Human Events

[stoutfellow]

1. Yesterday I went to the university branch of the Post Office to ship a couple of books to sunlizzard. I hadn't been able to find appropriate packing materials, so I asked the clerk what they had. She was very helpful, bringing out a small box (but it was too big), then a large envelope (but it was too small), and finally a roll of brown paper - and proceeded to wrap them herself, quickly and efficiently. I'd call that a bit beyond the call of duty, and I'm going to send the office manager a note of appreciation. (Of course, I can only identify her as "the brown-haired woman who was on duty around 2:15 on the 4th", but that should be enough.) Post Office workers get such bad press that I thought she deserved a little kudos for this.

2. In my History of Math class, I require my students to write a couple of short papers on appropriate topics. I insist that the bibliography include at least one printed reference other than the textbook. One of my students dropped by yesterday afternoon for advice on sources for her second paper, and I made a few suggestions. As she was leaving, she told me that she really appreciated this assignment: it was the first one she'd had which required her to use the library for research purposes, and she thought that would be a useful skill. I nodded and agreed. (This is a senior level course, mind you...)

Comments

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

At least once a quarter, I get a request for help locating library materials that begins with the preface, "I'm a senior and I've never been here before..."

(Mind you, I only staff the front desk two hours a week.)

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

re: 1 - you might want to consider being high on the appreciation for the help and vague on the details other than there not being a lot of people waiting - in case there is some policy against doing quite that much.

re: 2 - the Internet is great, but it has not helped develop library skills, other than finding and using available terminals . . .

[sunlizzard.livejournal.com]

Wheeeee! Books on the way! Books on the way!

BTW, Guidz has a paper coming up in Religion and Science class that not only insists on 40% real-book refs (out of a minimum of 5), but instructs that the paper be in the Turabian format so that the students could learn proper footnoting (foot notation? ummmm).

He didn't say they couldn't get the Turabian how-tos off the internet, though, thank heavens. *grins* And yeah, she's a senior. And yup, this is the first she--or I--had ever heard of Turabian format.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Scary. Not surprising, but scary.

Speaking as one who deals with students who are way too far along in school to still be clueless on a regular basis.

Reference on Dead Tree

[carbonelle.livejournal.com]

If one stays hermetically sealed within the science department, I can easily imagine never visiting the physical library building for research.

Most of the really useful tools are online, including journal indices, full-text databases &etc., and of course, the departmental library usually has any hardcopy references, including subscriptions to Cell or the Journal of Applied Research, et al.

So it might not be quite as terrible as it first appears...

(Not that I believe it, mind you, but it's possible)

[filkferengi]

Good for you [in more ways than one]--on both counts!