Librarian Toolkit

Coffee Break 

This week our library allowed patrons to bring hot drinks into the library for the first time.

What a treat for many of our weary students.

Just as the work load has started to accumulate they at least have a chance to reinvigorate themselves with caffeine...

The great excitement of arriving at college is beginning to wane alittle and the reality of  timetables, classes, note taking, tutorials and assessment preparations is looming large ..
who wouldn't need a coffee....

Students facing into their first assignments realise now that the induction to the library would have been worth the time...had they just not gone for that coffee they would know the tricks to "smart searching " and dart through the databases with the skill of a 4th year ....but the luxurious latte is a real puller on campus ...

Being permitted a hot drink while attacking the first assignment is some consolation.

Working with "Photofunia" has given me a break" of sorts this week. The simplicity of the technique to download and use has been a boost to my tired attempts to tackle the greater aps and larger projects of Rudaí eile.  I realise that i am doing ok when the assignment is" light" but once the bigger apps are brought out to play i begin to doubt myself. Powerpoints, videos, screen casting.. .here i come....

Much like our first year students this week the feelings are mixed...did they do the right thing?...they did choose the right course?...they didn't think it would be so intensive...well, they mirrored all my feelings about this little course. " It's the wrong time of year",  i kept the mantra going in my head this week...i tired myself....so when a first year broke down crying on Thursday evening  swamped by an overload of information there was only one thing to do...go for a coffee with her...sit and listen and reflect on how similar our stories are......and that we would get through ..with the help of coffee and web 2.0....

Photofunia ...i can see a place for you to add alittle lightness to our workload and look forward to working with the app and our students .....on some fun projects...

Keeping it simple is a must for all first year students.....The noise inside our libraries may be changing from the tussle of pages to the clatter of computer keyboards but the story line is the same..libraries educate and liberate and we are here to help our students navigate the knowledge presented before them in whatever way we can .....sometimes even over coffee and tears....and share a laugh along the way...with the latest media devices and aps in our librarian toolkit.