Final Report

INF 2173 Practicum Summer 2012 Dr. Vicki Whitmell Supervisor: Tatiana Buraya Student: Farah Chung farah.chung@gmail.com

Final Report

Work Summary
Respond to Producer Requests - retrieve correct materials from 260 or 299 eTalk libraries (or both) for producers in a timely manner & put requested tapes on their desk (usually completed as soon as request is received) Check in/Check out Materials - check return bin continually to retrieve returned materials - log returned materials onto Excel spreadsheet by highlighting yellow - log newly loaned materials onto Excel spreadsheet with producer name, tape media number, tape name, and date Retrieve Tapes from Technical Services Room - every morning, check appropriate shelves by technical services recording room to retrieve the daily eTalk show tapes and any additional feed tapes, returned tapes, new producer tapes that need to be archived Shotlisting - shotlist daily eTalk show tape, new feed tapes (broadcast footage - eg. MMVAs), new producer tapes (original footage - eg. CTV Upfront interviews, Cannes red carpet etc.), weekly Story Banker tapes, any tapes as part of Awards Tapes Project (new project after Junos tapes all shotlisted)

eTalk Library

Work Summary contd

Final Report

Archiving (creating new bibliographic records & cataloguing using CTV databases Vault and Gateway) - called archiving because process of adding new tapes to the eTalk library (therefore archiving [storing] the content) - usually what is archived is original footage that producers have shot - eg. Movie junket interviews, in-studio interviews, Cannes red carpet footage, press conferences etc. - all original footage should have accompanying information sheet filled out by producer, except for feeds (but counts as original footage) from LA Bureau, where we must determine the information ourselves (title, date, in-time, length, host, location, content [ie. Shotlist]) - some footage is not original programming, but we may keep for future reference and note that copyright is restricted, need clearance for use(eg. MMVAs, final show of The Voice, etc.) Archiving Physical Materials on Tapes: - create new item in CTVs searchable database, Vault. This is the creation of the new bibliographic record. - fill in all fields correctly: title (specific naming convention applied here], Media #, location, length, time-in (the time code on the tape where the footage begins], type of footage (Broll, raw, interview, junket interview, etc.) and shotlist - once saved, take new assigned Vault number and enter it onto master list of eTalk tapes in Excel - assign our own library Media number. This is the cataloguing process where we assign a tape with a specific category & coinciding colour (movie, music, TV, fashion & feature, awards, TIFF, etc.) with chronological number. Enter Media number, tape title, Vault number into master list in Excel.

eTalk Library

Work Summary contd

Final Report

Archiving Digital Materials (digital file, no physical tape) - digital materials are always original footage that producers have shot, usually junket interviews in other cities/countries. - digital files are found on CTVs other searchable database, Gateway (which can be linked to Vault through a Vault number). We must archive this file from Gateway into Vault so that it is searchable in our Vault database, which then will link the record to the video file on Gateway - producers will email us the Gateway Slugs (Slugs = title of the file as found on Gateway) along with the location of the shoot and event shoot date - using specific naming convention developed by Tatiana, rename file on Gateway (producers do not adhere to the naming convention) - create new item in Vault and fill with information garnered from Gateway Slug & file - once item is created in Vault, add the Vault number to the Gateway Slug & file - this makes the Gateway file searchable in Vault and will automatically link to the digital video file found on Gateway - assign Media Number to file using the Gateway number - enter Vault number, item title, and Media number to master Excel list - we highlight digital files light blue so that we know it is a digital file that does not exist as a physical tape, but we still assign the digital file a media number to keep track of it on our master list

eTalk Library

How I completed the project

As outlined in the original Work Plan, my position did not have a specific deliverable project at the end, but consisted of my learning and participating in the everyday tasks the Librarian is usually responsible for in order to efficiently manage producer requests and the overall organization of the library (including creating new bibliographic records). Having a Work Plan was really advantageous because it gave me an introduction to the work and so I knew what to expect when I started. I appreciated knowing that my supervisor and I were on the same page as to what work was expected of me. I found the maximum/minimum work especially helpful. I completed the work as outlined in the Work Plan. What changed was that I was given more responsibility than original outlined in the plan as I learned to shotlist and respond to producer requests in an efficient manner. My supervisor saw that I was completing my tasks speedily and decided to teach me all of her tasks, starting from retrieving new tapes in the morning and how to archive and create new bibliographic records for the tapes. I also did not predict that I would be put in charge of the library on days when my supervisor was sick or absent for periods of time due to meetings and other unforeseen circumstances. I was also in charge of two interns every week as the other interns rotated through their week in library duties. Since I stayed with only library work, I was put in charge of teaching them how to respond to producer requests and the cataloging system (for proper filing) as well as delegating shotlisting duties. The interns did not learn to create new bibliographic records.

What worked
The Work Plan was very helpful in outlining the expected duties that I would fulfill during my practicum. I successfully completed the tasks set out in the Work Plan (responding to producer requests, filing, and shotlisting). I did not do that many transcriptions though since many of the interns were doing transcription duties for producers before giving the library the tapes to archive. Since I completed my assigned tasks, my supervisor showed me more of her regular duties. I learned how to create new bibliographic records and make additions to the library collection by archiving physical tapes and material shot in digital format. I kept track of tapes checked out and returned by producers in our Excel master list. I was in charge of delegating shotlisting duties to the interns and together we finished shotlisting all the Junos Awards tapes from 2002-present earlier than expected. My supervisor created another list of different awards tapes to be shotlisted and that project was still ongoing when I finished my practicum. I developed rapport with my supervisor and producers and we kept open communication lines. Since we sat close to each other, my supervisor would let me know right away if I did anything wrong and I would put forward any queries as soon as I had them. It turned out that I learned more than I originally expected as outlined in the Work Plan, which was very exciting and rewarding. It was a satisfying feeling to understand the entire process of how tapes are catalogued and to participate in all of the Librarians daily duties.

DIFFICULTIES / what didnt work

One of the difficulties I encountered was an inability to remember producers names. This caused some problems because when I had to deliver tapes after retrieving them, I would mix up peoples faces and the producers would have to correct me and point me to the right person. I worked on this by sitting at my desk and mentally practiced associating a producers name and face with their position relative to my desk. It took me about 3-4 weeks before I sorted everyone out and it was a bit embarrassing that it took so long. Another difficulty resulted from part of my unforeseen duties during my practicum. I had not expected to be in charge of interns and I am very bad at managing people. Unless its a glaring, serious mistake, I do not know how to inform people of what they are doing wrong. I was away for 2 weeks and when I returned, none of the tapes that had been returned by producers had been re-filed into the library. The interns had just been pulling tapes out, but not bothering to put them back. Since the interns who were on library duty when I returned were not the ones who made the mistake, I did not want to make them do it. I wanted to find an opportunity to casually mention to interns to file back tapes whenever they go retrieve new requests, even if it takes a bit longer, to ensure that the tapes are never lost and the return bin is kept cleared, but the opportunity never came up. I should have just told the new interns right away, but I did not want to sound like I was bad-mouthing their colleague interns from the week before. So I just brought back the really full bins of tapes and filed them all back by myself.

WHAT I WOULD DO differently

Before this practicum position, I had not experienced working in an environment with more than 5 staff before and did not realize I really have trouble remembering peoples names. Now that I am aware that this is a challenge for me, if I could do this again (and for future work scenarios), I will try to make quick mental notes about a defining feature when I see someone. I will also repeat their name as I shake their hand and I will do the mental exercise I later implemented to help me remember names on the first day (sitting at my desk, recalling their names and faces from memory, associating each name and face with a specific location in the office/library). I did not overcome my shyness nor practice my communication and management skills when I had the opportunity to when I discovered the interns were not fulfilling their tasks. I was put in charge of the library by my supervisor, but I did not know how to confront the interns I was supposed to manage and my attitude is always if its not super serious and I can correct the mistake, Ill do it myself. I know this is wrong! I would take Shanoors advice and try to bring up the misfiled and/or not filed tapes to the interns a creative, non-accusatory manner. Perhaps I would solicit help when lugging the overflowing containers into the libraries and just mention that it is a good idea to file returned tapes back at the same time as retrieving new ones so that it makes for easier carrying. I know this isnt a very direct way so perhaps I could explain that this is a more efficient way to keep the library in order and make sure no tapes are lost. Emphasizing the negatives of lost tapes might make it easy to accept the importance of re-filing tapes in a timely manner.

Import of previous experiences

Cataloging (Introduction to Bibliographic Control) was the class I struggled with the most during my first year of the MI program. When I saw that a lot of the practicum positions were cataloging related, I shied away from them and was scared that I would make a mess of the collections. I did not expect that cataloging would help me complete all my practicum work tasks! When I was shotlisting and not doing strictly cataloging-related work, my previous course work helped me because I considered issues like including authoritative and popular celebrity names as well as authoritative but also shortened forms of names for television shows that future users of the Vault database were likely to search under eg. Shotlisting Jennifer Lopez (JLo) and Dancing with the Stars (DWTS). This small detail may seem unimportant, but my cataloging course had taught me the importance of considering how my role as information record creator should be to facilitate user searches as much as possible. Since one cannot predict whether users will search using authoritative or shortened/popular names, it is important to include both, especially since the Vault database employs full text searching. This way, even if a name is not in the title of the record, it will still appear in the shotlist (which is akin to the metadata of an item). Cataloging also helped me acclimatize quickly to the standards for naming files and all related duties when creating new bibliographic records.
An example of a reference question was I need footage of Shawn Desman. I knew how to engage in a sort of reference interview by asking questions to narrow down the search, such as are you looking for Shawn Desman music video, interview, performance, red carpet or other type of footage? This helped the requesting producer think through exactly what they were looking for so we could help them perform a narrower, clearer search.

PROFESSIONAL DECISIONS
accurately predicted by my ISFJ MyersBrigg test, which says Protectors under I also had to decide how to teach the Guardian temperament dislike and and manage the interns to whom I are uncomfortable in supervisory roles. had to assign tasks during the Ju- While I had the task-completing side nos shotlisting project and also of skills to make professional decisions when the supervisor was sick. I did and deliver high quality work, I lacked not find it difficult to teach people the communications skills to make deabout the workings of the library cisions relating to how to approach and their duties, but I had difficulty questions of co-interns not fulfilling deciding how to confront interns their duties. Now that I have had exwhen they did not fulfill their asperience in this practicum course and signed tasks. I am afraid that I did in light of my ISFJ personality, I know not have the professional experiit is important to work on relating to ence or knowledge of how to com- others, especially if I am in a position municate with others, especially with more authority and need to cor In terms of deciding priorities, pro- when I was in a position to manage rect others. I need to become more ducer requests always came first. I and point out mistakes. I am not comfortable with supervisory roles and prioritized my time efficiently so that comfortable doing so, which was decision making. I multi-tasked by re-filing returned

The types of professional decisions I had to make involved how to prioritize my time to answer producer requests efficiently while managing shotlisting and later cataloging duties. Sometimes I would have tapes piled high on my desk with returns/to be signed out materials mixed with tapes to be archived versus those that only needed to be shotlisted then returned to the office. I had to be very detail oriented and organized to keep everything in order.

tapes and retrieving new tapes on the same trip down to the library.

eTalk Library

OVERALL REVIEW OF PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE

I have never really been one to subscribe to personality tests, but what I learned about

Final Report

myself through my practicum placement was actually already outlined for me with my MyersBrigg result. If I had paid more attention, perhaps I would have been more assertive about confronting my lack of skill when communicating with others as a supervisor, especially when having to communicate something negative and corrective. I learned that I am very detail oriented and efficient with prioritization of tasks and time management. I am lacking in confidence when it comes to socializing and communicating though. While I comfortable doing work on my own and knowing it will always be good quality work, I need to learn to entrust tasks to others instead of doing everything by myself. I can manage tasks when it comes to my own, but perhaps the Project Management course will teach me more about how to be a leader, to delegate and organize duties for many people and most importantly, how to communicate as the person in charge, even when the situation is difficult or potentially negative. One of the most rewarding parts of this project was getting to be a part of the entire process of managing a library. I experienced all the daily duties that my supervisor is in charge of and it was satisfying knowing that I could handle it! I enjoyed being able to apply my knowledge from school to real-life practical situation, such as being more detailed and providing more information in my shotlists due to my coursework in cataloging and being aware of usability issues when searching, knowing how to perform accurate searches and performing reference interviews. At the beginning of my practicum, it seemed a complicated process that new tapes would appear everyday, all properly catalogued and with corresponding colour-coded stickers. I was very content when I learned of the entire process from picking up or

being sent tapes/digital files from producers to shotlisting before entering the shotlisted content into the database through archiving and creating bibliographic records to finally putting on the proper colour coded sticker and media number label and having created a file for a tape that previously had no designation and seeing it properly filed into the library. It was exciting to think that my work is going to stay physically in that library and that my shotlists will help future producers find and obtain the materials they need. I already knew that my interest lay in special libraries, but I never really considered media libraries as an option. Now that I have had experience in a media library, I realize that I enjoy the constantly changing environment and the subject matter of media libraries interests me (whether it be news or entertainment). I will definitely be on the lookout for future media library work if a position comes up!

eTalk Library