by Carla Pfahl
Quick Summary
Two Reference Outreach & Instruction librarians have upcoming sessions at the MLA Conference in St. Paul. Come and pay us a visit!
Two Reference Outreach & Instruction librarians have upcoming sessions at the MLA Conference in St. Paul. Come and pay us a visit!
Flying Weasels and Snoring Hummingbirds: Techniques to Discover and Critically Read Quality Images
Thursday, October 8
10:45am - 11:45am
Do hummingbirds really snore? Do weasels form friendships with woodpeckers? Is that dress really blue and black or gold and white? Viral images and videos generate huge amounts of traffic and discussion among community via social media, but do we actually understand what we're viewing? Are we "reading" media accurately? Are we asking ourselves critical questions that will add to our community knowledge base or are we inadvertently spreading misinformation? Join us for a deep dive exploration into effective search techniques to locate quality digital collections, build proficiency in using local Minnesota digital resources (Minnesota Reflections and the Minnesota Historical Society) and discover the Google of Digital Collections (the Digital Public Library of America). We will also explore strategies for reading images with greater accuracy and critical thinking skills. These techniques, criteria, and strategies will provide educators with helpful resources for classroom discussion and research projects.
Speakers:
Greta Bahnemann (Metadata Coordinator for the Minnesota Digital Library Minitex)
Jennifer Hootman (Reference Outreach & Instruction Librarian Minitex)
Shana Crosson (Web Content Manager Minnesota Historical Society)
If It's Not a Virtual Reference Service Then What Is It?
Friday, October 9
10:45am - 11:45am
Online reference services continue to evolve and transform as more libraries invest in their online communities. We take cues from our users about our online presence and adjust and tweak as needed to make sure we are meeting their needs. We strive to make information accessible and visible, and continually survey the path from initial contact to resolution to keep the process patron-centered and as seamless and supportive as possible. Come to this session to learn more about ways libraries are promoting online reference services, why some are dropping the term "reference" altogether, and the behind the scenes workflow to improve communication with our users.
Speakers:
Wanda Marsolek (Virtual Reference and Digital Media Coordinator University of Minnesota - Twin Cities)
Erin Callahan (Senior Librarian and QuestionPoint Administrator Hennepin County Library)
Carla Steinberg Pfahl (Reference Outreach & Instruction Librarian Minitex)
Kimberly Feilmeyer (Academic Librarian Bush Memorial Library Hamline University)
