Publication Projects Reflection...

So, the publication projects went smoothly. I knew exactly what I wanted to do as soon as I read the assignment description. I felt that having pamphlets with the subject headings for Dewey and LCC would be helpful to everyone. I know I would use the Dewey pamphlet while I'm volunteering in the Temple Terrace Library! There are so many patrons that come up to me while I'm shelving and ask about where they can find book about x. They aren't necessarily looking for a specific book; they simply want guidance to the correct area. I'm not very good with Dewey. I have more experience with LCC, so a little printout with general subjects and their corresponding Dewey numbers would be great! I thought at first that I would be able to fit everything on one pamphlet. Wow, was I wrong. I ended up doing two pamphlets. I have to admit, I've always felt Dewey was the inferior system because there isn't enough variety in the call numbers to accomidate larger collections. My publication project kind of confirmed this short coming. Dewey was easy to fit onto a tri-fold pamplet. I had a whole other section where I wrote some basic instructions on how to use it. LCC was a LOT more difficult. I had to constantly delete subject headings that I thought would be less popular in order to fit everything on the pamphlet and I didn't even have room for any instructions. For both Dewey and LCC, I had to pare down the amount of information I included in order to fit a basic amount of knowledge. As for using Microsoft Publisher itself, I felt it was pretty easy. I used a template and then customized the graphics and titles. I had to futz with some of the text boxes to widen the margins a bit and I'm sure there were better ways to do some of the things I was trying to accomplish but all in all I felt the software was easy to use. I spent much more time researching this project that I did putting the pamphlet together.
There was the issue of deciding what information would stay and what information would go and I tried to be non-biased in my deletions but I'm sure the missing information would have been helpful to someone. I know a poster would have been better but I really wanted to create something that was pocket-sized that someone could carry with them. Having interacted with patrons at TT Library, I have to say the hardest part about helping patrons is actually getting them to come up and ask for help. Sometimes, I'll direct people to the Reference desk and they simply won't go. I think a lot of people are accutely aware of feeling ignorant or stupid and would rather wander around than risk someone judging them. I feel these pamphlets are a way to de-mystify the library. My hope is to get patrons more comfortable with the stacks themselves. I know that I am always initially afraid to wander around the stacks, again, because I don't want to show anyone that I don't know what I'm doing. The Dewey and LCC pamphlets will let anyone anywhere orient themselves in the Library. I feel like this was one of the more successful projects I've done for this class!