We've wined, we've waited, now it's time to celebrate 2016

[sjoh197]

3 minutes ago, hippyscientist said:

Okay I'm definitely one of those people who hasn't a clue what librarians do. I thought it was stocking books, understanding the stock enough to be able to recommend and direct...but apparently I'm WAY off base. Care to fill me in a bit @Neist? How do you envisage the future of library - I'm not sure how I fit "reference and technical fields" into my incredibly limited and wrong knowledge of librarians! 

Neist will be able to help you a lot more... but I do know some of what my mom has done in the past involves assessing a particular database or journals usefullness in comparison to what the library pays. 

Some journals and stuff get used so little that they aren't worth the money that the university pays to access them, and somebody has to be there weighing the monetary cost vs the actual use value. 

And there are different field librarians for universities. So there is someone you can talk to for each large field, that can help you navigate the relevant databases. Most incoming students don't know how to use a database and it is really sad. 

[Neist]

1 hour ago, hippyscientist said:

Okay I'm definitely one of those people who hasn't a clue what librarians do. I thought it was stocking books, understanding the stock enough to be able to recommend and direct...but apparently I'm WAY off base. Care to fill me in a bit @Neist? How do you envisage the future of library - I'm not sure how I fit "reference and technical fields" into my incredibly limited and wrong knowledge of librarians! 

Sure!

As per the future, a lot of tasks in libraries no longer required skilled staff, or possibly any staff (e.g., self-checkout book stations), and other tasks are increasingly outsourced thanks to increased efficiencies and dwindling budgets (e.g., cataloging). In addition, a lot of resources are either being created on or accessed with digital technologies. So, librarians are increasingly occupied with the management or stewardship of digital tools or items contained within those tools (e.g., databases, libraries, eBooks, audio books, etc.). This digital push is moving librarians into less book shelving and more towards digital preservation, digitization, curation, stewardship, and information architecture.

The basic task of libraries is to make information accessible. Traditionally, this is accomplished through an egalitarian access of books. However, now that there's also a tremendous availability of online materials for free or near free, librarians are concerning themselves with how these resources are best presented and accessed in order to make them as egalitarian as possible. 

TLDR: Librarians help people access information, and now that there's a lot more information accessed via non-traditional means (e.g., online), librarians have increasingly refocused to adjust. This readjustment has required the adoption of technical skills. Librarians of the future will need to be a lot more tech savvy than they were before.

Now, no matter how technology-focused libraries become, some positions will always exist, or exist for at least a good while longer. Reference librarians and children's librarians come to mind. As much as databases have improved over the last decade, they can't necessarily easily suggest what children's book your three-year-old would like. Even so, a lot of these suggestions are being produced as subject guides within a institution's OPAC (online public access catalog). 

I probably oversimplified the situation, but there's it in a nutshell.  

Edited May 16, 2016 by Neist
Typos.

[hippyscientist]

@Neist that's awesome. Thank you for explaining That sounds actually pretty interesting! 

[MarineBluePsy]

2 hours ago, Neist said:

I completely understand, and I'm a little bit surprised you've never noticed that library workers tend to be a bit quirky. Not quirky in a bad way, but quirky, nonetheless.

Sometimes I feel that eccentrics that could never fit into normal academia become librarians.  And I mean that in the best possibly way.

Oh now I get why I've never noticed it.  I have tons of conversations with librarians, but they're always about my research, what I'm reading, or movies I've seen.  I guess I just don't see them outside of their ability to assist me, sort of like professors.  They're people, but not really people lol.

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

I also enjoyed the answer about libraries Neist! I felt it was a stupid question to ask, but now I understand it better.

 

Also, first day of research done... I really love my group so far and hope I can continue to work with them for the next 6-7 years - at least, that's my opinion presently. And I have no idea what's going on

 

[rhombusbombus]

@Pink Fuzzy Bunny I'm so glad your first day went well!!

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I've always appreciated libraries and librarians. They're such a nice place to escape to especially when they have comfy chairs!

"Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card" -- the Cast of Arthur

Have any of you seen that library episode of Arthur?

 

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Just sent in my half of the deposit and the first months rent +fees for my apartment. Adulting completed!

 

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

Well... the cat I adopted on Saturday is pretty sickly. Nothing says "welcome to having pets" like a several-hundred-dollar vet visit, am I right?

[rhombusbombus]

I hope your cat is okay! Have you looked into per insurance? I just got it for my dog bc he's a senior citizen now (almost 9!)  Maybe youd benefit from it if your cat is prone to sickness 

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

6 hours ago, rhombusbombus said:

I hope your cat is okay! Have you looked into per insurance? I just got it for my dog bc he's a senior citizen now (almost 9!)  Maybe youd benefit from it if your cat is prone to sickness 

I'm not sure! I might ask the vet about it. I did look into it but it's like $150 a year, and at the time when I thought I'd have a healthy cat I was expecting to pay only $50 a year for an annual vet visit. I wonder if they will decline a pet based on pre-existing conditions, like people insurance? Who knows

[jlt646]

5 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

I'm not sure! I might ask the vet about it. I did look into it but it's like $150 a year, and at the time when I thought I'd have a healthy cat I was expecting to pay only $50 a year for an annual vet visit. I wonder if they will decline a pet based on pre-existing conditions, like people insurance? Who knows

It might be worth it! That said, I have spent a lot of money on vet bills, and never got insurance for my cats. Care Credit is another option, one that I've actually used- it's like a credit card but for medical bills, and (at least when I had it) the interest rates aren't bad. I hope your new little dude is okay! 

[sjoh197]

10 hours ago, rhombusbombus said:

 

I've always appreciated libraries and librarians. They're such a nice place to escape to especially when they have comfy chairs!

"Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card" -- the Cast of Arthur

Have any of you seen that library episode of Arthur?

 

OMG... My mother and I still sing that song to this day to poke fun at her profession. 

9 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Well... the cat I adopted on Saturday is pretty sickly. Nothing says "welcome to having pets" like a several-hundred-dollar vet visit, am I right?

I also hope your cat is ok. One thing that some local vets will do is allow you to set up a payment plan on some more expensive treatments. You could always ask about that. 

Also, since you said "welcome to having pets" Is this your first cat? If so, there are a lot of preventative maintenance things that will keep your vet bills down in the future. For example, keeping your cat indoors only. Feeding them a diet that is mostly wet food. Brushing their teeth. Using a flea and heartworm treatment. All of those things can cost a little extra short term, but in the long run, its better than your cat getting the inevitable kidney failure that comes with eating dry food, or the heartworm eradication that may or may not work but costs a fortune either way. 

[Neist]

13 hours ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

I also enjoyed the answer about libraries Neist! I felt it was a stupid question to ask, but now I understand it better.

You're welcome! And there's no such thing as a stupid question!  Except, maybe, "Is this a stupid question?" That's a pretty useless question.

Hope your cat gets better!

11 hours ago, rhombusbombus said:

I've always appreciated libraries and librarians. They're such a nice place to escape to especially when they have comfy chairs!

"Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card" -- the Cast of Arthur

Have any of you seen that library episode of Arthur?

I never watched Arthur.  But... I've found the video!

 

 

Edited May 17, 2016 by Neist

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

1 hour ago, sjoh197 said:

OMG... My mother and I still sing that song to this day to poke fun at her profession. 

I also hope your cat is ok. One thing that some local vets will do is allow you to set up a payment plan on some more expensive treatments. You could always ask about that. 

Also, since you said "welcome to having pets" Is this your first cat? If so, there are a lot of preventative maintenance things that will keep your vet bills down in the future. For example, keeping your cat indoors only. Feeding them a diet that is mostly wet food. Brushing their teeth. Using a flea and heartworm treatment. All of those things can cost a little extra short term, but in the long run, its better than your cat getting the inevitable kidney failure that comes with eating dry food, or the heartworm eradication that may or may not work but costs a fortune either way. 

Thanks for all the helpful info. This is the first cat I've owned by myself but we've always had family cats... sadly I don't have the time or the money to feed him wet food but I do the rest of those things. I wish there were an automatic wet food dispenser - if I only fed him wet food, I'd have to leave work early to come home and feed him since I don't think he would be happy being fed at 6AM and then not again until midnight or so, so I'm stuck with dry food for now.

[sjoh197]

3 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Thanks for all the helpful info. This is the first cat I've owned by myself but we've always had family cats... sadly I don't have the time or the money to feed him wet food but I do the rest of those things. I wish there were an automatic wet food dispenser - if I only fed him wet food, I'd have to leave work early to come home and feed him since I don't think he would be happy being fed at 6AM and then not again until midnight or so, so I'm stuck with dry food for now.

We have 2 desperate feeding stations, one with wet food, and one with a small bowl of dry food. We leave the dry food out all the time so that they always have access to food, in case we are late or something. And then we feed them wet food before work and when we get home. It seems to work well. 

Some wet food is better than no wet food. Most people don't realize that a dry diet is actually really bad for cats. 

[jlt646]

58 minutes ago, sjoh197 said:

We have 2 desperate feeding stations, one with wet food, and one with a small bowl of dry food. We leave the dry food out all the time so that they always have access to food, in case we are late or something. And then we feed them wet food before work and when we get home. It seems to work well. 

Some wet food is better than no wet food. Most people don't realize that a dry diet is actually really bad for cats. 

I agree with the suggestion of wet food! It also helps prevent blockages/crystals/UTIs in boy cats- those are a giant financial and emotional bummer when they happen, and some boy cats are more likely to develop them than others. Keeping food out all the time is a controversial thing- I don't do it, because none of my four are capable of handling the responsibility of only eating when they're hungry. Ymmv. If, @Pink Fuzzy Bunny, you find that your new dude is unable to manage his consumption or weight, switch to set feeding times! 

Yay cats. I've been slowing down my gradcafe use, but I'll jump in for cats.

[sjoh197]

7 minutes ago, jlt646 said:

I agree with the suggestion of wet food! It also helps prevent blockages/crystals/UTIs in boy cats- those are a giant financial and emotional bummer when they happen, and some boy cats are more likely to develop them than others. Keeping food out all the time is a controversial thing- I don't do it, because none of my four are capable of handling the responsibility of only eating when they're hungry. Ymmv. If, @Pink Fuzzy Bunny, you find that your new dude is unable to manage his consumption or weight, switch to set feeding times! 

Yay cats. I've been slowing down my gradcafe use, but I'll jump in for cats.

Yeah, I have had cats that couldn't handle free range food. But now I just leave out a small amount of dry food. Enough for them to have access, but not enough that the can pig out. 

And grain free dry food is the way to go if you are going to provide the dry food. 

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

I do have set feeding times but maybe I will try a small amount of wet food twice a day or something. What do you all think, half a can in the morning and half a can at night? Or what? Keep in mind he gets about 1/2 cup of dry food twice a day at well. Also, I'm feeding him Blue Buffalo, which is grain-free.

[sjoh197]

19 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

I do have set feeding times but maybe I will try a small amount of wet food twice a day or something. What do you all think, half a can in the morning and half a can at night? Or what? Keep in mind he gets about 1/2 cup of dry food twice a day at well. Also, I'm feeding him Blue Buffalo, which is grain-free.

The cans typically have serving size directions for both just can feedbg, and mixed feeding. Also, your blue buffalo bag might have a serving size suggestion for mixed feeding as well.

[pterosaur]

Fun fact: the German word for male cat is the same as the word for hangover (der Kater).

[Marshalltown]

Not gonna lie, besides getting the diploma, the thing I was most looking forward to for graduation was the return to a normal life with animals within reach (if only for the summer).

[lovekilledinos]

Holy heckhounds, I have to meet with one of my professors face to face on Monday to devise my academic plan. This has suddenly gotten a lot more real. I am so nervous. #impostorsyndrome. 

[hippyscientist]

So while I cannot comment on cats (deathly allergic so tend to avoid like the plague) I had to come on here and say I'm officially ABD in my masters. I'm pretty sure that's not a thing, but I'm making it a thing! Just got to finish the research and write it up and I am done YAY! Hopefully get a month between finishing this and starting the PhD. Admittedly that won't be a restful month but I'll take it!

[Pink Fuzzy Bunny]

1 hour ago, hippyscientist said:

So while I cannot comment on cats (deathly allergic so tend to avoid like the plague) I had to come on here and say I'm officially ABD in my masters. I'm pretty sure that's not a thing, but I'm making it a thing! Just got to finish the research and write it up and I am done YAY! Hopefully get a month between finishing this and starting the PhD. Admittedly that won't be a restful month but I'll take it!

Wow congratulations! I think you'll be surprised how restful that month will be, and hopefully moving across the pond won't be too stressful in regards to red tape.

[hippyscientist]

16 minutes ago, Pink Fuzzy Bunny said:

Wow congratulations! I think you'll be surprised how restful that month will be, and hopefully moving across the pond won't be too stressful in regards to red tape.

Thanks fuzzy! I think it will mentally be pretty restful, although I need to learn to use MATLAB better. It's getting pretty exciting now. Hows the research group going?

[MarineBluePsy]

@hippyscientist  Wouldn't it be ABT?  All but thesis?  Why not make it a thing, you're making progress!

And the moving procrastination with too much tv continues.....anyone else watching Bates Motel?  I just can't believe that happened!  I mean I knew it would happen, but I really hoped it would be like the very last episode of the show ever, not right now.

And Castle actually ended and what a disappointed end it was.  I really hoped the show would just continue without Beckett, I was tired of her anyway.  Castle and company could have moved to a new city, continued his PI business, and started a new book series.