South Dakota Librarians: A Family Affair -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 1/4/2008
Last Visited: 1/14/2008
Vicki Anderson and her daugther Julie Erickson share the spotlight this month for their great work with South Dakota libraries.
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Her proud daughter, Julie Erickson, is the Electronic Services Coordinator for the South Dakota State Library.She works with all the subscription electronic resources the SD State Library provides to all 695+ libraries in South Dakota.They provide a range of services, a solid collection of journals, a core reference book collection, online instant scored practice exams and more!She works with libraries and schools to provide training.She never gets bored sharing the electronic resources with different groups.One of Julie's favorite examples is a teacher at a workshop last summer who was so impressed with SIRS Researcher and other resources that he rewrote his syllabus for one of his classes to incorporate the resources.Julie recently heard back from him in an e-mail saying he used it all fall and successfully incorporated into the classroom.South Dakota is implementing 1:1 laptop programs in various school districts so having access to reliable online resources is invaluable to the students.
Julie teachingWe're pleased to be featuring this family team in this month's member spotlight in their work for South Dakota libraries and for their participation in the WebJunction community.Julie uses WebJunction for ideas and networking.She participated in the 13 week online class to become a synchronous facilitator which she said "was amazing".She takes part in as many of the webinars as possible-loved the last one from Wyoming about Everyday Advocacy.It had such practical advice and most of it was easy to apply.She also loves to follow the blogs.
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When Julie's Mom was unable to take the bookmobile out for its December run, Julie volunteered to help her out."How hard could it be?"she wondered.She journaled their 12 hour day to share with us.
6:30 am Erickson leaves her parent's home to load the bookmobile and hit the road.Clutched in her hand are the two pages of single-spaced 8 point font instructions for the day.Did we mention the other library staffer in the family?Husband/Dad, Robert Anderson, is the bookmobile driver.He has packed a lunch for them to eat during the day.
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As Erickson is pulling them from the shelves she hopes they get checked out so they don't have to be reshelved!All the activity keeps her warm-which is good because the bookmobile is still cold.
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This is where Erickson graduated from 8th grade.There were five students then; now there are 3 teachers and close to 20 students.The night before was the Christmas program, which Erickson was able to attend.
The students come out by grade.The librarian has said the teachers work with the kids to pick out appropriate books.The lower grades come over first.Erickson visits with the teacher about the upcoming break and helps her find books to read.The teacher is part of a book group and finds two of the upcoming month's books.The kids head up to the loft for the picture books.A second grader finds a collection of spider books which he uses try to freak out the teacher.It doesn't work.Erickson tells the kids about the Christmas books and they drop what they are looking at to check those out.Now she's starting to wonder if she should have brought two crates?
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Erickson calls him back to show the new non-fiction books. (At this point, she is glad she loaded the bookmobile so she is somewhat familiar with the books on board.) The first book she hands him is an illustrated guide to historical airplanes.He half-heartedly takes it while saying "this won't count for assigned reading…" as his teacher says "you can read for fun you know."Before her words are out of her mouth, he is browsing through the book saying "look at this plane; I like this airplane…" Erickson checks him out and sends him on his way.
Erickson quickly checks in books and stamps cards to get ready for the next stop.
11:30 am Heading for the next stop.The bookmobile has warmed up some-Erickson forgot to plug the space heater in but luckily didn't freeze at the last stop.It helps that the sun is shining.The countryside is gorgeous-rolling hills and prairie.There are lots of oil wells in this area so much of the drive is spent looking for them off in the distance.The bookmobile driver had lunch at the last stop; Erickson eats her lunch while heading down the road.
12:30 pm Pull into the fourth stop for the day.Two people stop-one checks out her books quickly and heads on her way.The other takes her time, looking for some good books.Erickson recommends a new non-fiction book on homesteading, in which the woman immediately found a photo of a tar-paper shack similar to her husband's shop.
1:00 pm Driving to the next stop.This is a totally unfamiliar portion of the county for Erickson.The bookmobile driver teases her about being lost.He may not be too far off!About fifteen minutes down the road Erickson remembers she forgot to give the requested book to the patron at the last stop.She frets about forgetting, but time is tight and there is no time to go back, nor is there cell power to call and leave a message.
1:30 pm Stopping at Camp Crook School.This is the second to last stop.One woman and her daughter stop to use the bookmobile.The librarian has sent a requested book along for this person.Erickson makes a point to give it to her right away so she doesn't forget, while telling the woman how she forgot the book at the last stop.The woman says "Oh, I just had coffee with the person's daughter and she is going to visit her now; we can send the book with her."Erickson quickly checks out the book and it's off to the right patron.The beauty of small communities where everyone knows everyone!The school has two teachers and about 15 kids.The younger grades come out first.They are thrilled about the Christmas books.Many of the students share their favorite kinds of books with Erickson.A lot of them like dinosaurs or horses.The older grades come over.One of them was looking for books on World War II earlier in the week; Erickson pulls out a handout from the electronic resources she normally works with and shares it with the student as a source for information.
2:30 pm Heading for the last stop!
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Just as Erickson gets ready to go talk with the bookmobile driver, two families arrive.Two adults and 4 kids arrive to check out books.One family brings up five books, Erickson checks them out and then they bring up stacks more.Erickson questions the number of books only to be told these are big readers and assured the librarian usually lets them check out more.This group checks out all but the last five Christmas books!
4:30 pm Almost done for the day!
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Erickson visited family in the evening before heading back to her regular job the next day.Her sister-in-law had substitute taught at Ludlow that afternoon and told about a boy who never reads but who had checked out a book about airplanes.He read it all afternoon!Maybe Erickson will come back every month to run the bookmobile.
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