List Of Online Schools – Is This Online University Right For You?

List Of Online Schools – Is This Online University Right For You?

Online schools could provide the solution to many of the problems faced by mature students. With more and more people finding that they need extra qualifications to advance in the employment market, mature students are often faced with a dilemma; how to obtain those coveted higher educational qualifications whilst juggling work, family and financial commitments. By studying through online schools, students are able to maintain their current standard of living, while working towards a better lifestyle.

Just to give you an idea, there are many good reasons for you to consider earning your degree online, including:

- You can study when you wish and at your own pace
- You can keep your existing job while you study
- You do not have to leave your family and live on a campus
- You have round-the-clock access to the many facilities of your college
- via your Internet connection
- Online Degree programs generally cost less

Allthough I reside in Texas, I do know that a good list of online schools are available in Texas. But there are many other list of onlilne schools around the nation offering courses in every subject and specialty area. Whatever your area of interest, you will be able to find a program that will suit your needs and give you the education and training you’re looking for.

But because there are so much information and options available on online universities; it sometimes can be difficult to choose which online universities to enroll for your degree program?

Hence, if you decide to earn your degree online, which is the best online university for you? I can honestly say that online education has it’s risk, but a well run program requires a great deal of self motivation and discipline. I have a college degree and have taken classes both in a class room and from a distance.

So which list of online schools are you interested in? Do you know? Have you found that right oline accredited school? If not, let me provide you with a short list of online schools to get things started on your search:

1) University of Phoenix – A well recognized and good reputation online university. Employers consistently regard the students coming out of University of Phoenix Online as prepared for the job market and as a result, a degree from University of Phoenix Online, more than any other online university, confers marketability.

2) DeVry University – One of the oldest and most widely recognized online universities. DeVry is an accredited school offering studies in the areas of business, technology, healthcare technology and management. DeVry provides assistance in job placement and many companies actively hire from DeVry.

Other good reputation and well known list of online schools include:

- Everest College
- Kaplan University
- Concord Law School
- Berkerly College
- South University
- Keiser University
- eCampus Online
- National American University
- National Technological University
- Penn Foster Career School
- Penn Foster College
- Penn Foster High School

There are many more list of online schools on the net, you just have to do some thorough research to find the right one in your hometown. Request free online college degree information from as many of these schools as it takes to make the right decision for you.

Keep in mind that each good online university has it pros and cons against their competitors. To maximize the investment on your education, you must choose the best list of online schools which meets your career goals.

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Online Education ? The Changing Face of Education

Online Education ? The Changing Face of Education

Opportunities in education today would have been impossible even a few decades back. With the popularity of the Internet, easy accessibility to computers and the World Wide Web, higher education has been transformed into a new dynamic entity. With technology progressing at a rapid pace and demands changing almost daily, our lives are only becoming busier. The world around us is left with no option but to change and move along with the times to accommodate to our new schedules and requirements. This is more than apparent in the field of education. As times change, fewer and fewer students rely on the traditional method of attending classes at a college campus. The ‘brick and mortar’ type of education still exists but now side by side with the option of graduating from an online degree program as well.

As the number of people who look for ways to complete their education or improve their skills becomes too large, it is inevitable that a large number of colleges and universities take the necessary steps towards filling that need. But jobs, childcare and other family obligations limit the amount of time people can devote to their education, and thus, alternative arrangements are created. Online education has started gaining popularity and has now completely changed the way we approach education today.

Online degrees are now widely accepted and recognized as authentic educational qualifications. As long as the institution offering the degree is accredited by an accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, there should be no problem in the degree being accepted and acknowledged anywhere. Fully accredited online degree programs are now available in nearly every field. From management to medicine, law to accounting, there is a wide variety of choices on offer. Even obscure subjects and fields of study have found their place on the Internet. With degrees such as healthcare, students are even given the option of combining the practical aspect of their training at local hospitals or clinics along with virtual classes and studying online.

The flexibility of online education has opened up the doors of education to people from all walks of life. Stay at home moms and dads can now study from their own houses and employees can complete their assignments around their work schedules. There is 24 hour accessibility to the study material allowing for all night study sessions as well as the possibility of returning to subject matter again and again if necessary. And as universities continue to expand their options, the flexibility of online education will only increase. Students will be offered more options with the possibility of a custom created curriculum that suits their individual requirements and interests.

Distance learning also allows people hundreds of miles away to graduate with degrees from the college of their choice. Without spending a penny on gas or transport, students can make the most of a world class education with resources and faculty from all over the world. Through pre-recorded lectures, worksheets, assignments, e-classes, online forums, and tests, students can view, interact, and study from the comfort of their own space. With a more flexible attendance policy, students can choose to tackle their workload as quickly or as slowly as they need to (all within a larger pre-determined schedule, of program). While this freedom may prove to be a little daunting to a new student, after completing a few programs, it becomes easier to get used to this new way of studying. To be successful in an online program, a large amount of self discipline and motivation is imperative. Without which it is all too easy to take advantage of the flexibility of the program and not achieve much. And while online education is definitely less expensive than a traditional degree program, to spend time, money and effort on something that is not taken seriously will not accomplish anything in the long run.

Online education in short offers every individual the right information in the right format at the right time for the best chances of success. Once upon a time online schools were considered the next wave of education and that future is finally here – ready to change the way we look at education way beyond the boundaries of any classroom.

Continuing Education College Becomes a Requirement

Continuing Education College Becomes a Requirement

Importance of a good college education is inestimable; its profit is incalculable. Although college tuition can cost you a few thousand dollars, not going can cost much more in your lifetime. In fact, there are plenty of available financial aid options to help you face the cost of your college tuition. From federal to private organization, if you are interested in finding financial aid to continue your education, you will surely find an institution to help you. This article explains the importance of a college education and steps to take to find financial aid.

Education aims to provide every individual the physical, intellectual and moral development they need. It allows you to manage your lives and face the demands of the society in which you live. Education has always been essential in human life. From the beginning of time, humankind has sought to invent new technologies to better meet their needs. However, with the advancement of science, higher education is becoming increasingly more important. In developed countries like the United States and Canada, a degree in college is “necessary” to live a life more or less modest.

Not long ago while I was in hospital, I met a pretty woman who was working in the hospital as a Registered Nurse. She seems so happy that I asked questions about the job she was doing and why she is so happy. She started telling me the reason of her joy. Before becoming a RN, she used to work in a restaurant as a dishwasher. When she realized that she was going to lose her fingers by water/sanitizer solution, she decided to get a part time job and went to college. Now, being a RN, she works less, and makes much more money. She told me, “That’s the greatest decision I ever made in my life.”

I am not telling you there is no success in life without a college education, but the chances are slim. Even those who are, because of their talents, succeed without an education are often full of social gap; although money seems to talk in this society. Truly, if he were not educated, Obama would never break the barrier of racism to become the first black president in the US, which for many remains unbelievable. You are not Obama and you will never be; however, you can be a professional in a branch. Nothing is more rewarding than a good professional education.

According to a study published by U.S. Department of Labor, nearly 90 percent of the fastest growing job (mostly in computer and medical fields) require a college education or technical school training. In addition, there is a big difference between college and high school graduates salaries. A college graduate employee in the U.S. earns nearly twice as much as an employee with just a high school diploma. It is estimated that college graduates will earn $ 1 million dollars more than those with only a high school diploma, according to University of Wisconsin-River Falls. If life becomes harder day by day, college education becomes more necessary to cope with the exigencies of the society.

As jobs continue to decline, it becomes more difficult for high school graduates to obtain a “medium-paying job” that was once available. The benefits of a good education are unlimited; having it is as precious as gold and silver. The question is how to pay for that education? If you do not want to take student loans, it may be difficult for you to go college. Find grant is difficult but not impossible. You can find a list of top colleges in the US and all information you need to find financial aid to pursue your education. For details, Visit continuingeducationcollege.com, or visit the link in the resource box below.

Cambridge University is the best university in Europe

Cambridge University is the best university in Europe

Cambridge University is the best university in Europe according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). The ARWU is produced by the Institute of Higher Education at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and several indicators of academic or research performance are used to establish the ranking, these include highly cited researchers, articles indexed in major citation indices and staff winning Nobel Prizes.

The University of Cambridge was established in 1209, making it the second-oldest university in the English speaking world (after the University of Oxford). The University has 18 022 students (January 2008): 11 582 undergraduates and 6 440 postgraduates (or ‘graduates’ in the US). Overseas students (meaning non-UK or EU students) number 3 085, representing 17% of the student body. The University of Cambridge has a very strong tradition in sciences, producing 83 Nobel Laureates to date.
The total income of the University of Cambridge is £601.6 million (2007-2008). In late 2006, the total financial endowment of the university and the colleges was estimated at £4.1 billion, with £1.2 billion tied directly to the university and £2.9 billion to the colleges. Compared to the world’s top-25 universities, the University of Cambridge has a high total endowment.
Cambridge is a collegiate university, meaning that it is made up of self-governing and independent colleges, each with its own income and campus (e.g. housing, dining, chapel and sports facilities). There are 31 colleges, with the oldest being Peterhouse established in 1284. All students, and many of the academics, are attached to a college, where they live, eat and socialise.

The University of Cambridge has a very important presence in the City of Cambridge (total population of 108,000 inhabitants). The Colleges often have very old and beautiful campuses, especially those along the River Cam that flows through the City of Cambridge. Pictures of some of the Colleges can be viewed. These include: Gonville & Caius College (founded in 1348), King’s College (1441), Trinity College (1546), Emmanuel College (1584) and Downing College (1800).

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Education and Motivation

Education and Motivation

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The great words of “The Three Character Scriptures” once said: “If jade is not shaped, it will not become a tool; if man dos not learn, he will not know the meaning [of life].”  For this very reason education has become an important factor in any culture and has developed into many different forms over the years.

First and most importantly, in order to discover the most effective way to promote education, we must realize what education really is and why it is important.  From my perspective, education is a series of understandings, being able to comprehend facts and information.  This will lead to the formation of personal opinions and new methods, which will contribute onto the general collection of knowledge.

This forever building on the foundation of previous discoveries is what separates mental exploration from physical or manual labor.  Manual labor only produces limited and temporary results, but the accumulation of knowledge through education can give you tools which can be used in many forms of application.  In other words, work and physical labor will give a man a fish and he will be fed for a day, but learning and education can equip a man with skills of how to fish.  Understanding “how to fish” is both a major benefit for the man himself and the rest of society.

Learning can allow us to become independent thinkers and have the chance to dig deeper in personal fields of interest; it can also further the overall development of man.  If we do not equip ourselves with the accumulated knowledge of the past, then all of our pursuits will be like running on a treadmill; no real progress will be made.

After establishing the importance of education, the next question would be how we should approach it.  But first, I would like to introduce (what I believe to be) the two major roots to human actions.

There are two main cases when we perform any action: we are pushed to do something by an outside force, or we are pulled towards it by a driving force within ourselves.   “X” is the goal  “O” is ourselves “–>” is a force

-> O X  this is the external force(parents, teachers) exerting their superior power “for our own good”

O -> X  this is the internal force of curiousity driving us toward our goal

When parents plan class after class for their children on the weekend, they are pushing their children towards education.  However, when we are drawn by curiosity to learning; that is the internal pull. In life, there are two types of rewards: the immediate and the eventual. When kids fail to see any immediate rewards from education, they rebel against it. As a result, many parents and teachers push them even harder, causing them to dislike education even more.  This eventually turns into an endless cycle which ends up frustrating everyone, and the kid does not make any progress. In less extreme cases, kids often learn to satisfy their parents’ requests, and so rely on others to encourage them and motivate them.  But when the time comes for them to make their own decisions, they discover they have no interest in learning and turn off the path. From these examples we can conclude that too much “push” from outer forces doesn’t benefit the student.

There is a Chinese saying, “Interest is the best teacher”.  So the best way to promote education would be for children to become interested in learning.  But waiting for children to find their own interest in education is too time-consuming, and children tend to veer off and find more enjoyable activities.  I believe parents should push their children to explore many different fields of activity and learning, to stimulate their curiosity, and to introduce the importance of education, but to allow them to motivate themselves afterward.

As an essential shaper of the future, education and its effective application is a highly discussed theme, so pitfalls and detours along the way are natural problems we must face.  For example, in recent years, education has been reduced to short-term rewards in the form of scores and points.

The grading system found in schools can show what happens when we focus on the details and not on the long run. When we try to find the most accurate grading system, we forget why comparing and contrasting are important in the first place.

I believe the creator of exams originally meant for them to be a useful tool to assess students on whether or not they have understood the material. But nowadays learning has regressed into a pursuit of points and marks; people have made quantitative results to be the sole purpose of education.  Parents and teachers encourage students to labor for a few more points, and many schools may list the students with the highest scores.

Although exams can be useful in many ways, scores and numbers can create a hallucinating effect on students.  Scores can’t really reflect everything about a student and how hard they work, and obsessing with a point or two is not necessary.  I believe time can be spent in much better ways.  After all, in the future, I don’t think any of us will remember what grades we received.

. From this example we can see that it is often easy to forget why learning is important in the first place and focus on what we can only see.

Education and ways of learning has played a major role in human history.   It sets the stage for future generations, so it can greatly influence how we will live tomorrow.  For this reason it has become an important subject in many parts of the world.  If we can make decisions concerning educational systems with learning’s original goal in mind, I believe the world would be better off relying on personal interest to spark exploration.  Like Diogenes Laertius once said, “The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.”

Rajasthan Education – Get Complete Details about Rajasthan Education and Singhania University

Rajasthan Education – Get Complete Details about Rajasthan Education and Singhania University

Rajasthan is the Royal land of India. The Rajasthan education scene of the state is changing frequently owing to the initiatives taken by the Government and the involvement of other institutions. For providing educational services, enrollment of students in schools, abbreviating gender disparities and promoting education, a number of policies have been implemented.

As per the recent census done in 2001, the state has recorded literacy rate of 61.03 pc, which is higher 22.48 pc higher than previous census in 1991. State has listed herself at seventh position among states and Union Territories of the country. The literary rate grew from 38 % in 1991 to over 61 per% in 2001.

Currently Rajasthan has 117 Government Colleges, 751 private Colleges & 9 Self Financing Colleges. 35077 Primary School, 14807 Elementary School, 3844 Secondary School, 1789 Senior Secondary School, 267 Degree College, 27 Engineering College, 7 Medical College (M.B.B.S.), 20 All Universities, 8 Deemed University, 43 Teacher Training College, 46 Teacher Training School, 23 Polytechnic Institutes, 134 Technical / Industrial / Arts & Craft Schools.

Singhania University is a famous university in Rajasthan, India. This University has been established by the singhania university, Pacheri Bari, Distt. Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) Ordinance  2007. It is a fully recognized university as per Sec. 2f of the UGC Act 1956.
Singhania University is situated at Pacheri Bari, Distt. Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) on the Delhi-Narnaul Singhania – Pilani Road. It is about 160 kms. west of Delhi and about 165 kms. north of Jaipur. The nearest railway stations are Narnaul (19 kms.) and Chirawa (45 kms.)
The campus that covers an area of about 30 acres of land is picturesque and away from the din of the metropolis. The serenity of the hill locks all around Endow the campus with an ideal environment for education and research.
Singhania Institute came in existence by the inspirations of Smt. Narmada Devi Singhania, mother of the founder Shri. D.C.Singhania.
Singhania Institute was inaugurated on 29th June 2003 by a great visionary and a philanthropist, Shri D.C. Singhania to impart quality education of world class standards, reflecting the latest advances in the field of education and research with state-of-the-art academic and administrative infrastructure. The Institute has a well stocked and furnished library, well equipped labs, a host of indoor and outdoor games and sports, majestic hostels separate for boys and girls, well-furnished cottages for faculty, wide open spaces, lush green lawns, colorful flowerbeds and well kept orchards in sylvan surroundings.
The Singhania University comprises of four faculties, namely, Engineering, Management, Bio-Technology and Allied Health Sciences. Singhania University offers world-class infrastructure, highly qualified and dedicated faculties and excellent environment for academic and intellectual growth. The Institute focuses on comprehensive growth of the students, working on their hearts and minds by addressing to their academic, cultural, physical and social needs in an environment of continuous interaction and growth, conducive for the enrichment of mind and body. The faculty is fully committed to impart quality education by investing all its skills and knowledge. The University endeavours not only to produce excellent academic results but also to produce excellent and successful professionals.
Special emphasis is laid on communication skills and personality development. The uniqueness of our curriculum and various programmes, lies in promoting a strong passion in the students – for all round excellence with perfection; for meeting the challenges head on with due emphasis on ethical and moral values through broad -based management skills. The University produces knowledgeable young citizens capable of creating a better and prosperous India through inter-cultural understanding and respect.
The University has been established with a commitment to bring higher education to rural India and to provide object-oriented education, keeping in view, the emerging industrial and business opportunities globally. The University is seeking strategic alliances and academic collaboration with foreign Universities for providing further opportunities to acquire nationally and internationally recognized degrees in India, coupled with well-paid job offers. Special concessions in fees and liberal scholarships are being provided to meritorious and needy students, without any distinction of cast, creed or colour. The University provides continuous education beginning from KG in school to higher education, under one roof.

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Housebreaking A Golden Retriever – How To Handle Your Golden Retriever!

Housebreaking A Golden Retriever – How To Handle Your Golden Retriever!

While training your Golden Retriever to house break, you must ensure that it follows crate routines and does not spend extra time outside its crate. When your dog is not inside the crate, you must keep a watch on him throughout the time. If your dog is outside his crate, and you do not keep a watch on him, an accident can occur for which you cannot blame anyone but yourself alone as you didn’t correct him when it happened.

You must always praise your dog when he relieves himself at the correct location as this will help him learn which locations are right and wrong. The best way would be crating him at night and taking him out in the morning when he wakes up and showing him what are the correct spots. Give him a while and then praise your dog when he starts to go. Avoid accidents and you will be able to easily train your Golden retriever without too many problems. If accidents start happening, it can get very difficult to change the habit and break the pattern.

You should not give any freedom to your dog when you are house breaking him. He would probably want to do something else and getting it right will be a big job for him. If you tolerate and allow bad habits you will find it harder to break them later on and it is best to be stern and firm on your dog. If you start when your retriever is a puppy itself, then very soon he will learn and become a good family member of yours.

Confinement must be used sufficiently while house breaking. This means that your golden retriever must not be allowed to move freely around the house until he house breaks. You must be careful and ensure you know exactly where he is and what he is doing all the time he is not in his crate.

Chances are he can relieve himself on your floor if you are not there watching him every single second. If he starts going on the floor, then this will become a habit and will become very difficult to change this. This is because the smell will remain and next time he is there he will smell the scent and relieve himself again. Every time he smells it, he will have a tendency to relieve himself there. The only way to avoid this is to keep a watch on him all the time and make sure that he relieves himself only in he space you have specified for him.

While training your golden retriever to housebreak, you must ensure that there is a way out for him. Usually a doggy door is provided for the puppy to go out and relieve himself without disturbing you. You can also use a litter box or a puppy pad inside your house so that he can relieve himself when he can’t go outside.

Though house breaking your dog can take a long time, it is well worth the patience once your retriever is properly trained. He will not relieve himself wherever he pleases and will become an essential part of your family. He will only relieve in an outside area or wherever you have trained him. By nature, golden retrievers seek human interaction and if you intend on keeping them indoors it is best you make sure that you have been trained properly to house break.

Golden Retriever Bedding – Make Your Dog Companion Feel At Home!

Golden Retriever Bedding – Make Your Dog Companion Feel At Home!

When you first bring it home, it will be lonely, and constantly whining or whimpering – it’s missing its mom, and its siblings. Just calm it gently and speaking as softly as you can, as you would soothe your natural baby, and try and cover it with a towel. It’s been found effective in making it feel less lonely. You can help also by stroking it while you walk around your chores, and occasionally do pick it up and caress it. That will make it less homesick and get attached to you.

Just as we all learnt to have our favorite bedding, blankets, Golden retrievers too can be made to come to love what it gets. But don’t ever try getting an expensive blanket for it. it will just chew it away! Get some good quality blankets from a thrift store nearby and buy them in half a dozen. You can get a bargain, and you don’t have to worry about it for the next three or four weeks.. keep your fingers crossed. Golden Retrievers are known for chewing their blankets !

The best bed you can make for your Retriever inside the house is with a woollen blanket – an old one – and keep its meal and water, close by all the time. If inside the house and sleeping with you in your bedroom, well, you better be prepared to get up twice or thrice to take it outdoors for it to answer nature’s call. You will get used to it, and so will your pet! You bet!

And yes, after you have fed it, you should take it out after an hour so that it learns to answer nature’s calls outside.

If you are going to leave the Golden Retriever outdoors, make sure you build or buy a sturdy one, which will be comfy for it; Use wooden straw for it on the floor or use newspapers or both. You can also try wooden shavings. Do provide a small curtain at both ends: it too feels the cold, you know, and the breeze or wind can make it uncomfortable. And yes, if it is cold, you can use that unused blanket or quilt that you just kept it away.. maybe you would have to look for it. It would love to snuggle into the quilt, and you may have to unfold the whole quilt to find where it went into!

The Golden Retriever is a very friendly dog, and loves to be cuddled and fondled, and it has a smirk on its face most of the time, as if it was making a fool of you. And it enjoys playing, galloping here and there, so you better train it to behave as well!

Make your Golden Retriever comfortable and loved, and it will be beautiful companion for you, and indeed for your whole family.

Best of Luck, and good wishes to your Golden Retriever

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How public libraries can overcome budget cuts through cultural, educational, and business partnerships

How public libraries can overcome budget cuts through cultural, educational, and business partnerships

How public libraries can overcome budget cuts through cultural, educational, and business partnerships

By Thomas Badgett

 

 

 

            In the current difficult economic times, libraries of all sizes and types face budget cuts, often quite severe. At the same time the need and demand for library services surges. In order to minimize cutbacks libraries need to play to their strengths and promote how much value they offer to anyone who chooses to use them. They need to inform the public that they are available and promote what they offer in the way of services and alternatives to paid entertainment. As the public becomes more aware of libraries and what they offer, they may come to their support and demand more funding from politicians and bureaucrats.

 

            During economic downturns, people cut back on unnecessary spending and seek value on what they do spend funds for. There is no better value than free. Public libraries provide services and materials to users that no competitor can beat because they are usually free. Families seek activities and places they can go to interact, be entertained, and spend quality time together. Libraries provide all this plus educational value, whether it be for self-help, school homework help, free choice learning for lifelong learners, or reference help. Also, libraries can preserve a community’s identity by recording oral histories, housing artifacts, and staging programs informing users of the history and culture of their community as it has evolved. Libraries should play to their strengths as educational and cultural institutions while also promoting their value as free and family friendly social centers.

 

            Ways in which libraries might promote themselves as family-friendly centers include advertising at other family gathering venues such as bowling alleys, movie theaters, ice ream shops, and dining establishments. Libraries could establish booths for self-promotion at special events such as sporting events (soccer and baseball games), festivals (wine, music, crafts), concerts (classical, country, jazz, rock), and baseball card and toy shows. Perhaps the IMLS or ALA would sponsor a NASCAR team? To get the attention of young readers a library could sponsor comic book shows at one of their meeting rooms or have a kiosk/booth at a comic book convention. Cooperation with local booksellers and comic book stores or newsstands would be another way to publicize library services. The library could advertise certain businesses in its lobby and perhaps have signage donated by other businesses (in a manner like sports stadiums are doing). Even bookstores and libraries could refer users to each other in a sense of cooperation since both have a vested interest in the printed word. Libraries could also build relationships with hobby and craft stores and sponsor craft fairs or model kit shows in their community. In addition, the library could build a dialogue with local community members who are craftspeople or model collectors or any other collector. Card games could be sponsored at the library – a cribbage tournament, for example – or a poker tournament (with no gambling). There are innumerable ways for libraries to build relationships and get their message out to the public in addition to the Internet.

Scheduling and management skills on the part of librarians are now more important than ever since less money for staff translates into fewer man-hours for service. Library hours of operation should be based on peak demand times in the library’s community and not traditional banking hours. This is especially critical if the library intends to promote itself as a family or social center. Libraries need to be open when families can use them, not necessarily when it is most convenient for staff to be there. There may be no faster way to render libraries defunct than to cling to traditional banker-style hours Monday through Friday as in the past – unless a library tax is created. Weekends may become a peak demand time in some communities and library staff will have to adapt or face career extinction. In the short-term, at least, certain non-traditional skills (like scheduling in order to meet demand) should gain importance. As libraries continue to evolve additional new skills and a blurring of departments may occur in public libraries. For instance, reference may play a smaller role and customer service skills will be much more in demand. Every library, now more than ever, must focus on what services and materials are needed to provide service to its users.

 

The IMLS, whose mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas, is dedicated to serving a nation of learners. In addition to the NLG program, an International Strategic Partnership Initiative is in place to connect educational and cultural institutions from all over the world. The NLG program fosters collaboration between educational and cultural institutions on various projects, especially digitalization projects, in order for them to reach a broader range of users and make access easier for these users. Collaborations are both short-term and long-term in length, ranging from rotating exhibits between institutions to the multi-state Colorado Digitalization Program. Cultural heritage and educational institutions like libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies are good fits for partnerships through IMLS grants. However, schools and private sector businesses are also potential partners as the cultural/educational network expands.

 

One major goal of the IMLS is to preserve culture, whether it is local, regional, national, or international in nature. Through digitalization and the spreading of information this goal may be realized. Partnerships between cultural and educational institutions may help to ensure their survival through this severe recession, the longest in post-war history. Not only should partnerships result in more users, they may eliminate duplication of positions and result in streamlining of staff in these institutions, thereby placing them in an advantageous position for growth when the economy recovers. Collaboration projects enable libraries and museums to explore common issues and challenges, build networks for collaboration, share information and best practices, and further develop their institutions.

 

Museums today are active partners with libraries, archives, historical societies, and others in building digital libraries in order to emphasize their role as educational institutions. Museums have had a long and productive relationship with academic and special libraries and are now collaborating more often with public libraries. Two important considerations for producing digital resources are good cataloging (library strength) and accurate, knowledgeable description according to appropriate standards (museum strength). A broader, more diverse audience may be reached through collaboration and digitalization because the institutions complement each other. Also, the wear and tear on parts of the museum collection may be reduced once digital reproductions are created for Web consumption. Library web-sites should be interactive and participatory, much like many museum web-sites are. This interactive/participatory model lends itself well to free choice learning, which represents half of all learning (after formal schooling and work). In free choice learning the individual is the entry point in the framework of learning. The individual user decides what participation method, learning style, learning venue, and content they wish to engage in.

 

Library-museum partnerships may also collaborate with educators. In Illinois, the Illinois Library Association (ILA) noticed that school visits to museums and libraries were on the rise once collaboration projects began. Home school educators use museum and library resources also. Ways educators and museum staff can work together is through professional development workshops and training sessions at museums. Also, students can create their own museums in schools. Museums and museum web-sites can be excellent resources for teachers to use for the curriculum. NC ECHO is creating online curriculum resources for K-12 educators in North Carolina.

 

In addition to educators, government can play a role in library-museum partnerships. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an agency within the Executive Branch charged with the mission of funding collaboration between cultural institutions like libraries and museums. Libraries were moved out of the Department of Education in the FY 1998 federal budget and placed under the umbrella of the IMLS. According to Diane Frankel, IMLS Director in 1997, museums are starting to understand that they need to serve a more diverse audience – while librarians have always realized that. Frankel describes libraries and museums as being “community anchors” and social places to spend time together, as well as educational institutions. These functions make these entities natural partners and the IMLS intends to facilitate more collaborations and partnerships through grant funding with the National Leadership Grant (NLG) program.

 

Dilevko criticizes some library-museum collaboration efforts, describing exhibits as “edutainment” since many museum exhibits shown at libraries have nothing to do with the library collection or community. Instead he recommends a library-museum hybrid that can be based on one of two models. The first model is the cabinet of curiosities – where books and objects are co-located to enhance investigation and learning. This model is often found in academic libraries. The second model is the popular collections model in which public libraries use individuals’ popular collections of objects to design exhibits that heighten the interconnections among libraries, information, and user communities.

 

Originally a phenomenon of private collectors, the cabinet of curiosities displays (or cabinets) of rare and curious pieces –using deaccessioned and stored museum objects – can have a bearing on learning. These artifacts, along with books from the library collection create an interdisciplinary environment to be explored by the user. The popular collections model utilizes objects that are affordable and appealing to the majority of people in order to connect to an audience of users. Corporate sponsorship may play a role in the blurring of the educational and entertainment functions of museums, raising concerns regarding control over the content of displays and exhibits (either at the museum itself or at a library partner). Museums seem to be making a shift from emphasizing “authentic objects” to “authentic experiences” in order to attract more users to the museum experience. This could lead to a problem in that the museum provides services and facilities that don’t relate to the museum’s collection. Libraries may fall into the same trap by hosting museum displays/exhibits that have nothing to do with the library community or collection.

 

Dilevko and Gottlieb contend that libraries will have a more difficult time asserting their importance to a community if they act and look like so many other places – an obvious swipe at bookstores. They also mention that the digital age has created the notion of re-establishing the museum as a physical space – a place where people would want to gather. Libraries and museums, they add, should avoid the situation where the experience-based concepts used to bring people to the library/museum do not translate into meaningful experiences that meet the scope of their mandates. Libraries must make the distinction between the goal of simply attracting visitors and of attracting library users. Libraries lack rare or impressive artifacts that draw people to them for study. They are partnering with museums often on collaborative digitalization projects for educational use. Also, libraries host traveling museum exhibits – which may erode the importance of the library’s own resources in the community. Many times these exhibits have little to do with the library’s permanent collection. The creation of virtual museum-libraries conflicts with the library’s need to reestablish itself as a physical space and presence in the community. A Catch 22 situation exists whereby the library expands its access electronically and loses physical users. One solution is to develop their own exhibitions that combine museum objects and artifacts with the library’s own collection.

 

Museums have recently begun to recognize what Dana practiced nearly a century ago – the value of local collectors in connecting to their communities. Some museums have a “collector in residence scheme” and in England, museums sponsor “People’s Shows” – collective displays in a museum environment of a number of private collections that range from pencil erasers to pulp fiction. Popular collections models based on users in a library community could be supplemented with objects from the library collection serving as a form of community outreach. An example would be a model collector proposing an exhibit based on his/her plastic kit collection of World War Two aircraft and the library adding books and magazines about aircraft and World War Two from its own collection and perhaps sponsoring a community plastic model kit-building contest (or show). Both the cabinet of curiosities model and the popular collections model can provide experiences to draw people to an educational institution. The library-museums can maintain control over how the information is presented (without corporate sponsorship). The library-museum hybrid is another method of these two cultural/educational institutions partnering together as places where people gather together.

 

According to McCook, libraries of the future will follow four main trends. First, they need to provide a sense of place – a third place (not home and not work) – where people gather. This is where being perceived as family-friendly falls and also helps communities retain their character. Second, there will be a convergence of cultural heritage institutions – digitalization is the main manifestation of this trend currently. An example is NC ECHO. Third, libraries follow inclusive service mandates along with a commitment to social justice. This is the struggle to supply equal access to all users. Lastly, libraries must sustain the public sphere – act as a public commons where citizens can meet and voice interests and concerns. In this sense the library can serve as an unofficial, informal town hall and news center, much as commons did in New England towns during colonial times. Combined together these trends support lifelong learning.

 

If the IMLS is renewed past 2009 library and museum collaborations or partnerships will probably increase due to two factors. One being that the IMLS represents both types of institutions coupled with the harsh reality of reduced funding (both public and private). Those institutions that would normally be an island may be forced to find a partner/partners. In the future one may expect to see multiple partners in collaborations, not just two, because of lack of funding and the publicity and public relations advantages. In addition, corporate sponsorships may be combined with grants and partnerships in a hybrid partnership. However, for this to work to best effect the public sector and the private sector should be co-equal partners. IMLS research shows that working together libraries and museums can increase access to information in their communities and enhance education. Also, they can attract new audiences and expand and complement the reach of their programs. Libraries and museums share common educational goals and the preservation of culture as common bonds. As more collaborations/partnerships have taken place the “rules of engagement” and protocols have been established between the two institutions in order for them to share expertise. Many staff members from the two organizations have developed a dialog due to previous collaboration efforts. The possibility of future regional and state conferences that would unite library and museum decision makers is more likely because of past successful collaborations between these and other cultural institutions. This base of support could be expanded to include educational organizations (schools) and the private sector (businesses), as well as government at the local, state, and national level. Finally, library-museum partnerships could be used in order to promote tourism in certain areas of the nation and therefore, economically benefit their communities.

 

The fate of libraries and other cultural institutions are in their own hands and may well be decided by how quickly they adapt to ever-changing technology, educational and cultural needs, and public perceptions. Librarians need no longer be passive and hope the powers that fund them will “do the right thing.” They must aggressively promote themselves in new ways and partner with other organizations and businesses that share at least some common goals and that can be mutually beneficial to them. New library skills needed in the twenty-first century include technological aptitude, business-type management skills for scheduling and prioritizing, and shameless self-promotion as well as the ability to broker and negotiate deals/prices (haggling). The ideal Century Twenty-One Librarian might be part techno-geek, part bookworm, part used-car salesman, part entrepreneur, part teacher, and part activist. This combination may be what is needed in order for libraries and librarians to survive into the twenty-second century.

College Football Tickets – a Brief History

College Football Tickets – a Brief History

College football is just nothing else but American football played by teams fielded by the American colleges. These include teams from American universities, as well as from military academies. College football is very popular among college students, and it is through the American colleges that American Football has gained the stature it has today. College football developed from Rugby, a form of football played in England. Rugby reached North America through the British soldiers stationed in Canada, and became very popular in Canadian colleges.

The first game of ‘football’ played between two American college teams – Rutgers College and the College of New Jersey – was not a form of Rugby but more akin to soccer. This game, which Rutgers won 6-4, was played at College Field in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on November 6, 1869. Rutgers College is now the Rutgers University; College of New Jersey is now the Princeton University; and College Field is where, today, the College Avenue Gymnasium of the Rutgers University stands.

The first ‘rugby-style’ game of college football in the United States took place in 1875, between teams from Harvard and Yale. The credit of fashioning the game of American Football from rugby, by 1892, goes to the one time captain of the Yale football team – Walter Chauncey Camp. The most significant person in the history of American football, Camp has rightly been called the ‘Father of American Football.’

Camp pioneered the modern elements of scoring – at least most of them, the eleven man team, the traditional seven man line of offensive setup, the four man backfield, and the play from scrimmage. The college football became increasingly popular, and also more violent. After a series of player deaths in the collegiate games, Present Roosevelt, in 1906, threatened to ban the sport.

This caused the formation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which formulated rules to govern the game. It was during these days that college football was the predominant way to American football. College football was where style of play and strategy innovations were made and then passed on gradually to the professional arena.

College football remains very popular, despite the rise and popularity of professional football in America. It is more popular in rural areas, and in the south, due to the lack of professional teams there. College football is very popular in places, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia, among others.

The Tickets

College football teams have as large a fan following as do the professional football teams, and their games draw more number of spectators than do the professional teams.

College football tickets are in great demand, and may not be easy to procure. You can safely forget to procure them from the venues of the games – they would be sold out. Your best alternative option – those ticket brokers. Legitimate and professional ticket brokers, such as have a successful history of helping you arrange college football tickets for the games of your choice.

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