Gov. Docs. Tutorial

How to locate and use Heinonline 
This is the link to the tutorial that I have been working on at my job in Government documents. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Directed Study Week 2

Today we got in all the materials we needed to preserve the photographs, and Lydia and I talked a bit about doing a display with the various photos in the collection being there are multitudes of 8 by 10 head shots of a variety of radio personalities, contest giveaways, parties and beauty contests. We discussed maybe talking to Bob Friedman about doing a display of the sheet music in his office, which I have experience doing displays, so it would be very exciting for me. I mentioned to Lydia that we could possibly as one of the places to do displays besides at the Hoole Special Collections Library on campus, is maybe the public library in Tuscaloosa, where I worked previously. This library has two large display cases right up front and one that stands alone, so if we requested time to display anything, if any time was available, we could possibly reserve both displays for an entire month. Or even better see if the local libraries or even the museums in Birmingham would allow us to display some of the collection. I think we have multiple options in this aspect. Also learning to write a grant to help raise money to fund this project would be an excellent experience, maybe we will get the chance.

Directed Study

Today we looked through the photographs to place those that are the same together. It is somewhat difficult to since we do not have the materials we need to start preserving them. We decided to work on a unique identifier for the collection as a way to catalog. My partner Lydia is very interested in meta data and I am more interested in organizing the collection for preservation because we still have items we have not even touched and there is a possibility that we will not even get to the actual cataloging. At the moment I'm taking each day as it goes, I like to work to get things done and I hope we will have a least prepared the bulk of the collection for preservation before the semester is over.

Book Review:Binge to Blackout

This is a true story told in a two part narrative by Chris and Toren Volkmann. This book discusses Toren’s relationship with alcohol since he was a teen. Toren didn’t believe he had a problem. Toren drank to get drunk other than; he thought what the point was. Drinking to him “was fun, and it made socializing easier, he felt free, life was better with alcohol.” One night after some heavy drinking Toren wakes up to find he has no clue where he is nor what happened between him and the girl lying beside him. When Chris receives the call that her son is in the states being treated for alcoholism instead of in South America with the Peace Corp, she takes it as a blow to her parenting. As the reality of Toren’s addiction sinks in for them, he must decide if he will overcome his addiction or succumb to the call of the bottle.This book has good tips on when to intervene, and even talks about the best time to start the discussing alcohol is as your child is a toddler.

Assistantship in Government Documents

I am not only doing the directed study in Birmingham at WJLD, but am also working in Government Documents this semester and next semester. My task for this term, creating tutorials on using HeinOnline, which a database that contains and provides access to government documents and publications such as the U.S. Statutes at Large, Law Journal Library, United States Code and the Federal Register.At the moment I have completed a tutorial for the U.S. Code, and must input the audio of my little girl voice into the video. The software that I'm using is Macromedia Captivate, which I like so much better than Camtasia, if it would just stop freezing up on me. I will do three more tutorials on other resources in this database, one being the Code of Federal Regulations.I am learning a lot so far about how to find citations using this resource and as well how to look things up in the book copies. I still trying to find where I fit in the library profession, and all the things going this semester give me a taste of what I am interested in, museums, archives and government libraries.

Directed Study at WJLD

Today marked day one of searching through all the materials that Bob Friedman has collected over time about the history of black radio. The are a number of photos, correspondence, memorabilia, radio logs, interviews,news clippings, old equipment and the list goes on. The main thing we did today was make a list what was in each folder to gain an idea of what we are working to assist in making the radio station museum a reality. A lot of the photographs we realized need to come out of the folders they are in and be enclosed in more archival materials to preserve them. There are interviews recorded on fragile paper that could easily tear if handled roughly. Basically we have an better idea of what we are dealing with but now we have to figure out how to organize it in a way that the next person that comes after us can pick up and run with it.

Directed Study at Birmingham Radio Museum

I will begin tomorrow a new experience, a directed study at one of the first black radio stations in Birmingham. It is a bit exciting because I have a small clue as to what I'm doing from class work in my Archives class, but other than that not a clue. I love learning new things and I'm up for the challenge, as I do learn better in a hands on setting. Most of the material is in some kind of working order thanks to the station manager Bob Friedman, and he is an asset because he know so much himself, a walking museum. I'm just ready to get started because this is what I'm interested in museums and archives,and I think it will be fun.

Coming Soon to a blog near you!!

At the moment I am listening to a book called Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and I must say, so far it is an interesting choice from what I have been reading, no vampires, wizards or fairies, yet. I still trying to figure out what time period its set in, seems a bit futuristic. It is about a young girl, who volunteered for these games, where they choose two kids from each district ranging from 12-18 and force them to fight each other in what is called " the hunger games" till one victor remains. I will say that this book is also a series, book two Catching Fire just came out.I also have begun reading From Binge to Blackout by Chris and Toren Volkmann, it is nonfiction, which I don't usually read, but it's for a class. I do believe however it will be intriguing, and of course I will post comments about what I think about them. Until next time.

Catching Fire

I am currently listening to part two of the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. So, far it has me not wanting to get out of my car but I can't run down my battery. The love triangle between Pita, Gail and is so intriguing, of course I'm pulling for the underdog but at the moment they both seem to be the underdog.

Tokyo Babylon

I am still reading the Manga Tokyo Babylon, there are seven books in the series, and I have made it to volume three. The story continues with 16 year-old Subaru, the 13th descendant of the Sumeragi Clan, and a very powerful onmyoji. His twin sister Hokuta development as a character that has some pretty descent skills as well. She is still persistent that Subaru and Sei-chan, the man that has a huge crush on her brother are destined to be together. She goes as far as to call him brother-in-law.

Book Review: Wintergirls

I just finished this book a few days ago and feel that it gives a very vivid and realistic view of what it feels like to have an eating disorder. The main character Lia struggles with being a daughter, sister and friend. But her biggest struggle is with herself, her true self and her real self, basically how she sees herself and how she used to be. There are a number of tragedies in her life that contribute to her downward spiral, such as the death of her best friend, Cassie. I think her relationship with her step-sister Emma shows how the things we do can directly influence and damage those around especially those that look up to you. Lia is truly battling and fighting to survive even though she wants to be zero, nothing, no more. She is haunted by her best friend Cassie but mostly she is haunted by herself and her thoughts. She cuts herself to feel and dull the pain of her life.Does she overcome it all, I suggest you read it and find out.Wintergirls is written by Laurie H. Anderson