During that semester, I have taken 2 classes within the Library and Information Science (LIS) program.
And both classes were once a week classes that fell on Tuesdays.
The first one was LIS 610 : Foundations of the Information Professions
This class covered the various aspects of the information professions. While the class is part of Library and Information Science program, it doesn't just cover the library setting but also archives, museums, database and other settings that are part of the information profession.
The first portion of the class was about the job market within the information field. The students were to pick a field (ie. public library, academic library, specialized libraries, archives, etc) and search the job ads. We were to investigate whether there are many opportunities within that field and if those opportunities exist in places we want to live in the future. We were also to read through the required and desirable qualifications as well as the salary range (if indicated within the ad).
Some doubt if there are job opportunities in the library profession. Nothing is guaranteed, but some of the recent LIS graduates that I know personally are employed within their desired field. I saw at least 2 at a public library that I occasionally visit. I know two that are working within the UH mulit-campus system. I know 2 that were working in local public school libraries. A few returned to their hometowns in the continental US. One found a library fitting her specialty (theological library). I know two who coincidentally ended up in the same city in the western US.
We're just talking those who just graduated in the spring/summer of this year. And there were just the ones that I actually met and later kept in contact via social media. Obviously, there's some recent graduates that I never got to know, but I'm sure some found a job in the library field. The point is: opportunities are out there within the library field!
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After learning about the job market, we learned about making Curriculum Vitae(CV), which is a more specialized style of resume. This is different from the traditional resume where you just list your previous jobs. For the CV, you list the most relevant previous jobs related to the position you're applying for, then describe some of the duties of those previous jobs.
My example is at http://www2.hawaii.edu/~pwegesen/resume.html
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screenshot from Pablo Wegesend's e-portfolio
An example of a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Later in the course, we learned about the history of the writing from the ancient clay tablets, illuminated manuscripts, the development of the printing press, to rise of Google (and everything in between).
A few videos on those topic
On the illuminated manuscripts common in Europe before the printing press
BBC, Illuminations Treasures of The Middle Ages (30
min)
www.veoh.com/watch/v186724903QkjJCEp?h1=Illuminations+Treasures+Of+The+Middle+Ages+
On the invention of the printing press
"A Matter of Fact:
Printing Transforms Knowledge (Day the Universe Changed – Ep. 4) (45 min). www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g70rGW2bwM
On Google and the possible future
The Googlization of Everything (And
Why We Should Worry) by Siva
Vaidhyanathan.
May 2011. 1 hour 30 min.
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Afterwards, the class focused on the ethical codes and ethical dilemmas within the information profession. We discussed questions like
- do we place age restrictions on certain library materials?
- how do libraries decide what books to order, keep and remove?
- how should museums deal with indigenous art stolen by conquerors centuries ago?
- should libraries, museums, archive centers digitize their whole collection?
- what about patrons who are homeless or are undocumented immigrants?
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Our classes also had several projects.
As you may see from the earlier screenshot, we did an e-portfolio, highlighting our academic and professional career.
The e-portfolio is at http://www2.hawaii.edu/~pwegesen/index.html
(the www2 that you see are websites reserved for UH faculty and students)
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screenshot from the e-portfolio home page
The e-portfolio can also list projects. Uploading certain types of files (ie Word documents, power-points, pdf's) to the www2.hawaii.edu websites is an extremely tedious process, so I decided to try uploading them to a WordPress page and a Wix page. Wix is superior to Word Press in my humble opinion, so here's the link to my Wix page.
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screenshot from my Wix page
And the projects I did for this class were
- the career study and personal objective
- presentation on an institution (for me, it was on Manoa Public Library)
- presentation on an ethical dillemma (mines was on shelving and labeling)
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screenshot from the LIS 610 projects page
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The other class I took was LIS 611: Intellectual Freedom
Basically, intellectual freedom means the freedom of thought and freedom to express a thought!
Most of this class focused on intellectual freedom as it relates to the library setting, but we also explored intellectual freedom from a more broader perspective as well.
Intellectual freedom issues relating to the library setting includes
- age restrictions on library materials
- collection of diverse viewpoints within the library collection
- who shall be allowed to use exhibit space and meeting rooms within libraries
- how much privacy shall a patron expect when searching materials in a library
- how shall libraries protect patron privacy
- internet use policy
- USA PATRIOT Act and how it allows government to secretly collect patron's records
Those are things that any modern U.S. librarian can relate to.
However, there are extremely serious backlashes against intellectual freedom that has occurred in the world through various times in history.
The following situations were discussed in this class
- Nazi's destruction of Jewish and Polish materials
- Authorities confiscating and destroying personal book collections in Cambodia (Pol Pot's era) and Afghanistan (Taliban era).
- Destruction of rival religious institutes by religious fanatics in India and Sri Lanka
- Anti-apartheid protesters destroying a South African historical institute located in the Netherlands (even though that same institute wasn't a pro-apartheid institute)
- Looting of libraries, museums and archives in Iraq after Saddam Hussein was overthrown. (but hey, at least the Oil Ministry headquarters were guarded)
All of that (and more) were covered in the professor's own book "Burning Books and Leveling Libraries".
The professor also wrote another book (not covered in this class, but was mentioned in class) called "Libricide: The Regime-Sponsored Destruction of Books and Libraries in the Twentieth Century" which focused on government's censorship of libraries and other sources of information.
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The students in the class also did various presentations on various intellectual freedom issues incluing
- flag burning
- pornography
- indigenous intellectual property
- government spying and secrecy
- reactions to anti-Islamic cartoons
- violent & extreme music lyrics (this was my topic of presentation)
This class was an elective course that doesn't come every semester. The professor is about to retire next year, but I hope this class will be available to future generations of LIS students.
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Here's the projects page for that class.
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partial screenshot of LIS 611 projects page
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Being in the LIS programs, I was able to take part in some special
activities. I wasn't able to do all that was offered, but I did a few
including
a) Guest speakers :
- Ms Kanno from the Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) came last week to discuss job opportunities and the hiring process for Hawaii's public library system.
b) Volunteer activities
I was able to help out Children and Youth Day (10/06/2013) which took place on the lawns next to the State Capitol. I was assisting the table sponsored by the Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS). That table gave out brochures, and had some fun, games and prizes for the kids. I helped out with the matching game where the kids matched a book cover with the title of the book. The kids had multiple chances to win a prize (pencils, snacks, etc.). I know public libraries do similar fun activities for the kids year round. This is something I want to be a part of after I earn my LIS degree.
LIS students gathered to talk about various books that have been banned from various public and school libraries. Those books included the Harry Potter books, Mark Twain books, as well as other juvenille fiction like "Catcher in the Rye" and "The Chocolate War".
d) poster contest presentations
I didn't take part in the poster contest, I did attend the presentation and saw what the other students were interested in researching. Their interests included digitization, archival presentation, and cataloging of indigenous materials.
e) banquet
There was the end of the semester banquet to honor the latest graduates. It was at the ballroom on the 5th floor of the Japanese Cultural Center. There were short speeches and words of recognition. There was dinner and cake.
My favorite part was talking to some of the new graduates that were in my LIS classes to congratulate them, thank them and share a few memories.
Some had jobs lined up, others just want a break before diving in to the job market. Good luck to all of them.
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There was less people at this semester's banquet as compared to the Spring 2013 banquet. Some on the list of graduates didn't show up! They missed out on a major life experience. I truly believe that students need to go to their final banquets and graduation ceremony, and that the only excuse for not going should be a severe emergency (it happens).
You don't always have another chance to say goodbye to the people who were with you during your time on campus, so if you have a chance to go, then go!
