Lurking and Learning: Professional Learning Networks
- christinejpotter
- Feb 10, 2016
- 5 min read
“There’s this book I’m looking for. It’s got a red cover. There might be a skull on it. There were these witches in it and they sew and tell the future.”
“I was going to use Glogster but I think it might not be exactly what I need. Do you have any suggestions for an app or program that I could use instead? I want them to pretend it's 2040 and they're advertising a concert of the best musical acts of the last 50 years.”
“I need this article for grad class from this weird journal that I can’t find in full text anywhere. Can you help me?”
“I hate teaching citation and my students never seem to remember it from one week to the next. Can you come in and teach it to them in a way that will make it stick?”
Librarians pride themselves on being able to answer questions and solve problems. There’s rarely a day that goes by that doesn’t present some sort of challenge in my library, be it finding the answer to a bizarre question, figuring out the best way to engineer a display so it doesn’t fall down again, or figuring out exactly what’s going wrong with the app that the social studies teachers are trying to use. So what do I do when I can’t come up with the solution? I turn to other librarians via several professional learning communities. I’ve found that it's more effective for me to use learning communities where the information is pushed to me, rather than ones where I need to visit a site and actively search to see what is being discussed. It’s much easier to keep up by reading an email in my inbox than it is to remember to go online and check a learning community regularly.
I belong to several learning communities, some of which I’m more active in than others. There are several listserv groups that I belong to via the American Library Association, including YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) Book Discussions, YALSA Middle Grades, and Information Literacy (descriptions below). I will freely admit that in these groups, I tend to be a lurker. I don’t contribute much; I simply use them to store away valuable ideas and information for later. For example, one of the recent discussions was on interesting uses for 3D printers for Teen Tech Week. I don’t have a 3D printer, but it’s something that I’ve been looking into for the future. The listserv provided me with so many creative ideas for using one that never would have occurred to me (3D selfies! custom cookie cutters!), and that I can store away for that magical day when I can convince my tech department to buy me a printer. I had nothing of value to contribute to the discussion, but the ideas it provided for me are invaluable. I’m constantly amazed by the creativity shown by others in my field. It serves to inspire me to try new projects and constantly adapt and expand any notion I have of my job description. Other discussions serve to reinforce things that I’m already doing, and perhaps provide advice for how to tweak something to make it new, fresh, or better. They also allow me to keep up with what’s happening outside of the bubble that is my own library; to spot trends across the nation and try to stay ahead. These lists are all open, so you don’t need to be a librarian to subscribe. If you’re an adult who loves YA books, or is interested in digital literacy, these lists could be of use to you.
(ALA, n.d.)
YALSA Book Discussion - This open list for book discussion invites subscribers to discuss specific titles, as well as other issues concerning young adult reading and young adult literature. Subscribers will also learn what has been nominated for Best Books for Young Adults, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Young adults, especially those who belong to book discussion groups, are also welcome to subscribe and to discuss books they are reading.
Information Literacy - Collaborative relationships are the focus of the Information Literacy (INFOLIT) discussion list. INFOLIT is a forum for school, academic, and public librarians to exchange ideas on information literacy programs and experiences that demonstrate a collaborative relationship between K-12 and higher education institutions. The INFOLIT list, a collaboration betweeen the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), provides a virtual space for school library media professionals and their university library colleagues to share ideas and ask questions about the importance of information literacy as students transition from high school to college.
YALSA Middle Grades - This open electronic discussion list is meant to provide a means of discussion and networking for any individuals interested in library services for and with middle school aged youth. It is a joint project by ALSC (Association for Library Services to Children) and YALSA.
I’m far more active in the PA School Librarian’s listserv. Any school librarian in the state can join, and most of us registered via training sessions for the statewide library catalog. This means that the pool of participants is large, and we’re all facing many of the same challenges due to issues in the state like budget cuts and standards changes. The network has proven to be an incredible source of support. I have submitted questions about library renovations, makerspaces, unique ways to teach areas of my curriculum, and more, and have received answers from across the state. I’ve been able to offer advice to my peers about book suggestions, apps to try, and authors to have visit. Often, when someone submits a question, many others will be interested in the answers, so they’ll be compiled and sent to the group. I’ve found the answers I’ve received to be practical, grounded in real life, honest about pitfalls, and often funny. The other men and women on the listserv take ideas that are presented in conferences or journal articles, test them, and adapt them to actually work in a school environment. Having their advice about what works and what doesn’t has definitely saved me a lot of time and effort on more than one occasion.
(PALA, n.d.)
SCHOOLS - A Commonwealth Libraries Listserv, this is for anyone with interest in discussions related to school libraries in PA.
References
American Library Association. (n.d.). ALA Electronic Discussion Lists. Retrieved February 10, 2016, from http://lists.ala.org/sympa
National Council of Teachers of English. (2010, November). Teacher Learning Communities (Rep.). Retrieved February 10, 2016, from NCTE website: http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/CC/0202-nov2010/CC0202Policy.pdf
Pennsylvania Library Association. (n.d.). Recommended Links. Retrieved February 10, 2016, from https://www.palibraries.org/general/recommended_links.asp?cc=34358
Comments