Assignment 1: What in the Word is up with this Wesource?

INTRO: WHAT IS A REFERENCE SOURCE AND WHO MAKES THE DECISIONS?

“The school librarian collaborates with the teaching staff to develop an up-to-date collection of print and digital resources in multiple genres that appeals to differences in age, gender, - ethnicity, reading ability, and information needs.” (AASL, 2009, 38)

            The role of information selector is a heavy burden to bear. If this person ultimately has the final say on what information ends up in the library, the place where students come to answer their questions and staff comes to seek out high-quality, teachable truths, that individual must be trained in analyzing what materials will add to or take away from their collection all while still considering factors such as authorship, currency, biases, and cost.
            Furthermore, the reference section in the library should hold truths that the overseer of the library believe will properly answer the questions the students and staff have. Resource material are “specifically designed to be consulted for definite items of information” (Riedling, Shake, & Houston, 2013, p. 18) Their answers should be well organized, reliable, and up to date.
            In searching for a reference source in my Library Learning Commons that was obsolete, I inquired with the teaching staff as to what they use and don’t use from our small reference section. Although final decisions about what should be in the library catalogue should be definitively made by the library media specialist, the decision process should be carried out through collaborative conversations, not unilateral prescriptions (Riedling, Shake, & Houston, 2013, p. 17) My conversation with teachers quickly turned to comparing the advantages and disadvantages of print verses online reference materials for both themselves and their students. From this brainstorming session, the conclusion was that we have about one hundred of the same resource sitting on shelves scattered in the school- both in the reference section of my library learning commons and in individual classrooms. They are collecting dust due to their dated existence. Those resources are the 1998 Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary.

INTRO TO THE CHOOSEN REFERENCE MATERIAL

There are two types of reference materials:

“1) compilations that furnish information directly (encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases)
 2) compilations that refer to other sources containing info, merely indicating places in which info can be found (bibliographies and indexes)” (Riedling, Shake, & Houston, 2013, p. 18)

            The Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary from 1998 was taken off the shelf, dusted, and then we dove in looking for areas that it fell short. Through this exploration it was very interesting to see how far society has come linguistically in the last 22 years. I explain its shortfalls under the Reference Material Rubric. Note that the bolded text is where this dictionary scores.

Reference Material Rubric – Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary Analysis

Consideration:	Does Not Meet Expectations	Minimally Meets Expectations	Meets Expectations	Expertly Meets Expectations
Authorship *Key: A = author P = publisher	- reputation of the A(s) and/or P(s) were inconclusive - biases of the A(s) and/or P(s) were inconclusive - it is clear that the A(s) and/or P(s) have poor reputations in the areas of academics or public relations - the A(s) and/or P(s) have clear biases	- reputation of the A(s) or P(s) were inconclusive - biases of the A(s) or P(s) were inconclusive - the A(s) or P(s) have had some difficulty with their reputation in the areas of academics or public relations in the distant past - the A(s) or P(s) have had some difficulty showing biases in their work in the distant past	- The reputation and biases for the A(s) and P(s) were able to be analyzed in entirety - the A(s) and P(s) have good reputations in the areas of academics and public relations - the A(s) and P(s) have ensured their work is clear from biases	- The reputation and biases for the A(s) and P(s) were able to be analyzed in entirety - the A(s) and P(s) have good reputations in the areas of academics and public relations and promote inclusivity - the A(s) and P(s) have ensured their work is clear from biases by showing a representation of different people groups within their organizations
Content scope	- reference material does not cover topics important to their readers - reference material lacks detail in the information topics included	- reference material covers most topics important to their readers - reference material includes many important details in the information topics it includes	- reference material covers all topics found to be important by their readers - reference material gives in-depth details in each information topic it includes	- reference material covers all topics found to be important by the target audience and peripheral audiences - reference material gives in-depth details in each information topic it includes - reference material includes bibliography to further content information
Arrangement and Presentation of Information	- the information arrangement strategy is unclear and/or inefficient to the reader - presentation of information topics is unorganized and/or confusing to the reader	- the information arrangement strategy is somewhat clear - the presentation of information topics is somewhat organized and understandable by the reader	- the information arrangement strategy is fully clear and outlined in a text feature (ex. Table of contents, subject headings) - the presentation of information topics is clearly organized and easily understood	- the information arrangement strategy is fully clear and outlined in multiple text feature (ex. Table of contents, introduction guide to use) - the presentation of information topics is clearly organized and easily understood and consistent throughout the entire reference material
Relation to similar work	No New Information: - the information in this reference material only contains information also contained within other reference materials in the current library catalogue Current date: Feb. 2020	Some New/Updated Information: - the information in this reference material contains some information that is also contained within other reference materials in the current library catalogue Current date: ____________	Mostly New/Updated Information: - the information in this reference material contains very little information that is also contained within other reference materials in the current library catalogue Current date: ____________	Only New Information: - the information in this reference material will add entirely new information to the reference section of the current library catalogue - There is no reference material like this one in currently in the reference section. Current date: ____________
Timeliness and Permanence	No longer current in facts or social norms: - the facts in this reference material are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong in the current era - the opinions held by this reference material are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong or inappropriate in the current era - there is an omission of a prevalent current fact or opinion	Almost completely current in facts and social norms: - two or fewer facts in this reference material are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong in the current era - two or fewer opinions held by this reference material are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong or inappropriate in the current era	Completely current in facts and social norms: - there are no facts in this reference material that are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong in the current era - there are no opinions held by this reference material that are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong or inappropriate in the current era	Staying Power: - this reference material is at the cutting edge of research and opinion for its time - this reference material is timeless - the facts are accurate, citing studies within 3 years of the current date - the opinions are inclusive to all audiences
Condition	- this is a used reference material - reference material is in poor condition, impeding the readability of the text and text features - meaning is lost due to poor condition	- this is a used reference material - the reference material has some damage, but it does not impede readability or meaning	- this is a new reference material or a used reference material in great condition - there is no physical damage	- this reference material is brand new; you are the first reader
Cost	- reference material is more expensive than its competitors - the value of the reference material does not outweigh the expensive cost of the material	- the value of the reference material does outweigh the expensive cost of the material, but similar reference materials are found to be less expensive	- cost is reasonable for the value of the reference material - cost is at market value or less than market value	- inexpensive or free - is a reasonable, one-time cost for a membership

Explanation:

The Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary meets expectation for Authorship because, at the time, the authors and publishers were reputable. There are no red flags about Gage as a publisher, and the author list is diverse. There are no clear biases. For Content Scope, I have a rating of “minimally meets” for this dictionary because although most of the words are defined in detail, the overall content is lacking. There are many words that are obsolete and many entries that won’t be found in this dictionary. This dictionary scored high, however, for Arrangement and Presentation of Information because it has a simple organization system. In addition, it exceeds expectations for this area because it spends many pages before the content pages teaching students how to use the organizational system. There are exercises! In Relation of Similar Work found within our collection, unfortunately this text scored very low. It did not meet expectations because we have sources in our collection that house the exact same information as this text.

In addition, this dictionary also scored extremely low for Timeliness and Permanence. For example, I was surprised to look up the word “gay” and find three detailed definitions listed 1-3 of uses of the word “gay” that are longer used widely, and homosexuality – a widely used term—is number four. Although this is not offensive, it is a bit behind the times. There were other entries where their lack up currency was quite funny. For example, according to the Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary, a “tablet” is “1. A small, flat sheet of stone, wood, ivory, etc. used to write or draw on…2. A number of sheets of writing paper fastened together at one edge…3. A small, flat surface with an inscription….4. a small, flat piece of medicine, candy, etc.” (Canadian Intermediate Dictionary, 1998, p. 1215) No iPads. No Surfaces. No Galaxy Notes. This dictionary not merely obsolete, but in 2020, it’s lack of modernity is bordering of offensive when it comes to the entries that it lacks. The world has because not just technological but also inclusive and aware. When analyzing this dictionary for timeliness, permanence, and currency, I created two lists. Firstly, here are words that have entries in the Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary, but whose definitions require updating:

·         Tablet

·         Gender

·         Text

·         Drone

·         They

·         Inclusive

·         Literacy

·         Predictive

·         Random

Secondly, here is a list of words that are commonplace in 2020 and lack an entry in this dictionary:

·         Laptop

·         App

·         Influencer

·         Social media

·         White guilt

·         Toxic masculinity

·         Media literacy

·         Screen time

·         Heteronormative

·         Escape room

·         Vape

·         Intersex, aromantic, cisgender

·         Life hack

·         Self-care

·         Self-harm

·         Cryptocurrency (also, BitCoin)

·         Ride share

·         Vlog

·         Podcast

·         Photobomb

·         Hashtag

·         Glamping

·         Declutter

·         E-cigarettes

·         Airplane Mode

·         Hangry

Each word on this list was added to either Merriam Webster or Oxford English Dictionary in the last few years.

 As you can see, the world in which this dictionary was created, 1998, must have been very different than our current world. Many of the words that lack entries are commonplace for our students, their family situations, or what we are teaching them. It seems odd to go forth teaching them technology without a place for them to look up what these technical terms mean. As we teach our students more and more about mental health and identity, it seems irresponsible to not have a safe place where they can define terms about gender, sexual orientation, self-harm, self-care, etc. The materials chosen for the reference section of the library should reflect the particular needs and requirements of the school and its community. As Riedling states, “a good reference source is one that serves to answer questions, and a bad reference source is one that fails to answer questions.” (Riedling, Shake, & Houston, 2013, p. 21) Currently, The Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary fails to answer a lot of pertinent questions of the modern day. Even more laughable, however, is that the last listing for prime ministers of Canada is “liberal Jean Chretien Nov 4, 1993 - ? “ (Canadian Intermediate Dictionary, 1998, p. 1403) To be reminded that Jean Chretien was still in power when this dictionary came out is the absolute last straw with pulling this resource from my library.

TO FIND A REPLACEMENT

            To replace the Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary I knew that my new reference material would be digital because of two reasons. Firstly, I knew that in order to replace this dictionary with a reference material that would last, I wanted it to be continually updated. That narrowed my focus to digital resources. Language is ever-changing. How we use our current words changes and new words are constantly being added. Having a digital resource would help that.  Secondly, I also wanted a dictionary that I didn’t need 100 copies of like the Gage one from 1998, but I wanted it to be readily accessibility to students in all the classrooms in the school as well as in the library learning commons. These two reasons alone narrowed my focus to digital.

            My reference of choice is the Merriam-Webster Dictionary app. The app itself is rated a 4.7/5 on the app rating scale. It boasts of being geared at anyone 4 years or older—perfect for my K-7 school. When exploring the app, I was drawn to some key details. Firstly, it is inclusive to words. I wanted a place where students can go when they’ve heard a word—even if it’s non-academic—and figure out what the person was talking about. This app is unabridged, giving the reader all the words in the language that are used at the time. It also updates frequently. Secondly, just as Riedling said, “the major advantage of dictionaries in electronic format are multiple access points and time saved by searching” (Riedling, Shake, & Houston, 2013, p. 63), many reviewers mentioned that this app made looking up words so much faster than a physical dictionary. In addition, there are bonus mind games to help students keep their minds sharp with words. It’s an interactive dictionary! Some reviewers were English Language Learners and boasted of the great support this app has been.

            You’ll notice that for the Gage Canadian Intermediate Dictionary analysis I did not include a Cost score. That’s because, of course, I am not deciding whether to purchase them—they are already purchased. However, when it comes to this Merriam-Webster Dictionary app, this app exceeds expectations for Cost. The basic version of the app is free. However, you can gain expanded definitions in an ad-free platform for $8.00 annually. Digital resources are clearly competitive to print when it comes to cost. Below you’ll see, overall, where the Merriam-Webster Dictionary app held up against the Rubric.

            This has been a great exploration into the value of a reference resource. I have enjoyed analyzing the shortfalls of outdated materials and solving problems by finding one that better fits the needs of our school. Our world is changing and the library reference section needs to reflect the world it is in.

Reference Material Rubric – Merriam-Webster Dictionary App Analysis

Consideration:	Does Not Meet Expectations	Minimally Meets Expectations	Meets Expectations	Expertly Meets Expectations
Authorship *Key: A = author P = publisher	- reputation of the A(s) and/or P(s) were inconclusive - biases of the A(s) and/or P(s) were inconclusive - it is clear that the A(s) and/or P(s) have poor reputations in the areas of academics or public relations - the A(s) and/or P(s) have clear biases	- reputation of the A(s) or P(s) were inconclusive - biases of the A(s) or P(s) were inconclusive - the A(s) or P(s) have had some difficulty with their reputation in the areas of academics or public relations in the distant past - the A(s) or P(s) have had some difficulty showing biases in their work in the distant past	- The reputation and biases for the A(s) and P(s) were able to be analyzed in entirety - the A(s) and P(s) have good reputations in the areas of academics and public relations - the A(s) and P(s) have ensured their work is clear from biases	- The reputation and biases for the A(s) and P(s) were able to be analyzed in entirety - the A(s) and P(s) have good reputations in the areas of academics and public relations and promote inclusivity - the A(s) and P(s) have ensured their work is clear from biases by showing a representation of different people groups within their organizations
Content scope	- reference material does not cover topics important to their readers - reference material lacks detail in the information topics included	- reference material covers most topics important to their readers - reference material includes many important details in the information topics it includes	- reference material covers all topics found to be important by their readers - reference material gives in-depth details in each information topic it includes	- reference material covers all topics found to be important by the target audience and peripheral audiences - reference material gives in-depth details in each information topic it includes - reference material includes bibliography to further content information
Arrangement and Presentation of Information	- the information arrangement strategy is unclear and/or inefficient to the reader - presentation of information topics is unorganized and/or confusing to the reader	- the information arrangement strategy is somewhat clear - the presentation of information topics is somewhat organized and understandable by the reader	- the information arrangement strategy is fully clear and outlined in a text feature (ex. Table of contents, subject headings) - the presentation of information topics is clearly organized and easily understood	- the information arrangement strategy is fully clear and outlined in multiple text feature (ex. Table of contents, introduction guide to use) - the presentation of information topics is clearly organized and easily understood and consistent throughout the entire reference material
Relation to similar work	No New Information: - the information in this reference material only contains information also contained within other reference materials in the current library catalogue Current date: ____________	Some New/Updated Information: - the information in this reference material contains some information that is also contained within other reference materials in the current library catalogue Current date: ____________	Mostly New/Updated Information: - the information in this reference material contains very little information that is also contained within other reference materials in the current library catalogue Current date: ____________	Only New Information: - the information in this reference material will add entirely new information to the reference section of the current library catalogue - There is no reference material like this one in currently in the reference section. Current date: ____________
Timeliness and Permanence	No longer current in facts or social norms: - the facts in this reference material are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong in the current era - the opinions held by this reference material are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong or inappropriate in the current era	Almost completely current in facts and social norms: - two or fewer facts in this reference material are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong in the current era - two or fewer opinions held by this reference material are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong or inappropriate in the current era	Completely current in facts and social norms: - there are no facts in this reference material that are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong in the current era - there are no opinions held by this reference material that are based on a concept or idea deemed wrong or inappropriate in the current era	Staying Power: - this reference material is at the cutting edge of research and opinion for its time - this reference material is timeless - the facts are accurate, citing studies within 3 years of the current date - the opinions are inclusive to all audiences
Condition	- this is a used reference material - reference material is in poor condition, impeding the readability of the text and text features - meaning is lost due to poor condition	- this is a used reference material - the reference material has some damage, but it does not impede readability or meaning	- this is a new reference material or a used reference material in great condition - there is no physical damage	- this reference material is brand new; you are the first reader
Cost	- reference material is more expensive than its competitors - the value of the reference material does not outweigh the expensive cost of the material	- the value of the reference material does outweigh the expensive cost of the material, but similar reference materials are found to be less expensive	- cost is reasonable for the value of the reference material - cost is at market value or less than market value	- inexpensive or free - is a reasonable, one-time cost for a membership

References

Ayto, J. (2019, May 1). Words of the 21st Century. Retrieved from Oxford English Dictionary: https://public.oed.com/blog/words-from-the-21st-century/

Canadian Intermediate Dictionary. (1998). Toronto: Gage.

Debczak, M. (2018, September 8). 25 of the New Words Merriam-Webster Is Adding to the Dictionary in 2018. Retrieved from Mental Floss: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/556420/25-new-words-merriam-webster-adding-dictionary-2018

Riedling, A. M., Shake, L., & Houston, C. (2013). Reference Skills for the School Librarian. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.

We Put a Bunch of New Words in the Dictionary. (2020, February 8). Retrieved from Merriam-Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/new-words-in-the-dictionary-september-2018