Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Case Study No. 0391: Amplified Librarians

Community Engagement - Part 2 - WRFU Amplified Librarians
5:33
A mini-documentary about the WRFU Amplified Librarians radio show program done at WRFU in the Independent Media Center, Urbana, IL.
Tags: GSLIS UIUC Jeff Ginger community engagement Ann Bishop WRFU amplified librarians Books 2 Prisoners Independent Media Center IMC Urbana
Added: 3 years ago
From: Geph85
Views: 105

[scene opens with a male library student speaking directly into his handheld camera]
JEFF GINGER: Alright, starting it off, we are going to the Independent Media Center of Urbana-Champain. I'm gonna be checking out the radio station with Alex and Maggie.
[he enters the building]
JEFF GINGER: Now, I've never actually been on the radio, so it's gonna be a bit of an experience for me. We'll hafta see how well I hold up ...
[cut to inside the radio station, as Jeff is speaking with a female library student]
JEFF GINGER: Alright, we are inside the studio, and Maggie's gonna give us a short little tour of what is goin' on in here and what's located where.
MAGGIE TAYLOR: So, this is the inner workings of the IMC WRFU station.
[cut to various shots of Maggie and Alex conducting their radio show "Amplified Librarians", then back to Jeff interviewing Maggie]
MAGGIE TAYLOR: This is the speakers, the studio speakers. And we've also got speakers outside in the post office ...
[cut to a quick shot of outside the studio, then back to Jeff and Maggie]
MAGGIE TAYLOR: So we've also got a new picks collection here, the DJs can feel free to pull music from ...
[cut to Maggie at the control board]
MAGGIE TAYLOR: This is kind of the mothership controller board. The mixer, which kind of lets us know what our external volume output is, and how we can change from one program to the next. But you can record your program directly, either to your iPod or to your computer and then, y'know, burn the program for people.
[cut to another part of the studio, as they are joined by another male library student]
MAGGIE TAYLOR: And a little review section, I guess, over there ... and then this is kind of an announcement board, and contact numbers should we have a problem.
JEFF GINGER: Very cool. Alex, anything to add?
ALEX SVEC: No, that ... That's about it.
[cut to Maggie and Alex recording "Amplified Librarians" with Jeff]
MAGGIE TAYLOR: Yeah, before we get rolling too fast here, I just wanna go ahead and say that WRFU is an open forum for the Urbana-Champain community. I have an interest in music, and originally what drew me to the project, and this course happened to, y'know, suggest that we could get engaged in a community ...
[cut to another shot of the program being recorded]
MAGGIE TAYLOR: And I said, "What kind of a collection do you have?" And they said, "Well, uhhh, it's just a bunch of stuff kinda sitting in boxes and in the stairs" ... And so what we decided to do was come here and, y'know, see how we could apply our librarian skills to the collection.
[cut to another shot of the program being recorded]
ALEX SVEC: We decided to talk with the automation group and find out, well, what would be the most beneficial collection to organize. We generally want to separate the music on the automation so that the automation can play more local music. And once we organize the local music, we encourage that more local music be submitted to WRFU.
[cut to another shot of the program being recorded]
JEFF GINGER: So, what skills in particular have you learned in library science that you think you're applying and putting in action with this project?
ALEX SVEC: Well, organization is a big key feature to this project, because it's a very diverse collection that's out there. And I think once we've organized it, it'll be great to be able to play this diverse music for the community.
MAGGIE TAYLOR: Well, I think one of the main things librarians do is interact with the community in which they're working in, and whether their library is there or whether it's a library at a distance, connecting with certain group members or members of the community in any aspect, and this radio station is an excellent example of how it takes the community to get something done and how people can learn from each other and collaborate on ideas. It's totally volunteer-based radio station, so anything that is done here, technically anything that's done as far as sourcing music, anything that's done with organization, fundraising, marketing, all of that is done by volunteers here at the station. And a lot of it is DJs of the station that volunteer, but a lot of it is also just community members that believe in what's happening here, and in supporting community-supported radio stations. I mean, independent commercial-free community radio programs.
[cut to another shot of the program being recorded]
MAGGIE TAYLOR: Okay, the community informatics for me, and I haven't been in this program for that long, but I understand it as just engaging with the community and providing information as kind of a way to encourage patrons to self-educate, and sometimes that's related to technology and sometimes it's related to communication tools on how people can interact and they can learn and y'know, become more involved in their community but also just be more healthy and successful in their everyday lives.
ALEX SVEC: What's also important in communities is being able to find out the needs of the members of the community. So doing, for example, a needs assessment. Finding out what does, for example, the radio show ... what kind of music do we wanna organize. And we did a needs assessment and interview method talking with the automation group, and finding out that the local music is very important, and we have to organize the local music. So, it's very important to reach out to the entire community. I think that's very important for the informatic ...

---

From wrfu.net:

WRFU-LP 104.5 FM
Radio Free Urbana - Community radio, by and for the people

Amplified Librarians
Play music and take calls. Invite fellow librarians/GSLIS students to make announcements about community engagement events.

---

From illinois.edu:

LIS490 Project Outline Executive Summary:
by Maggie Taylor and Alex Svec
(Amplified Librarians)
Included is a CD of our December 1st Radio Show

Introduction:
* Station ID: WRFU LP Urbana 104.5
* Disclaimer
* Date: December 1st, 2008
* Show Name/DJ introductions: The Amplified Librarians
* Intro to final project presentation:
* Review Original Contract for project and go over Ask, Investigate, Create, Discuss, and Reflect

A) ASK: Title/question/purpose.
1) Title: Amplified Librarian Music Library Project:
2) Question/purpose: How can we use our cataloging/organizational skills to store/retrieve WRFU's media collection? (This could include creating an online archive/listing.) How do we test our cataloging and
retrieval system? (By hosting a radio program!)

B) Investigate: Background Research,
Bib/webliography , and CE Journal importance.

1) Background Research:
* Taylor, Arlene G. The Organization of Information. 2nd Ed.
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. 2004.
* Input of the WRFU staff! They know their own materials best. Use the general RFU listserve and any other listserve that can reach out to the RFU staff.
* Look at reference books about music organization specific to radio stations. We may contact in person other radio stations to find out about organizational styles of music.
* Evaluating staff/DJ use of materials and determine needs of station
* Research materials to be organized (CDs, Tapes, LPs, IPods and other media)
* Training of policies, equipment use, rules, and technical information.
* Catalog/index non-music files
* Devise number system or unique code for materials.
* Look into free web interface/database for listeners and DJ to access
* Host radio show.
* Meet regularly with radio staff to get feedback and suggestions.
* Computer/Website/Database/Physical database tool depending on needs of station.

2) Bib/webliography (Radio show and Final Project)
a. Amplified Librarians Radio Show Sources:
A. October 27th , 2008 Radio Show: "Poverty In North Champaign Part 1 introduction"
1) Moustafa, PhD student at GSLIS, October 27th, 2008 Radio Show, 6pm to 7pm
2) Clorisa, Christina, and Raisha, from Centennial High School , October 27th, 2008 Radio Show, 6pm to 7pm
B. November 3rd , 2008 Radio Show: "civic librarianship and e-government"
1) Jon Gant, GSLIS Professor, November 3rd, 2008 Interview Show 6pm to 7pm.
2) Carol Inskeep, Urbana Free Library Youth Services Librarian, November 3rd, 2008 Interview Show 6pm to 7pm.
3) Cii Club: Helped and emailed us questions with November 3rd, 2008 Interview Show
C. November 7th , Radio: "Meet The DJ's show which explains how we became interested in the field of Library and Information Science, explanations about the program and Library information Science Courses"
1) Maggie Taylor
2) Alex Svec
D. November 17th, Radio Show: "Poverty In North Champaign Part 2"
1) Moustafa, PhD student at GSLIS, October 27th, 2008 Radio Show, 6pm to 7pm
2) Clorisa, Christina, and Raisha, from Centennial High School, October 27th, 2008 Radio Show, 6pm to 7pm
E. Required for all shows:
1. "WRFU-LP 104.5FM Airshifter Handbook Version 2.0 September 2008": a Manual to be used during show and the guidelines used for training us in the important rules and regulations of a radio show.
2. "Required Disclaimer sheet": to be read at beginning of show to stay legal
3. Station ID "104.5 WRFU LP Urbana": to be read on the hour at each show to stay legal with FCC rules.
b. Sources For Music Library Project and Automation Manual:
1) Stephen Fonzo, Automation working group
2) Noel L. Vivar, Automation working group
3) Andrew O Baoill, Station Manager
4) RFU General LIST
5) RFU AUTOMATION GROUP
6) IMC TECH
7) General RFU Meetings First Tuesday of Each Month 8:00pm to 9:00pm and Third Saturday of Each Month 1:00pm to 3:00pm (General Meeting and Automation Working Group Meeting)
8) FCC main Website for defining "Clean Music" http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ consumerfacts/obscene.html More detail available from here: http://www.fcc.gov/eb/oip/
9) RFU Main Website http://www.wrfu.net/
10) Program for editing and cleaning music and shows http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

3) CE project journaling: A way to evaluate our investigation of the project and a way to reflect on our progress.
Journal entries should serve as a record of your observations, impressions, questions and reflections on your community engagement experience. Keeping a journal will help you learn from your engagement experience as well as integrate your experience with classroom readings and discussions. The following format should be
used:

* WHAT? : This is simply a description of your community engagement activities, a log of dates and time with brief description.
* SO WHAT? : This is your thoughtful analysis of the experience. Include your feelings, perceptions, and thoughts during and after activities. Reflect on what worked and did not work. For example, you might: congratulate yourself; express self-doubts; ask questions.
* NOW WHAT? : What would you have done differently or what you would change in the future?

C) Create: What we worked on and Major Outcomes, Our Volunteer Projects evolution
Talk about changes from original intent.
1) Physical Collection: Inventory of original station music, talk about the stairwell of music. Challenges and reasons for organizing the music.
2) Automation Files Music Library Project:
Original Inventory:
a) Talk about clean and Unknown Folders
b) Discuss Automation inventory of local music,
1) excel spread sheet
2) Hard Drive back up, I had transferred files from hard drive to a DVD over thanksgiving break so that they are preserved and I plan to give this to the station as a back up of most of the local music, have a brief discussion on importance of backing up files in these kinds of formats, still very important to the scope of future projects.
3) Possible alternative to use different kind of inventory format rather than excel spread sheet (I have found a program that created a directory of all music in the folders we worked on, may want to suggest inventory program to be used in future project and this will help maybe if they do an inventory of all the files on the computer for a future html website)
4) Think about how project could be used for a future html website project maybe, although since this could not be used in the automation computer process because of iTunes.
3) WRFU Automation System Music Library Manual. (The new final project for the semester.)
1) Automation manual was required based on the needs assessment conducted and discussions with WRFU members in automation and station manager.
a)The goal of the manual is to help in volunteer projects in automation which includes processing and managing the digital collection.
b) Within the manual, some of the key important parts are required messages about the computer, a section on cleaning files, define clean music and discuss how we came up with step by step manual for using audacity. The Manual discuss how to add a show to the ZaraRadio.
c) Finally, the manual has a detailed procedure for uploading music to the automation computer, what are main goals and important steps, what are areas to consider.

D. Reflect: How to Make this sustainable?
What's next for the future station volunteers? Ask for LIS students interested in continuing project.
1) Go over future volunteer project considerations as mentioned in final product of manual, which touch on security, future storage options and processing.
2) Make mention of possible system for organizing current physical music collection in the studio and in stair well for future volunteer project. This may include a numbering system, inventory of clean and non clean music songs on CDs which would need to be listened to by volunteers to help with this project, documenting which CDs that are able to be played.
3) Review Course tools we used which is also important for
sustainability of project.
a) Needs assessment: Discussions with various working groups such as automation, the meetings on Tuesdays and Saturdays, List Serves, Emails, etc ...
b) action research
c) program log: in studio used to help with future of html website
d) Final Automation Manual: Summarize the tool and benefits for volunteers and how this will help sustain future volunteer projects! Also include that we have given a copy of the automation manual on a CD so that the manual can be updated in the future.

E. Radio Show:
1) Summary of main points of interview shows:
A. October 27th, 2008 Radio Show: "Poverty In North Champaign Part 1 introduction"
1) Moustafa, PhD student at GSLIS, October 27th, 2008 Radio Show, 6pm to 7pm
2) Clorisa, Christina, and Raisha, from Centennial High School , October 27th, 2008 Radio Show, 6pm to 7pm
B. November 3rd , 2008 Radio Show: "civic librarianship and e-government"
1) Jon Gant, GSLIS Professor, November 3rd, 2008 Interview Show 6pm to 7pm.
2) Carol Inskeep, Urbana Free Library Youth Services Librarian, November 3rd, 2008 Interview Show 6pm to 7pm.
3) Cii Club: Helped and emailed us questions with November 3rd, 2008 Interview Show
C. November 7th , Radio: "Meet The DJ's show which explains how we became interested in the field of Library and Information Science, explanations about the program and Library information Science Courses"
1) Maggie Taylor
2) Alex Svec
D. November 17th , Radio Show: "Poverty In North Champaign Part 2"
1) Moustafa, PhD student at GSLIS, October 27th, 2008 Radio Show, 6pm to 7pm
2) Clorisa, Christina, and Raisha, from Centennial High School, October 27th, 2008 Radio Show, 6pm to 7pm
2) We recorded and archived each show: using Audacity, we recorded and prepared the interviews into a sustainable format. These mp3 files are archived interviews which can be used in a future community archive website such as the Cii.
a) Challenges of recording show and issues with the files. One is file size became very large, need to figure out a way to preserve files to transfer to website, consider a DVD which can store more files.
b) Second is the ability to edit out music to stay within copyright laws in an online environment, we are using the free tool audacity to edit out the music and maintain only our interviews in our shows. We were able to test our step by step process for using Audacity as discussed in our final automation project manual.
c) Finally, before publishing the shows to an online community website, need to get permission from interviewers to make sure they are ok with having the files available to public, otherwise the files will only be accessible to us and the teacher who will be reviewing our project.

F. Discuss: What We learned from this project?
1) Research: Active research very important. Important to conduct a needs assessment
2) Communicate: Be able to continuously communicate with community members to ensure that needs are met. This skill is important for any community engagement project. For our project with WRFU, continuing to use tools such as email, list serves, and attending the 2 meetings per month, and also direct interviews with members which include from the automation working group and station manager.
3) Evaluate: Always evaluate the process along the way and record findings in a journal to keep track of the progress
4) Flexibility. (Most Important) Be willing to change and adjust the project plan based on the needs from the community members. Also allow for community members to help contribute to manual. I had given a copy of the manual on a CD to be uploaded to the computer at WRFU Automation. Also I have sent a couple of emails of the manual to members of the Automation group.
5) Sustainability of project: creating a processing manual that will be used by future volunteers. By having a manual that is flexible and able to grow, this allows future volunteers to update manual and procedures based on their experiences with the project.

No comments:

Post a Comment