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Daniel Sipiora

LIS 890.40

11 July 2017

E-Portfolio Essay

Growing up, I have always seen the library as a peaceful and free environment where

anyone can learn and read anything at their own leisure. With a Bachelor's Degree in the Arts of

History, and a love for reading, I believed it was an ideal workplace for me. I have always

enjoyed quiet spaces, but I personally learned a lot from libraries in my youth. Thanks to them, I

have learned the basics how to use computers and Microsoft programs, and developed my own

fondness for reading and learning new things. However, I did not realize how much of an impact

the library had on a community before I started the GSLIS program. With some encouragement

and self-reflection, I decided to study more about the library, its mission, vision, responsibilities,

and values that make it such a dependable resource for patrons of all ages and communities of all

groups and ethnicities.

One of the goals that my portfolio entails is to develop a professional identity within the

library, whilst committing to its core values. I believe it was during my starting two semesters

where I began to familiarize myself with responsibilities and ethics of being a librarian. One of

the first assignments given to me in my LIS 773 course was to create a makeshift vision and

mission statement for a business or school library program. However, though I managed to write

a somewhat decent draft, my vision and mission seemed confusing, blurring the distinction

between the two. Given this was done in a time I was quite new to the library's philosophies, and

of vision/mission statements in general, I did not have a proper understanding of it. However, as

I am now, I can look upon my mistakes and create a more proper and distinguishable mission

and vision statement. My mission should be, through my own perspective, what, how, for whom
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the organization does what it does for the community; a vision, however, should focus on what

said organization seeks to achieve through its actions and services. Should I commit to, or

establish a group or organization, I will be able to differentiate these two philosophical elements

from each other.

Also introduced to me during my earlier semesters, were the core values and ethics

practice in the library profession. Among the values I have learned, intellectual freedom was one

I was particularly interested in. As an assignment for LIS 773: School Libraries, I crafted a Prezi,

using information I have gained from the Rebecca Crown Library's databases and resources, to

display my arguments on why intellectual freedom is not only a privilege, it is a right. I slated

and protected the right of every patron to gain access to all forms of information within the

library, whilst criticizing the use of censorship by outside groups, such as parents and

opinionated public groups, to put restrictions on books that they deem "harmful or offensive" to

their beliefs. This assignment was a beneficial opportunity to teach myself more about the

library's core beliefs and practices, and I proud of the work I have done in protecting the freedom

to information for all who seek it.

Though I have learned the core values, responsibilities, and philosophies of the library

profession, I wished to experience the services of the library first-hand. Thus, I turned to

volunteer work at Dunning Branch Public Library. The staff was more than glad to teach me as

much as they could about their profession and what they personally saw in their role as an

advocate of the library. I was also given a number of tasks, ranging from organizing books and

shelves, creating materials for arts and crafts programs, heavy lifting, etc. Though it was not

required for any class, I still seized the opportunity to experience the kind of work and services

the library provides daily, hoping to use what I have learned from the staff for the sake of my
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future as a librarian. All in all, these experiences have indeed helped me grow as an aspiring

librarian, granting me knowledge of its mission and vision for the sake of its continued growth

and patron satisfaction.

The second goal I had to achieve was to understand the essential nature of information

and its relevance to society. Like the core values I explained before, during my first and starting

semester in the GSLIS program, I was introduced to various definitions and concepts of

information, mainly in LIS 701: Intro to Library and Information Science. After a couple weeks

of reading from texts and articles, our instructor assigned us an online quiz to test our knowledge

gained so far. I was tested with what I have learned about the terminology, such as copyright and

preservation, along with the importance of key associations, like IFLA, and program initiatives.

I was also introduced to the process of collection development. As another assignment

given to me during the course LIS 773, I was instructed to create a collection development

proposal for books pertaining to and for a certain age group. This assignment was a first-hand

look at how a public or school library makes requests for their collections, and I was glad and

proud to have drafted my own method of collecting narrative non-fiction books for the needs of

sixth to eighth grade students. Using this newfound knowledge, I hope to perform this task more

often and efficiently in the library workplace.

Defining information terminology and assessing community needs via a collection

proposal were two experiences that have taught me the essential use and nature of information;

however, my collaborative Human Centered Design project, assigned to my classmates and I in

LIS 723: Servicing Children and Young Adults, taught me how to create an appropriate

response, through information, for the sake of a community's needs. The La Grange Public

Library was facing problems within their youth services department, so my group and I gathered
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as much information as we could; we interviewed the staff, observed the youth department,

children and parents' interactions, and offered surveys with questions that could help us

formulate solutions according to the patrons' preferences. We decided on widening the play

space for children and parents and creating new attractions, such as a puppet theatre, that would

encourage imaginative play. In the end, our work yielded satisfactory results; parents interacted

more with their children within the space, and children were successfully encouraged to partake

in imaginative play via the puppet theatre. It was indeed my first experience in an HCD project,

however, I am glad, despite my inexpereince, to have contributed to a library's growth and

improvement of its services through our hard work.

The third goal I had to accomplish was displaying the ability to navigate, curate and

create information through the library's most valuable asset: the internet. I have obtained this

knowledge in my last year and semester of the GSLIS program in courses LIS 724, 753, and

805.99. In my last course before my graduation, LIS 805.99: XSLT for Information, I was

introduced to metadata and its use in creating and organizing information on books according to

the appropriate MARC Call Numbers and Subject Headers. The assignment I chose in particular

for the outcome entailing the utilization of resources to manage information was the result of an

XSLT transformation of an XML file, which contained important details about a list of books

through a self-made query, which in turn, created an organized Excel worksheet. In addition, for

the outcome requiring the ability to design tools that assist the access of information, I chose a

self-made webpage containing information on Star Wars lore. Using only a handful set of

resources like Notepad, a couple links and pictures, and a knowledge of coding standards, I

managed to create a gateway to resources that provide access to information. These exercises

have shown me the basics of how libraries and archives manage and facilitate access to
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information every day. With practice, I hope to become more adept in these procedures and

implement them into my future profession and responsibilities.

The library's use of the internet for their programs and services is a modern necessity;

however, with so many computer programs created the teaching/learning process, we as

librarians must distinguish which of the hundreds would better support their cause. The artifact I

added for the outcome requiring the ability to evaluate tools that facilitate access to information

was a blog and evaluation I conducted on a pathfinder program called LiveBinders. I commented

on its simple instruction, yet nauseating misuse of information space, while deeming its use as an

internet tool for professional curators, not beginners. This evaluation, among many others I have

done during the course LIS 724 as a weekly assignment, has let me explore and judge the

usefulness of every educational program I have utilized, judging their worth in the

teaching/learning process and the library's services.

The fourth goal of my portfolio entails synthesizing a theory and practice within a

dynamic and evolving environment. I have succeeded in doing so through a group project

assigned to me during LIS 753, in which my group and I selected and read a grouping of two

books, each with their own theories, ideas, and arguments. First, we conducted research

individually on how these arguments could relate to the library profession, utilizing outside

sources to connect the ideas of the book with ideas in library literature. Afterwards, we all

collaborated together in theorizing how our collective arguments, through a Prezi, could solve

world problems such as misuse of government authority and lack of public cooperation, and how

they can be utilized within the library's services. The entire assignment was an enriching

experience, enlightening me through the task of searching for connections between compelling

arguments and the library's responsibilities. The theory and idea of creating unnecessary
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challenges within reality, or gamification, was a connection and formula for potential library

programs I discovered and have previously never known about until now, and I am proud of the

effort I committed to this assignment.

In regards to facilitating formal and informal learning, I turned to a book review I created

during LIS 722: Library Materials for Young Adults. This assignment served as an informal

learning experience for myself, because it introduced me to a unique novel whose divergence

from the norms of fantasy have rendered the genre's tropes useless, thus, making the story

unpredictable to those who are familiar with the tropes. With that said, I wrote this review with

the intent of creating a formal and informal learning experience for teens who adore novels of the

fantasy genre, such as Harry Potter. A book club meeting for those who love the fantasy genre

could be orchestrated to introduce to this unique deconstruction and have young readers compare

their own thoughts and knowledge of fantasy books to this fantasy book in particular.

The fifth, and final goal instructs effective communication and collaboration with

organizations and other librarians to deliver, market, and advocate for library and information

services. In regards to acting as an advocate to a campaign, I once again added my letter of

confirmation from Dunning Branch Public Library to complement this outcome. I recently

mentioned offering my services in organizing, creating arts and crafts materials, and heavy

lifting; however, I also actively contributed to assisting the library in helping an outside

organization, namely, the New Horizon Center for the Developmentally Disabled. In regards to

how I helped, I created stress bottles, glitter-filled bottles used for the sake of calming students'

minds and helping them relax, for the staff so that they may deliver them to children who are

struggling with mental and learning deficiencies. Honestly, I am grateful for the chance to be an

advocate in providing services for a great cause: helping the disabled. This experience has
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inspired me to play advocate, as a librarian, in future collaborations with outside community

organizations to assist in delivering the needs of their patrons, as well as ours.

My previously mentioned collaborative Prezi from LIS 753 also complements the

outcome in which I had to negotiate group dynamics for the pursuit of a common goal. I worked

along individuals who worked on theories from separate readings, yet we all managed to find a

connection between our findings and implement them into our collaborative Prezi presentation.

We stressed communication in all forms, in person and online, in order to bring all our ideas

together and create compelling arguments to prove connections between our ideas and the library

workplace. Speaking of online cooperation, in another collaborative assignment, from the course

LIS 724: Integrating Technology, which involved the creation of a makerspace, the classmates in

my group inconveniently had conflicting schedules, making it difficult to schedule meetings.

However, as an alternative form of communication, we used Google Docs, an active and

collaborative program on Google Drive, to craft a spreadsheet of ideas we could type down and

await feedback from the other classmates in their spare time. This Google Document is an

appropriate example of our innovative and improvised means of collaboration via technology. I

personally could not have thought of a better alternative means of communication given the

circumstances, but I must admit, if given the chance to collaborate with a group once more, I

would be more than willing to use this method again.

All in all, this portfolio is a testament to my current and growing knowledge of the library

profession. Through these artifacts, I have gained so much insight on the library's values and

ethics, developing a personal and professional identity of my own as a librarian. I am now well

versed in the management of knowledge, hoping to utilize my skills in more technical

responsibilities such as organization and collection development. I know now how much the
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library values use of the internet and its endless sea of programs and devices specifically made

for the learning/teaching process, and for the betterment of their own services. I can now

effectively utilize these programs to navigate and curate information, create tools that provide

access to information for patrons, and evaluate every new tool on its potential use within library

practices. Through thorough research, I am capable of applying a theory or argument to connect

with and help benefit the library workplace and its ever-growing services. Finally, collaboration

between colleagues is a must in every situation in the library workplace. Through our combined

efforts can we ensure the library's continued growth and service to its patrons. I am truly thankful

for everything Dominican has done for me; I am now confident in my knowledge and ability to

serve as a provider of knowledge and protector of access to all forms of information. Libraries

today may be an unappreciated necessity, but I swear to perform my part in ensuring its

continued service for the community, for those who seek help in everyday life and education,

and for those, who like me, continually search for knowledge.