Nerd Alert: Cataloging Chat; Selecting an OPAC

I recently interviewed a K-8 school librarian to discuss her OPAC system. I found out that she uses Follett's Destiny Library Manager software. She likes it, but doesn't have a whole lot to compare it to. The school formerly used Winnebago, but made the switch just a 3.5 years ago.

Her favorite part of the Destiny cataloging software is hands down the ZMARC tool. She especially likes the MARC record seeking tool which gives her options of which catalog record to choose per book ISBN number. Destiny alerts her to the best MARC record by searching other catalogs, but she can still choose another record.

Another key reason why the school chose Follett is because it easily crosses the Windows/Mac mixed-platform environment. The school has a PC server and Mac computers. Also the user interface is friendly for both students and teachers and librarian administrators.

For her school, money was not an issue so they never researched any open source options like Koha. However, the school justifies the roughly $2,400 spent each year as worthwhile because the time spent cataloging is minimal with Destiny. This is time that the librarian can spend teaching and engaging in student learning.

The librarian does note that the Follett Destiny software does a lot more than she uses it for and that it clearly wasn't made by librarians.

I'll be doing a bit of research on the Koha OPAC program because I like the idea of using open source software as much as possible in education. I also like that it's really been created by a community of educators and librarians. Hmm... Thoughts?

Cataloging Tweets and Other Digital Media – Do or Don't?

So by now you've probably heard that The Library of Congress is going to catalog every Tweet ever published on Twitter as part of its National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program. There's an easy-to-understand post about the move over on the Twitter blog. What do you think about this? What does it all mean? What's next?

I decided to research the LOCs National Digital Information Infrastructure Preservation Program a bit more.

“The mission of the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program is to develop a national strategy to collect, preserve and make available significant digital content, especially information that is created in digital form only, for current and future generations.”

So what does this mean for school libraries? Does this mean that we should really be making a more concerted effort to catalog useful digital resources found on the Web? Yes, we search, find and share useful Web sites with our teachers and students, but should we be cataloging them in our OPACs? Or is it enough that they are more or less “cataloged” in Google's database for others to find them if they have the tools necessary to perform a strong search? Is it enough to “catalog” useful Web sites in our del.icio.us sites so that when a student or teacher needs to find them later, we can pull them up again?

I'm left with many more questions and not enoguh experience to answer them myself. I think that the Internet is so fluid that there's no way to catalog all of the great Web sites out there. I think the best thing we can do as school librarian's is to teach our students the skills to find great digital resources on the Web. Maybe directing them to the LOC's OPAC is the first step.

A New Look at Cataloging; Same Opinion (Standardization Rules)

This week, we are “studying” cataloging in my course at Salem State. This is the first experience I've had with cataloging from the school librarian's perspective. I'd say that I'm completely new to cataloging, except that I'm not. I've had two decades worth of experience with Dewey Decimal.

What I'm taking away from my first week of reading and examinging the art of cataloging is that we need to put our users first, no matter what. It is very important that as school librarians, we remember what it was like to be a library user, searching for our books in the library. Because, aren't our readers the ones who we are striving to please with our organization and reorganization and yet more reorganization?

I'm usually all for change, but there's something to be said for standardization when it comes to organizing our collection. There are obvious benefits for the librarian in standardization or shared catalogs (savings in time and mondy). But in thinking about our users, we are able to see the greatest benefit of standardized cataloging. Our users will know what to expect in any library they visit, from the elementary on up to the academic collection.

After reading further in my Catalog It book and sharing in more discussions with current school librarians, I might have different feelings. It may also be my own personal learning style as well. But, I like consistency when it comes to organization of the collection.

Deciding what to keep in our collection, now that's a whole separate discussion.

Internet Safety Resources for Parents of Teens

I recently put together this list of online resources for parents of teens. Parents need to be educated about safe Internet use too. Plus, then parents can work with educators to teach our students safe Internet use at home and in school.

Enjoy!

1. Web site: NetSmartzTeens
   http://www.netsmartz.org/netteens.htm
   Comprehensive site is geared towards parents/guardians, educators, law enforcement officers and teens. It includes lessons, videos, links and more to help educate, engage and empower students in understanding how to be safe online. Of particular interest to parents are the real-life stories told by teens who have been victims of Internet exploitation. The Web site is created by National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

   Also check out NS Teens comic and video collection at http://www.nsteens.org

2. Web site: SafeTeens.com
   http://www.safeteens.com
   This Web site, geared towards teens and their parents, is a collection of articles about staying safe online and protecting your privacy. It is operated by technology journalist Larry Magid and also includes links to other resources on the Internet.

3. Web site: Stop Cyberbullying
   http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/index2.html
   This site, created by WiredKids, Inc., teaches children, teens, parents, caregivers, teachers and law enforcement what cyberbullying is and how to prevent and take action against it. Information can be printed and handed out to parents and students.

4. Article on the Web: “Internet Safety: Safe Surfing Tips for Teens”
   http://kidshealth.org/teen/safety/safebasics/internet_safety.html
   This article from KidsHealth.org offers teens tips for smart surfing and dealing with cyberbullying and online annoyances. The underlying message to teens here is to protect themselves while surfing online.

5. Web site: Parenting Education: Internet Safety
   http://www.loveourchildrenusa.org/parent_internetsafety.php
   This Web site, created by Love Our Children, is a tool for parents who want to learn how to keep their children safe on the Internet. The resource includes internet safety and cyberbullying facts, plus rules to teach your children and a cyberspace dictionary. Also includes links to other resources on the topic.

6. Net Cetera: Chatting With Kids About Being Online
   http://www.onguardonline.gov/topics/net-cetera.aspx
   Created by OnGuard Online, this guide encourages parents to reduce the risks of Internet use by talking to kids about how they communicate – online and off – and helping kids engage in conduct they can be proud of. The guide is in PDF form and can be ordered in bulk for use in schools.

7. Report: The PointSmart.ClickSafe. Report
   http://www.pointsmartreport.org/
   The Internet Task Force Task Force recommendations for best practices for child online safety. Specifically, the report recommends that “children need to learn how to use technology efficiently, effectively, and ethically so that they can participate fully in social, economic, and civil life in the digital age.”

8. Web site: MySecureCyberspace
   https://www.mysecurecyberspace.com
   This Web site is a free educational resource created by Carnegie Mellon University to empower Internet users to secure their part of Cyberspace. This site includes resources, case studies, statistics and trends, plus articles to secure your part of Cyberspace. Of particular note to parents, is the Family Room (http://www.mysecurecyberspace.com/articles/family-room.html), which includes articles and recommended sites to help families use safe computer practices at home.

9. Video: NSTeens: Post to Be Private
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUjrUXFaNkU&feature=related
   This video shows teens just how easy it is for creeps on the Internet to see what you post on your Facebook or other online profiles. Setting your page to private is smart, and a step in the right direction – but who's on your friends list? Don't give just anyone access to your world