Alaska Bush Library Service

I have now decided what to do next.  I am working with a coworker to set up a Linux machine.  I will attempt to run my own programs and teach myself some programming.  I honestly think this is the future that librarians need to go into.  Not all librarians, but I like the ones that can choose what they want the computer to do and make it so.  I see more of these at the university level and I would like to see some at the school library level.  Therefore, I am stepping up to this for me now.

I am attempting to gain admission to University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa School of Library Information. This has required me to step out of my box to some extent. I took the Miller’s Analogies Test. The results came back today. I was expecting to be in the 60th percentile based on my raw score. I am in the 89th. I am hoping that helps me to get in. I have gathered my transcripts, letters of recommendation, written my purpose statement, and sent it all in. Now, comes the waiting time. This is new to me. I have not had to apply for admission to college before. I hope the wait doesn’t seem too interminable.

Next week I am starting to travel again. I will spend a week in Brevig Mission. They finished some new construction there. During the construction period a class moved into the library. I know there will be maintenance to take care of. I will work with the library aide and build some training modules for Koha based on what we find difficult.

It is great to be a librarian right now. There are so many technologies we can use to bring information to our patrons that it is mind boggling.  I just want to know how to not just learn of the new technologies but learn how to use them effectively with staff and students.  I am very excited to be going to the NECC 2007 conference.  I have wanted to go for years.

Today I got on the conference site and started planning my schedule.  There are so many technologies that I know about.  I hope to better learn how to use them.

An email came today through lm_net that asked about districts using Koha.  I tried to call the person, but no one was there.  I emailed him and hope he gets back to me tomorrow.  I would love to help someone new join in.  The more school districts that are using it the less money we would each have to contribute to make the changes that would make the program more school friendly.

My mom asked me the other day what am I planning on doing now that I have finished the work on Koha.  I don’t think she understood that getting the program up and running was just the first step.  I am now building training modules using Adobe Captivate on how to use Koha.

The other main task I have is to visit all of the libraries in my system to make sure that the library aides are comfortable using Koha and teach students better information searching techniques. Those two things will take me to the end of the year.  I also want to edit my records to make sure that if the picture of a book cover is available, it shows up in the OPAC.  Add to that ordering materials for subject kits, RIF books, and getting ready to attend three conferences in June… Somehow I don’t think March, April,  or May will be boring.

I am excited to be going to NECC in Atlanta the end of June and BookExpo in New York the end of May.  Both of these conferences are on my own time and without school district money, thanks to the  Alaska Association of School Librarians.  I received a $750.00 scholarship to attend a national conference.  I will spend more than that money, but I will go to two different conferences in which I hope to bring back a lot of good information for the association and for me.