service learning and librarians without borders
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Service Learning: Bringing the World into
LIS Education
Melanie SellarCo-Executive Director, LWB
Today’s Goals
Introduce the concept of service learning (SL)
Connect SL to work of Librarians Without Borders (LWB)
Present case studies of LWB-SL projects
Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Preview 2011-12 7. Answer your questions!
Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Preview 2011-127. Answer your questions!
What is Service Learning?
It is a form of experiential education in which students engage in activities
that address community needs together with structured opportunities
intentionally designed to promote student learning and development.
History of Service Learning
•Renaissance of civic engagement on campuses
•Peace Corps, Civil Rights Movement
•First conference in United States
1960s
•Resurgence in response to materialistic image
•Launch of many national service organizations
•Campus Compact is founded
1980s
•Becomes a formally established field
•Emergence of conferences, journals
•Growing body of research literature
1990s
•Adoption of pedagogy begins in Canada
•Canadian Alliance for Community Service Learning
•LIS Literature begins to recognize SL
2000s
Service Learning is Different From:Recipient BENEFICIARY Provider
Service FOCUS Learning
Community Service Field Education
Volunteerism Internships
Pictorial from Andrew Furco, “Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experiential Education.” 1996.
Service- Learning
At the Intersection: Service Learning
Academic Material
Critical Reflection
Relevant Service
Why Care About Service Learning?
Internationalize Campuses
Enrich Pedagogy
Respond to Workforce Needs
Access Funding Opportunities
Higher Education Priorities
Why Care About Service Learning?
To what extent “does the program arrange library internships or other real experience in libraries? ” – it should be a major determining factor in selection of an LIS school.
Berry, J. (1998). Choosing a Library School. Library Journal, 123(19), 36.Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Preview 2011-127. Answer your questions!
Linguistics Course,
UWO
LIS program,UWO
Angola – UWO
collaboration
Where We Began
Our People
2005 2007 2007 2009 2010 2011
Executive Team (across North America)
Board of Directors (across North America)
>1,000 members (across the world)
Who We’ve BecomeLibrarians Without Borders is an non-profit organization that strives to narrow the information divide worldwide by supporting libraries in developing regions.
We collaborate with partner communities to identify their needs and then mobilize our volunteers — the core being student librarians — for in-the-field development.
Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Preview 2011-127. Answer your questions!
At the Intersection: Service Learning
Academic material
Critical reflection
Relevant service
Attributes of Effective Service Learning Ownership of projects
Via autonomy, but not independence Sense of mastery and fulfillment
Via accomplishments of clear goals and feedback from clients
Sense of connectedness With colleagues, instructors, community
Meaningful experience Prolonged involvement, intensity of effort
Reflection and assessment Frequent, structured, and guided
Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Preview 2011-127. Answer your questions!
LWB in Costa RicaProject Overview September 2009-April 2010 Student-led project Goal: to build school library in El Humo, Costa Rica
Fundraise for books & building supplies Develop start-up collection Service-learning trip to construct & set-up library Partner with local organization, VIDA
Costa Rica
Collection Development
Start-up Collection
Spanish-English
dictionaries
Science & Geography
books
Costa Rican Literature
Basic English• Picture
Books• English
Language Learning
Collection Development
Questions & Challenges
Curriculum support or
recreational reading?
Size of collection
How to find & evaluate Spanish-language children’s
books?
Cultural considerations:• Language• Relevant &
appropriate
Getting the books to El
Humo? How much
could we purchase locally?
Dealing with foreign vendors
Collection DevelopmentSelection Tools & Resources: IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Fundalectura (Columbia) Banco del Libro (Venezuela) Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for
Children & Adolescents School Library Journal reviews Críticas (English-lang review source for Spanish-lang books) CR Ministry of Education curriculum & required reading
Collection Development
On the Ground Getting to know the El Humo school and
community National Library of Costa Rica Physical construction of library building Setting up the library
Created a cataloguing method, processed books, created a basic card catalogue, and wrote a policy/handbook for the school staff
Escuela
Los chiquitos
¿Habla Español?
¡Bailamos!
¡Bailamos!
National Library of Costa Rica
National Library of Costa Rica
Digging post holes
Moving very heavy concrete beams
Concrete wall slabs
Never short on spectators
Walls are up!
Working on the floor
Setting up the library Basic system based on subject area and author
surname – had to be simple enough for staff and volunteers to maintain
Simple card catalogue
Policy manual & procedures
Setting up the library
Setting up the library
Finished space
Finished space
Presenting the library to the school
Impact of the Library El Humo students learned about libraries and
how they work in class Project inspired the El Humo community to
fundraise to purchase computers for the library & additional resources
Practicum student from LIS program at University of Costa Rica from neighbouring village
One Year Later Update from school principal, Don Jorge Continue to benefit from presence of LIS practicum
student Computer now available for student use in library Source of pride for the school and greater El Humo
community Believe that it is inspiring student success and
encouraging literacy
What did students learn? Practical application of “hard” professional skills
Information Resources Reference & User services Community Development
Development of essential “soft” skills Creativity Leadership Project Management Time Management Communication Flexibility
Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Preview 2011-127. Answer your questions!
LWB in Guatemala The Asturias Library Project
Project Overview
Partner institution: Miguel Angel Asturias Academy
Location: Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
Started in 2009 by McGill student committee
Asturias identified a need for library experts
Ongoing fund raising
Service-learning trips in spring 2010 and 2011
Support continuing into 2012
Project Goal Collaborate with the Asturias Academy to implement a library at the school.
The Miguel Angel Asturias Academy
Introduction to the Asturias Academy
Private, non-profit Pre K-12 school
Founded: 1994 Serves students from
varying background: Indigenous, non-indigenous, poor, working class and middle class.
Implements teachings of Paulo Friere
Mission(1) Get ALL
Guatemalan children in school
(2) Break cycles of poverty through education
The Asturias Library
When LWB arrived in Guatemala in 2010, the Asturias Library was in a pre-construction phase.
Since then, the Asturias Library has gone from being an idea to a functional library space.
The library is currently open during school hours, and is used on a daily basis by Asturias students and staff.
Partnership Benefits for LWB students
Make a positive impact on a community in need
Partner with an organization that can use expertise in the field
Apply lessons and knowledge from the classroom
Prepare to enter the workforce by getting hands on experience
Asturias Library Project – Year One
Begin and develop relationship with Asturias Initial work in Guatemala – 2010 Trip
Manual of recommendationsDeliver books and school supplies
Reflection Articles Presentations
Asturias Library Project - Year OneOn the ground in Guatemala (April – May 2010):
Cultural Activities GOAL: Better get to know the community
One week of service work at the school Developed handbook of recommendations including
cataloguing, layout, shelving, programming, etc. Met the students: classroom visits, recess, reading
club Built relationships with Asturias staff and volunteers
Library Space PlanningConceptual Drawings – April 2010
January 2011
First story time at Asturias Library, January 2011
Asturias Library Project – Year One Participants
Asturias Library Project – Year Two Participants
Asturias Library Project – Year Two Bigger scope
Organization wide: Fundraising push Collection development projects
2nd service learning trip to Guatemala 27 participants Members from executive and 4 library schools Cultural activities Week of work at the school
Total Participants= 27
U of T (11)Guatemalan folklore,
folk tales and mythology
Dalhousie (3)Fiction for ages 13+
Western (3) Guatemalan and
global history materials
McGill (6)Non-fiction materials for young adults and adults with literacy
challenges
Executive (2)
Board (1)
Cultural Activities
Activities at AsturiasDeveloped & based on discussions with library staff
Day 1: brainstorm, prioritize, pitch (short & long term) Day 1: division into project teams; set goals:
Organization Team Information Literacy Team K‘iche‘ Audio Books Team Knowledge Management Team Blogging/Photography Team
Day 2-5: work, work, work towards goals! Day 6 + (in Canada): document and compile materials
Collection Development
• 350 Books purchased by 4 LWB student committees• Increased size of Asturias collection to 2000 items
Meet the students
Library Organization
Information Literacy Guides for teachers on how
to use the library Classification Floor plans How to implement library
into curriculum Resource lists Book talk best practices Information literacy games
Knowledge ManagementWiki
High turnover rate among Asturias volunteers
Goals Capture best practices Document and organize collective knowledge Share knowledge with future volunteers
Survey Evaluate trip for future improvement
K’iche’ Audio Book Project
K’iche’ is the predominant Indigenous language in Xela
Audio to support Asturias K’iche’ language curriculum
Work with students to create audio material for the collection
Build library holdings Give students a sense of
ownership over the collection
Blogging/Photography Team
http://lwb-online.org/?cat=27
We can never repay you, but know that you are cultivating a love of reading in Guatemalan students. We hope you take with you in your hearts a sense that you have done something good, not only for our students, but for the whole of Guatemala, you have made a difference.
Jorge Chojolán,Founder and Director
Opportunities for Reflection
Reflection
Articles Group Discussions
Presentations Blogging
Trip Document
Structured opportunities for reflection can enable learners to examine and form their beliefs, values, opinions, assumptions, judgments and practices related to an action or experience, gain a deeper understanding of them and construct their own meaning and significance for future actions.
Moon, J. Reflection in Learning and Professional Development . London : Kogan Page Limited, Stylus Publishing Inc, 1999.
What’s next?Continue to create opportunities for reflectionContinued collaboration with Asturias As their priorities change, so will our
relationship with them: Another service trip Continued fundraising Expansion of the library
Into the community Into new school sites
Student learning outcomes
Experience
Collection development
Budget management
Cataloguing
Collection Maintenance & Organization
Technical Writing
Skills
Problem Solving
Time management
Flexibility
Team Work
Communication
Leadership
Project Management
Social Justice
Education and Literacy in Guatemala
Challenges facing local population
Paulo Friere teachings
Incorporating local challenges into library
planning
Relevant course work2010 Trip: “What aspects of your MLIS program were
applicable to the Asturias Library Initiative?”
Cataloguing Library Space PlanningCollection Development Information LiteracyUser services Group WorkProgramming Writing Training Manuals
Relevant Skills 2010 Trip: “What skills or knowledge did you feel
were most important during the Asturias Library Project?”
Spanish Team WorkCommunication Presentation skillsAnalysis of user needs FlexibilityCataloguing Understanding needs of user group
Summary of Benefits of LIS StudentsConnects curriculum to real-world, complex experiences, which:
Engages them in problem-solving, critical thinking Promotes deeper learning: no “right” answers Develops interpersonal skills and teamwork approach Develops leadership and management skills
Provides immersion into societal issues relating to LIS, which: Socializes them into values of the profession Sensitizes them to the realities, experiences, and needs of
marginalized people Develops civic responsibility through community
involvement
Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Preview 2011-127. Answer your questions!
Preview 2011-12
How can we formally integrate LWB with the LIS curriculum?
Libraries Across Africa
Save the Dates!
Oct 26: Special Event with Stephen Abrams (Toronto)
Fall 2011: Apply for Asturias Guatemala Trip
Fall 2011: Apply for LAA participation
Nov/Dec: 6th Annual General Meeting (online)
May-June: LWB Social/Retreat at CLA Annual (Ottawa)
Overview of Presentation1. Introduce Service Learning (SL)2. Introduce Librarians Without Borders (LWB)3. Connect work of LWB to SL4. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Costa Rica5. SL case-study: LWB initiative in Guatemala6. Answer your questions!
www.libarianswithoutborders.orgtwitter: lwb_online
Thank You!