Instruction and Outreach at the Instruction and Outreach at the Public LibraryPublic Library

Nicolette Warisse SosulskiNicolette Warisse Sosulski

Business Librarian, Portage Business Librarian, Portage District LibraryDistrict Library

Staff Reference Librarian, Staff Reference Librarian, OCLC QuestionpointOCLC Questionpoint

About Me—How Did I Get Here?About Me—How Did I Get Here?

MLIS 2004 iSchool, University of WashingtonMLIS 2004 iSchool, University of Washington Business Librarian Portage District Library Business Librarian Portage District Library

December 2005 to present. Also manage December 2005 to present. Also manage Reference and Database CollectionsReference and Database Collections

public library chat reference internship with 24/7 public library chat reference internship with 24/7 (now QuestionPoint) March 2004-June 2004, hired (now QuestionPoint) March 2004-June 2004, hired as staff librarian June 2004as staff librarian June 2004

Day job business librarian in a public library, Day job business librarian in a public library, where I field academic reference questions each where I field academic reference questions each day as well as those by members of the general day as well as those by members of the general publicpublic

Database Trainer, Midwest Collaborative for Database Trainer, Midwest Collaborative for Library Services Library Services

Chair, MLA Economic Development Community of Chair, MLA Economic Development Community of PracticePractice

Research Instruction-ChatResearch Instruction-Chat You might think you are doing You might think you are doing

straight reference. Fasten straight reference. Fasten your seatbelts, you are in for your seatbelts, you are in for a rough night. You are a a rough night. You are a public library. You figure K-12 public library. You figure K-12 reports on countries, reports on countries, endangered species, endangered species, controversial issues…maybe a controversial issues…maybe a few genealogy questions. few genealogy questions. Where are you located. You Where are you located. You are down with that…BUTare down with that…BUT

Internet Instruction-ChatInternet Instruction-ChatYou get a community college student, You get a community college student,

returning scholar, or first or second returning scholar, or first or second year university student who has year university student who has blown off their Intro to Libraries at blown off their Intro to Libraries at their college library, has a research their college library, has a research paper due tomorrow, and has paper due tomorrow, and has never heard of a database… They never heard of a database… They are your cardholder even though are your cardholder even though they need to be at a completely they need to be at a completely different library. Or they are at a different library. Or they are at a for-profit online degree-granting for-profit online degree-granting institution that does not teach institution that does not teach research. research.

They are writing a paper for sociology They are writing a paper for sociology on patterns of abuse—you think…on patterns of abuse—you think…

“I need to write my papr for sociology on the bk Bastard out of Carolina and wy she had to be abused becuz it was the south and so you had to have a man so the mother had to do hir hare so she culd be staying pretty for her huzband to kepe him so she did not have time for a job so she had to bak up her man to keep a howse in the south and she let hir dauter be abused and there are no scholarly artilkes on google on that becuz I have ben loking for 6 dayz and it is due in 4 hrs HELP”

Research Instruction-ChatResearch Instruction-Chat1.1. This is what a database isThis is what a database is

2.2. Database articles get you better Database articles get you better grades than Google (motivation)grades than Google (motivation)

3.3. Your school has them but only you Your school has them but only you can get into them—I can’t.can get into them—I can’t.

4.4. Type exactly what I tell you to and Type exactly what I tell you to and this is why (or copy and paste this is why (or copy and paste because they do not spell well)because they do not spell well)

5.5. Your Norton Internet Security is set Your Norton Internet Security is set high so it may be blocking you outhigh so it may be blocking you out

6.6. Start out with fewer search terms, Start out with fewer search terms, like abuse, family, society.like abuse, family, society.

7.7. Next time do a little preliminary Next time do a little preliminary research before handing in your research before handing in your paper topic.paper topic.

8.8. Everything is not in the one Everything is not in the one database. That is why we buy more. database. That is why we buy more. CQ is not good for psychology or CQ is not good for psychology or health.health.

Research Instruction-ChatResearch Instruction-Chat

This is totally on the fly becauseThis is totally on the fly because it is Sunday nightit is Sunday night Nobody has done their homeworkNobody has done their homework In a second window you have a 6In a second window you have a 6thth grader who is telling you that the grader who is telling you that the

NASA site you sent her pictures of Pluto from “sux” because the planet NASA site you sent her pictures of Pluto from “sux” because the planet is purple and planets are not purple, they are brown (space cameras is purple and planets are not purple, they are brown (space cameras have violet filters to make craters stand out).have violet filters to make craters stand out).

In your third window you are dealing with a patron who is asking you In your third window you are dealing with a patron who is asking you “what source one would recommend for a sociology paper on peer “what source one would recommend for a sociology paper on peer pressure on the internet, as well as what databases and websites pressure on the internet, as well as what databases and websites would provide statistics? Since the patron is using the word “source” would provide statistics? Since the patron is using the word “source” and is from Martin Luther King library in San Jose, you know that the and is from Martin Luther King library in San Jose, you know that the LIS students are doing their “have an internet reference experience” LIS students are doing their “have an internet reference experience” assignment again.assignment again.

Research Instruction: FTFResearch Instruction: FTF

Planned and executedPlanned and executed

Home SchoolersHome Schoolers Invited talks to classes at high Invited talks to classes at high

schools, especially at schools, especially at advanced level.advanced level.

Beginning of the school year Beginning of the school year featured classfeatured class

MOTIVATION: MOM, DAD, OR MOTIVATION: MOM, DAD, OR TEACHERTEACHER

On the flyOn the fly AA local community college local community college

student comes in on a federal student comes in on a federal holiday Monday when her school holiday Monday when her school is closed with an assignment due is closed with an assignment due Tuesday.Tuesday.

A mom going back to school for a A mom going back to school for a Master’s in Psych who wants to do Master’s in Psych who wants to do her research upstairs while the her research upstairs while the fifth grader does her report on fifth grader does her report on Zaire down in the youth Zaire down in the youth department. You get to explain to department. You get to explain to her why you do not have a lot on her why you do not have a lot on Jungian archetypes, and how to Jungian archetypes, and how to use her college library from the use her college library from the public computers. She also did public computers. She also did not go to library orientation.not go to library orientation.

Research Instruction: FTFResearch Instruction: FTF

Planned and executedPlanned and executed

See Intro to See Intro to Research Research PowerpointPowerpoint

On the flyOn the fly

Reprise of chat ref Reprise of chat ref BIBI

Entrepreneurs about to write Entrepreneurs about to write business plansbusiness plans

SCORE, and the Small SCORE, and the Small Business and Technology Business and Technology Development Center of Development Center of Michigan (SBTDC) refer or Michigan (SBTDC) refer or require an intro to business require an intro to business research course as part of research course as part of the coaching curriculum for the coaching curriculum for new businesses that they new businesses that they counsel. Independent counsel. Independent people thinking of starting a people thinking of starting a business or nonprofit come business or nonprofit come too—Business Plans require too—Business Plans require data. Teaching this also data. Teaching this also requires expectation requires expectation management.management.

“I need to know how many people in my three county region are divorced, or single, have $20,000 of disposable income a month, and own disobedient dogs that need to be trained.”

“I want to know how much money is spent on pharmaceuticals , cosmeceuticals, and nutriceuticals aimed at reducing the appearance of aging each year by people in the Midwest.”

“I need to know a nonprofit that I can start to help people so that they can live their dreams, and I need to find what grants I can get to start.”

“I need to know how many affluent sufferers from gluten intolerance would be willing to pay for gourmet cooked –to-order meals in a 20 mile radius from this kitchen address.”

See Power point on Business Research Essentials.

With these two types of BI, teaching not only what you have but what neighboring universities and colleges have is paramount. You also really need to explain that not everything is on the web if you [the librarian] only do your job.

Jobseeking and FinanceJobseeking and Finance

KidsKids Motivation: Parents, Motivation: Parents,

Teachers (may get Teachers (may get class credit), and class credit), and snacks. Keep them snacks. Keep them guessing with weird guessing with weird pictures, odd facts, and pictures, odd facts, and occasional near cusses.occasional near cusses.

See “Get a Job” See “Get a Job” PowerpointPowerpoint

GrownupsGrownups Motivation: Fear, Motivation: Fear,

however this group is however this group is much less likely to much less likely to want to sit through a want to sit through a conventional class, conventional class, even if they need it.even if they need it.

Guerilla InstructionGuerilla Instruction

Guerilla Instruction: It’s not a Class, It’s a Guerilla Instruction: It’s not a Class, It’s a Discussion GroupDiscussion Group

http://library.morningstar.com/http://library.morningstar.com/tracking/note.aspx?tracking/note.aspx?id=372924#MrktForLibrariesid=372924#MrktForLibraries

Guerilla Instruction: It’s not a Guerilla Instruction: It’s not a class--it’s a review sessionclass--it’s a review session

RESUME HACKSRESUME HACKS

Friday, January 7thFriday, January 7th

11:00 AM11:00 AM

Age Group: ADULTSAge Group: ADULTS

You have looked over some resume You have looked over some resume books, you have your resume books, you have your resume together, and you don’t think you together, and you don’t think you need a class—but it would be need a class—but it would be good to get somebody else’s good to get somebody else’s opinion on this. We can help! On opinion on this. We can help! On the first Friday, take your lunch the first Friday, take your lunch hour and come in. Bring your hour and come in. Bring your resume and we will look it over. resume and we will look it over. Let us catch the errors, rather Let us catch the errors, rather than a potential employer.than a potential employer.

No registration required.No registration required.

Guerilla Instruction: Fries-with-Guerilla Instruction: Fries-with-that Librarianshipthat Librarianship

Establish yourself as the Establish yourself as the goddess of golden goddess of golden information nuggets—information nuggets—with every transaction with every transaction give them one more give them one more thing.thing.“Did you know that “Did you know that you can click on ‘cited you can click on ‘cited by’ and all kinds of by’ and all kinds of related articles will related articles will show up?”show up?”

FriesFries When they ask for a GED book, teach them When they ask for a GED book, teach them

Learning Express Library database.Learning Express Library database.

When they ask for a resume book, show them the When they ask for a resume book, show them the interview videos.interview videos.

When they ask the order of a series by Nora When they ask the order of a series by Nora Roberts, show them Roberts, show them www.fantasticfiction.com. .

When they look for a medical book because “they When they look for a medical book because “they have the thyroid”, show them have the thyroid”, show them www.medlineplus.com

Computer InstructionComputer Instruction SeniorsSeniors

Classes can be less effectiveClasses can be less effective—many seniors tend to be —many seniors tend to be full of fear and need one-on-full of fear and need one-on-ones. They also will not tell ones. They also will not tell you if they are on the wrong you if they are on the wrong screen in a class and then screen in a class and then will be really upset by the will be really upset by the end of class. If you are end of class. If you are doing this in a lab, grab doing this in a lab, grab some people to be “lab rats” some people to be “lab rats” and circle around to make and circle around to make sure people are on the right sure people are on the right page. Or draft the NHS or a page. Or draft the NHS or a scout troop to tutor.scout troop to tutor.

JobseekersJobseekers

Much more likely to deal Much more likely to deal with a class situation but with a class situation but still the lab rats are a good still the lab rats are a good idea—these people will be idea—these people will be checking their email and checking their email and losing their places losing their places sometimes. Plan for time sometimes. Plan for time for very particular for very particular questions pertaining to questions pertaining to their situation.their situation.

I have just one word for you…I have just one word for you…screenshots!screenshots!

You will be You will be teaching the teaching the internet, or internet, or databases, or databases, or overall research overall research strategy using strategy using google scholar. google scholar. The internet will go The internet will go down at least down at least once. The once. The likelihood of it likelihood of it happening is happening is directly directly proportionate to proportionate to the impatience of the impatience of your class.your class.