Flexible Librarian: English @t the Circulation desk

Di Matilde Fontanin

“The Flexible librarian” è un manuale di approccio comunicativo per imparare ad orientare gli utenti stranieri all’uso dei servizi e delle risorse in biblioteca, utile sia ai bibliotecari che intendano migliorare la loro capacità espressiva che alle biblioteche alla ricerca di idee per la segnaletica e per le loro pagine web.
La presentazione di termini nel contesto e il supporto di registrazioni audio aiutano a migliorare la capacità di espressione e ascolto. Le sezioni dedicate alla grammatica e ai falsi amici, e la presenza di esercizi con le soluzioni, aiutano ad affinare l’espressione.
La terminologia scelta, fondata sui servizi di base, spazia dalla consultazione di materiale speciale ai servizi per bambini e ragazzi, dal digitale all’accessibilità. Un capitolo in particolare è dedicato alle indicazioni spaziali ed un altro alla scrittura di email.

• Lingua: Italiano
• Editore: Associazione Italiana Biblioteche
• Data di uscita: 18 mar 2017
• ISBN: 9788878122482

Anteprima del libro

PANIC!

Preface

Welcome on board. The journey you are about to start will take you through the library, its services and the librarian’s daily tasks. Furthermore, as email is such a widespread means of communication, the final chapter has been exclusively dedicated to it.

The purpose of this manual is to present the vocabulary needed to help foreign users in the library, and it draws from my experience of teaching English to Italian librarians for the past 15 years.

Throughout the book, I preferred British English spelling. The automatic corrector was continuously getting in the way, turning much spelling to US English. I strived to rectify all those cases, but if anywhere I lost my battle, please forgive me and let me know.

The approach is communicative, based on real situations and meaningful communication, relying on practice activities to activate the learning of library terminology. A section in each chapter (apart from Chapter 8) is dedicated to false friends and language blunders. Furthermore, since an improper construction of sentences generally leads to misunderstandings, I tried to point out the correct usage of some basic grammar forms and functions.

Many of the activities are integrated by audio files, which were recorded by Lindsey Fairhurst from the University of Frankfurt and some colleagues of hers. I thank them heartily for making it possible to add listening activities to the written text*.

Appendixes at the end of the volume contain:

Keys to the exercises.

Transcription of the audio files.

A table of irregular verbs.

A list of references for further practice.

A list of the audio files.

Throughout the book the following pictograms point out the various sections:

An audio recording for this activity is available online at: <http://tinyurl.com/jyuw8dx> typing the password F0ntan1n_Eng17.

 G for Grammar. Grammar usage and practice activities. All terminology is linked to the world of the libraries.

L for Language. The choice of false friends and language blunders for this section draws on my experience as a teacher in Italy.

For the pictograms and the cartoons I thank my patient and creative son. He shared with a professional audience a teenager’s view of the library world.

I am constantly providing bilingual and monolingual practice activities on Quizlet. They are available at:

<https://quizlet.com/classes/matilde_fontanin/>.

Before closing the preface, I wish to thank all the colleagues I had the opportunity of meeting during my courses. As it often happens, I have learnt from them at least as much as they have learnt from me, and probably more.

I treasured and used their suggestions, their stories and their feedback. I did it because I enjoyed the time I spent with them, and I hope that, if they recognize themselves throughout the book, they will feel proud and smile with me.

Teaching English to librarians has led me to many different areas in Italy, and since my purpose was to make participants talk, I learnt a lot about Italian libraries, be they public, academic or special libraries.

This experience, together with my experiences abroad, has strengthened my belief in the fundamental role that libraries can play in society as agents of change and social cohesion.

I do nothing more than teaching language for day-to-day use, but I noticed how discussing library services enhances the librarians’ perception about their role, and I impudently hope this could turn out to constitute a desirable side effect of this manual.

Allow me a closing remark on the title. Librarians are flexible in Italy because, unfortunately, libraries offer few possibilities for long-term positions.

Nevertheless, there is also a brighter view. Information is continuously evolving and changing. This constitutes a challenge for librarians, but also an opportunity. Since their job is to manage information and make it available for the communities they serve, they need to be ready for change, to be inventive and creative to match the transformations in the nature of information and of society.

Probably no other profession is by its nature as flexible as librarians need to be and are.

Chapter 1: Describing your library and its services

1. This is my library

 Listen to the dialogues (Track 1). Here are some of the words you will hear

1.1 Comprehension

Are the following statements right or wrong?

Clara works at a small public library.

She works at her library every day.

In the library there are three photocopiers.

In the library there are three workstations.

Books are on open shelves.

The library has books in English, German and Russian.

Older issues of periodicals are on the periodical stands.

In the audiovisual room there are more computers and the equipment to watch DVDs.

In order to use special equipment you do not need to ask the staff.

The library has Wi-Fi connection

Solutions

1.2 Grammar: There is/there are

Tip: In case your English level is not advanced, just keep it simple!

Use There is/there are sentences and some/any/no.

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

1.3 Grammar: Some/Any/No

Some/any/no mean "a certain amount or number" and can be used before plural and uncountable nouns¹.

1.4 Now try and describe your library

Answer the questions with Yes, there is/are, No, there isn’t/aren’t.

Is there a separate reading room in your library?

Are there any lockers?

Is there a card catalogue?

Are there any workstations for Internet access in your library?

Are there any photocopiers in your library?

Is there a colour photocopier?

Is there an audiovisual room at your library?

Is there an audiovisual collection at your library?

Is there a gaming area at your library?

Are there any facilities for people with special needs at your library?

1.5 Talking about the book: activity

A physical description of the book is useful to help readers and to prepare library guides, as in the passage below:

1.5.1 Talking about the book: activity

Match the headings and their definitions. The drawing will help you.

Solution

1.6 Talking about library facilities & services

Match the headings and their definitions.