Ups and Downs of LIBS 6120

The end...for now

Whitney — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:28:00 GMT

Monday, April 28, 2008

I am feeling a bit giddy, knowing I will be finished with this semester after completing this blog. This semester was really quick and I have learned so much. Subject headings are still some what tricky for me.

I did enjoy the cataloging module. This was very interesting in learning how to find the Dewey Decimal numbers to match the books. There is a method to the madness. I also enjoyed building the numbers, even though this wasn’t part of our assignment. Now it makes since when I would see some numbers with only one decimal place and others with four or five. I have actually started using all the information that I have learned this semester. The principal had bought a few professional books for our teachers and I had yet to put them into our automated system. (Mainly, because I had no clue how to start.) After I had decided how the books should be catalogued I did check with Titlewave and the numbers were the same. Yeah!!

I am looking forward to my break in May. I have inventory for the school library as well as inventory school wide to begin. Even with this I will enjoy May, because June and July will be filled with my summer courses.

Signing off,

Whitney

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Turtle Time

Whitney — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 20:58:00 GMT

Monday, March 24, 2008

I am posting a few days earlier this month. Not because I am so far ahead, but because I am leaving on a short vacation with my family for our spring break. We are going to Gatlinburg and plan to visit the aquarium. That is the reason for the turtle picture. I am looking forward to the break. I am thinking of leaving the laptop behind. I am not so sure I can, but I will try. I went to the bookstore today and brought a book to enjoy as well while I am away.

We have just finished our module on MARC records. I feel pretty good about this. Everything is coming to together. The symbols for MARC are somewhat confusing, but the more I work with them, the better I feel. The problem I am having is all the details. I forget a space here or leave out a space there. A few spelling mistakes were just silly, so I need to make more of an effort to check more closely.

I feel confident when completing the homework with all the time I need and books and notes handy. Even if I leave my laptop at home I will need to take my notes and books with me to study for our quiz coming up at the end of the week. Even though we will be able to use our notes I need to review to be more familiar with the material, especially subject headings!!

Until next month,

Whitney

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Juggling Act

Whitney — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:39:00 GMT

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

I decided on the juggling picture for this month’s post. I thought it was appropriate for all that is happening. With my full time job, two graduate classes, two children and their schedules, it is definitely a juggling act at my house. Also, this month I was down for the count with the flu. Glad that is over!

I did survive the LOC authorities and do understand subject headings. The scheduled chat time was very beneficial in helping me master that module. Now that I am working on the ISBD and AACR2, I find myself in a bit of confusion yet again. I am getting used to this fog, though.

Actually, I am enjoying this work. I like to figure out the punctuation and the patterns for this bibliography work. I referenced subject headings on last month’s blog to a foreign language, but now I do not feel that way. This is the foreign language, for sure. All of the symbols to represent subfields are taking time to get acclimated.

It is surprising that MTSU’s spring break is just a few weeks away. It doesn’t seem possible. Hopefully, I can use that time to get ahead. With my school’s spring break at the end of the month, it should be easy to get ahead, but I am not counting on it.

Whitney Harden

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Beginning...again...

Whitney — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:20:00 GMT

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Getting back to reality has been hard for me. I so enjoyed the Christmas break. I read six novels. I guess I just wanted to be in charge of my own reading, since I had no assignments to complete. I am finding it very hard to get back into the groove of these classes. I called this blog the ups and downs for LIBS 6120, because I know there will definitely be lots of “downs” and, hopefully, enough “ups” to counterbalance.

The first two chapters of Kaplan’s book were very informative. There was so much information to take into account. At first I thought I only had to learn the alphabet. All the acronyms were very intimidating. I found the capitalization of titles to be very interesting. I would have never guessed it had to do with manual typewriters, but I definitely understand.

I was so pleased to learn that I have the resources at hand from chapter two. Those programs, databases, and on-line tools will be very handy. The Marc Magician program is one I definitely will check into at a later date.

Now, I must begin subject headings. I have read some of the material, but do feel I am trying to translate a foreign language. I never was good at Spanish in high school. I believe the “downs” have begun. Hopefully by the next posting I will be sharing the “ups.”

Until then,

Whitney Harden

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