Thing #5

Here I am at school today on my day off, freezing my butt off (I have on my winter coat, hood, polarfleece and vest, and my hands are still cold). Being a teacher is a glamourous job, let me tell you. I need to work ahead for next month because things will get busy w/the end of the term and starting a new semester. Also, I'm going to be working for Close Up Foundation during the Inauguration Week and will need to get together sub plans, etc., so things will be busy.

Thing #5:

What is your experience with public libraries and librarians? Long-time user? Scared away by a mean librarian in your youth?

I've always liked getting new books at the library. I went regularly as a kid and always did the summer reading programs, which have always been positive experiences. Now that I have kids, I go more than I used to. I'm not a big reader outside of social studies content or if I'm planning a trip or something, so I would say having kids has gotten me back to the library.
What would you improve about your library and its services?

Not much. Although one thing I don't like is the outward look of the Chaska library (my library) vs. the Chan one. The Chan one is newer, has a larger section for kid's books, so people think it is better, and that bugs me because the staff at Chaska is friendlier and more helpful, especially in the kids section.
How do you use the public library to support your teaching?

Public libraries support my teaching big time - they offer interet and word processing access to ALL of my students. If I need something typed for class and a kid says they can't because they don't have a computer or it is broken - I point them to the library. They hate this, but need to know about their options.

So I think libraries provide a MAJOR role in providing equal access to ALL people in the digital age so that "no citizen is left behind".
How will using MnLINK help your students? Is timing an issue?

Again, it will provide access. Timing is more of an issue on the current block schedule. Next year as we move to a modified block, projects will be done over a longer period of time, which will make timing of receiving materials less of an issue.

How can you help students plan for ILL for completing their projects?

I have a dumb question - what is ILL? I just went back to the Thing #5 site and I still don't know.
Have you used MnLINK in the past? What was your experience?

I haven't used MnLink specifically, but did use my Carver County library links this summer when I needed to find scholarly book reviews for an AP History class I was taking this summer. I was able to link to EBSCO and find some things. Although, what really would have helped me was knowing that you can click on "full articles only" while searching. Finding articles in Oraganization of American History, for example, did not help me when I wasn't able to access the article.