Turning Libraries Into Learning Commons

Turning Libraries Into Learning Commons The library space should be three things: welcoming, comfortable, and useful. School libraries today are in a state of flux: many are on the verge of closing or understaffed, and just as many are growing into the learning commons a library should be. No matter where your library falls on this spectrum, there is no question that your job as a librarian is to be all things to all users. That may seem daunting, but it really is simple if you have the right outlook. Not every school has a healthy budget to promote and support a full library makeover, but even without money, small changes will yield a big impact. When I was offered the position of Library Media Specialist at a high school, I was lucky to have the backing of the school and district as I transformed a tired, unwelcoming library space into what became the hub of the school. Because not every librarian is quite so fortunate, I’ll outline my makeover process in sections, starting with what can be done by every librarian regardless of budget, and then move into the options for big spending. Services This is the most important job of any librarian, in my opinion. We are the “yes men,” so to speak. Whatever a patron needs, we say, “Yes, I can help with that.” (And if we can’t, we figure out who can.) My students â€" and even school staff â€" were never allowed to use the library before I was hired. I had to go out of my way to change this attitude and invite them into what should have already been their space. How did I accomplish this? By meeting everyone more than halfway â€" in fact, I went to them. Send emails reminding staff of the lessons you can teach (copyright/fair use, research skills, web tools, etc.). Create a plan for scheduling your spaces and make it user-friendly for teachers to sign up. Ask teachers what projects they have going on and offer to co-teach or introduce the students to the necessary databases for any research elements. Pay attention to your users. Keep records of requests and needs. Ask yourself: if something is too difficult to access, what can you do to make it easier for patrons to find? Have office supplies stocked and out for all patrons to use. I promise, it is necessary. I had a caddy with pens, pencils, erasers, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, staplers, tape dispensers, lined paper, copier paper, grid paper, and dry erase markers and erasers. (Plus, I had back-ups at the ready.) Don’t have a budget for this? Float the idea of having other departments chip in â€" after all, it’s their projects these kids are working on, right? If that doesn’t work, community organizations often look for ways to contribute to schools and libraries. Give students access to whatever technology you have available, including printing capabilities. If you have limited technology, it’s even more important that you keep what you have running properly, and promptly call the tech department when problems inevitably arise. I also loved occasionally stocking my Keurig with fun coffee flavors, creamers, teas, hot chocolates and bringing in baked treats for the staff. They never passed up free goodies, and it gave us an opportunity to chat about potential collaboration. In short, what do your patrons need? Answer: Everything. All the time. Have it ready, and if you don’t have it ready this time, be prepared for next time. Environment The library space should be three things: welcoming, comfortable, and useful. Creating a welcoming environment is easy: you, the librarian, want the library filled with teachers and students, yes? Yes. Be inviting, be a friend, be happy. You have the best job in the world, so this should be the easiest part. Making the library useful is almost as simple â€" all those services from the first section are geared toward ensuring that patrons know they can come to the library for anything they need. It should be their most trusted resource. As far as a creating comfortable environment, ideally you should have many options for seating, and when possible, that seating should be flexible. In my library, we replaced the old, heavy, stationary tables and chairs and replaced them with furniture on wheels. I could set up the tables for a presentation during third period, and by fourth period, everything would have a new place. Students could move and arrange tables and chairs to suit their needs â€" whether they wanted to join a group or get away from one, the space was theirs. We also had three seating areas with comfortable couches, rugs, tables, and charging stations. These were stationary, but attracted both casual groups and serious studiers. If you have money in the budget for furniture, it would be well-spent on creating these comfortable spaces and flexible seating arrangements. For many, though, the budget might not stretch beyond the cost of new books, which is Priority One. If that’s the case for you, keep an eye out for affordable pillows or rugs that can make a space more inviting, or suggest a pillow-sewing project for the Interior Design class! And if none of the previous options of couches, pillows, and rugs are at your disposal? Grab some students and do some heavy lifting â€" take a chance to arrange those tables differently one day. Then switch things up again the next week. Go ahead: move two tables together for sixth period next Tuesday, because there’s a project due in World History and those freshmen need a space to lay out their materials. If your arrangement doesn’t appear to be flexible, show the students that they can still make it work for them because it is their space. Spending This final section is important, but not absolutely necessary. If you stop here and only focus on your services and environment, you will already be prepared to pull off a fantastic makeover. But I can’t lie: if you have money to spend on technology, do it; if you don’t have money, look for grants. At my school, our big spending was focused on technology, in hopes of finding a balance between two extremes. “1-to-1” devices seemed to be potential distractions, yet only offering computer labs for full classes to use was too limited. We went for a “technology readily available” approach. The district applied for federal funding and technology grants to purchase several laptop carts to be housed in the library, and over the next few years, additional carts were purchased for each department. Teachers could reserve a cart to be used in the library or to be taken to their classroom, and I tried to keep a cart in the library for individual students to use when they came in to work. We also bought six “pods,” which were large tables equipped with large flatscreen TVs, 4 HDMI cords, and laptops, allowing groups to work on individual laptops or display one on the screen for collaborations. Students loved the pods for all purposes, but teachers also loved to reserve them for technology lessons and projects. This, in turn, improved collaborative lessons by bringing in fun, new technology elements. Lastly, we purchased two large screens to be used for lessons and presentations. This is where I would teach tech tools, database use, copyright/fair use, research skills, and more. The two screens connected via HDMI to one computer, so the presenter or teacher could either create a presentation and run it with a clicker, or manually use the laptop to access different sites, etc. based on the lesson. Library. Learning Commons. Safe Haven. Trusted Resource. This is what we librarians are, and so much more. I hope your libraries become the favorite place on campus like mine did. Good luck and happy makeover! Follow TeacherVision on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+.

How To Measure Mass Using a Balance

Mass measurements in chemistry and other sciences are performed using a balance. There are different types of scales and balances, but two methods can be used on most instruments to measure mass: subtraction and taring. Key Takeaways: Measure Mass Using a Balance A balance or scale is an instrument used to measure mass in the science laboratory.One common method of measuring mass is to tare the scale and measure the mass directly. For example, this is how people weigh themselves.The other common method is to place a sample into a container and measure the mass of the container plus sample. The mass of the sample is obtained by subtracting the mass of the container. Proper Use of a Balance Before using a balance, its important to take some preliminary steps. This will help ensure you get the most accurate and precise measurement. Be sure you understand how to use a balance before taking mass measurements.The balance should be clean and free of debris.The balance should be on a level surface.Never place a sample directly on the balance. You should use a weighted boat, weighing sheet, or another container to hold the sample. Some chemicals you may use in a lab could corrode or otherwise damage the surface of the weighing pan. Also, make certain your container will not chemically react with your sample.If the balance has doors, be certain to close them before taking a measurement. Air movement impacts the accuracy of mass measurements. If the balance does not have doors, make certain the area if free of drafts and vibrations before measuring mass. Mass by Difference or Subtraction If you place a container full of sample and weigh it, youre getting the mass of both the sample and the container, not just the sample. To find the mass: mass of sample mass of sample/container - mass of container Zero the scale or press the tare button. The balance should read 0.Measure the mass of the sample and container.Dispense the sample into your solution.Measure the mass of the container. Record the measurement using the correct number of significant figures. How many this is will depend on the particular instrument.If you repeat the process and use the same container, do not assume its mass is the same! This is particularly important when you are measuring small masses or are working in a humid environment or with a hygroscopic sample. Mass by Taring When you use the tare function on a scale, you are making certain the reading starts from zero. Usually, there is a labeled button or knob to tare the balance. With some instruments, you need to manually adjust the reading to zero. Electronic devices do this automatically, but require periodic calibration. Zero the scale or press the tare button. The scale reading should be 0.Place the weighing boat or dish on the scale. There is no need to record this value.Press the tare button on the scale. The balance reading should be 0.Add the sample to the container. The value given is the mass of your sample. Record it using the proper number of significant figures. Sources of Error Whenever you take a mass measurement, there are several potential sources of error: Air gusts may push the mass up or down.Buoyancy can affect measurements. Buoyancy is directly proportional to the air volume that is displaced and is affected by air density changes due to temperature and pressure fluctuations.Condensation of water on cold items may increase apparent mass.Dust accumulation can add to mass.Evaporation of water from damp items may change mass measurements over time.Magnetic fields may affect components of the scale.Temperature changes can cause components of the balance to expand or contract, so a measurement taken on a hot day may differ from one taken on a cold day.Vibration may make it difficult to obtain a value, as it will fluctuate. Is It Mass or Weight? Remember, a balance gives you a mass value. The mass would be the same whether you measured it on the Earth or on the Moon. On the other hand, the weight would be different on the Moon. While its common to use the terms mass and weight interchangeably, they are only the same values on Earth! Sources Hodgeman, Charles, Ed. (1961).  Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 44th Ed. Cleveland, USA: Chemical Rubber Publishing Co.  pp.  3480–3485.Rossi, Cesare; Russo, Flavio; Russo, Ferruccio (2009). Ancient Engineers Inventions: Precursors of the Present. History of Mechanism and Machine Science. ISBN 978-9048122523.

America s The American Dream - 1277 Words

Everyone has different interpretations of what the American dream is, but we all can agree that it is a concept that provides us with the hope for a better life. It is a dream of experiencing life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To some people, the American dream is about being wealthy, practicing liberty, to believe in any religion, and to have better opportunities in life. Throughout history, many immigrants have migrated to America because they want to begin a new life and achieve the American Dream. Many can debate that the American dream is not realistic.The United States has decreased its popularity in recent decades. For this reason, many do not think that they can attain â€Å"The American Dream,† but for many this dream is†¦show more content†¦Philippine immigration began with colonization of the Philippines as a U.S. territory. When the Philippines gained its independence from the U.S. it left an impression on the Filipino people. Many Filipinos felt that immigrating to the U.S. would be an opportunity to live a life like the Americans who left an impression in their hearts. The Americans taught the filipinos a common language like English, a culture of modernism, and most of all a life to live freely. Due to the problem of poverty and lack of free education, Filipinos lean towards migrating to the U.S. as part of their American dream. My mother is just like many other immigrants. She dreamed of a having a better life, with a promise of a good future and ed ucation for her children. Although she knew that she would face many challenges down the road. She still embarked on the journey, boldy, and driven by the hope of her American dream. With the process of trying to achieve the â€Å"American Dream,† she had given our family many things that money couldn’t buy. She taught us how to be strong, faithful, and to never give up on our dreams. Even though her life was so simple back then, she never stopped dreaming big and always showed passion and drive in anything. In fact, she graduated Pharmacy and became the top Notcher of the board exam in the Philippines. Moreover, she migrated to America because of the lack of job opportunities and low wages in the Philippines, she felt that the only chance for our familyShow MoreRelatedAmerica s The American Dream1537 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica the beautiful. From one shining sea to another lies this relatively adolescent country. A country that is filled with a set of ideals in whi ch freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success. It is the belief that, no matter how poor you begin life, you can achieve upward social mobility for your family and children. Many people believe that rising social mobility and success is possible in America for everyone due to American social, economic, and political system. 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Poverty is a relevant issue that isn t going away. It s ruining minds and lives at the same time. Poverty changes how people view the American Dream, achieve the American Dream, and even affect how people s brains work and develop. With all of the media s hatred of poor people, it must affect their self-confidence and how they view the American Dream. Through her experience, Jennifer Mayer has noticed that very problem. While working in the soup kitchen

Disco Music Free Essays

Matt Crane 8-19-06 Music Back in the late 1960s, disco originated as a combination of many instruments played together. It was in 1969 when Jerry Butler released his latest song ‘Only the Strong Survive’ that we got our very first disco song. This was the birth of disco but then it was a form of music which hadn’t been named. We will write a custom essay sample on Disco Music or any similar topic only for you Order Now Four years and many songs later on the 13th of September 1973, Vince Aletti wrote an article in the Rolling Stone Magazine which gave this music form its name â€Å"DISCO†. This soulful music is based on a number of instruments blended together to get what is known as the disco sound. The vocals are played on a steady four on the floor beat or what is known as a quaver (eighth note) or a semi- quaver (sixteenth note). Many electronic musical gadgets are used to create the background score. This form of music has more of electric bass line and the guitar is seldom used as a lead instrument. Films like Saturday Night Fever and Thank God Its Friday made disco theque more popular than ever before. It was the Bee Gees who came to represent real Disco theque. The group till then was famous for their ballads and pop songs challenging the supremacy of The Beatles. Their success numbers were released again on the Saturday Night Fever movie soundtrack. Disco was born much earlier in the late 60’s when Jerry Butleras haunting melody was the first case of a combination of music with dance. This particular song brought about the marriage between Philly and New York soul both being evolutions of Motown Sound. The Philly sound is lavish percussion. 972 Soul Makasso is said to be one of the first disco songs. Disco spread to Europe through the jivings of Abba from the mid 70’s. Boney-M was another group of four West Indian singers and dancers who guided by West German record producer Frank Farian, soon became a great hit in Canada and Japan. The latter half of the 70’s saw clubs reverberating with Disco music. The culture centered on discotheques, nightclubs, and priv ate parties where DJ’s played disco hits through power sound systems. Long single records kept people dancing throughout the night. Even some of the most prestigious clubs matched their lighting arrangements to swish to the beat of Disco theque. Dancing schools sprung up in some cities and candidates were taught how to touch dance hustle and cha-cha. Disco fashions then hit the market with Halston dresses for women, shiny Qiana shirts for men pointed collars and open at the chest worn with double knit jacket suits. Disco culture soon became a shelter for those on the fringes of society they found a way to express themselves. Disco managed to fulfill one of the objectives of the Civil Rights movement. It brought the races closer together for the first time where Blacks amp; Whites â€Å"co-mingled† freely. Although â€Å"disco’s† did in fact lead to the downfall of the â€Å"inner city Funk House† and while a few of them practiced â€Å"racist door policies†. For the most part you could get in, dance and socialize across racial barriers. Disco was in fact one of the first forms of â€Å"voluntary integration† that American’s have seen. The music was the same amp; every ones attitude was the same. Different instruments and disco sounds made their way into the hearts of people in a big way. Discos became a place where there would be loud disco music, a dance floor with disco lights and of course you disco lovers dressed in the latest disco outfits having a blast of a life time. Discos have a culture of their own. The music is loud enough to make you and your heart beat a little faster. The lights keep changing colors and also help in changing you moods and shedding any inhibition you have. The clothes too are tight fitting to show off your more of the body. Shirts with slightly long and pointy collars, the Qiana shirts for the gents and the Halston dresses for women were in fashion. Discos brought in many other cultures too. One of the main addictions that disco brought in was drugs. Cocaine and Quaalude became the main drugs for all disco lovers. While cocaine gave them a high spirit, it helped many to enjoy the loud music better. Quaalude made them feel light like jelly and helped them to move to the groove. The dance lovers enjoyed the discotheques, as there was music, dance, alcohol and fun. Discos became very popular and some of them became as popular as tourist sites too. Manhattans Studio 54 is one such place. You couldn’t miss this hangout, as you would see many celebrities and people who are both rich and famous there. In the 1970s and 80s disco and dance came together and were the craze of the time. Groups like The Jackson Five, ABBA and The BEE GEES are still bands which are famous for their great disco music. Disco, which was performed only by a few bands in the beginning spread like a forest fire. Soon disco became mainstream and all kinds of bands were performing disco numbers. Disco was the in thing and a lot of movies were made on the disco theme too. Saturday night fever starring John Travolta and Thank God It’s Friday were two big hits with disco as its mainstream idea. ABBA was a group, which took Disco beyond the borders of America and right into Europe and Asia. The songs were such big chart busters that all over the world they created many new records. Boney M a group of four West Indian singers were another group, which broke the barriers of caste, color and creed to give pure and outstanding disco music. Dalida released their hit number â€Å"J’attendrai† which topped the charts in Japan, middle and south Asia and Canada These groups made disco very popular in the 70’s. The growing craze for disco angered the fans of rock music. While some just threw out all disco records, a few took drastic steps. DJs of rock music held events like the Disco Demolition night. Many groups came together to stage anti-disco demonstrations. Slowly but steadily in the 1980s disco began to die down. Though disco kind of became obsolete but it was still very much a part of the night life in Europe. With newer forms of music and even newer groups emerging Disco was given a back seat. In 1990s and 2000 once again disco began gaining popularity again. With major singers like Madonna, Kate Ryan and Suzanne Palmer performing Disco. Disco sound is mainly based on strings and horns accompanied by reverberating vocals mixing with electric pianos and chicken-scratch guitars. Dramatic minor and major seventh chords dominate disco music. The other instruments in used are bass guitar, piano, string synth with electrocoustic keyboards. There are drum kits and electronic drums together with harp, violin, viola, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, clarinet, flugelhorn, French horn, tuba, English horn, oboe, flute and piccolo. The songs usually have a steady four-on-the floor beat. It has affinity with Dominican meringue, rumba, samba and cha-cha-cha rhythms. A synthesizer is sometimes used to replace the bass guitar. Disco branched off into regional styles during the mid70’s by many formal musicians. Keeping the same broad traits of disco the new types came to get an individual stamp of the singer and the orchestra. Notable among them were The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic. Disco thus came to be arranged and composed by experienced arrangers and orchestrators. It required large number of instruments and a eam, which included the conductor, copyists, record producers and mixing engineer. Disco songs used as many as 64 tracks of vocals and instrumentals. Mixing engineers thus had a very important role. They created a distinctive sounding known as disco-mix. DJ’s were important for popularizing disco and consequently its sales. I would say that disco music expresses itself by its fast beats that you dance to. Its music gets people to be all about partying, loosing yourself to the songs, and feeling good. It lets people â€Å"groove† or â€Å"Boogie down†, just dance the night away. It’s the art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre. To me disco music means, music that consists of several different instruments that make all sorts of rhythms and melodies. It’s a type of music that has a fast beat and just makes you want to dance. With disco music all you want to do is get down on a dance floor with a lot of people and just feeling good. Disco music is a good style of music that puts different sounds in one through the melody and rhythm of the song. How to cite Disco Music, Papers

s History

THE SENECA FALLS CONVENTION In July 1848, on the initiative of Mott and Stanton, the first women’s rights convention met at a Wesleyan church chapel in Seneca Falls, New York. Between 100 and 300 people attended the convention, among them many male sympathizers. After serious discussion of proposed means to achieve their ends, the delegates finally agreed that the primary goal should be attainment of the franchise. The convention then adopted a Declaration of Sentiments patterned after the American Declaration of Independence. Public reaction to the Seneca Falls convention presaged a stormy future for the new movement. Although many prominent Americans, including the famed editor Horace Greeley and the abolitionist leader William Lloyd Garrison, warmly supported it, many citizens and the great majority of newspapers responded with ridicule, fury, and vilification. Suffragists were called the shrieking sisterhood, branded as unfeminine, and accused of immorality and drunkenness. Later, when suffragist leaders undertook speaking tours in support of women’s rights, temperance, and abolition, they were often subjected to physical violence. Meetings repeatedly were stormed and disrupted by gangs of street bullies. On one occasion when Anthony spoke in Albany, New York, the city mayor sat on the rostrum brandishing a revolver to discourage possible attacks by hoodlums in the audience. Despite intimidation, the woman-suffrage and abolitionist movements continued for some years to grow side by side. V AFTER THE CIVIL WAR Bitter disagreements over strategy engendered a schism between the suffragist and abolitionist groups after the American Civil War. Many male abolitionists voiced fears that the demands of women suffragists might impede the campaign to gain voting rights for male ex-slaves. The issue came to a head in 1868, when the abolitionists pressed for a constitutional amendment enfranchising all Americans regardless of rac... 's History Free Essays on Women\'s History THE SENECA FALLS CONVENTION In July 1848, on the initiative of Mott and Stanton, the first women’s rights convention met at a Wesleyan church chapel in Seneca Falls, New York. Between 100 and 300 people attended the convention, among them many male sympathizers. After serious discussion of proposed means to achieve their ends, the delegates finally agreed that the primary goal should be attainment of the franchise. The convention then adopted a Declaration of Sentiments patterned after the American Declaration of Independence. Public reaction to the Seneca Falls convention presaged a stormy future for the new movement. Although many prominent Americans, including the famed editor Horace Greeley and the abolitionist leader William Lloyd Garrison, warmly supported it, many citizens and the great majority of newspapers responded with ridicule, fury, and vilification. Suffragists were called the shrieking sisterhood, branded as unfeminine, and accused of immorality and drunkenness. Later, when suffragist leaders undertook speaking tours in support of women’s rights, temperance, and abolition, they were often subjected to physical violence. Meetings repeatedly were stormed and disrupted by gangs of street bullies. On one occasion when Anthony spoke in Albany, New York, the city mayor sat on the rostrum brandishing a revolver to discourage possible attacks by hoodlums in the audience. Despite intimidation, the woman-suffrage and abolitionist movements continued for some years to grow side by side. V AFTER THE CIVIL WAR Bitter disagreements over strategy engendered a schism between the suffragist and abolitionist groups after the American Civil War. Many male abolitionists voiced fears that the demands of women suffragists might impede the campaign to gain voting rights for male ex-slaves. The issue came to a head in 1868, when the abolitionists pressed for a constitutional amendment enfranchising all Americans regardless of rac...

Aravind Eye Hospital Essays

Aravind Eye Hospital Essays Aravind Eye Hospital Essay Aravind Eye Hospital Essay In the present scenario achieving effective and efficient health care services is an acute issue that needs an immediate attention. In developing countries this problem is mostly common as the government alone is not fully capable in undertaking different challenges to meet the heath needs of fast growing populations. There was a need to develop an alternate or parallel heath care system which will support the government efforts, but is self –supporting. This need was realised by Dr. GOVINDAPPA VENKATASWAMY who founded the ARVIND EYE CARE HOSPITAL  in 1976(based on the concept of McDONALDIZTION) because of his passionate concern to eradicate the problem of needless blindness in the India. This essay will analyse the impact of applying these principles of McDONALDIZATION to Arvind eye care hospital and will discuss the journey and achievements of this world largest eye care provider of the world while referring to its great positive impact on the poorer sections of the society. Firstly we will talk about the problem of needless blindness in India which led to the evolution of aravind eye care hospitals. Then we discuss about the concept of McDONALDIZATION and its  impact on aravind eye care hospitals and the leadership qualities of Dr. Venkataswamy that lead to increase the efficiency of the hospitals from two to seven times and finally conclude the global impact, advantages and contribution of this great health care system. INFINITE VISION Over 80% of blindness in India is needless and can be prevented; with this mission of eradicating needless blindness Dr. VENKATASWAMY founded aravind eye hospital in 1976 with the help of his family members. The Aravind Eye Care System is now the largest and most productive eye care facility in the world with its main  operational office in Madurai, India. Starting with modest 11 bed clinic now they have extended their operations over 5 hospitals remarkably all are self sustaining, situated in different states of southern India. A doctor at aravind perform on an average of 2000 surgeries per year(where on contrary the national average is just 220 each year) and with such experience due to increased number of patients they have developed art techniques and have become fully trained to match the excellent facilities. Each year over 1. 4 million patients our treated in these hospitals and 60%  of patients are treated free, still the business is highly profitable due to large no. of patients revenue from fee paying customers (40%) not only covers the average cost per operation (across free and paying patients) but also generates surplus funds that covers the growth and expansion cost. The key building blocks for developing Aravind Eye care system was transferring the ideas and techniques used by a well established chain of fast food restaurants McDonalds, this wide ranging process is called Mcdonaldization, that is, the process by which the principles of fast-food  restaurants are coming to dominate more and more sectors of American society as well as rest of the world (THE McDONALDIZATION OF SOCIETY by George Ritzer, 1996) , but not only restaurants business its affects can also be seen in various sectors of the society like education, health care, church services and many more. Aravind hospitals under the leadership of Dr. Venkataswamy managed to reach at peak and have turned out to be a role model business structure for other enterprises that can examine and adopt its features to establish their own successful business. Leadership a process of influencing activities of organised group in its efforts towards goal-setting and goal achievement (Buchanan Huczynski, 2010:596) Dr. G. Venkataswamy had all the leadership qualities and he perfectly adapted all the aspects and principles of McDONALDIZATION in the medical field and have been able to develop an enormous and successful business model. In 1976 on his retirement from the Government Medical College organised rural eye camps within the country and gathered their patients to the nearest hospitals base for minor treatments or surgeries (if required). Patients not only receive free medical services but are also provided foods, lodging and even return transport completely free of charge. He applied the principles of McDONALDIZATION which is a simple process that aims to train people all around the globe irrespective of their religions, cultures to produce a product in the same way and deliver it in the same manner all around the world. The founder members of aravind were interested in making a franchise of delivering eye care services with the effectiveness and efficiency of MaCDONALDS, the priority  was for the human welfare for this reason they established the aravind system (not for profit-organisation) to provide free eye care services to poorer people of society and rest can use these services at a very low price (market price). Even if they lay more emphasis on providing quantity of services but they have been able to maintain the standard quality for their products and services. The young and motivated paramedical team at aravind is the backbone of this system and are annually recruited from the nearby villages are provided with proper training like counselling, theatre duty, housekeeping etc. Being productive to meet the needs and demands of their patients they have pioneered a system that enables them to do high volume work with the help of application of principles of the McDONALDS. Aravind were the first in India who realised the need for manufacturing lenses within the country for the purpose of making these lenses available and affordable for the patients. Prior to this the lenses were imported from the western countries reason being that there was no production in the home country. Each lens would cost around $200 that was expensive and not affordable in  most of the developing countries. So the founders at aravind eye hospital decided to device their own method for manufacturing lenses with the help of Macdonaldization to cope up with the international standards and sell their production at just $5 a piece. Currently aravind are manufacturing and exporting their lenses to around 85 countries across the world to achieve global welfare prospects. He has been able to devise a system, which not only tend to delivers high quality and quantity but is also reproducible. The model is now diffused widely and there are  currently five hospitals only in Tamil Nadu that are contributing towards their primary objectives by offering nearly 4000 beds, the majority of which are free. It has moved its operations beyond cataract surgery to providing education, lens manufacturing, research and development and other linked activities around their motive of improving sight and easy access to treatment and affordability which enabled them to reach more and more sectors of the society. The principles of McDONALDS that have been applied to the aravind hospitals are the stepping stones which led to its enormous success. The principle of efficiency was achieved by aravind hospitals via evaluating the best route to achieve the targeted goals of the organisation some of them included waste reduction, elimination non-value generating activities, achieving excellence in operations, commitment for superior customer services. The MaCDONALDS principle of predictability was applied in aravind model by providing people with same products and services from one time to another or one place to another people are more likely to be treated in the same manner, no matter what their race, gender, or social class. Thus bringing consistency in their work and which led to strict optimization on the costs inquired. The application of the principle of calculability was imposed to lay more emphasis on quantity rather than quality with the aim to meet the needs of increased population of patients not only from India but including the demands from rest of the world. The most important principle of MaCDONALDS the use non human technology was well established in the aravind organisational structure that lays more emphasis on carrying out their operations with the help of machines rather than using human technology. This enabled them to do more operations and indulge in more surgeries in a year thus healing large number of patients. Dr. Venkataswamy a legendary surgeon has devoted his life’s 50years to his mission to restore sight to the blind and his work has resulted in one of the world’s most extraordinary models of service delivery. His inspiring life journey of a visionary dedicated to serving humanity outlines the evolution of the aravind model and glimpses into the spirituality that has guided both for over 50 years in service for sight. Conclusion From this case study it can be concluded that with efficient use of the principles of  Mcdonaldization aravind eye hospitals have reached their glory by accomplishing all their objectives of providing quality services to its patients at affordable prices. The principles of efficiency, predictability, calculability are aptly used in the model structure of aravind hospital that provided them with necessary boost that led to increased number of operations and lead to welfare of the society globally. All these principles enabled the organisation to reach high level of quality and helped them to become the largest provider of eye surgeries. This business model has proved that  the principles of mcdonaldization can be applied to various fields in the society with some amount of practical knowledge can lead to enormous success and with business running in the hands of Dr. Venkataswamy who has proved himself by applying his all qualities and extraordinary skills they he has gained over a long 50 years of journey enabled him to achieve all his goals to serve the society. He also quoted that â€Å"Intelligence and capability are not enough there must be the joy of doing something beautiful â€Å" Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy Aravinds unique human resource policies and well organised in-house training  activities has enabled them to recognise the best medical talent and have created a spirit of accountability and managed to create a high rate of involvement and increased their success rate. Referencing 1. BOOKS GEORGE RITZER (1996)†THE MCDONALDIZATION OF SOCIETY† CALIFORNIA PINE FORGE PRESS. 2. WEBSITES WWW. ARAVIND. ORG/ABOUTUS WWW. MROOMS. AC. CO. UK IN MAKING THIS VISION COME ALIVE DR G. VENKATASWAMY HAS NOT ONLY DEMONSTRATED CONSIDERABLE ENTREPRENEURIAL FLAIR –HE HAS CREATED A TEMPLATE WHICH OTHERS, INCLUDING HEALTH PROVIDERS IN THE ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL ECONOMIES, ARE NOW LOOKING AT VERY CLOSELY.

What to See at the 10 Best London Museums

What to See at the 10 Best London Museums SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips London has many attractions, but almost all visitors to the city will carve out time for its world-class museums. Many of London’s museums, spanning history, art, science, and more, contain some of the largest collections in their field, as well as many historical and priceless pieces. Other museums are smaller and more intimate, showing individual stories of Londoners through the ages. This guide explores the ten best museums in London. It’s organized into history museums, art museums, as well as off-the-beaten-track museums. In addition to describing the museum’s collections and standout pieces, the descriptions include each museum’s hours, costs (most of the museums on this list are free!), and the closest tube station to help you get around. London truly has a museum for all types, and this list contains museums that will appeal to history buffs, art aficionados, science geeks, garden lovers, and more. The Best London History Museums London has one of the richest histories of any city. The collections of these museums span prehistory to the modern age, and they showcase artifacts from London, the whole of the United Kingdom, and places, past and present, around the world. Entrance to the Natural History Museum The British Museum Hours: Open daily from 10AM-5:30PM and until 8:30PM on Fridays Cost: Free (Some temporary exhibitions charge a fee) Closest Tube Stations: Tottenham Court Road and Holborn If you can only visit one museum in London, make it the British Museum, the most visited museum in the city and one of the world’s great museums. With roughly 8 million pieces, the British Museum’s massive collection includes works from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, and the Americas. The British Museum specializes in ancient history and has some of the world’s most extensive collections from ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, Assyria, and Mesopotamia. Two of the museum’s most famous pieces are from their ancient history collections. The first is the Rosetta Stone, used to decipher the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic language, a huge moment in the historical world. The second is the Parthenon Marbles, also known as the Elgin Marbles because they were brought from Greece by the Earl of Elgin. These marbles once adorned buildings on Athen’s Acropolis such as the Parthenon, and there is a longstanding debate on whether they should be returned to Greece. Despite the controversy, the huge marble friezes, adorned with classical Greek sculptures, are beautiful to see. This large museum spans three floors and contains nearly 100 galleries. There are maps inside, but it can be helpful, especially if you’re short on time, to review floor plans of the museum so you know where to go and what to see once you arrive. The British Museum was established in 1753, and in many ways it’s an old-school museum. There are not many interactive exhibits, and most pieces are exhibited in standard glass cases with labels describing their history and importance. This can cause children and non-museum people to get bored after awhile. However, many of the museum’s pieces are so historically important and beautiful to see that every visitor to London should at least stop by for an hour or so to marvel at pieces from all over the world. Additionally, entrance to the museum is free, although some temporary British Museum exhibitions do charge a fee; you can book tickets for these online. Also, the British Museum’s hours are extended on Fridays if you’re looking for something to do in the evening. If you’d like help navigating the museum, there are regular tours held throughout the day focusing on different parts of the collection. Some of these tours are free while others you have to pay for and book online ahead of time. The British Museum’s website has information on all tour times and prices. Museum of London Hours: Open daily from 10AM-6PM Cost: Free (Some temporary exhibitions charge a fee) Closest Tube Stations: Barbican and St. Paul’s For those who want their museum to have a narrower focus, the Museum of London does an excellent job of chronicling the history of the city from the prehistoric age to modern day. The museum has a large collection, with over 6 million objects, but because it only focuses on the history of London, as opposed to the history of many world regions, it can feel more straightforward and less overwhelming to visit. There is only one route through the galleries which take you in chronological order through London's history. The exhibitions start with prehistoric London and include part of a 200,000-year-old mammoth jaw, a 6,000-year-old axehead made from jadeite, and an Iron Age chariot decorated with intricate Celtic-style designs. The galleries then continue through the history of London, covering the Roman era, Medieval London, the Black Plague, the Great Fire of London, the Victorian era, the Industrial Age, modern London, and more. Each gallery contains numerous artifacts from the time period it covers. In fact, the Museum of London contains the world’s largest urban history collection. Some highlights of the museum include a large collection of Medieval jewelry, the death mask of Oliver Cromwell, and the Lord Mayor’s State Coach from the 18th century. The Museum of London is highly interactive with quizzes, touchscreens, props to try on, and recreations of Victorian streets and pleasure gardens that visitors can walk through. Appropriately, the museum is located within one of the oldest parts of the city, a few blocks from St. Paul’s Cathedral. The building (which has plans to move within the next few years) is flanked by the remains of a Roman wall, so you’ll be looking at historical objects before you even set foot in the door. Imperial War Museum Hours: Open daily from 10AM-6PM Cost: Free (Some temporary exhibitions charge a fee) Closest Tube Stations: Waterloo and Elephant Castle Spanning the start of World War I to present day, London’s Imperial War Museum puts a human face on the impacts of war and armed conflicts. Though the museum now has exhibits on all modern armed conflicts Britain and the Commonwealth have been involved in, it originally only covered World War I, and this period is still a major focus of the museum. When you enter the museum, you’ll be greeted by multiple large military artifacts, including tanks, guns, and aircraft hanging from the ceiling. The most extensive galleries in the museum, on the first and second floors, cover World War I and World War II. To show the effect war had on individuals and to make its impact more personal and relatable, the museum presents stories and artifacts from individual people instead of focusing primarily on strings of numbers or lists of battles. Individual stories from both the front lines and the home front are included. The collection includes letters written to and by soldiers, trench art, souvenirs brought home from battles, and historical photographs, as well as large collections of badges, weapons, and uniforms. Highlights include a rifle owned by Lawrence of Arabia, a pistol of Winston Churchill’s, and a Union Flag recovered from the wreckage of the World Trade Towers. As you move to the upper floors, the tone gets noticeably darker. Galleries cover atrocities of the Holocaust, the history of antisemitism in Europe, and modern warfare and ethnic violence. This is not a museum for children (the Holocaust exhibition is restricted to visitors ages 14 and older), nor is it a museum for people looking for a light and cheery way to spend an afternoon. However, the Imperial War Museum does an extremely moving job of covering some of the most important periods in world history. Natural History Museum Hours: Open daily from 10AM-5:30PM Cost: Free (Some temporary exhibitions charge a fee) Closest Tube Station: South Kensington It’s famous for its dinosaurs, but the Natural History Museum covers nearly the entire breadth of the world of science. It has over 70 million specimens organized into five main collections: botany, entomology, mineralogy, paleontology, and zoology. The Natural History Museum is one of the most eminent science museums in the world, and its collections include specimens collected by Charles Darwin, exhibitions of dinosaur fossils, and a life-size model of a blue whale. Within the museum’s 36 galleries, visitors can view thousands of specimens, learn about the human body, study geologic forces that shape the Earth, and marvel at dinosaur fossils and full-size models. The Darwin Centre Cocoon, where guests can watch scientists at work in the labs, is also a popular spot to visit. The museum is housed in a large, ornate building dating back to the mid-1800s; some visitors simply drop by to marvel at the architecture. With such an expansive collection spanning several centuries, the Natural History Museum can provide a bit of an inconsistent experience. Some of the older exhibits, like some of the taxidermy and animal models, have a slightly dated look. Newer exhibits, particularly those on dinosaurs, human biology, and volcanoes and earthquakes, are much more modern and interactive. In general, though, the Natural History Museum is a favorite among visitors to London. If you’re tired of reading labels, it’s easy to simply walk through the galleries and admire the specimens. Kids in particular are always impressed by the large models of animals that are a standout attraction at the museum. The Best London Art Museums London's museums are a mecca for art lovers. These three art museums each have some of the largest and most prestigious art collections in the world. From traditional galleries lined with paintings to avant-garde fashion exhibitions, these museums have it all. Ophelia by John Everett Millais, on display in the Tate Modern The National Gallery in London Hours: Open daily from 10AM-6PM and until 9PM on Fridays Cost: Free (Some temporary exhibitions charge a fee) Closest Tube Stations: Charing Cross and Leicester Square Housed in a large Classical building that dominates Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery of London is the city’s most-visited art museum. The museum displays over 2,300 Western European paintings dating from the 1200s to 1900. The collection includes masterpieces from numerous periods including the late Medieval period, Renaissance Italy, and French Impressionism. Museum highlights include Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh, The Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci, and The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck. There are also pieces by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, Goya, Monet, and Renoir, among many others. The National Gallery follows standard art museum conventions: priceless paintings displayed attractively in different galleries without a lot of extra frills. Art enthusiasts will love the variety and quality of the works displayed and could happily spend a week viewing the collection, and even people not normally interested in art should stop by to check out the highlights. This museum contains London’s (and one of the world’s) most prestigious collections of art. However, if the thought of spending hours looking at centuries-old paintings doesn’t inspire much excitement, you may want to keep your visit short and move onto other activities after you’ve viewed the most important pieces. The National Gallery also hosts regular lectures, holiday events, and concerts, as well as guided tours (most of these charge an admission fee). Victoria and Albert Museum Hours: Open daily from 10AM-5:45PM and until 10PM on Fridays Cost: Free (Some temporary exhibitions charge a fee) Closest Tube Station: South Kensington If the National Gallery represents the apex of what a traditional art gallery can achieve, the newly refurbished Victoria and Albert Museum (the VA) is a much more modern take on an art museum. The VA is dedicated to decorative arts and design, and its collection spans seven floors and 150 galleries. Works include paintings, photographs, textiles, jewelry, architecture, ceramics, and glass. The museum includes pieces spanning 3,000 years and multiple continents. There’s a huge breadth of pieces here, and you may find yourself wandering past Japanese suits of armor, 16th-century Persian rugs, gilded German writing cabinets, newly created glass pieces commemorating the British Antarctic expedition, and a collection of over 2,000 miniature paintings, to name a few. The VA is a great museum to visit if you’re not interested in the traditional oil painting-filled art galleries. Its diverse collection means each gallery has something different, and the museum’s extensive renovations have given it a clean, modern look. In addition to the works in the galleries, other pieces of interest include a massive glass chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the entrance and a courtyard with a fountain and wading pool. If you have an entire day (or week) to spend at the museum, you may be content to wander the galleries and see what you discover, but many visitors may want to scan an overview of the museum’s collections beforehand so they know what they want to see when they arrive. Tate Modern Hours: Open daily from 10AM-6PM and until 10PM on Fridays and Saturdays Cost: Free (Some temporary exhibitions charge a fee) Closest Tube Stations: Southwark and Blackfriars The Tate Modern is London’s standout gallery for modern and contemporary art. Situated along the bank of the Thames, the Tate Modern picks up where the National Gallery leaves off, showcasing works of art from 1900 to the present day. Unlike the National Gallery; however, the Tate Modern doesn’t only contain paintings. There are also photographs, sculptures, videos, mixed media, and architectural pieces. Some of the most popular pieces include a looming spider sculpture by Louise Bourgeois, Ophelia, a painting by Sir John Everett Millais, and works by Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, and Georgia O’Keefe. The museum is housed in a former power station, and the building retains much of its original industrial feel. In stark contrast to the Classical buildings of many other London museums, in the Tate Modern visitors will make their way past massive former oil tanks and a soaring turbine hall. While admission to the permanent galleries of the museum is free, the Tate Modern also has frequent temporary exhibitions and performances which do require an admission fee. Visitors who aren’t particularly fond of modern art may find some of the Tate’s pieces confusing or boring. However, come with an open mind and this is one of the best museums in the world to get a taste of the breadth and quality of what modern and contemporary art can offer. You may leave a newly-converted modern art lover. Best Off-the-Beaten-Track Museums in London These are less-known, typically small museums that provide a very different experience than the most famous London museums. They generally focus on how individuals lived in London and, unlike the above museums, some of them charge admission fees. The entrance to the Geffrye Museum Leighton House Museum and Art Gallery Hours: Open Wednesday-Monday from 10AM-5:30PM. Closed Tuesdays Cost:  £7 for adults,  £5 for concessions (discounts) Closest Tube Stations: High Street Kensington and Kensington (Olympia) It’ll be hard to get an audience with the queen while you’re in London, but anyone can get a glimpse of one of the city’s most opulent interiors if they visit Leighton House. The building was once of the home and studio of Victorian artist Lord Frederic Leighton, who filled the house with his own pieces and works of art he gathered during his travels. Though it looks fairly ordinary from the outside, the interior of the house is so sumptuous it’s like walking around a jewelry box. While there are Victorian elements such as gilded and carved columns, antique wooden furniture, and marble work, the highlight of the house is its bold Middle Eastern decorative style. The house’s showpiece is the Arab Hall, a two-story extension decorated with glittering Middle Eastern tiles collected by Leighton. The house also contains stained-glass windows, an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures, elaborate paintwork, a gilt-painted dome, and, to top it all off, a fountain in the middle of the house. If you’re tired of seeing art displayed individually in plain glass cases, this is a great museum to see how one of London’s elite incorporated works of art into his home. Geffrye Museum Hours: Open Tuesday-Sunday from 10AM-5PM. Closed Mondays. Cost: Free Closest Tube Stations: Hoxton Station (London Overground) Located in Shoreditch, London, and easily reached by taking the Overground (as opposed to the tube), the Geffrye Museum is housed in a series of attractive 18th-century almshouses. Like the Leighton House, it’s a former home converted into a museum, however; instead of focusing on one man’s expensive tastes, the Geffrye Museum explores the history of typical middle-class homes from 1600 to present day. The rooms go in chronological order so visitors can see how houses have been decorated throughout the centuries. However, the highlight of the museum is outside. The grounds of the museum are surrounded by period gardens that showcase the changes lawns have undergone during the same time period the museum’s rooms cover. There are also herb gardens and walled gardens to see. Scattered throughout the gardens are benches and chairs for visitors to relax in, as well as an onsite cafe. Unlike many museums, the Geffrye Museum doesn’t have a â€Å"must-see† piece. Instead, take in the homey experience the entire museum offers. The gardens are best from April to October and, during this time, the Geffrye Museum is a great place to enjoy a rare sunny day in London and take a break from spending time indoors. Foundling Museum Hours: Open Tuesday-Saturday from 10AM-5PM and Sunday 11am-5PM. Closed Mondays. Cost:  £8.25 for adults,  £5.50 for concessions (discounts) Closest Tube Station: Russell Square For an in-depth look at one of the more unique and poignant sides of London’s history, check out the Foundling Museum. This museum tells the history of the Foundling Hospital, which was founded in 1739 as England’s first hospital for abandoned children. It covers the founding of the museum, the circumstances of mothers who had to abandon their children, how they handing-over process worked (each mother left their infant with a token, such as a button or piece of cloth, to later identify the child if she ever returned), how the children were cared for, and the museum’s current charity work. Visitors to the museum will see record books used to record children who came into the hospital, notes on which mothers were deemed â€Å"acceptable† to leave their children there, schoolbooks and uniforms used by the children, and tokens left behind by children whose mothers never returned. The museum also contains a diverse art collection, with numerous paintings and sculptures lining the rooms and hallways. Most of these were done by 18th-century artists who donated the works themselves to help support the hospital. Visitors can also see the preserved 18th-century interiors from the original hospital, period furniture, and a collection of Handel memorabilia (Handel was a prominent fundraiser for the hospital during his lifetime). Additionally, the museum frequently has temporary exhibitions that show art related to women and children. The Foundling Museum movingly tells the story of one of the less-discussed parts of London’s history, and it’s an excellent place to visit for people interested in learning about both art and history. This is a small museum that can be visited in an hour or two. However, there is a lot of text to read within the rooms if you want to get the complete history of the hospital, so if you’re looking for an easy stroll through exhibits, it may not be the best choice.