{"id":350,"date":"2012-01-20T11:00:55","date_gmt":"2012-01-20T17:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/melodydworak.com\/?p=350"},"modified":"2012-01-20T11:23:47","modified_gmt":"2012-01-20T17:23:47","slug":"reading-recommendations-from-my-graduate-coursework","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/melodydworak.com\/?p=350","title":{"rendered":"Reading recommendations from my graduate coursework"},"content":{"rendered":"

For some reason I am chomping at the bit to read Dr. Wayne Wiegand\u2019s new book<\/a> on U.S. libraries in the late 19th through early-to-mid-20th century. I still feel fairly new to the scholarship on libraries, but Dr. Wiegand\u2019s reputation for deep thoughts is all I need for inspiration. Plus, he was an advisor of and supporter of Dr. Christine Pawley\u2019s work, and her contributions to the field are just the bee\u2019s knees as far as I\u2019m concerned.<\/p>\n

So I thought I\u2019d do a short post about my favorite 10 readings from my MLIS program thus far. I have plenty of material to choose from–with 10 courses under my belt and umpteen articles, there is certainly a cream rising to the top of the crop.
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Dare I try to rank these in order and play favorites? Nope. The editor in me must go alphabetical by last name. Thus I give you the following, my favorites from the past year and a half of grad school:<\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew Battles, <\/strong>Library: An Unquiet History<\/strong><\/em>
\n<\/a><\/span>Lovely poetic loveliness
\n<\/span>Course: Cultural Foundations
\n<\/span>Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Burek Pierce<\/span>
\n<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Roger Chartier, On the Edge of the Cliff: History, Languages, and Practices<\/em><\/a><\/strong> (selected readings)
\n<\/span>Can be a bit obtuse for an American reader. The 2 Amazon reviews<\/a> are telling in that one review gives it 5 stars and the other only 1. Recommended for those who believe empiricism is possible in the humanities. Introduced me to the field of historiography. (How did I not come across that term as a journalism student?)<\/span>
\n<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Mark Dressman, Literacy in the Library<\/a><\/em> (“Books that are True; Stories that are Made Up: School Libraries and the Politics of Reading”)<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Library history meets literacy history! How can I not geek out about this??
\n<\/span>Course: Literacy & Learning
\n<\/span>Instructor: Dr. Jim Elmborg<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

James Elmborg, \u201cLibraries as the Spaces Between Us: Recognizing and Valuing the Third Space\u201d<\/a><\/strong>
\n<\/span>Great blending of Pratt\u2019s \u201ccontact zone\u201d concept with the idea of libraries as spaces where individuals and communities undergo growth
\n<\/span>Course: Digital Environments<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Anna Everett & S. Craig Watkins, \u201cThe Power of Play: The Portrayal and Performance of Race in Video Games\u201d from <\/strong>The Ecology of Games: Connecting Youth, Games, and Learning<\/a> <\/strong>[PDF, see p. 141]<\/strong>
\n<\/span>A powerful take on immersive gaming in \u201cauthentic\u201d worlds
\n<\/span>Course: Digital Environments
\n<\/span>Instructor: Dr. Andre Brock<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Bonnie Nardi & Justin Harris, “Strangers and Friends: Collaborative Play <\/a><\/strong><\/span>in World of Warcraft\u201d<\/a> <\/strong>[PDF]<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Have to add this reading because I found myself highlighting a full page of text about how gamers teach each other through websites, forums, videos, etc. This was an area I wanted to research in depth, particularly while thinking of the game Minecraft. Peer-to-peer learning through virtual media just fascinates me.
\n<\/span>Course: Digital Environments<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Christine Pawley, \u201cInformation Literacy: A Contradictory Coupling\u201d<\/a><\/strong>
\n<\/span>Great metaphors about what is lost in a one-size-fits-all idea of teaching and learning models
\n<\/span>Course: Literacy & Learning<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Christine Pawley, Reading on the Middle Border<\/a><\/em> (Chapter 3–\u201dA benefit and a blessing: The Sage Library\u201d)<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Fantastic example of finely detailed qualitative meets quantitative research. I believe we talked about this in our content analysis section.
\n<\/span>Course: Research Methods
\n<\/span>Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Burek Pierce<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Mary Louise Pratt, \u201cArts of the Contact Zone\u201d<\/a><\/strong>
\n<\/span>Stories so well woven together! Best impressions are made when you\u2019re so into the reading that you don\u2019t notice it changing you.
\n<\/span>Course: Literacy & Learning<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Sherry Turkle, <\/strong>Alone Together<\/em><\/strong>
\n<\/a><\/span>Discusses the psychological perils of living online alone. Mediated environments (as in, the media is an interlocutor) affecting relationships and the wholeness of human beings.
\n<\/span>Course: Research Methods (self-chosen text)<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For some reason I am chomping at the bit to read Dr. Wayne Wiegand\u2019s new book on U.S. libraries in the late 19th through early-to-mid-20th century. I still feel fairly new to the scholarship on libraries, but Dr. Wiegand\u2019s reputation…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more ›<\/a><\/div>\n

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