SYSTEMS & SERVICES

Goal II: Systems & Services

Students understand the systems and technologies that facilitate the management and use of information resources to serve the diverse needs of users.

II.a Students identify and analyze diverse information needs of individuals and communities.

LIS6511 Collection Development: Community Needs Assessment Report

For this assignment, I prepared a needs assessment project which includes gathering of appropriate demographic data from published sources, interviews with key informants, and a community survey. Since I was not instructed to actually administer the survey or interviews, I provided plausible data and analyzed my results.

II.b. Students evaluate and select print and digital information resources and systems to meet needs of users.

LIS6603 Basic Information Sources and Services: Homeschooling LibGuide

I worked to develop a research guide on a specific topic for a selected library type (e.g., public, academic, special) and selected a target audience (e.g., youth, adult, senior). For this project, I used a LibGuide to develop a research guide to support modern homeschoolers and the parent-teacher collection. Through my LibGuide, the collection of resources support child development and the role of parents as teachers at home. I created this software tool based on the homeschooling needs of parents and children. The annotated bibliography was developed to assist users as they research the topic of homeschooling. I used the LibGuide to develop a research guide supporting parents or teachers as they educate children from preschool to high school. This research guide serves as a means to introduce users to library resources and develop skills as a homeschool teacher. The LibGuide project brought me a better understanding of information structure and delivery along with bibliographic controls and online access to resources.

Moreover, the delivery of information services through a LibGuide highlights information provision and access. The collective bibliography includes print resources, digital materials, databases for all ages, and credible websites. My LibGuide brings together a collection of reference sources and materials in a variety of formats. I collected, used, and linked reference sources relevant to this topic throughout the project. The research guide is designed for a target audience of parents along with homeschooling children. The tool is targeted to parents both interested in learning more about homeschooling and parents currently homeschooling their children. The target library type for this project is the public library system. Using software tools and the web application Springshare, I targeted these users through the research guide.

Specifically, I used the LibGuide to locate, organize, and evaluate information from a variety of sources. The resource items included in my annotated bibliography support parent-teachers and homeschooling children. For instance, I highlight materials on teaching styles and homeschooling methods along with early child development, reading support, and ideas for children with special needs. Reference sources relevant to my topic include manual books for homeschooling parents, databases, published biographies of influential figures in the field of home education, reputable websites, magazines, handbooks, encyclopedias, academic publications, homeschooling curriculum guides, lesson plans, educational activities to enhance remote learning, test preparation help, resources for early readers, and examples of hands-on materials to engage student learning. It also includes Florida resources, community homeschooling groups, and other library programs.

LIS5566 Multicultural Materials for Children and Young Adults: Diversity Toolkit

Intended as a toolkit, this work serves as a guide for diversity in youth literature. In connection to the course, it expands on multicultural literature and aids in the selection of diverse reading materials for youth. At the end of the semester, I compiled the work completed throughout the course and submitted it as a "toolkit" that may be used in future practice. My toolkit is organized into the following structure:

Part A: Commitment to Diversity
- Introduction
- Statement of Diversity
Part B: Resources
- African American Literature for Youth
  - Case Study—Book Evaluation
  - Top 5 Booklist
- Latino/Caribbean American Literature for Youth
  - Case Study—Book Evaluation
  - Top 5 Booklist
- Asian/Pacific American & Middle Eastern Literature for Youth
  - Case Study—Book Evaluation
  - Top 5 Booklist
- Native American/American Indian Literature for Youth
  - Case Study—Book Evaluation
  - Top 5 Booklist
- LGBTQIA+ Literature for Youth
  - Case Study—Book Evaluation
  - Top 5 Booklist
- Disability/Neurodiversity Literature for Youth
  - Case Study—Book Evaluation
  - Top 5 Booklist
- Religion/Spiritual Diversity Literature for Youth
  - Case Study—Book Evaluation
  - Top 5 Booklist
Part C: Application
- Promoting Diverse Literature for Youth Assignment

II.c. Students understand and use appropriate information technology for information services.

LIS6603 Basic Information Sources and Services: Screencast Assignment

Users often struggle with navigating online databases and library catalogs since these information resources are complicated and require several steps to locate the correct information. SNAGIT, a screen software and recording software, can be easily used to screencast the navigation of the steps of database search. This project is a hypothetical scenario in which a reference librarian encounters: After a patron asks how to search for an article in a specific subject area by email, the librarian records all the actions involved in answering a question on the screen and shares it with the patron during the reference transaction by using SNAGIT program. In my SNAGIT screencast, I (acting as the reference librarian) give an overview of a particular online resource/database that I chose in a library (Gale Academic OneFile), show how to search using keywords, deploy the return lists of articles, navigate/browse the database, and provide the selected articles’ information.