First of all...I LOVE my first class. I have two projects (one individual, one group), so between that, a state-wide presentation on hearing loss, my regular job, teaching job and my family, there's no time for blogging (right now I'm on, because my younger daughter wants to go on pbskids.org...she's waiting for me to finish, so I'll make it quick!).
Things are SOOoooo different than they were when I graduated with my Master's 16 years ago. I was initially stunned when I found out that I could get most of my journals in pdf form on-line. What? I don't need to leave my house? But I saw the detriments to that last night. There were 4 articles that I couldn't get on-line, so I needed to go to the library at the University. After I found it and parking after class (that took 45 minutes), I found the nice man who informed me that the 4 articles could be found on three different floors of the library (it has 25 floors...a MUCH bigger University than I'm used to). Ok, one wasn't what I needed, and one book wasn't on the shelf and I found the other two articles in bound book form. This is where it started to get interesting...and I'm still stunned...
I took the books back to the first floor. I figured I had to pay for the copies, but knew the money could be added to my ID card (what? no dimes? what will they think of next?). So I went back to the nice man, showed him the books and asked him about it. "Oh no, since you're a matriculated student, you have 500 pages already on your account." sweet! So I follow the directions on the copy machine...sliding my ID card as it indicated...didn't work...tried again...didn't work. Ignoring the "always have your possessions in your sight" sign, I walked to the Technology Help desk that was within eyeshot of the copy machines. I talked to the first 20-something who caught my eye, and noticed he had an Assistant Manager pin on his shirt, so I thought this should be easy...what a mistake...
"I'd like to make a copy of a book and it's not working," I told him. "You mean on the computer?" he replied. I guess I wasn't clear. "No, I want to make a copy of an article from a book on the copy machine." "Do you mean the printer connected to the computer isn't working?" Am I speaking English? I picked up the red book I was holding and pointed to the copy machine. "I want to make a copy of an article in this book on that machine and it won't work, can you help me?" He looked at me VERY confused, "I don't know how a copy machine works" and turned to ask the guy sitting behind him. That guy looked at the banks of copy machines as if he had never noticed them there before, and shrugged his shoulders.
I finally got hold of a very nice librarian, who indicated I DID need to put money on my card, showed me how to do it, and showed me how the machine works. I guess technology isn't all it's cracked up to be. I'm still stunned with my encounter that of the undergraduate's perspective that if it ain't on the internet, it don't exist.
By the way, on my library-journey, I ran across original American Annals of the Deaf from the 1880's. I can't wait to go back and spend some time looking through them. I know they're safe from the 20-somethings.
Guess I'd better work on my projects. I've been informed that E is no longer interested in pbskids.org, but rather playhousedisney.com...Mickey here we come! I'll try to post again when there's time...probably this summer :-)
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