This is it. I'm ready to graduate with my master's degree in LIS :)
Later on, I'll do a blog post reflecting on my entire time as an LIS student, but for now, I'll just reflect on this semester.
First the classes
1) LIS 690: Internship
This semester's internship was at the Image Library (recently renamed Visual Resource Center) which is part of the university's Art & Art History Department.
The Image Library has a huge collection of slides (some made in-house, others purchased from outside vendors) that were once used by art history professors for use in their presentations.
But as the world has gone digital, so did the Image Library.
My project was to digitize some of the slides produced by retired art history professor Dr Thomas Klobe. The slides were produced in the 1970s when Dr Klobe traveled to Turkey to research on the region's architecture. Those slides were later used in his classroom presentations.
Since Dr Klobe retired, those slides were at risk of spending the rest of eternity in obscurity.
Here I am to the rescue. My goal was to bring those slides back to life by scanning them and putting them online.
But digitization is more than just scanning images and uploading them.
First, I was asked to some online research for similar images online, as well as learn alternate spelling for some of the Turkish terms used on the slide's labels.
Then I had to do an inventory spreadsheet for every slide that was about to be scanned.
Then it was time to use the slide scanner
Pablo Wegesend's video with image on computer screen copyright by Tom Klobe
Slide scanner video
You can also view that video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sonB47-q9mA
Then I used a metadata software to input metadata (ie title, description, copyright info, tags, etc) that would be uploaded along with the image.
Then I did some Photoshop edits, mostly focusing on the brightness, contrasts, cropping, and eliminating suspicious brown spots.
Then the images will later be uploaded to the UH Museum Consortium's flickr page.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/uhmuseum/albums/72157662592789719 (for the Turkey photos I worked on)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/uhmuseum/ (for the UH Museum Consortium home page)
You can find my midterm report, power-point and my final report at
http://pwegesen.wix.com/pablowegesendlis#!lis-690-fall-2015-projects/chbc
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This internship was very different from what I was originally thinking about doing when I entered the LIS program. My thinking entering the LIS program was that I would be the guy working at a public library working at the circulation or reference desk.
However, during my time in the LIS program, I have learned that libraries (especially those in universities, archives and other organizations) are involved in digitization projects. My slide digitization at the Image Library is just one example. Other examples include scanning books/journals/magazines and putting the scanned images online. UH-Mānoa's Hamilton Library is doing something like that with the older Hawaii's newspapers. At UH-West Oahu, videos stored in VHS and other older film formats are being digitized and being made available online.
By learning digitization at the Image Library, I have increased my technological skills, as well gained appreciation for the older formats. I would love to be more involved in the digitization projects in the future
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This was my 2nd internship during the LIS program, and this time, it was much, much, much, much better than the 1st time!
The 1st time was in Spring 2015 at Hawaii State Library working with an emotionally unstable supervisor Tisha Aragaki! To make it worse, the LIS internship coordinator at the time was Noriko Asato, another emotionally unstable, corrupt, unethical person and a professional victim too! Learn more at this link, this link and this link!
This time, my internship supervisor was Kanako Iwase, who is a very easy person to get along with! She is very knowledgeable in her field, and more importantly a patient & respectful person. Even when I had a question about her evaluation, we were able to discuss the issue without any drama and with an appropriate sense of humor! Because of that discussion, I had greater understanding of what image librarianship & digitization is all about!
And the LIS internship supervisor this semester was Dr Violet Harada, a "retired" professor who has decades of experience in the library world (unlike Noriko Asato) and has shown much more interested in keeping the communication lines open with the interns & the supervisors. Dr Harada is also good at communicating how to handle difficult situations! Much respect to her!
2) LIS 652: Introduction to Archives Management
Just like this semester's internship, this class focused on an area of librarianship that I really wasn't thinking of joining in when I entered the LIS program. As mentioned in previous blog posts, my initial interest when joining the LIS program was to work in the public libraries. I'm still interested in public libraries (hire me!), but it's also good to learn the other type of library environments too!
My original plan when registering for class this semester didn't include this class. However, since LIS 694 (Open Access) got cancelled, I decided to sign up for this class since it was scheduled the same time as the cancelled class. Plus, I already took most of the other classes and I already set my internship schedule.
So archive management class it is!
I am so grateful I took this class.
This class focused on archives, which unlike public libraries, focus on preserving rare documents, and allowing access to those documents (under certain conditions) to researchers both amateur and professional.
The professor of this class was Dainan Skeem, who was working at the UH archives located in the upper floors of Hamilton Library. It is great to have the class taught by someone currently working in the profession.
Mr. Skeem did give us a tour of his workplace, where we get to see the hidden documents of this university. (oooh. what secrets are they hiding, LOL!) The archives also held the collection for off-campus organizations (ie sugar plantation organizations, grassroots organizations, Japanese-American veterans of WW2) and has recently received the papers of a prominent Japanese-American veteran who became a US Senator --- Dan Inouye. However, researchers wont have access to Inouye's papers for a while. In fact, if the archivists find any sensitive information in the collections, they do have to contact the relevant federal agencies (which may include the FBI, CIA, etc.)
We also took a tour of the Hawaii State Archives, which holds the government records of not only the state government, but also the governments of the independent and territorial days.
And one more tour -- Doris Duke's Shangri-La! This was once the mansion of Doris Duke, the heir to a tobacco fortune. She was an avid collector of Middle Eastern art which she imported to her mansion near Diamond Head. We did see an archival collection downstairs, but much of the tour was more of a museum tour than an archive tour. We did have students in the class who were in the university's Museum Studies program, and we did compare archives & museums in this class.
Besides the tours, we also helped process an incoming archive collection. This collection was from the Save Sandy Beach Coalition, a grassroots organization that was devoted to stop hotel development along East Oahu's beaches in the late 20th century going to this century. The boxes we got in this collection wasn't well organization, so our class had an opportunity to organize the collection. We organized the items by years, as well as by the types of materials (ie newspapers, letters, flyers, notebooks, VHS, etc.) I find organizing materials a very fun activity, but we also had to take it seriously being that these were historical documents.
Other areas of focus in this class included
- archival ethics
- indigenous archives
- preservation of rare documents
- proper storage
- purchases and donations
You can view the power-point at http://media.wix.com/ugd/c8d67a_99f25abc0b5a4683b2001c1929c749f2.pptx?dn=Exploring%20School%20Archives.pptx
You can also view the other projects for this class at http://pwegesen.wix.com/pablowegesendlis#!lis-652-projects/c19iv
Unfortunately for the university, Dainan Skeem has recently got another archival job, this time at BYU! Skeem was a great professor with an appropriate sense of humor! We at UH will miss him greatly!
3) Other business
Technically, I could have graduated in the spring semester, but I had some unfinished business to take care. For one, I wanted to take the class "Books & Media for Young Adults" which I did this past summer. Also, I wanted to do my 2nd internship with a more suitable supervisor and that was also outside my realm of expertise. I did that this semester as I have already explained!
But I had other unfinished business as well that goes beyond just taking classes.
I always felt that I could've had another year in high school because even though I passed all my classes, I wanted another year to do more activities. At least in college, you are allowed to take extra semesters so you can have extra time to do extra-curricular activities :)
So, let's go ...............
a) Oral Exam
Students in the LIS program have to do either a Thesis or an Oral Exam. If I did a Thesis, I would have had to take extra classes. I now wish I did take the extra classes, even if it meant delaying my graduation further. I do wish I spent some time doing another independent research project ( I did one on "library services for blind & visually impaired" which was basically done to keep me busy when a summer class got cancelled last year), but my mind was blank on what new areas I wanted to explore.
So yeah, I settled for the Oral Exam! In the Oral Exam, you have to study 4 scenarios (covering professional philosophy, public services, administration and technical services) and you get "interrogated" by 2 professors and you can't have any notes there to help you!
In my first try, I did fine with the professional philosophy and public services. The administration could've used more work, but I really, really felled flat on the technical services part. The problem was when I did my first print-out of the scenarios to study for, this was before they changed the technical services scenario. I only found out about the change of the scenario 2 weeks before my first Oral Exam. To make matters worse, the new scenario was much, much ,much more complicated than the original scenario!
Luckily, I had three extra weeks to study for the re-take for the technical services scenario. This give me time to do more research via online journal articles and print books!
And while one of the professors who "interrogated" me for the re-take session was a database expert with a gruff reputation, I did much, much better on the technical services scenario the 2nd time around. It was also my first time I had a real conversation with that database expert with a "gruff" reputation (I took database class with another prof) and it seems like he's a pretty cool guy to have a conversation with. Though some students told me stories of less than ideal situations with him.............I'll just go with what I experienced, which turned out just fine! I'm just glad he wasn't the "interrogator" in my first attempt at the Oral Exam! LOL!
b) Graduate Student Organization (GSO)
This semester, I continued being the LIS representative in the GSO.
Just as I mentioned earlier about the unfinished business, I am so glad I didn't graduate this past spring. That gave me the opportunity to bring a resolution to support extending summer library hours, which you can read about at http://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2015/07/gso-resolution-to-extend-summer-library.html
That resolution was passed in the summer. During this semester, the University Librarian (official term for "head librarian") came to the GSO meeting to respond to the resolution. She mentioned the budget issues getting in the way. I wished she would lobby more, maybe encourage the university to lobby the legislature for funding the extended summer library hours.
When the University Librarian asked the students what was driving us to support this resolution, I mentioned that while summer school cram a semester's worth of work into 6 weeks, having less time available in the library made it much harder for students without a computer or quiet study space at home. She then said "we'll investigate if there's space for those things outside the library". I asked "where?". Another student snapped at the University Librarian saying she should do her research and realize there are no computer labs available to all the students outside the library! Another student mentioned the possibility of just keeping one floor open at Sinclair Library. I mentioned there is no restroom in the 1st floor. The person in charge of all the campus libraries didn't know what most students on this campus already knew! Well, she knows now!
The GSO also had resolutions on
We were going to vote on a resolution on the proposed increases to mandatory fees going towards Athletics in my last meeting. It got delayed to next month, when I'll no longer be around!
c) Hui Dui
Another unfinished business I took care of was joining the Hui Dui committee this semester!
Hui Dui is the main student organization for LIS students. Being in this committee comes with great prestige, as well as great responsibility!
Hui Dui is in charge of the LIS orientation for new students and the banquet honoring the graduating LIS students! It feels good to plan for both activities, especially picking the location & the menu for the banquet ;)
Hui Dui committee is also in charge of the lounge where the LIS students chill! We have access to the closet, so we can restock the snacks and collect the money!
But you know what's my favorite part about having access to the key to the closet? I have quick access to extra paper in case our computer lab's printer runs out! I came to other student's rescue on that issue several times! It's also good that I no longer have to beg to have the printer refilled since I can now do it myself!
Hui Dui also sponsored the Meet & Greet, a networking session to encourage new students to join student organizations
And here's the flyer I made for the Meet & Greet
Hui Dui
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Hui Dui co-sponsored the 50th anniversary celebration of the LIS program. We had a guest speaker Dr Miles Jackson, a retired professor who used to be in charge of the LIS program
Pablo Wegesend's photo
Dr. Miles Jackson
Pablo Wegesend's photo
Hui Dui also took part in the Literacy Fair at Kuhio Elementary School on 11/7/2015. We had a game booth where we encourage students to play games with book related themes. We had major fun that day :)
photo by Lori Nakamoto
Hui Dui committee at the Literacy Fair (11/7/2015)
d) ALA accreditation
Colleges not only get accredited for the way the campus operates, but their academic departments also get accredited by organizations related to that academic major.
So for the LIS programs, we get accredited by the American Library Association (ALA).
This was the year our LIS program was up for re-accreditation. That means we get a visit from the ALA! Major pressure for the LIS administrators and the professors!
But you know what? It also means the LIS students get to meet with the ALA team without our professors around! Yep, we could talk about our profs behind their backs to the people that grade them!
Actually, most of what was said by the LIS students was positive, though I did point out that one of the core classes was taught by professor whose real expertise was on something else! (hint, hint) The LIS admin is lucky that the ALA team didn't ask about internships because I would've just blasted former internship coordinator Noriko Asato in front of everyone!
However, I did praise the LIS computer labs, the opportunity to learn technological skills, opportunity to get scholarships from sponsoring organizations, the adjunct professors, and opportunities for student involvement. When one of the newer students said she wished the core classes were offered in the summer, I mentioned that they were offered in 2013 when I took the database class. Hopefully, they will be offered again next summer!
Besides the opportunity to vent to the ALA team, I also appreciate the lunch being offered. One of the students cooked the shoyu chicken and the rice! Super ono! :)
e) UH Grad Fair
On 10/16/2015, ASUH (Associated Students of UH; aka the undergrad version of GSO) sponsored a Grad Fair, which promoted graduate student programs to interested undergraduate students. I requested a table so that the LIS program can give out brochures and flyers.
The Grad Fair was held in the Campus Center Ballroom! Last time it was held outside under windy conditions. Being indoors meant less worry about out stuff being blown away or being rained on!
This time, I also had help from 2 professors as well as 3 other students. It's great to have others help explain our program to other students, as well as to talk story with during the down-times.
University of Hawaii LIS Program facebook page
me & LIS student Gailyn Bopp
f) pre-Halloween party
On Friday 10/30/2015, I passed the left-over parts of the Oral Exam! Super happy status!
And to top it all off, there was the pre-Halloween party in the LIS lounge. Nothing wild, just a few folks with costumes and people talking story!
Pablo Wegesend's photo
Me with the paper bats
We also get to stay in the library past closing time. One of the LIS professors sticked around so that we could be let out the back door when the party was done!
I left still jazzed about passing the Oral Exam earlier that day :)
g) Hawaii Library Association conference
On December 4th-5th, there was the Hawaii Library Association conference. Whereas last year's conference was held in semi-isolated Kahala Resort, this time was in a more convenient location : East-West Center :)
The highlight for me was the poster session! For 1 hour on both days, the LIS students stood by their posters as visitors walk around to view the posters and ask questions.
here's the setup for the poster session
Pablo Wegesend's photo
My poster was titled "Student Advocacy for Extended Library Hours", which as you may already know from earlier in this post, was my pet project in the Graduate Student Organization.
Here is my poster
from my own Wix page http://media.wix.com/ugd/c8d67a_37170d9ed0a14fa4833a6209b7711764.pdf
or from Scholar Space (UH digital repository)
https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/38524/1/WegsendHLAposter2015.pdf
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I also was attended a few presentations including ones about
- Micronesian libraries
- audio-visual collections
- Accelerated Reader in school libraries
There were exhibits from local publishers, national/international database vendors, and scanner vendors.
I was really fascinated with the new scanners, especially the ones that can scan the books with the pages facing up!
Another favorite part of the conference was the lunch, provided by Da Spot (who also cater to the GSO meetings!) They know how to make good food :) Friday, I ate with LIS students plus the librarian from UH-Hilo and with one of the LIS professors. On Saturday, I ate with the LIS rookies. I was the "senior" of the group so I was their connection to the LIS past, as they were the connection to the future!
h) LIS Grad Dinner
And of course, we had the LIS Graduation Dinner yesterday :)
As mentioned earlier, it was sponsored by the Hui Dui committee!
Here's the flyer I made for the event!
Hui Dui
As you see from the flyer, the banquet was held at Kapiolani Community College, which has its own restaurant which is sponsored by its Culinary Arts program.
It also happens to be the same building where I attended my first LIS banquet, back in my first semester as an LIS student in Spring 2013. That was to celebrate that semester's graduates from when I was a LIS rookie! So yes, I'm back at the same place to honor me as the graduates!
Even though this year's banquet was in a different room, I still feel like I came full circle!
That's the privilege of being in the Hui Dui committee, you get to pick the place and the menu for the banquet :)
Anyways, we all had a great time with our food, listening to speeches from faculty, and hearing members of the student organizations honor each individual student for their contributions.
And this being Hawaii, I got tons of leis placed on me!
And of course, the most important thing of the evening...... the graduates group photo
Pablo Wegesend's photo
Fall 2015 LIS graduates
(look for me in the back, hint,hint)
Being that some of the continuing LIS students were here too, it might be the last time they talk to us (the new grads ) in person! So there was some bittersweetness too!
But we have one more thing to do before it's all over............... tomorrow's graduation!
