Big Blog Post

I have not posted anything in a while so this is going to be a compilation of the readings and some thoughts. First I have been doing some research on our juvenile section. We really do not have a strong juvenile section at all. This school has a pretty good size education department. There are many required courses that have required reading of juvenile books. It would be nice if the section was more up-to-date. I did a search of about 30 juvenile books that have been popular in the last year and we didn't even have one of them. I Sayre, on the other hand did have a few. I also did a search of The New York Times Bestselling Juvenile novels and we didn't have 4 of the first 5. I don't know if there is some sort of system we can work out where we can maybe get bestsellers or award winners periodically. I understand that there is not a HUGE demand for them but there is a need. It would be nice if we could get some things that are more current.

One of the readings I read but never blogged over is the Coping with different workplace personalities article. First I will say that i really like these Communication Briefing Articles. They are simple and practical and they get right to the point. Some articles like this are too wordy and tend to repeat the same idea over and over in different words. Anyway, I like that this article gives you example of things to say. There were three personalities that were targeted. The Negative Person, The Thin-skinned, and the Office Dictator. There are student workers that I can put in each category. One reaccuring theme throughout the article is the importance of staying positive. Just choosing to use positive words to express yourself can make all the difference. Instead of saying whats wrong with that idea? I should say things like, "What suggestions do you have?" Something else I noticed is how important it is to make people feel like they are useful, needed, and part of the team. If a worker feels needed they are more likely to invest in the good of the library. I think that is something we could probably work on here.

I also read the ABC's of Supervisory Communication a while back. I really really liked this article. It laid out some practical and very useful guidelines when it comes to communicating with subordinates. One thing that really stuck out to me was the importance of listening to the ideas of others. If that is something I do continuously with the student workers then they will fill comfortable enough to bring issues to me when it is really important. I want to have an open line of communication with them like I do with Erin and Jason. I want them to be confident that they can talk to me, and that I will do whatever I can to find a solution. Another point the article made was giving praise when it is deserved, and that is should be done in front of people. When someone does a great job they should be told, and it is even better if they are told in front of a small group. The article says that it makes them feel like part of the team and that is motivates others to step up their performance. I agree with those statements and I know that giving praise is something I do not do nearly enough.

I also read an article about knowing what your employees are thinking. This article really struck me. One of its main points was, " Speakers will stop communicating if they think listeners have stopped paying attention." People need the affirmation that we are indeed listening. Whether is is a nod or eye contact or verbal reassurance, we need that. Often times if a worker thinks the boss is not listening they will stop talking all together. Sometimes listening means more than just nodding, sometimes it means action being taken. If workers have presented a problem and nothing is done to find a solution, workers will stop communicating. Not only is this bad for business, but productivity decreases, morale goes out the window, and efficiency is lost. Workers adopt the, "why should I even try" attitude. This article is exactly right. There is a person in my life that loves to talk, but when it come time for me to talk she looks away or starts playing with her phone or talking to another person. Not only is it rude but it really conveys that she is too selfish to care about me, or my opinion. I never want my workers to feel this way. I want them to trust me and know that I really do care about what they have to say. One last point it made is to praise the sharing of information, even if it is hard to hear. I think that is a big one. People need to know that I want them to communicate with me, even if it might be hard for me to swallow. I need feedback, i need to know when I have upset someone, I need to know when there is a problem with how we are doing something. I dont want the student workers to ever think that they cannot come to me with something that might be negative.

26 Ways to Improve on the Job Relationships

Today I read 26 ways to improve on the job relationships. This article really put somethings into perspective for me, and made me reflect on the way I treat people at work. One repeating theme in the article is the use of "we". The article talks about using we instead of you many times. Instead of placing blame or placing too much stress on one person I should use we. That means taking part of the blame and work load, too. It really drives home the point that we are a team here at the library and that we must work together to achieve our goals. One other point it made is involving people in the problem solving aspect. I think this would be a great tool to use with student workers. I know how I feel when someone considers my opinion to reach a solution. I think we should do that we student workers as well. They see almost everything that comes in here, and I am sure they sometimes have ideas and solutions that I may not consider. I think asking them what they would do in a certain situation would be a good thing. It would most likely make them feel like they are contributing and give them some pride in their work as well. I was a little convicted in one area. The article says think about how many times you remain silent in a conversation, and try to just listen more often. I am not always the best listener. I need to work on that and make sure that student workers and patrons feel like they get heard when they come to me with a problem.

MAX Performance Feedback

Today I read MAX Performance Feedback. The feedback article talked about the importance of feedback and how it is often not used enough in the workplace. It says that 43 % of employees dont get enough guidance. I think a lot of times workers dont do better because they do not know what they are doing wrong to begin with. Many times managers fail to communicate when their expectations are not met. The article really makes a big deal about the importance of positive feedback. It even gives examples of feedback methods that have great results. The Bear method was my favorite. First the B in bear stands for behavior. It says to give specific examples of what they are doing right or wrong. E stands for Effect. Give the student worker concrete examples of the effects of their behavior. A is alternative. Give the worker specific examples of what he or she could do differently to obtain better results. R stands for results. As a manager I should think of other ways that might be easier for the worker to do things the right way. this R section could also be used to outline any consequences of not doing things right. While I wont be deciding on consequences I do think it is important to consider the results section and how people have different learning and working styles. As a manager I should be considerate of that and think of ways to modify situation to accommodate everyone. They article also points out that When giving feedback i should make sure that I am giving at least 70% positive feedback and 30% negative. I think this is important. I dont want anyone to start feeling bad about themselves or resent me. One way it says this cam be put into practice is to give three encouraging words and then the one negative. I really like this article. It makes you think about how important feedback is. It reminded me how important it is to stay positive.

Case Study- Home Away from Home

Today I read the case study, Home Away from Home. I really like the idea of case studies. I think it is interesting to think of ways to come up with a solution. Anyway, in the article there is a public library patrons that drops her kid off in the children's section and plants herself at a computer for the majority of the day. The staff is annoyed by the child acting out, and other patrons not getting time on the computer because she is hogging it. The article ends by saying maybe it is time to consider changing our policy. I definitely think it is time to change their policy. First and most importantly, they should create a child policy. Children left unattended could very easily create a liability for the library. Not only that but since it is a public place children should not be left unattended for their own safety. Also, there should be a time limit and session log for computer use. After her allowed session Mrs. Kittner should have to sign up for a new session. If there is no one waiting she can get back on right away, but if there is a line she will have to get at the back of the line and wait her turn. This is only fair and it is the best way to accommodate all patrons. Mrs. Kittner is in a sticky situation and since the librarians know of her hard time they should do everything the can to help her. I think the library should think about investing in laptops. Today they are fairly inexpensive so they could get a few. This would also help solve the problem of her unattended child. She could check out a laptop and then sit with him in the children's section while still having access to a computer. Also laptops that must be checked out by an adult would keep children for messing around on them and potentially damaging them.

Compassionate Confrontation

On Monday I read the Compassionate Confrontation. I blogged about it but the network was down so I am blogging about it again. I really liked this article and got a lot out of it. I like that the article tries to diminish the negative connotation that goes along with confrontation. The article says "no one is worthy of you giving up your integrity." This really made an impression on me. Sometimes I tend to be passive because I want people to like me or because I may be intimidated by them. I shouldn't be that way. I am going to work on doing what is right, even if it may step on some toes. Whether it is reminding students to do their tasks or keeping someone from stealing, as a supervisor it is my job to do the right thing and confront people when necessary. I also like that they article talks about your ability to confront being directly linked with peoples ability to trust you. I think when student workers know that you will take care of things and when their is consistency, they will trust you. The article also talks about knowing when or when not to confront someone. Sometimes you should know when to pick your battles. The article says "it requires wisdom to know when to let the person struggle and when to offer constructive suggestions." I think the most important part of this article is maintaining the personal aspect of confrontation. Be "compassionate". Treat them fairly, and if confrontation is required...do it with integrity.

How to get the feedback you didnt want to hear (but really need to know)

Today I read one of the articles in our packet about getting feedback. I really like the concept of getting feedback. Personally, I feel motivated by feedback. I like knowing when I am doing well, and I also like knowing when I may be lacking in some area so that I can fix it. I think some kind of feedback process at the library, other than just evaluations, would be really helpful. I would like to know what things the student workers may be seeing that I need to change, or things they may appreciate. One thing the article said that I really took to heart was taking good care of the feedback you are given. Not getting offended, taking time to reflect, and working diligently to improve or keep up the good work, are very important aspects of the feedback process. I think a successful work place requires some type of feedback. I think it is beneficial to know how you are doing as a worker, supervisor, or president for that matter. I would like to see us all work a little harder to develop some type of feedback system. Even if it is just an anonymous review like we do for professors. As long as it is done in a mature and helpful way I think it could really benefit the supervisors.

Management vs. Leadership -Jim Clemmer

Today I read the article Management vs. Leadership. One point the article really stresses is how management and leadership go hand in hand. One with out the other causes problems. I think this is true in work settings. The more I think about it, I think that people need both of these and sometimes depending on the person, they may need more of one than the other. The article also talks about the need for technology in most operations. At the library the use of technology is a huge part to our operation. If we have good systems, good management and inspiring leadership the library will run like a dream. I like the thought that all work together. One thing the article points out is that most managers use written communication while leaders use verbal communication. I think a lot of times in a business the communication aspect is lacking because clear leadership is lacking. As a leader I want to inspire people to want to do their best. One thing I struggle with is knowing HOW to do that. I know the difference between management and leadership, but I still am not sure how to be a good leader. It sounds to me that if you are a good leader the management part just falls into place. If people want to work hard and do things correctly then the management part takes care of its self. The article closed with a great line, "If you want to manage someone, manage yourself. Once you master that, you'll be a much more effective leader of others." I think this is great. I want to be a great leader. Keeping myself if check will get me closer to that goal.

Perception and Reliability

After thinking about how the student workers perceive me, I have decided that I may take a too laid back approach to supervising. I started out at the library working under Kate a lot. I think that in an attempt to not over-do it like she sometimes did, I under-do it a little. I try to make myself approachable to student workers. I think that is a good thing but sometimes they might not take the job as seriously as they should because I am so laid back with them. I am going to work on focusing more on tasks and having a proactive eye when it comes to operations. I think it is important to establish a relationship with student workers but I want them to see me working hard so that they in turn work hard.

Leadership vs. Management: What's the Difference?

Today I read the article comparing Leadership and Management. One thing I took away from the article is the need for both managers and leaders in any kind of work setting. I personally think managers sometimes lose the personal aspect of working with others. Many times managers are task oriented and they do not inspire those working under them to want to achieve more. One of the sections says that leaders are "Salespeople". I have never thought of leadership in that way, but it is true. A good leader really sales the idea of progress. A good leader inspires people to buy into their ideas. The article also mentions that managers are controllers. "Controllers" has a negative connotation with it but if you continue reading the article says, " A Manager never loses focus of monitoring results, trends, and resources, striving always to meet or exceed professional goals". As a student supervisor I think it is important that we are controllers. We should have control of the situation and always be observant of things around us that are changing in order to meet the needs of patrons. I really like the section that says leaders are visionaries. It talks about leaders anticipating the future. A leader maintains a current knowledge of how things are, but always looks to the future and has in mind what changes may be best for the organization. I think this is important for us as student supervisors. We need to be aware of everything going on around us, but also be looking forward, thinking of things that might improve the library and how we operate. I think this article is pretty helpful. I think it is important for me to strive to have the characteristics of both a Leader and a Manager because I think the library needs both.

Intelecom

Today I researched the Database Intelecom. Intelecom is an online database that provides "digital learning resources and curriculum-based courseware". It is intended to be a source for educators to use to improve their instruction. Users can select their area of study and watch videos that pertain to that area. I selected education and then watched a video about healthy eating in classrooms. It is really easy to use and pretty specific. There are limiters that can narrow down searches. One thing I did notice is that the there is not a huge selection of videos under each topic. This can be a good or bad thing. Its not overwhelming, but in some cases there may not be a video that meets certain patrons needs. One option i always love is the citation option. This site gives a quick citation for each video, which comes in handy! The database is accessible to vision impaired patrons as well. There is an option for bigger font right on the front page. All in all i think this is a great database. Sometimes it is refreshing to be able to watch a video instead of reading article after article. It seems like there are some holes in the collection where the selection is not as great as I would like it to be, but other than that I give it a thumbs up!

How to Supervise Former Peers

Even though I have been a supervisor for a while now I still deal with many of the issues that are stated the article. One issue I really struggled with initially was how to establish the supervisor/employee relationship with my friends. Eric and I were friends outside of work and we had to work at creating that relationship when I became a supervisor. I don't think he intentionally tried to take advantage of me but because of his personality I had to really push that I was in charge and not just someone to talk to at the desk. I believe that it is possible to still be friends with those people. I don't think because one person was promoted is a reason to end the friendship but it does require some work.
Knowledge is one of the areas addressed in the article. I try to take a "learn something everyday" approach to supervising. I don't think because I have this position, that I know it all. I think it is wise to try to learn something new everyday about the position and I am excited to do so. I think always broadening your knowledge makes you a better supervisor. And if your workers see you always pushing yourself they will be encouraged to do the same.
I think it is so exciting that we have three new supervisors. I look forward to helping them establish their management style. I may have "seniority" on them but i think the student supervisors should work as a team. We all have the same goal, and I am excited to work with them to get that goal achieved.

Management

I think the best way to manage is with a team perspective. I try to keep in mind that in order to be successful everyone in that team must pull their load. There are things that the student workers can handle without me and then things that they can't. When one part of the team is lagging it affects the other parts of the team. I try not to lord over my student workers, but i think there is a fine line between being their supervisor and acting like one of their peers. Sometimes certain personalities don't deal well when that line is not clear.Some may try to take advantage of the situation while others are unsure if they can trust your ability to keep things running smoothly. I think that there is a great responsibility when you are in a management position. That responsibility must be taken seriously but not to an extreme where you seem like a dictator. I want my student workers to feel like they can approach me if a situation arises. I don't want then to feel like I am not on their level. But i also expect them to respect me and take what I say seriously when it comes to work. I think trust is a huge part of leadership.

Project Gutenburg

Project Gutenburg is an online resource to free ebooks. Project Gutenburg is an online resource with over 36,000 free ebooks that can be downloaded to kindles, androids, and other devices. You do not have to register which is really handy. They run on a volunteer basis and they guarantee that each book has been proof read and does not contain viruses or glitches. There are tons of books on here. There are many ways to search including by author, by subject, or by keywords. If you don't really know what you want you can view the top 100 list and see what is downloaded most. One thing I thought was really neat was the bookmarking option. Users can read books online and save their spot for when they return. You do have to create an account to enjoy this option though. One drawback is that most of the books are really old. There aren't any current releases on the database. Also some of their collections are lacking, like the children's section to be specific. I also had a little trouble with the keyword search option. You have to be very specific to get the database to return what you want. All in all its a really neat database and its especially awesome that its free!!!

Side note- The founder of the database just passed away a few weeks ago... sad :(

Music Index

I looked at the ebsco product, Music index, today. It is exactly what it says it is, and index for all things music. I did a search on Lady Gaga :) and returned almost 1000 sources. The database is a collection of magazine articles, interviews, books, and occasionally a music clip. There are all the usual tools that ebsco products provide, including a listening option where users can have the articles read to them in different accents and reading speeds, which I thought was entertaining at least. I found some really interesting articles on this database. I found some reviews of songs by different artists and critiques as well as some interviews with the artist where they interpret the meaning of their songs...I enjoyed that. All in all this is a good database. I think ebsco products are not very appealing to the eye, which this is not, but it is a great source of information....just not too exciting.

ImageQuest

I am doing my presentation over imagequest so I thought it might be helpful to jot a few notes about it down here. First of all this database is very very simple. It really is just a conglomeration of pictures where the rights have been cleared to use for educational purposes. It is also very user friendly. The search is very straightforward, not the least bit complicated. When you search something, like barn for instance, little thumbnails of the photos are returned. You can click on the picture and it will bring up the larger photograph. There is a little background information to the right of most photos and a citation can be found in the bottom right hand corner of each page. Users can also chose which citation style they prefer.Users can also start a lightbox, which is basically just a folder where you can store all the pictures you may be interested in using. One draw back of the light box is that is does not allow you to save your photos for future use if you were to leave the database you lightbox will empty as well. This has it up side also, because users are not required to make an account to utilize the lightbox. Personally I think i will get a lot of use out of this database. I think it it a really great resource for education majors and teachers and would be great to use for making bulletin boards or presenting in the classroom.

First Research Database

Today I looked at the First Research database. It is a business database where users can find out just about anything they want to know about a certian busniess or industry. The database also has business statistics for countries, cities and states. Users can view a cities unemployment rate or growth and development rate. It gives information based on the national average. I did a search on the Cruise Ship Industry. I found information like the annual revenue of the cruise ship industry. I also found out that ticket sales account for about 75% of annual revenue. I also found out about the industries demographic. Most passengers are 50 and above and are ranked in the upperclass. The articles goes on to give regional and international information as well as recent developments on the industry and much more. At the side of the article the industry information is broken into chapters. Users can view the industry trends, all the financial information, and industry forcasting. I think this website is very useful and could be really beneficial to anyone that is a busniess major or just looking for business information.

Film and Television Literature Index

Today i looked at the Ebsco Database, Film and Literature Index. This database is full of all kinds of literature pertaining to anything film or television related. It is an ebsco product so just like all the rest the sight offers a folder system as welll as citations and other tools. One thing this database offers that is a little different is film reviews. There is a huge collection of films that users can read reviews on. When i was searching I kind of just expected reviews on shows and a basic overview of what they are about who wrote them and so on. I was pleasently suprised to find way more than that. I typed Beauty and the Beast into the seach bar and was returned 215 articles. Some of them contained just general information about the Film but there were others that were about feminism and issues of equality that were suggested in the film. I read through a few of these and they were really intersting. I think a lot of them would be very good essay topics. This is a feature in all ebsco databases but i really like how users can go to certain sections in the work by clicking on the links on the side bar. this could be really helpful when needing direct quotes or specific information. Like other databases there is a refine searhc option where patrons can limit year, author, subject and much more. One more cool thing i found is that full texts can now be translated into 30 different languages. This doesn't really effect the patrons a whole lot but organizations like us can change the way the database looks to our users by visiting the supoprt site. We could change the colors or the layout to make it more personalized. I think this is a good database. It wasn't too exciting but I did find a lot of interesting material.

Regional Business News

Today I looked at the ebsco database, Regional Business News. This database is an Ebsco product so of course it is clean and easy to use. I like that the pages are not fussy and it is simple to find the exact information you are looking for. I did a few searches just to see exactly what kind of information would be returned as to get a better feel for the databse. I first searched Weatherford, OK. There was an article returned about the PSO Windmills. The article gave information like energy production, acerage, and legal ascpects for the windmills. I also did a search on SWOSU. Article about new degree programs and contracts with other universities were returned. The articles are set up a lot like a news paper would be, the information presented in the articles is that way too. Just about anything you might see in a daily newspaper was included in the articles. The database now offers a downloadable MP3 option. Users can now listen to the article as the read along. The database offers many tools like citations, print options and exporting, along with a folder system to save useful articles. One thing I discovered is that most articles automatically open into the HTML full text viewing option. I clicked over to the pdf and discovered that the full text option just doesn't give readers the same experience. Many illustrations are left out the may be useful to the user. All in all this is a great database. It seems to hold a very large amount of information and be very user friendly....its just not very exciting...

Films on Demand

Today I looked at the Films on Demand Database. This database provides Educational Videos on a huge variety of topics. The films are intended to be used by educators to broaden their students horizons. Films are categorized into five different subject headings- Humanities & Social Sciences, Business & Economics, Science & Mathematics, Health & Medicine, and Archival Films & News Reels. Users can also click on a Most Viewed link and watch videos that are very popular. There is a most recent video link that shows videos that have been recently added to the database. Like other databases this one also has a Search Bar. Users can search by segment or by title, and there is an advanced search option that allows users to narrow down their searches by adding limiters. I chose to view videos by subject. I clicked on the Humanities & Social Sciences Heading and was directed to a screen that had a list of subheadings and even sub sub headings. Users can browse through the different topics and choose a video that most fits their need. I chose the education subheading and the Curriculum and Lessons sub sub heading. 84 Videos were returned to me. They are all arranged nicely. I didn't feel to overwhelmed by the results. Videos are all lined up with a Time indicator as well as a short summary of the video. Once I decided on a video I wanted to watch I clicked on the link. The video opens and next to it is a segment summary. The video is broken up into segments each with a small summary and a link that will take you right to that spot in the video. There is also a related video link that will take users to videos that relate to their topic. The database has a folder system that they call a play list. Users can create an account and then save videos that they have found important or useful. The database also offers an embed code so that users can post videos on other web pages or send them to colleagues. There is a citation button at the bottom of the page. The database sites the video in two different styles. One add on i thought was really neat was the standards link. Users can choose a state and see which educational standards the video covers. Oklahoma works on a pass skills program and the video lists what skills for which grades are discussed or covered in the video. I think this database is really neat. I have seen a few video databases that just didn't seem very thorough. This one did though. They have tons of content that cover a very wide variety of topics.

Pop Culture Universe

Today I looked at the pop culture universe database. This database has ALL kinds of information about anything Pop Culture. On the home page there are links to articles about the black sox scandal, the 1970's and even Kurt Cobain. Users can view articles that are divided into decades. I chose the 2000's to view. The page opens up to an introduction about the decade. Then on the left hand side there are more in depth articles having to do with media, fashion, and politics of the decade. 2000 has a youtube, facebook, and twitter section. I clicked on youtube and found articles about popular comedy videos that have been posted within the last ten years. There is also a facts a figure section where users can view articles about discoveries and inventions that happened in the 2000's. Users can also look at product reviews and business reports of the decade. Besides the decade option users can also read idea exchange topics. One topic I saw was "Is the Book Dying". These articles are posted to get people thinking and responding. Controversial topics are covered like Celebrities and their Responsibility as role models, and "Are video games art?" The Articles are written by selected authors and then reviewed by an advisory board. Users can leave their two cents on the topics too. I think this is an excellent jumping off point for a pros and cons essay paper. It would almost give students the ability to run a survey, without actually taking a survey. Many different opinions are presented which would be a great way to become familiar and well informed about an essay topic. there is also an advanced search option where you can pick and choose what you want to view. Selections start in the most general. users can pick what format they want the information in, like articles, facts and figures, documents, or time lines. Then they can choose a decade, then certain aspects of that decade like transportation and so on until you find an article or piece of information that is exactly what you are looking for. I think this database is really fun. I think it could be really helpful for comp II students needing help getting started on an essay.