Literature - Shelving, classifications & non-English

Today we had Maria for our class, as Terri is off to her daughters'  wedding. I hope it went smoothly and everybody had a wonderful time!
It was nice to finally meet Maria, we've heard so much about her.
Todays' class was very interesting, albeit short! We had a good discussion about this weeks topic. I had no idea that the Harry Potter books are shelved in Monash under Literature and given Dewey numbers - because thesis are being written about them. Who woulda thunk it! I looked for 2 other fiction (popular) novels - Animal Farm and Eragon. Neither of them are filed under literature; the Harry Potter novels really changed the world in regards to children reading, which is why they've been more or less singled out for special treatment I think.

Labeling and Shelving arrangements.

The most common arrangement for fiction in schools and public libraries is in Call Number order, however I think there is a gradual shift occurring, particularly in schools, to shelving them in genre order. When I spoke to the librarian at St. Peters last year, their shelves had been recently re-organised into genre order and it was working well, encouraging more reading. This requires the end-processing to include genre stickers, which makes it easy for a patron to find the type of book they are looking for.
In a school library (using St. Peters as a guide), certain of the books are restricted to borrowers aged over 15; whereas in a public library they are divided into larger sections: early readers, children, teen, young adult are the most common terms used. They are placed on the shelves in a fashion where the children can reach them easily, according to the age group, and most libraries will have story time, where an adult will read to the children. This encourages an early attraction to books, which will hopefully continue as they grow. Having easy access to books is much more likely to facilitate a love of reading than none.

Classification of Literary works in Academic Libraries

Literary works are catalogued under the dewey classification 823. I can't really tell at what point they are classified - it may be once they have theses written about them, it can't just be by popularity or according to prizes (eg, Booker prize), as I searched for several other novels which were prize-winners in their day and they had not been allocated a Dewey number. I would like to understand this point better and intend to investigate this more fully. For example, in the Latrobe University catalogue I searched for 2 George Orwell novels, 1984 had a Dewey classification No., but Animal Farm just has a call number, not a Dewey number. So; you'd really have to know whether it was considered as literature or just a novel to find it. Confusing!

Subject headings for literary works including fiction

I found this information on http://lib.guides.umd.edu/content.php?pid=132359&sid=3308846

Subject Headings for Literature fall into several categories, offering many ways to search for information on an author, work, genre, or time period:

• Individual Literary Authors
• Literary Works by Author
• Literary Works by Title
• [Name or Topic] in Literature
• Literatures by Region/Genre
• Authors by Nationality
• Miscellaneous Subject Headings

I couldn't find any information regarding the Literature subject headings in Australia, I would assume they follow the Library of Congress rules, as we do in so many ways.

Non-English Literature and ESL (English as a second language) shelving

From what I can find, shelving for books which are not in English are categorised firstly by language and then by author. For example, a book by Yibin Jiang in Chinese would be catalogued and shelved with the label CHI JIA. This was the most information I could find, but I will look next time I'm in a large library.

My local library does not have a LOTE collection (in Carrum Downs) however I'm not sure about the Frankston branch. I don't go there very often but will try to make the effort over the holidays and check it there.

Whew, this entry took me ages, it was quite hard to find adequate information to answer the dot points for week 9!

Til next time.....

Literacy

• What is you opinion of the statisitics in the above ABS documents and do you think there is a role for government, schools and other organisations in raising literacy levels and fostering reading?
• Find some examples of  the promotion of literacy and/or  reading by different organisations - libraries, schools, adult education venues, ESL courses bookshops, the media, book councils,  literacy or reading associations etc.
• Has there been any research done on the success of any promotional activities or prgrammes in encouraging reading and the acquisition of higher levels of literacy ? (perhaps a couple of articles could be found  in some scholarly journals)

Start with the basics.
What is a definition of Literacy?
On dictionary.com the definition is :
The quality of state of being literate, especially the ability to read and write; the possession of education; a persons knowledge of a particular subject or field eg computer literacy.

I found a pdf http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/Pdf/Literacy dealing with literacy in the curriculum for Australian schools, and one of the lines reads "Language, verbal or non-verbal skills is critical for the development of literacy skills. The definition on the Australian Curriculum website is:
Literacy encompasses the knowledge and skills students need to access, understand, analyse and evaluate information, make meaning, express thoughts and emotions, present ideas and opinions, interact with others and participate in activities at school and in their lives beyond school.

I was shocked at the statistics in the ABS documents. I would like to see the tests that were done to gather the figures. I do believe they were helpful in forcing the government to allocate funding to schools, which is never a bad thing.
In my opinion, the government should have a role, at least in providing funding, to aid in raising the literacy levels. This is the future generations we're talking about, after all!
I looked at the smarter schools site, and read about the results gained from the Smarter Schools National Partnership for Literacy and Numeracy. The funding that went into this program was noteworthy - the minimum being $6.1 million for the ACT, up to 136.0 million for NSW.
The focus on literacy and numeracy was decided upon as they are, after all, foundation skills; allowing young people a better chance of achieving at school as well as when they have finished school. The particular focus was on underachieving students, where the biggest gains could be made to most effect.
Searching for promoting literacy, I came across an article from the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) where I found out that the 8th September, 2014 was International Literacy Day 2014 with the theme of Literacy and Sustainable Development.

Here is a sample of literacy promotion, which has been created to give schools ideas on how to promote literature using awards, bookmarks, etc.  http://www.nwt.literacy.ca/resources/famlit/howtokit/caught/caught.pdf

I also found this list of 10 charities that promote literacy :
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/10-charities-that-promote-literacy_b42231

Last year the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) held several promotions to support National Bookshop Day on 10 Aug 2013.

Literacy Programs and their success.

I found a pdf which covered a LOT of research, and included a variety of programs.
Eduweb Victorian Government
In section 5 there is a list of the different programs; it also covers the strengths and weaknesses of the individual programs.
Continuing to read through this extensive pdf, it became apparent that most of the programs were more highly successful than had initially been anticipated.
In some cases, simply raising the awareness of literacy issues can be the trigger to get interventions (if required) in place, The encouragement and enjoyment that most students gain from proving to themselves, and others, that they are capable of improving in their literacy goals can be a huge step forward, for the student, the family, the teachers and the schools.

Given the opportunity to participate in a literacy program, most schools will be happy to get on board. Good teachers are usually able to pinpoint students who would benefit the most from the programs on offer.

Week 7 Reader Advisor

Our task for this week was to look up several websites and jobs in relation to a readers advisory position. We don't really recognise this as a separate task in Australia, it's sort of put-upon the existing library staff to educate themselves in order to assist their patrons. There are many sites we can use to help us to keep up with the latest release information. Listed below are several, I particularly like the 3rd website listed, but I would always refer to Goodreads as well.

Websites

http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/ranews

Readers' Advisor News

An e-newsletter published quarterly by Libraries Unlimited, this is a good resource with many articles regarding trends and other items on issues, this release is particularly aimed at Reader's Advisories who may work in an Academic Library and recreational / pleasure reading services.


 http://www.readersadvisoronline.com/blog/index.php??ws=WS_RA&as=blog%2findex.php&token=1A3E54B96CC87894CB2562DB3DD226B8

The Readers Advisor Online

The readers advisor online is a blog which is based on Libraries Unlimited's Genreflecting Advisoy Series.It has been created or readers' advisors and people who work wih readers. Look here for the latest news, tips, fun stuf, and a list of books both non-fiction and fiction which are about to be published. There is a plethora of links on this page which would be useful.

http://www.ebscohost.com/novelist/novelist-special/readers-advisory-blogs-you-may-have-missed

NoveList - Readers' Advisory Blogs you may have missed

This is a great article, originally published in March 2012 in the RA News Newsletter, which includes a list the author suggests should be checked at least once a week. They provide quite a lot of information which would be useful, particularly for someone employed (or wanting to gain employment) as a readers advisor.

These jobs are all in the United States, and I'm stunned at the fact that the salary is not very good for a position which requires a College Degree.

Jobs

https://www.governmentjobs.com/jobs/937258/library-technical-assistant-reader-advisor
This position was for a Library Technical Assistant - Reader Advisor. The wage range was $26,139 - $48,361 p.a., as a full-time position at the State Library at Richland County. SC.The responsibilites were :
Provides comprehensive reader advisory service to Talking Book Services patrons.  Selects recorded, Braille and large type books and matches all to selected reader interests.  Responsible for one-to-one contact with patrons via telephone, mail, email and in person.  Responds to incoming calls throughout the day as scheduled.  Advises patrons in the selection of books.  Researches general reference questions.  Keeps patron computerized request files current and processes request lists received by mail, phone, or in person.  Keeps patron records accurate and current.  Reviews new reader applications and initiates contacts.  Creates computer profiles on new readers and updates current profiles.

https://www.tsl.texas.gov/jobs/ral.html
This position was for a Readers Advisory Librarian with the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; Monday to Friday 8 - 5pm, and the pay was $2,500 - $2,600 per month. This position was advertised at the end of 2013, and initially I thought it was the same as the previous one, but it's in a different state, so that's not the case.

This position provides reader’s advisory, reference, research, and technical support services for the Talking Book Program. This position provides service via telephone, email, postal correspondence, and in person to patrons with visual, physical, and reading disabilities that prevent them from reading standard print. Work is performed in a call center environment. Works under general supervision, with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

http://www.darienlibrary.org/general-information/we-are-hiring-part-time-readers-advisor
This position is part-time, 10 hours per week, primarily weekend hours at Darien Library in Connecticut.  The pay is $15 per hour, but the required qualifications are a college degree! You are also 'preferred' to have enrolled in a library science or information science graduate program.

The Darien Library is looking for an enthusiastic librarian to join its Readers’ Advisory department. Readers’ Advisors staff the Library’s Welcome Desk and do a little bit of everything, but most of all, are counted on as trusted recommenders of books and other entertainment. We are big believers in the power of librarians connecting readers with their perfect book, and are always looking for new ways to do so.

Work Placement Notes

This task is not quite the same as if I'd done my work placement in a library. The images above are of large boards which surround the study area, near reception, in the main building. They are used as backdrops when they attend seminars / conferences.
I basically spoke to each department head (as well as the CEO, Mike) and asked them what they did to promote the service/s they provide.

When I spoke to the CEO, Mike, I specifically asked about marketing and promotional material. There is currently no specific person in charge of marketing - a situation which is being revised, and he anticipates that in the near future they will be employing a business manager. This new role will encompass the marketing side of Caval, in addition to several other tasks.

Promotions is not really at the fore-front of the business, I suppose that is partly due to the fact that what they actually do has been rapidly changing over the last several years, and it has been a learning curve within their own business as the need / opportunity to expand has come about.

Within the University circles, Caval has always just 'been' there, with the storage and retrieval service well known, therefore not really requiring any marketing for Carm1. I'm not sure how the Carm2 storage system was marketed, I was under the impression that it was basically word of mouth, and I was too gob-smacked at the amazing things in there to ask proper questions (sorry!).
Speaking to Rob and Jaimie from the LOTE express service, the majority of their marketing is done via networking, building up trust within the library / librarian community. This 'grows' their business as they build the trust with the relevant staff, and prove they are reliable.

Caval has a stall at Library Conventions and Seminars - notably the ALIA conference which will be held in Melbourne in September 2014. Other than the website, this is where they will hand out pamphlets, flyers & folders which hold information about the services they offer.
The website is the first port-of-call for anyone wanting more in-depth information. It is very well structured, with several good, informative you-tube tutorials embedded in the pages about :

• D2D
• Storage
• LOTE Express
• Cataloguing 
• MK Systems
• Digitising
• Library Leadership Program

Caval is a not-for-profit organisation.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay with the Caval personnel, and feel like I learned a lot.