Assignment 7: Prints and Photographs

Wrigley Field, located in Chicago, Illinois and Fenway Park, located in Boston, Massachusetts are the last surviving dinosaurs of classic American baseball parks. They represent an era of baseball unmarred from the current steroid scandal and far removed from excessive salaries and multimillion-dollar stadiums built from tax revenues. In fact, these two stadiums did not even host night games until 1988 and 1946 respectively. Wrigley Field and Fenway Park continue to draw sellout crowds despite their lack of modern amenities offered by their competitors.

I attended a Chicago Cubs baseball game at the historic Wrigley Field on Thursday, July 15, 2010. It was an amazing look into past juxtaposed with the realities of the modern day. Perhaps patrons who sat in the upper decks in the early 20^th century did not have to use the bathroom facilities during the course of the ballgame, because they still do not exist. Patrons must exit the upper decks and walk down to the ground level to use these facilities. However, when they enter, they can use the bathroom amenities, updated since 1914.

I began my search for photographs or prints by searching exclusively for Wrigley Field. This search only yielded eight results. I continued my search using the following search terms:

Wrigley Field Chicago, Illinois

Classic American Ballparks

Chicago Cubs

I did not have much success. The “Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois” search garnered me the same information as my first search. I received one result during my search of “Classic American Ballparks”. My search using “Chicago Cubs” produced the most results. However, most of them were baseball card prints and did not feature Wrigley Field.

I next searched for Fenway Park. I received 26 results, far greater than my search for Wrigley Field. I continued to search using the following search queries:

Fenway Park, Boston Massachusetts

Boston Red Sox

The “Fenway Park, Boston Massachusetts” search resulted in a reduced number of results (12) while the search for “Boston Red Sox” produced (162) results. The latter search produced many print baseball cards very similar to my search for the Chicago Cubs.

The lack of results surprised me. I intended to find some quality photographs or prints of both the exterior and interior of two classic American ballparks still used today. I did not succeed in this quest. I only bookmarked seven results on my Delicious account and very few of them are Wrigley Field. I believe that this is a good source for a narrow topic. It would also be a good source to use for someone looking for historic photographs or prints. Although I was not successful with my research, I would give this service another attempt in the future.

http://delicious.com/anthony.forfia

Assignment 6: Flickr Folio of Small Group Residence Halls

I moved to Kent State University to begin my undergraduate education in the fall of 1997. I moved into Altmann Hall in the First Year Experience housing program, otherwise known as “Small Group/World. Eight residence halls housed only freshman in two areas, upper and lower plaza. Altmann Hall was located in Upper Plaza and that is where I would call home for all four years of my undergraduate career.

The Small Group Residence Halls, constructed in the late sixties to early seventies, had many structural problems. With its massive use of concrete and plethora of stairways, Small Group’s features prohibited accessibility to those with physical impairments. Unfortunately, the cost to renovate and bring these halls up to code was too great. Therefore, Small Group was demolished during the spring semester of 2009. As the bricks fell, many memories tumbled along too. Never would I have the chance to take my children to visit my old residence halls. The former Small Group residence hall complex is now a green space designed for student relaxation and recreation.

My intent is for this photo gallery to serve as an everlasting memory of “Small Group”. Despite its structural limitations, and its geographic problems, it will always stand as my college home away from home. I was concerned that I would not locate any photographs on Flickr of my intended subject. To my pleasure, I located roughly eight photographs which I then supplemented by adding six of my own. I used the search terms below:

· Kent State University Ohio

· Kent State University Ohio Residence Halls

· Kent State University Ohio Dorms

· Altmann Hall

· Small Group Kent State University

· First Year Experience Kent State University

My goal was to locate outside photographs of the Small Group buildings. I hoped to find some photographs taken within the buildings as well. My first search term was broad and elicited many results. I looked through a few pages before I decided to narrow my search. The following search terms connected me with two different Flickr accounts. One account belonged to a user with the account name of Simmah, and the other with an account name of Authorwannabe. Simmah’s photo is the first one included in my gallery, while Authorwannabe’s make up my next seven photographs. Authorwannabe’s uploaded his photographs in the fall of 2008, about a year prior to the start of demolition. Simmah’s uploaded his panoramic shot during the fall of 2007. I only found eight photos during my research of the aforementioned terms. Although I did not find any photographs taken inside any of the buildings, I was pleased with my results.

I decided to include some photographs that I took as I started my graduate career at Kent State University during the summer of 2009. By this time, Small Group was a field and all that remained were Stewart and McSweeny Halls. It was tough to walk around the deserted area with all the memories that I hold dear. Cooking out with my grill on the steps of Altmann Hall one summer, delivering the mail each day to the eight buildings, and performing hall checks during my rounds as a resident assistant were now all a distant memory. It was tough. I never gave a second thought to demolished buildings. History has taught me that buildings, although constructed with faults, hold memories to the people who lived and worked there.

Although I was pleased with using Flickr for the first time, I did find fault with one thing. I discovered that I could not include my uploaded photographs to my gallery. I used the help feature to make sure of this problem and discovered that Flickr encourages its users to include other users’ photos within their personal galleries. I was upset with this simple philosophy and decided to create an additional Flickr account so that I was able to include my photographs. This was my only fault with Flickr and it is something that I would encourage them to change for the future.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pizzatony/galleries/72157624631003782/

Assignment 5: "Know it Now" & "Ask a Librarian"

As an online reference novice, I looked forward to my use of Kent State University’s “Ask a Librarian” and Ohio’s online reference source, “Know it Now”. I also looked forward to comparing my findings to those of a current librarian. At the end of my discussion, would I be encouraged by my own research or frustrated by the results?

I started with the “Know it Now” service and greeted the librarian with the following question:

“My cat recently underwent dental surgery and now needs liquid pain medication and antibiotics. I am looking for resources that give advice how to administer this medication.”

I phrased my question with more detail than my own personal research during the information awareness report to give the librarian more insight. It was not long before “GCPL1” responded to my query. The librarian’s response was quick and caring in nature. GCPL1 said, “Hi Anthony, I’m sorry about your cat. Are both meds liquid?” I was impressed with GCPL1’s ability to connect with a patron from miles away. It felt as if I were talking to the librarian in person. I quickly passed along thanks and answered that they were both liquid medications. GCPL1 went to work and informed me that it might take a few minutes. I did not have to wait long. The service informed me within a minute that the librarian was typing. She first sent me three video links. The three sites were the exact ones, which I had located during my information awareness search.

http://www.ehow.com/video_2259732_get-cat-liquid-medication.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_4945233_give-cats-liquidmedication.html

http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/fhc/liquid_medications

GCPL1 provided me with a link to a print resource located at about.com. This site was new but included much of the same information that I located during my search.

http://vetmedicine.about.com/c/ht/00/07/How_Administer_Liquid_Oral0962935142.htm

My experience with the “Know it Now” service was a positive one. GCPL1 expressed interest in my information need and showed a genuine concern. The barriers of the world wide web were broken down and my needs were immediate. One feature of the system that I was impressed with was the current update feature located directly below our chat. It provided information of when the librarian was typing a response. I felt secure in the fact that GCPL1 was researching my question in an efficient manner.

The result of the research was not much different from my search. I discovered the three video links during my search. She did send me one print resource that differed from my results. Overall, I pleased with the service that GCPL1 provided. The information was similar, but if someone did not want to spend time searching on his or her own, I would recommend using the “Know it Now” service in the future. Depending on my information need, I may use this service in the future.

I was encouraged after leaving the chat with GCPL1. Perhaps the distance and barrier of the world wide web was no obstacle with the help of friendly reference librarians posted at their computers and eager patrons with thought provoking questions sitting in their home offices.

Taking this encouragement with me, I decided to try out Kent State University’s “Ask a Librarian” feature. This was my first time using this service as well. This service was not available during my undergraduate work at Kent State University. I was excited to see everything that I was missing.

I began my search with the same question that I posed to GCPL1 only fifteen minutes earlier. However, instead of receiving sympathy and a follow-up question, I received an initial roadblock. Imaksulibrarian said, “Honestly, I feel like that should be something you would discuss with a vet or a professional”. As an online patron, I felt the barrier of the world wide web. I perceived that I was wasting this librarian’s time. I felt disconnected. I needed to bridge this gap with a quick reply but received another quick message from Imaksulibrarian. The librarian simply typed a “?” and sent it off. What was I to infer from this brief message? I continued typing my message that read, “I have already received a limited amount from the vet when I picked my cat up. I was just curious if there were any additional resources, websites, videos, etc. that provide any further assistance?”

At first, I slightly understood Imaksulibrarian’s stance. Perhaps he or she was directing me to an expert. I had this same thought during my search. However, Imaksulibrarian did not respond to my follow-up response. I waited five minutes and attempted Imaksulibrarian’s strategy, I typed a “?” into the message and sent it. Imaksulibrarian’s response, “I sent you the link.” Despite the barrier, I could sense the tone. As a patron and a Kent State University MLIS student, I was embarrassed and appalled. Imaksulibrarian’s callous response and lack of interest in my query was evident. Imaksulibrarian quickly sent the link to which he or she referred to, http://www.vetinfo.com/catmed.html. The website contains a hodgepodge of questions submitted by internet users about various cat medications, there are roughly thirty medications listed in a long, hard to read document. I could not locate any information in regards to my initial query on this website. My distaste for online reference service peaked after using this service and receiving subpar assistance. As a Kent State University MLIS graduate student, I will not recommend their online reference service to anyone.

I experienced two separate and contradictory results during my “Know it Now” and “Ask a Librarian” assignment. The “Know it Now” service treated me as an inquiring patron with a welcomed question. GCPL1 broke down the barriers of the internet with a warm and genuine concern; I received a virtual hug from GCPL1. GCPL1 handled my query in a professional manner and discovered four insightful resources. My experience with Imaksulibrarian differed greatly. Imaksulibrarian immediately suggested that I consult a veterinarian or a professional. Imaksulibrarian’s response built a wall instead of breaking the wall down. The continuing conversation and the haphazard research performed by Imaksulibrarian did little to save this online research query. The differing results continue to bewilder me. I cannot reconcile the two. I have learned how vitally important it is to provide genuine care in an online reference environment. I will emulate the service that I received from GCPL1 and try my best to avoid the kind of service I received from Imaksulibrarian even though I will be a librarian trained from Kent State University.

Assignments 1-3

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pizzatony/

http://delicious.com/aforfia

http://www.librarything.com/home/aforfia

Information Awareness Report

After a recent veterinarian appointment for my cat, Skittles, I discovered that she needed dental surgery. In addition to worrying about the large bill, I also worried about the aftercare that she would need. Even though I am a pet owner to two wonderful cats, I do not claim to know everything about giving medication to cats. I picked Skittles up at 7pm after her long day of surgery and I awaited the news. I discovered that I needed to give her two liquid medications, twice a day for a week. The veterinarian technician provided me with the prescriptions and the medicine droppers in a large bag and gave me an overview of where to apply the medicine. It all sounded too easy, “just apply the liquid pain killers and antibiotics directly to her gums,” she informed me. I left the clinic unsure and not confident in the least with my ability to provide medical care to my 10 year old cat.

Consulting a veterinarian or a veterinarian technician is the preferred first step to deal with this dilemma. This was not an option because I received my five minutes of training and veterinary advice and now it was my responsibility. “This will be no problem at all,” I said to myself. Skittles will understand that I am there to help her and she will graciously open her mouth and allow me to apply the pain killers and give her the antibiotic. I needed reassurance from trusted resources. Although I am not a trained veterinarian, I will be a trained information specialist and I can handle this! I decided to consult the internet first.

I conducted a Google search using the following queries:

• How to give a cat liquid medicine
• Giving medication to a cat
• After care for cat dental surgery

My search queries resulted in a plethora of informational resources. In addition to step by step print guidelines, the search also displayed video demonstrations of veterinarians giving liquid medications. I was thrilled with the combination of results. In Everything is Miscellaneous (2007), Weinberger states, “If only there were a way to arrange the stuff in stores so that every possible interest could be captured. When we know what we want, we’d find it immediately”. I understood the meaning of this quote much deeper after conducting my online search for this assignment. Since I learn in different modalities, I appreciated the multitude of videos and print resources.

I expected some of the resulting information resources while others were a pleasant surprise. I expected to see about.com, wikihow.com, and ehow.com in my results and I was not mistaken. I used these sites to provide me with basic medical information and resources. There was not enough sufficient information on these sites to satisfy my need to care for my ailing cat. Both Cornell and Washington State University’s veterinary departments offered sites explaining how to provide cats with oral medication. These sites contained the most useful and trusted information and included several videos and pictures of the step by step procedures. I spent the duration of my time with these sites. Veterinarypartner.com and petplace.com offered great resources as well, but I felt more comfortable receiving my information from the educational resources that I consulted. The URLs are listed below:

http://cats.about.com/b/2009/06/27/video-how-to-give-a-cat-liquid-medicine.htm

http://www.wikihow.com/Give-a-Cat-Medicine

http://www.ehow.com/tips_14829.html

http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/pet/fhc/liquid_medications

http://www.petplace.com/cats/how-to-give-liquid-medication-to-your-cat/page1.aspx

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/cat_meds.aspx

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=120

I did want to continue my research in this subject to include more than internet resources. I trust the reliability of the sites that I consulted but I wanted to pair them with print resources to check accuracy.

Before consulting my local public library, I remembered that I had an excellent cat reference material at home. Therefore, The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Cats, Cat Breeds & Cat Care was my next source of information for my question. I quickly found two pages of information regarding how to administer liquid medication to a cat. Much of the information provided, duplicated and reaffirmed the information from my internet search. The book suggested holding the cat from the back of the neck, and while tilting the head backwards, to slowly squeeze the liquid medication into the side of the cat’s mouth. It cautioned the careful method of applying the medicine so that the medicine does not enter the cat’s lungs. If medicine is inhaled into the lungs, the cat is at risk of developing pneumonia. This resource reassured my preparedness to provide my cat with excellent home care.

I next consulted my local online public library catalog using the search term “cat care”. My search resulted in 109 results. The first several caught my attention and appeared to be trusted sources:

Cat Care Essentials by Francesca Riccomini

101 Essential Tips: Caring for Your Cat by Andrew Edney and David Taylor

The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care by Wendy Christensen

K.I.S.S. Guide to Cat Care by Steve Duno with a forward by Christopher Walken

Complete Illustrated Guide to Cat Care by Bruce Fogle

The books all included sections on safely administering oral medication to cats. It was easy to access these materials because many of the titles were at multiple branches of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. These print resources were all valid and trustworthy. The Humane Society of the United States is one of the most well respected resources in animal care. The other titles were all written by current or former veterinarians, or included veterinarian consultations in their research.

After my quick initial tutorial from the veterinary technician, my internet research, and my exploration of several print resources from my local library and my bookshelf, I feel confident to administer medications to my recovering pet. She is counting on me to be her personal veterinarian for the next several days and I will not let her down. I have successfully completed my informational need through a variety of well trusted sources and materials. Overall, the combination of the information strengthens my knowledge. I viewed video tutorials that I received through my internet resources and I read detailed descriptions from my print resource examination.