Cataloguing – The Fear Fades

For about five months I had been working on the cataloguing module for my course.  It was, without doubt, the single most difficult module that I have done to date.  Both the assignments filled me with dread when I first saw the outlined requirements.  The first of the two assignments in particular had caused me a great deal of stress and fretting.  Even the advice of colleagues had failed to relieve the stress I was feeling about completing this module.  It was, in short, a nightmare.

One of the main reasons for finding this topic so daunting was that I am not currently involved in cataloguing in any way, shape or form.  Consequently, the subject was a bit of a mystery to me. Much of the reading made little sense to me (although I am sure it did to those who have more experience of the subject) and, quite frankly, I was dreading working on the assignments as I feared that I would be found out at last.  A fraud amongst librarians. An impostor attempting to muscle his way in to an exclusive club populated by people who understand Library of Congress Subject Headings and suchlike.

The assignment that had me particularly vexed required the analysis of a number of different types of records.  One from an OPAC, one from a printed catalogue and one example from a full-text search (eg via an internet search).  It was then necessary to create our own record and suggest a suitable retrieval system that could be used in conjunction with it.  Having only ever used Dewey Decimal (and with only a rudimentary understanding of that), the thought of trying to comprehend another system caused palpitations.  How on earth was I even going to attempt to do this one??

As is now the norm, I finally went for it and made my way through at least six different drafts.  At each re-drafting I found myself analysing what I had written so much, that I began to lose sight of what was actually required.  I had begun to over-complicate the assignment itself and was tying myself in knots.  Heaven knows how many emails I fired off to the module coordinator – no doubt enough to have her tearing her hair out!  I don’t know why I always end up doing the same.  Maybe because at the back of mind I am thinking that as it is a Masters, the answer must be more complex than my initial gut reaction suggests.  Still, nothing wrong with a healthy bout of self-doubt.

Eventually I got to the point where I just needed to send it off and keep my fingers crossed.  Otherwise I could see myself re-drafting for all eternity.  Chipping away at a little bit here, a little bit there, (foolishly) hoping for perfection.  I never took such an approach when studying for my undergraduate degree.  I simply handed in first drafts time and time again.  This perhaps explains my new found dedication.  I still feel I underachieved first time around, so here is my chance to prove that that degree was no mere fluke…I actually might just have been worthy of it (just).

So anyway, I received my marks the other day and was quite frankly shocked to see that not only did I score over 70%, I scored over 70% for the whole module.  Needless to say I opened a (very small) beer to celebrate.  What is particularly pleasing on a personal level is that I never scored above 68% on my first degree (and I only achieved that twice).  So far on this course, I have hit over 70% on at least six assignments – something I never could have imagined when I started the course as although I always wanted to go on and complete a post-grad, I always had the nagging doubt that I was not capable.  As I have said before, I have always felt that at some point someone is going to turn around and call my bluff.  That eventually someone is going to ask the question: how did I slip the net?  Maybe one day they will.

Anyway, as time is progressing I am giving more and more serious thought about the possibility of a doctorate at some point in the future.  Given my background, it would be a dream to be in a position to do so.  I certainly don’t want to get to the end of my studies and then come to an abrupt halt.  I am seriously interested in working on some studies and conducting some research when I do complete the course.  Maybe I need to get out more, but I do actually quite enjoy studying.  Now I know there is definitely something wrong with me!  I really must get out more………

Closure

I always hate that spell between sending off my coursework and receiving my marks.  For some reason I just cannot get closure.  I spend the weeks and, in this case, months, worrying about whether I did enough to get a pass on my last assignment.  Until I get those marks, everything I read seems to enter through my eyes before getting lost somewhere in my head.  Of course, what doesn’t help is studying information retrieval whilst you are waiting!  There is a module guaranteed to make your head spin!

Anyway, I am writing this because, finally, I have received my marks for the Sources and Services module.  Closure at last!  Thankfully, after all my fretting, I received good marks (better than I expected) so I can finally put the module behind me and concentrate on the next batch of assignments.  If only it wasn’t Information Retrieval……

A Trip to the Library

Today I finally took the time to check out the public library here in Seville.  I have been coming here for around six years now and, until now, I had never been (not helped by the fact that my wife – a Sevilliana – didn’t know where it was!).  So I decided to have a look around and see the similarities and differences with my library back home (which is perhaps unfair as this is one of the largest cities in Spain), particularly in terms of layout and facilities.

After obligingly dumping our bags in the lockers provided, we took a stroll into the main library area.  One of the things that struck me straight away was how clean everything looked.  This was perhaps helped by the fact that the fixtures and fittings were all white (which is presumably a requirement given the fact that Seville hits the 40° mark in the height of summer).  Back home, we have wooden shelving that probably dates from around the 60s.  Although, this is an unfair comparison due to where the library is situated.  It certainly looked quite impressive on first glance, with plenty of seating, as well as a variety of newspapers and magazines for the public. 

There were also a couple of things I noticed that are part of what we are currently trying to achieve in our library.  Firstly, the general shelving.  For a long time, our shelves have been jam-packed with stock that barely shifts.  There has been a general reluctance to weed stock effectively and this has had a knock-on effect with presentation standards.  As a result of a major re-organisation we have managed to get our shelves to be a little more spacious and, consequently, making it easier for users to find the books that they want.  We have particularly tried to keep top shelves free wherever possible to enable us to present front-facing stock, as well as ensure that as much stock as possible is within easy reach of the borrower.  Although our shelves don’t quite look like those pictured from the public library in Seville, the layout is not entirely dis-similar.

As well as the shelving, I also noticed that they had one main desk for dealing with new joins, issues and discharges.  I am of the belief that, from a customer point of view, this is preferable to the layout at my current library of a main desk at one side of the library with an attached enquiry desk, and a reception desk near the front door.  Personally, I believe this leads to confusion as a member of the public unfamiliar with the layout is not really sure where to go.  The reception desk deals only with issuing library cards, the enquiry desk with ordering (as well as the obvious!) and the counter deals with issuing and discharging.  Meaning that should a customer wish to join, take out some books and order a book, s/he would need to approach three different desks, each time being re-directed.  Not exactly an efficient service.

Finally, and most surprising, was the difference regarding public access PCs.  Due to my particular interest in the digital divide and access to information, I was surprised to see only ten computer terminals in the public area that were for general use (ie not simply for the library catalogue).  This surprised me because we have as many in our library, and yet our library is significantly smaller.  In contrast to my library, there was no children’s terminal in the children’s area whatsoever (although the children’s library did look quite good – if a little sterile with all the white).  I’m not sure if this is because computer terminals were trialled and were not overly successful, or whether there hasn’t been the will (or financial capability) to install computer terminals.  Whatever the reasoning, it was a little odd to see that a large public library, within one of the largest cities in Spain, has such limited internet provision.

Anyway, having completed my mission to visit the local public library, I can now enjoy the rest of my holiday and forget about libraries for a while longer.  I’ve got some sun to catch and some beer to drink!

A Welcome Break

Studies have taken a bit of a backseat for the moment while I enjoy the brief respite of two weeks holiday in Spain.  After the terrible summer in England, a bit of sun is no bad thing!  One of the many good aspects of taking a break from studies, is the ability to read something other than books on library theory.  Not that there is anything wrong with that you understand, it’s just sometimes you long to read something that does not refer to Dewey numbers or reference sources.  So I have been enjoying the chance to catch up on some reading, including, shock horror, a work of fiction (click on my LibraryThing link and you will see I tend towards the factual) – The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall.  A strange little book, I have a feeling it will become one of those cult classic things.

Anyway, whilst I am here, I intend to check out the local library (even when I am on holiday….) and see what it has to offer.  Depressingly, it appears to be as underused as library services back home as my wife (who has lived here almost her entire life) couldn’t actually tell me where it is.  The only other library that I have ever visited outside the UK was the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen a couple of years ago.  Sadly, I suspect the library here will not be as visually striking.  Still, we can but hope.

Relief…Module Done

After weeks, nay months, of hard slog, I have finally completed my Sources and Services module.  Time to crack open a beer, chill out and then, when I have just started to relax, worry about what marks I’ll receive.  Ah, the life of a postgraduate distance learner – it sucks.

Anyway, this last module caused a great deal of consternation amongst many of my peers who found the assignments too vague.  I thought I would benefit from the previous discussions when it came to my turn, and use their experience to my benefit.  Well, it didn’t really turn out like that (what a surprise).  It has taken me almost a full four months to complete this module, which must be some kind of record for me.  Four months on two assignments.  Here’s hoping that won’t happen again!

The assignments themselves were a report and a PowerPoint presentation and accompanying report.  The first report was relatively straightforward, although it was difficult to know what the boundaries were.  Should it incorporate some of the content you would expect to find in a business plan?  Or should it be treated entirely differently?  The one thing I particularly struggled with on this assignment was the dividing line between fact and fiction.  Wherever you can reference, obviously you do so. However, when you cannot access accurate figures and you fabricate costs, how do you know that the assessor can determine whether they should be referenced or not?  I don’t know.  I guess the whole thing was simpler than I made it, it still made my head spin though.

And then comes the PowerPoint presentation.  Do you make it all bells and whistles?  Just how far is too far with all the little embellishments that you can add to a PowerPoint presentation?  None of this was defined within the assignment outline.  But that was nothing compared to trying to get your head around how someone would assess a presentation dominated with bullet points without the aid of the presenter’s notes.  How can that make sense?  Perhaps all that was required was to demonstrate the ability to utilise PowerPoint, and the actual content was secondary.  Whatever, it took weeks to get my head around that little conundrum.

Still, here I sit tapping away.  Beer in one hand, neat pile of envelopes containing completed assignments by my side.  Closure perhaps?  Well, maybe when I get my marks.