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Libraries on Their Minds from Day One: A New Model for Freshman Service-Learning Programs. Dr. April Heiselt, Dr. Bob Wolverton, Ms. Susan Hall ALA Conference Chicago, IL July 2009. Once upon a time… the “Day One” Story.
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Libraries on Their Minds from Day One: A New Model for Freshman Service-Learning Programs Dr. April Heiselt, Dr. Bob Wolverton, Ms. Susan Hall ALA Conference Chicago, IL July 2009
Once upon a time… the “Day One” Story • In 2006, MSU President Foglesong established an agenda to build character and leadership skills. • A first-year leadership learning community concept was proposed by Dr. Tom Carskadon. • This concept, “Day One,” while developed under a Student Affairs umbrella, is linked to Academic Affairs and the local community.
Day One Structure • How the Day One Program Works • Living-learning environment(Cresswell Hall) • Leadership Forum Class • Co-enrolled “Day One” General Education Class • Service-Learning component • Definition of Terms • Pods (Day One Courses) = 24-28 students • Action Team = 5-7 students • Action Team Mentor (ATM) = Faculty or Staff Mentor
Service-learning Structure The Incredibles ATM: Joe Jones Habitat for Humanity Red Hots ATM: Ann Tilman American Red Cross Pod A Smurfettes ATM: Ann Smith MSU Disability Services Bully’s Bookworms ATM: Bob Wolverton Starkville Public Library
Service - learning Students provide a service that meets the need of a community partner and is connected to course objectives.
Service-Learning Requirements • Student Requirements • 10 site visits (minimum) • 20 service-learning hours/events • On-line service hour log • Submitted one reflection each week • Action Team Project Proposal & Brief • Action Team Service-Learning Presentation (Showcase) • Action Team Mentor Requirements • Took attendance at Action Team meetings • Comment on student reflections • Verified service hours on student logs
Day One Events Field Day Showcase
Stark Annex Project Background of the Christopher Randolph Stark and Annie Reynolds Stark Annex • Recent addition to the Starkville Public Library • 2300 square feet • Staffed by two librarians: Carolyn Reed and Perian Kerr
Stark Annex Project • Houses genealogy books and materials, microfilm records, historical and rare books and primary family documents.
Stark Annex Project Help needed in processing: • Newspaper obituaries • Local high school newspapers • Local birth, death, and marriage information from the Starkville Daily News • Genealogy and local history microfilm • Scrapbooks from local schools and community groups
Stark Annex Project Three major types of projects: 1) Preservation • Working with obituary notices in newspapers that had been kept in shoeboxes and donated to the library. • Scrapbook maintenance – involved inter-leaving with acid-free paper, copying newspaper entries, extracting names, and documenting contents. • Photocopying local high school newspapers from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Stark Annex Project 2) Research • Locating and photocopying historical articles. • Researching academic theses and dissertations held by the Mississippi State University Libraries which dealt with individuals, times, or places in Oktibbeha County. • Abstracting and indexing names and dates in early high school yearbooks and finding births, marriages, and deaths with page numbers from local newspapers.
Stark Annex Project 3) Public relations: • Writing articles for the city newspaper: • Describing Annex work and how the librarians could assist patrons with their genealogical and historical research. • Geared toward young adults that would generate interest in locating and documenting their own family history. • Creating activities for children ages 8-12 that would help stimulate their interest in learning about their own family history. • Creating a display for the Stark Annex.
Day One Action Teams Bully’s Bookworms (2007) (6 freshman students) The SubLime 7 (2008) (7 freshman students)
Action TeamAccomplishments • Hundreds of newspaper obituaries (originally in shoeboxes) were sorted alphabetically and labeled. • 160 Starkville High School newspapers were photocopied on acid-free paper; 121 were inventoried; 16 had all names extracted and indexed. • Seven scrapbooks were inventoried and preserved. • County historical research project at the MSU Libraries was completed. Project involved checking theses and dissertations about the local area.
Accomplishments, continued • Birth, death, and marriage information was extracted and indexed from the Starkville Daily News from 1950-1952. • Initial content inventory completed of all genealogy and local history microfilm. • Names from the 1924 and 1926 Starkville High School yearbooks were extracted and indexed. • Four high school student historical essays became part of the Stark Annex collection.
Benefits to the Starkville-Oktibbeha County Public Library: • Received assistance from tech savvy, hard working students throughout the semester. • Excellent progress made in organizing their collection.
Benefits to the Day One students: • Satisfaction of serving others in the community. • Helped students develop skills in team building, time management, and leadership. • Helped students develop a strong work ethic.
BOOM! Books On Our Minds • Community partner was Children’s Services of the Starkville Public Library • Laura Foxworth, Children’s Librarian
Weekly Service Tasks • Shelving • Publicity, flyers, bulletin boards • Computer tasks • Events / story-time preparations
Action Team Meetings: • Covered assigned tasks outlined in Day One Guidebook • Planned for the team “legacy” project • Day-long children’s event at the Starkville Public Library
Chronicles of Narnia • Celebration of the series with themed event • Narnia related trivia questions • Prizes, refreshments • Team t-shirts were designed • Narnia costume contest • Movie finale
My weekly investment… • One lunch hour • Read student work posted to MyCourses, approved for credit • Tracked student service hours and approved
Factors in Success • Detailed course notebook, outlining weekly assignments, events, expectations • Questions were anticipated / answered • Rules were known • Cooperation between academic units • Flexibility with community partners and student mentors • Critical mass of available volunteers
Contact Information: Dr. April Heiselt ah384@mssstate.edu Dr. Bob Wolvertonbwolverton@library.msstate.edu Ms. Susan Hall shall@library.msstate.edu
Day One Information For more information about the Day One Leadership Program please see: http://www.dayone.msstate.edu/