It’s January and the spring semester started last week. I was hoping to get more done than I did between semesters but I did get a few things on my list accomplished. I started doing a 2 week program to make my online class this semester better called Quality Matters. I learned about how to make my class more accessible for different types of learners. I’m glad that I participated in the program, but it was scheduled during the time of Convocation, which I was presenting at this semester. My Convocation session was called Are You Open to Open? Student and Faculty Perspectives of Using OER. The session was well attended and I think that the faculty that attended appreciated hearing that because of textbook cost the students are living on 1 meal a day and it consists of Ramen. I feel like I’m telling the faculty these things frequently but when it comes from someone that it actually living like that it is much more meaningful. I was only able to attend one other session and it was on the new APA format and I made sure that I had time to go to that one since I am working on getting the library materials up to date with the new version.
I also found out that I got accepted to Open Textbook Network’s Certificate in OER Librarianship program http://research.cehd.umn.edu/otn/oer-cert/ . I will be going to Minneapolis for classes over spring break and in an online cohort on Canvas from February until September. I am looking forward to doing this and hope that I will be able to help CSN transition to using more OER sources and be able to save the student so much money that they don’t have to live on Ramen for months.
I’ve also been writing articles for the library webpage. Here is a link to my first article: http://blog.csn.edu/library/2020/01/23/one-book-one-college/. This is a program that I am doing and next year I’ll be the head of this committee. I am working to get a grant to put the book that we choose in the hands of as many students as possible for no cost. I am enjoying my job at CSN very much because I get the chance to do things that can have a great impact on students. Hopefully I’ll be able to get this grant and it will make at least a small difference to some of the students.
I also had another article written about me a few weeks ago about OER: http://blog.csn.edu/library/2020/01/09/interested-in-oer-your-librarians-are-experts/?fbclid=IwAR2R3DFJc8FoT9CoyFoU1UtMX-UYWlWLHSJS0tJbLm4OXKKq44B6-deVZmw I’m not sure why it is taking the CSN faculty so long to get on board with this. Our motto is Students First, but I’m not sure how we can continue to say that when the students here are not financially well off by any means.
Alright, enough of me complaining. A few other things that I did between semesters was throw a fantastic 1920s New Year’s party at my friends’ new apartment (Pictures at the bottom). I went to see Majestic Theater’s production of Sweeney Todd and it was fantastic! I got to go see the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Pittsburgh Penguins. VGK lost, but it was still a great game. I went to see Tool, which was an interesting experience. I appreciate all the work the Tool puts into their imagery that is projected during the concert. The opening band was one guy who played everything and is a great musician, but he had a giant bar behind him that was on the entire time and by the time he was done I had such a headache. Maybe I’m just getting old. Oh well. It happens eventually and what can you do.
