-in is the greatest obstacle. I hope to “sell” my ideas to them so students will gain the information literacy skills they need to succeed. Since junior high classes don’t have regularly-scheduled library time at Snowcrest (like they do in elementary school), it is critical for teachers to understand the need and allow time for these lessons in their curriculums.
Besides the observation, I am continuing my shelf order re-organization project. I am up to the 600s, now. The non-fiction books are becoming more organized each day and I am getting to know the collection even more. I love being in the library! I love the books, the atmosphere, the work, and the challenge.
Week Eleven
This week was really fun for me, because I finalized the book order for the year—after completing a comprehensive search for materials that will enhance our collection. Since the beginning of my practicum, I have researched potential books from YA sites, award lists, catalogs, and a variety of pertinent resources. I’ve subsequently added each into the Follett TitleWave system. The process has included reading summaries and reviews of hundreds of books that address specific criteria, such as reading and interest levels, genre, and content. Over the past several weeks, I've narrowed the final list to approximately 150 titles.
As I've gone through the final order this week, I've narrowed additional materials to meet an approximate budget of $3,000. This has been the most difficult process for me, because each of the items hold valid reasons for being on the list. While double-checking our catalog and shelves for items in a series that required completion, I added a few more books that had inadvertently been left off. Thus, the narrowing process became even more difficult. My mentor, Ray Hunter, showed me how to print the list to include details, such as reading level, year published, etc… This specific list helped me narrow further, as I retained items designated YA vs. Adult and eliminated some materials with older publication dates. The entire process showed me the importance of being thorough while staying within budget constraints. I feel that I have a good grasp on our growing collection, which benefits me further, for I will most likely move into the same library position after our current media specialist retires at the close of this school year.
During my final list check, I perused the shelves, searching for series items that may have been missed. One particular issue caught my attention. A fiction mystery series called 39 Clues is an extensive series with numerous authors. Thus, each title is shelved according to the author’s last name and not housed together. The covers of each are extremely similar to each other, so they would be located more easily if they were housed together. Young readers may be more apt to read them when they know where to find the next book. However, they do not belong together, according to the system, and library systems are critical to efficient, effective service. The goal isn’t to adapt the system to students, but to teach the system to students. When

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users know how to use the library catalog, how books are classified, and understand the various sections and sub-sections within a library, they become more invested in their searches for materials and can easily find them on their own.
I feel that I’m learning the most at this point in my practicum. My understanding of the library is becoming more solid, and I look forward to teaching library skills to students in their personal and educational pursuits for knowledge.
Week Twelve
Now that the book order is complete for the year and I’m waiting for books to arrive for processing, I have been able to get back to my shelf check. This is a tedious process—examining all non-fiction books and arranging them in their true shelf order. However, the task is proving to be helpful, as I’m comparing spine information to the list on the laptop as I go, and finding that some materials are mislabeled or inadequately labeled, which limits access. The most beneficial part of the project, for me, is the careful perusal of items that helps me in familiarizing myself with our overall collection.
Aside from this ongoing work, I am shifting non-fiction items, as well, to make room for new materials—particularly for new fiction, as the majority of ordered items fall into this category. Our library’s non-fiction section is larger than necessary, so the As (Fiction) begin after the 900s and biographies (own section) and move along each wall toward the greater fiction section. Shifting non-fiction items to make way for 150 new titles will enable me to house new materials more readily than if I don’t shift items prior to their arrival. Interestingly, new materials include a lot of C, M, and W last names. Thus, these sections need the most room and are already full. As I move non-fiction items to use lower shelves, I am opening up quite a bit of room for the entire fiction section, which will be less compacted, afterward.
I am nearing the close of my practicum hours, but will most likely go over, as I plan to finish the projects I have started. I’ve enjoyed these hours so much, and I’ve learned a great deal through my presence in the library. I especially enjoy the times when students are present, as I can use my knowledge to help them succeed in their tasks. I have read a lot of YA fiction, as well, so students are asking me for recommendations now. These are fun questions, because I tend to return the question with specific questions as to what genres they enjoy and whether they want to read stand-alone novels or series. Students also come to me and tell me about books they enjoy. Thus, I am able to provide recommendations, based on peer responses. Each library service experience teaches me something new and establishes my role as a future library media specialist.
When my hours are complete, I have asked Ray Hunter (my mentor) to let me know when he encounters a new problem or when something arises that would be a good teaching moment for me. He has assured me that he will share these experiences with me and allow me to help whenever possible. I look forward to this ongoing professional relationship with him, as I still have much to learn before he passes the torch.
I am most content in the library. This, I know.

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Week Thirteen
Though I am technically done with my library practicum hours, I plan to complete a few projects I have started. Thus, I’ll be in the library for a few more weeks on a limited basis. In anticipation for the arrival of this year’s book order, which I recently completed—after much time and research, I am shifting books to accommodate new materials. The fiction section of our library is already fairly tight, and the only way to buy more room is to utilize lower shelves in the non-fiction section, so the fiction can begin directly after the 900s and biographies (own section). By starting backward and shifting materials one shelf at a time, I’ve created more space in the needed areas. When the books arrive just prior to Thanksgiving break, I will be able to process them and shelf them readily without having to worry about where they will go. I like the preventive measures that reap benefits later. Thus, this is a fun job for me.
Besides these two incomplete projects, I am up to the 800s in my shelf check. That means that I have checked each non-fiction item (up to this point) for spine accuracy and shelf order. Surprisingly, there are several books that need to be labeled more accurately. I have set a few dozen or so aside, and will also complete this project before the semester is through. Truthfully, I will miss my time in the library, so I’m glad I still have a few loose ends to tie up. I am also creating a presentation for English classes that highlights the new fiction and non-fiction materials. I'm creating slides that display various genres and their corresponding covers. Hopefully, the presentation will entice students to check out our new materials after they arrive and are processed.
On my own time, I am tackling the portfolio, which is coming together. I still have a few artifacts to insert and entries to write. Of course, the entire piece will need editing and polishing. However, I do see that light ahead that reminds me of how far I have come. Our school technology adviser (separate role than media specialist) has answered many of my questions regarding the embedding of materials into the portfolio. It's awesome to learn new ways to incorporate materials in user-friendly ways. Slideshare is an excellent program for these purposes.
I am extremely happy to have completed coursework and be on the home stretch—while teaching close to full time and being a wife, mother, and grandmother, simultaneously. These past few years seemed daunting when I began the program, and there have been times when I’ve been overwhelmed. However, I like to remind myself that I am doing something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and that there are many who can’t do what they’d like when they’d like to do it. I feel fortunate for the new knowledge and opportunities I’ve gained—and the finish line is just ahead.
Week Fourteen
This week is very short, due to the Thanksgiving Break. With only two class days to work on practicum hours—and the waiting of the annual book order to arrive, I have focused mainly on completing the shelf check project that I’ve been working on in between other library projects. I completed the 800s and part of the 900s. This means that all of the non-fiction materials are in proper shelf order and any spine label discrepancies have been corrected.

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Though the shelf check task is tedious, I have truly become familiar with our school’s collection while perusing materials closely. I work with a laptop nearby and cross check materials, labels, and shelf position to establish accuracy. This level of accuracy is important for access—a fundamental aspect of library services. I feel that this portion of the library is not only organized and accurate, but materials may be easier to access as a result of the project.
My last big project will be in processing the books that should arrive shortly. Close to 200 new books will be added to our collection soon. I will enter their barcodes in our system, stamp them with our school’s identification factors, reinforce book jackets with tape, create and apply spine labels, and then get them ready for display. Between the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, these books will be displayed on a variety of shelves and tables throughout the library to entice students to check out new materials. I plan to create genre sections with identifying posters, so students can peruse materials via their corresponding genres, such as romance, sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, realistic, etc… The plan is for displays to educate and entice, simultaneously.
Though I’ve technically completed my practicum hours, I am determined to finish a few of the remaining projects I’ve started, such as the shelf check and new book processing. These are tasks that I started a few months back or at the beginning of the semester. Some of these long term tasks are finished, like the annual inventory and book repair. However, these additional jobs have been extremely helpful “filler” activities when I don’t have pressing library service business. Such tasks remind me that as a future media specialist, I need some ongoing assignments that can be worked into a schedule when less timely tasks require my attention. The balancing of these individual and collective projects has taught me more about my future role that I had anticipated. Now I understand the juggling act that we experience and how to approach and complete various library service assignments by staggering them effectively. Bring on week fifteen!
Week Fifteen
New book processing has dominated this last week of my practicum. Though I completed my official hours a few weeks ago, I am completing the projects I started. By far, this is the most exciting of them all. After meticulous decisions about book selections from a variety of sources, ordering, waiting, and finally receiving the books—I am delighted to get them ready for circulation.
Ray Hunter, my mentor and current school media specialist prefers to order hard bound books, when possible. Our school pays the extra processing fee to have the barcodes placed vertically in the upper left corner of covers. The Follett program uploads new books, so that records are immediately generated. I went into each of 150+ records and added $2.00 to the indicated purchase price. Mr. Hunter has done this for years to accommodate additional costs of replacing books when they are lost.
Afterward, I taped book jackets so they don’t become separated from the books and applied thick tape to a few paper back copy covers. I stamped the books on the outer pages with our school identification stamp and did the same on title pages and on the bottom of page 25 for each. Three

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of the books (series) had black-tipped pages, so I wasn’t able to stamp them outside. These steps took a few days to accomplish. Then I created accurate spine labels, adhered them to the lower portion of each spine, taped over them with reinforced, clear labels, and continued the process until it was complete. One box of books (44) has not yet arrived. When it does, I will repeat the same steps.
After all books arrive and are fully processed, I will organize them into genres for display. I will make posters with key elements for each genre and exhibit them throughout the library on various tables and shelves. I will also create a PowerPoint for English classes to view that shows the new book covers in their corresponding genres. Hopefully, all of this preparation will entice students to come in and check out one of our new collection purchases.
Prior to the arrival of materials, I shifted books throughout the library to accommodate the new shipments. I have made extra space for books that have many new titles. For example, in looking at the invoice, Mr. Hunter and I discovered that there are a lot of Cs, Ms, Ss, and Ws among the new fiction titles. To make the shift possible, I began in the non-fiction section and utilized lower unused shelves (weeks ago). The As in the fiction section (adjacent to the non- fiction) now begin earlier. From there, I shifted each shelf of books and planned for extra spacing in the shelves where many new materials will be housed. This preparation will enable the new books to move efficiently into these spaces, with few difficulties.
I still have not completed the 900s and Biographies shelf check, which I will do in a week or so. At this point, practicum hours are arbitrary. However, I will gladly finish the projects in progress until each is complete. My practicum experience has been wonderful! I seriously could not have asked for a better mentor or circumstance. Prior to the school year starting, my principal agreed to let me teach one fewer periods. Since the semester began, I have come into the library before school and during my first period, which is free. I have also come in after school. I feel it would have been quite difficult to put in the necessary time if I didn’t have the administrative support. Because of this accommodation, I have been able to work with students during regular school hours and beyond. I have truly learned SO much. Though I still have much to learn as a future media specialist, I feel confident that I will be able to meet our school’s information literacy needs.
If all goes well, I will assume Mr. Hunter’s position when he retires. When that point comes, I feel I will be a most excellent candidate. I know our school’s library very well. I have been involved in collection development and, therefore, know our collection. I have participated and influenced the layout of resources and have been instrumental in this year’s library instruction, planning, and management. I feel ready to fill the role for which I have worked so hard for. I am pleased with my progress and grateful for the opportunity to accomplish my professional goals. Thank you!

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