Ramona Islam Reed Lowrie Harvard College Library.
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Transcript of Ramona Islam Reed Lowrie Harvard College Library.
Busy Bees: Training Non-Music Librarians to do Music Reference
Ramona IslamReed LowrieHarvard College Library
Background
Round of retirements in 2009 Increased reliance on graduate
students and reference assistants Another round of retirements in
2012/2013 Four new, relatively inexperienced
librarians join staff in 2013 Insanely complicated library system
Adult Learning Theory
Adults learn best when their prior learning experiences are brought to bear on activities that engage them in meaning making and knowledge construction (Merriam, 2008).
A learning method adapted from the traditional apprenticeship model offered the most promise.
Adult Learning Theory
The Communities of Practice learning model (Wenger, 1998) is characterized by: A common domain of interest: Reference Learning together Development of a shared practice
This model engenders: Autonomy Practitioner orientation Informality Crossing boundaries
Adult Learning Theory
Learning together should incorporate: Connections to previous experience Critical reflection and dialogue Space for storytelling and metanarrative Emergence of tacit and dynamic elements
Development of a shared practice involves: Joint problem solving Seeking experience through referrals Identification of knowledge gaps Building of a knowledge base
The New Bees
How Does this Work? Before the Bee…
Subject area and specialist(s) identified
Questions solicited Guest librarian submits questions to
new-bees one week prior to event
A sample music question
I hope this email finds you well! By way of introduction, my name is Ultimate Undergraduate, and I'm currently a junior in History and Literature. I've tentatively decided to write a thesis on freedom songs (specifically using "We Shall Overcome" as a jumping off point) in the Civil Rights Movement, and as I am beginning to work on thesis grants, I was just wondering if I might be able to solicit your advice how to effectively locate archives and research avenues, both here at Harvard and in other cities, such as Washington, D.C?
Another music question
Looking for sheet music for a piece called (I believe) "Jeanette's Garden."This was sung by our chorus in the mid-1960s. I don't know the composer.The lyrics we sang were:
"Daffodils upon the hills are swaying in the breeze While overhead, the branches spread their tender leafy canopies.
The stately hollyhocks and purple stock (?) in shy majesty Surround the lawn, where newly born, the daisies smile and curtsy."
Here is the piano version as played by the lady in the red dress in this clip from a daytime program. Maybe someone will recognize it.
http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_young_and_the_restless/video/3wF_ox_HSBdJLjlH6C1INctzoQ_tam6F/the-young-and-the-restless-finally-a-home/
How Does this Work? During the Bee…
New-bees and elders gather at round table.
A question is selected. Trainees explain and demonstrate
the research process they employed. Guest expert(s) build on what has
been shared, revealing tried and true approaches.
This process repeats for each question.
How Does this Work? After the Bee…
We created a record of the bees, to be used for further training:
http://guides.hcl.harvard.edu/referencebee
Is it Working for the New-bees?
Formative assessment–focus group feedback: Most valuable aspects: ▪ Learning from experts▪ Modeling of a structured approach to research in
different domains▪ Pressure free time to practice skills
Suggestions for improvement:▪ Distribute more evenly who “drives” the computer
during demonstrations.▪ Supply more conceptual meta-narrative.▪ More discussion of teaching research skills beyond the
reference desk.
Next Steps
We asked the new-bees what they’d like to see featured at future bees: Data & Statistics English Lit Newspapers Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations Film General Science
Another Round of Bees?
Critical need for more gov docs knowledge among reference staff
Schedule another bee, facilitated by gov docs librarians, invite broader audience of new and old bees
Thank You!
We have time for questions or comments