Information Seeking Observation

Observation: Inglewood Public Library - Main Branch

Location: Inglewood Public Library
Population: Children age 3-10 at STEAM Puppet Show

Overview of Childrens Section:

It was surprisingly large wing of the library. To the left as you walk in there are non-
fiction texts, and straight ahead was the Childrens Librarian Desk. Near the Childrens
Librarian Desk were a few standard computers, to the right of that was the Fiction
Section, Spanish text, Young Readers Section. Also located on the right side was a
theater room. In front of the Childrens Theater there are standard student sized desks
and tables. In the younger reader, which is further right, there were even smaller tables
and reading chairs and a few rugs around the room. Toward to end of that room was a
section with comfortable chairs, a Librarians office room, and another computer section
for younger children, and Emergency Exit Doors that lead outside. The younger
childrens computer section has three ASUS Early Literacy computers with colorful
keyboards. One of which, has a sign on that stated, This computer isnt feeling well.

Introduction:

I came at 11:15 to observe Saturday Storytime on July 8, 2017 that was supposed to be
held from 11:30 AM-12:30 PM at Inglewood Public Library that was listed on their
website. I choose Storytime because I currently work as a Kindergarten Child
Development Center Teacher, so I felt my observation best fit with my current work and
future career aspirations.

As I entered the library, I immediately went to the Childrens Section of the library. Once
there, the librarian at the Childrens Desk informed me that today there was no
Storytime. The librarian informed me that today they only had a Puppet Show event
(which was also listed on the website) at 12pm. Therefore, I decided to walk around the
first floor to stay close to the Childrens Section to be back in time to do a proper
observation of the Childrens Puppet Show.

Information Behavior Seeking Observations:

I went back to the entrance area where there is a Juvenile Section with an area cleared
for study desks. I spent a half-hour observing people in this section. In that area were
adults of varying ages. The ethnicities of the people in this area were African American,
White/Caucasian, and Asian. They were eight adults that appeared to be over the age
of thirty. They also were reading and researching books. However, one man was
working on something similar to an exam and reviewing his papers. Those with books
were in the scholarly section of the Information Cycle as they were all reading books
some of which were reference books. No one in this section was looking at a magazine,
newspaper, or even on his or her phone/tablet/computer.
At 11:50 pm, I decided to make my way back to the Childrens section of the library.
Initially, there were no people in the childrens section other than the librarians and
myself. Within a few minutes, I observed a young Hispanic girl, under the age of 5, who
went to the Early Literacy Computers while her mother went through books on the
Toddler Collection that was on this large rollaway ladybug display. The girl was initially
playing a spelling game on the computer and then switched to an art program similar
but more child-friendly than Microsoft Paint. Soon after her mother called her away as
an announcement went off.

The announcement informing about the Puppet Show by Noteworthy Puppets, which
was to be starting in a few minutes. They stated that it was part of the Summer Reading
Program. The announcement also stated that the puppet show was to be held in the
larger lecture hall, the Gladys Waddingham Library Lecture Hall (a lecture hall that can
hold up to 200 people).

It was around this time, people started coming into the Childrens Section of the library.
A family off four (mom, dad, daughter, and son -- both children under age 5) came in to
the area where I was sitting. The younger girls was speaking in Spanish with her dad.
The little girl was asking her father where the books in Spanish were. The dad told her
to go straight ahead. The mother was going through a number concept book with the
son as they waiting. They were identifying objects in the book and counting. In addition
to the family, there was another family which contained a mom, a son under age 5, and
daughter under the age of 10. They were waiting for the event.

The librarian then came around and handed out tickets for a drawing that they were
holding today. The librarian proceeded to give me a raffle ticket. I asked her a few
questions about library promotion of events. I also discussed the Storytime mishap,
which she stated was not held today, and further went on to explain that the print out the
library has of events is correct. She stated that the city library website might have mixed
up events as it was changed for the Summer Reading Program. She also stated that the
library promoted events on Facebook and Twitter. She stated in the past when the
library would hold events they used to have to turn people away, but that is not the case
anymore. However, she also stated that even with the decrease in participation, the
library is trying to keep up with the times and offer services, workshops/classes, events,
and activities for people in the community.

Then I made my way over to the lecture hall, as it was not in the Children Section of the
Library. Once I entered the lecture hall, I noticed a table that contained the library event
schedule and Reading by Design events flyers. The puppeteer was sitting on a chair.
The people in the audience were of African American and Hispanic families. There were
18 children 11 adults (14 adults including the librarian, the puppeteer Kevin, and
myself). The families that were in the library all came over for the event. The librarian
went on to discusses the raffle drawing, which was for a fundraiser for a future library
event. She completed the raffle and stated what the next library event would be.

The Puppet Show Observation/Summary:

 The puppet show had a background related to outer space and science. It
was a musical with some comedy. The play initially seemed to be going back to
school. The first song was about building a better world. The main character was
a boy names Max and dog named Edison. On the first day of school, Max states
he will outdo Julie in terms of education and smarts. The teacher then begins
discussing/signing about the Power of STEAM. She also introduces the Build a
Better World Science Fair which is STEM based (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math) with an emphasis on Innovation. The prize for winning is
attending Space Camp. Some of the children and parents in the audience were
clapping and dancing with the songs. The puppet show songs were infused with
scientific words like monosaccharides, and chemistry. The songs then went on to
explain the scientific songs. Max decides he wants to be able to create an
invention to be able to understand what his dog says. Julie attempts to make a
suit for physically challenged people. Her cat tries sleep, but keeps being
interrupted by the objects printed by the 3-D printer that she borrowed from the
library. In a following scene, the teacher discussed the Engineering Cycle
(Design-build-test-improve) with students to aid them with their projects. Discuss
class on coding a library. Relevance. Julie borrowed a 3-d printer from library.
She followed step of engineering cycle. Both Max and Julie work to improve their
projects as both did not meet their goals. Max created a talking robot. Eventually
leading to the Science Fair. Max and Julies pets put the projects together when
no one is looking. Resulting in a team win for them both. They both realize they
should have collaborated to being with. They also wonder how their inventions
were put together. At the end, the audience clapped as they did after every song.

Following the play, Kevin, the puppeteer, explains that he wrote the play and the songs.
He had the songs available for sale. He stated all puppets are handmade. He went
through the puppet the types of puppets he used which include a rod puppet, hand and
rod puppet. After, he demonstrated how to make puppets talk. He stated to make it look
realistic you open mouth of the puppet once per syllable. He also that he has the worlds
first 3-D puppet printed from a 3-D printer. He stated he got all the knowledge from
library. He further went on to discuss a website/company that works with libraries
(www.tinkercad.com). The company is technology based and in the past has allowed
students to build things like prosthetics for people with disabilities. He stated that
students could bring their design to participating libraries and have them printed in 3-D
printers. In turn, his epilogue was a way to promote library services in the United States.

Technology:
1. Use in Childrens Section of the Library
a. The first a set of standard computers, which are located near the
Childrens Librarians Desk, were not being utilized for the time I was in
the room.
b. The second section of computers, the Early Literacy Computers, were
used by one little girl (which I mentioned above).
c. The librarians were using their computers.
2. Myself
 a. I brought my laptop from home and used Microsoft Word to record my
notes of this observation. I choose this program because it was on the list
off applications listed in the Anthropology Attacks blog. I also choose
Microsoft Word because I am familiar with this program and I am
comfortable using it to take notes as I have used this program for close to
twenty years. One benefit of using this program is that it is extremely easy
to go back, edit what was written in my notes, and copy them over to
another document or Discussion Post as I have for this assignment.
i. As it was on my laptop and I did not connect to the library Wi-Fi, so
I did not use Google Docs. However, it is a viable option to do so at
this main library branch location to connect to the library Wi-Fi with
your own device. The use of the Wi-Fi is free.

Reflection:

The library as a whole is quite large and offers text and computer/internet resources that
would allow anyone to read, watch, or gain access to material in any section of the
information cycle from day of events (using the internet) and books (written years after
event has transpired). Though I was unable to observe the activity that I initially came to
see, I did get to observe the sample childrens population that I initially intended to
observe. I also found that the library offers many services. In addition, if I had children, I
would definitely bring them to the library events. The library has many programs aside
from reading, including STEM days, coding, and family events. This library location is a
place that one can go to quietly read, study, or do research.

Suggestions:

Over all my suggestion would be to find a way to better promote their events. The library
needs to work to update Inglewood Library City Website. It needs to be up to date with
events that are occurring and remove events that have been cancelled or changed. In
doing so, people, like myself, will not come to the library thinking they are going to
attend an event that is no longer taking place. Although the Library has active and up to
date on their Twitter and Facebook pages, it may be helpful to create in Instagram to
reach more people about the events they are holding.