Yesterday, while hectic and crazy, was one of the best days I've had in the library this year. Every period was filled with research, collaboration, projects, and a great deal of productivity. And yet, my absolute favorite part of the entire day was watching the faces of students when they realized that all of the new book purchases came from their recommendations lists. To see their eyes light up as they saw the names of authors they love and the titles of books from series they enjoy, validated everything I strive to do in the library. More importantly, the students now feel a sense of ownership for their library. I LOVE IT!
It's important to give our students opportunities to take the lead and make decisions. I know... giving up control is difficult, but absolutely necessary if we truly want to prepare our students for the world that awaits them when they leave the safety of our schools. No amount of promotional paraphernalia can produce the results that I saw from the students when they realized their voices had been heard and their choices mattered. Isn't this what education is supposed to be about?
Not only does our library have new and exciting titles specifically recommended/requested by students, but also the students now see the library as theirs, not mine. It's a great day to be in the library. Come check it out!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Where to Begin?
There has been so much going on in the library the past few weeks, I find myself neglecting my blogging - yet again! Ok, so I need to be more dedicated to documenting life in the library. This is proving to be more difficult than originally planned. In an effort to bring this little blog up to speed, this post is dedicated to documenting the exciting new changes that occurred in September.
1. The library is a hoppin' place! The September calendar was jam packed with teachers bringing classes to work on projects, conduct research, and learn about the library. It was fantastic to see computers buzzing, collaboration between students, and teachers willing to take that leap of faith to try something new! Lunch to library passes also increased library usage by allowing students to bring their lunch to the library and enjoy time to socialize, do work, or simply enjoy a nice spot away from the chaos of the cafeteria.
2. New fiction titles were added to the catalog and went on display. Many of the titles were checked out or are currently out on loan. This is a great thing! KEEP READING, ELCO!
3. Our Donors Choose items were delivered and are ready for circulation. How exciting that students now have the ability to easily capture video footage and import it without the hassle of any cables, chargers, or tapes. Checkout this little lovely. I didn't specifically order red, but how fun is this color!
4. Banned Books week was celebrated with multiple displays of books that have been challenged or banned for a variety of reasons. How sad that censorship is still an issue! FREE TO READ! Celebrate this freedom by choosing to read!
5. Databases are now available for student use at home. Logins and passwords are available for any student who would like to take advantage of using our Ebsco and ProQuest databases at home. See me for this information!
6. Transformations to the library wiki are constantly occurring and continue to make the wiki a great resource for students (at least I think so). I'm still working on a glitchy Twitter gadget, but otherwise, things seem to be working smoothly. I'm particularly excited about the new tool being used to share valuable Web 2.0 resources. I came across PearlTrees and am very excited to have transferred all links to ELCOHSLIBRARY PearlTrees.
7. The Friday Find is a new wiki that I started as means for sharing resources that I discover over the course of a week. While some of the resources are not new to the techie world, they are worth posting and sharing. I hope that all who visit The Friday Find will discover some great tools to incorporate into projects and curriculum.
8. K-cups and Treats officially began today! I'm so excited to be able to offer the use of a Keurig to our students. Today's sale of coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies was a huge success. Thanks so much to the Renaissance program for supporting the purchase of the Keurig. Based on the overwhelming student response, we will continue to offer K-cups and seasonal treats for student purchase EVERY MONDAY MORNING. Why Mondays? Monday mornings are high traffic times for the library as students visit to select new books or renew their reads for Reading Across the Curriculum. All money raised will be used to replenish supplies as well as purchase new fiction titles to update our collection.
So... what is on tap for October? Well, I'm still working on processing the 5 Nooks. I was really hoping to have these ready to go for the start of the school year. Oh well. Better late than never! Stay tuned for an official announcement that the Nooks are ready for checkout. I'm also working on some collaborations with teachers for exciting projects to end the first marking period. I love that the library is a busy place. I hope that others love it too!
Until next time...
1. The library is a hoppin' place! The September calendar was jam packed with teachers bringing classes to work on projects, conduct research, and learn about the library. It was fantastic to see computers buzzing, collaboration between students, and teachers willing to take that leap of faith to try something new! Lunch to library passes also increased library usage by allowing students to bring their lunch to the library and enjoy time to socialize, do work, or simply enjoy a nice spot away from the chaos of the cafeteria.
2. New fiction titles were added to the catalog and went on display. Many of the titles were checked out or are currently out on loan. This is a great thing! KEEP READING, ELCO!
3. Our Donors Choose items were delivered and are ready for circulation. How exciting that students now have the ability to easily capture video footage and import it without the hassle of any cables, chargers, or tapes. Checkout this little lovely. I didn't specifically order red, but how fun is this color!
4. Banned Books week was celebrated with multiple displays of books that have been challenged or banned for a variety of reasons. How sad that censorship is still an issue! FREE TO READ! Celebrate this freedom by choosing to read!
5. Databases are now available for student use at home. Logins and passwords are available for any student who would like to take advantage of using our Ebsco and ProQuest databases at home. See me for this information!
6. Transformations to the library wiki are constantly occurring and continue to make the wiki a great resource for students (at least I think so). I'm still working on a glitchy Twitter gadget, but otherwise, things seem to be working smoothly. I'm particularly excited about the new tool being used to share valuable Web 2.0 resources. I came across PearlTrees and am very excited to have transferred all links to ELCOHSLIBRARY PearlTrees.
7. The Friday Find is a new wiki that I started as means for sharing resources that I discover over the course of a week. While some of the resources are not new to the techie world, they are worth posting and sharing. I hope that all who visit The Friday Find will discover some great tools to incorporate into projects and curriculum.
8. K-cups and Treats officially began today! I'm so excited to be able to offer the use of a Keurig to our students. Today's sale of coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies was a huge success. Thanks so much to the Renaissance program for supporting the purchase of the Keurig. Based on the overwhelming student response, we will continue to offer K-cups and seasonal treats for student purchase EVERY MONDAY MORNING. Why Mondays? Monday mornings are high traffic times for the library as students visit to select new books or renew their reads for Reading Across the Curriculum. All money raised will be used to replenish supplies as well as purchase new fiction titles to update our collection.
So... what is on tap for October? Well, I'm still working on processing the 5 Nooks. I was really hoping to have these ready to go for the start of the school year. Oh well. Better late than never! Stay tuned for an official announcement that the Nooks are ready for checkout. I'm also working on some collaborations with teachers for exciting projects to end the first marking period. I love that the library is a busy place. I hope that others love it too!
Until next time...
Monday, September 19, 2011
Too Much To Say...
It's September 19th, 3 weeks into the new school year, and I find that I haven't written a blog post since June. Well, this isn't entirely true. I was writing a lot of blog posts for my graduate courses. I just wasn't posting here. I apologize for my neglect. However, it's me that I feel really sorry for... Since I haven't posted in over 3 months, I now have so much to say that it's stressing me out. Seriously. How do I meld together the variety of topics that I want to share without risking my credibility as an English teacher? Biggest pet peeve with student writing: random topics with no connection to thesis or each other for that matter. I've decided that it's just not possible or practical to try and incorporate all that I've learned, discovered, explored, and evaluated over the summer into this one blog post. So, where to go from here? I guess the easiest place to start is with the present.
My focus for the last few weeks has been on library promotion. I WANT YOU IN THE LIBRARY! But how do I get you here? I find myself still battling the stereotype that a library is a quiet, rule stricken room, policed by the batty old librarian. Most students, and sadly, many educators still think of the library in these terms:
(Photo credit to web20classroom)
My focus for the last few weeks has been on library promotion. I WANT YOU IN THE LIBRARY! But how do I get you here? I find myself still battling the stereotype that a library is a quiet, rule stricken room, policed by the batty old librarian. Most students, and sadly, many educators still think of the library in these terms:
(Photo credit to web20classroom)Truly, this sign makes me nauseous. What good is a media center if media isn't allowed within its 4 walls! I've been inspired to create my own sign to be displayed at the entrance to our library. I'm not sure what it will look like, but it will definitely welcome the use of MP3 players, phones, food and drink. For the love of all that's good - PLEASE EAT in our library. Just remember to be neat about it!
I guess I'll wrap it up for now. My mind is wandering in a million different directions thinking about all of the great resources I want to share with you. Maybe just one for the road... check out THE FRIDAY FIND. This is a wiki that I started in order to share resources with students and teachers. My goal is to update The Friday Find every Friday - get it? I will post new resources that I discover throughout each week as well as old finds that I think are simply amazing and worth mentioning again and again and again.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Breaking Stereotypes
Today marked the last day of my first year in the library. Overall, it was a fantastic year. The kids really began to gravitate to the library and made it a thriving environment. I can't wait to start implementing all of my ideas for next year.
Today, I also had the opportunity to present a resources workshop to my fellow faculty members. Despite having to attend an inservice day on June 10th when most of us are just ready to hit the beach, my colleagues were so receptive to all of the information I had to share with them. This is so exciting! It validates my decision to move to the library and gives me great hope for next year. Collaborating with each other only makes the work we do with our students that much more meaningful. My list is already growing with new project ideas and team teaching opportunities.
I began my presentation using Prezi (in order to demonstrate the power of a non-linear presentation). The first stop in my Prezi was SHHHHHHHHHHHH! Why? ...in order to emphasize to my colleagues that the library is no longer a place for whispering and worrying about stepping out of line. I moved through some stereotypical images of librarians. Clearly I don't fit the old spinster with reading glasses and a bun stereotype. Short hair and an affinity for shoes will keep me from falling victim to this outdated image. I think my colleagues grasped my message. With that it was off to the myriad of resources that are currently available and will be available in the upcoming school year.
What a great day! Now summer begins. In the upcoming weeks, look for a "Year in Review" blog post, as well as announcements regarding new resources, events, and opportunities in the library for the new school year!
Today, I also had the opportunity to present a resources workshop to my fellow faculty members. Despite having to attend an inservice day on June 10th when most of us are just ready to hit the beach, my colleagues were so receptive to all of the information I had to share with them. This is so exciting! It validates my decision to move to the library and gives me great hope for next year. Collaborating with each other only makes the work we do with our students that much more meaningful. My list is already growing with new project ideas and team teaching opportunities.
I began my presentation using Prezi (in order to demonstrate the power of a non-linear presentation). The first stop in my Prezi was SHHHHHHHHHHHH! Why? ...in order to emphasize to my colleagues that the library is no longer a place for whispering and worrying about stepping out of line. I moved through some stereotypical images of librarians. Clearly I don't fit the old spinster with reading glasses and a bun stereotype. Short hair and an affinity for shoes will keep me from falling victim to this outdated image. I think my colleagues grasped my message. With that it was off to the myriad of resources that are currently available and will be available in the upcoming school year.
What a great day! Now summer begins. In the upcoming weeks, look for a "Year in Review" blog post, as well as announcements regarding new resources, events, and opportunities in the library for the new school year!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
It Really Works!
I received exciting news yesterday! The Donors Choose project that I created on behalf of the library was fully funded! I was ecstatic reading the notification. In designing my first Donors Choose project, skepticism loomed in my mind. Do people really have a generous spirit? Do they really go in search of charitable opportunities? Yesterday's notification provided me with the answer! Some people really do care about education and are willing to open their wallets to prove it!
The Donors Choose project will supply the library with 2 new flip video cameras for students to use to develop projects and support their classroom work. They will arrive prior to the start of the 2011-12 school year. I'm so excited that the library will be able to offer more resources for students to use. And now it's time to develop a new Donors Choose project. I can't wait to submit a new idea and see the generosity of our community. I also can't wait to see the students in action, using the resources provided from this Donors Choose project. Next year already proves to be an exciting year in the library and for our students.
As soon as my next Donors Choose project is available, I will post a link to it here, as well as on the elcohslibrary twitter page.
The Donors Choose project will supply the library with 2 new flip video cameras for students to use to develop projects and support their classroom work. They will arrive prior to the start of the 2011-12 school year. I'm so excited that the library will be able to offer more resources for students to use. And now it's time to develop a new Donors Choose project. I can't wait to submit a new idea and see the generosity of our community. I also can't wait to see the students in action, using the resources provided from this Donors Choose project. Next year already proves to be an exciting year in the library and for our students.
As soon as my next Donors Choose project is available, I will post a link to it here, as well as on the elcohslibrary twitter page.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Music to My Ears!
This morning, a student told me he really likes using databases for research. He mentioned the ease of use and convenience they afford at locating relevant, current, and reliable information. (Insert the angelic strains of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus) This is music to my ears. I have been working all year to change the climate of the library, the perception of the library, and the way students find information. If we want our students to succeed beyond the walls of this high school, these changes must happen.
I knew it would be a slow process. There are still many people who envision a quiet library and a librarian with reading glasses propped on the edge of her nose and her hair tightly wound into a bun on the back of her head. NOT IN THIS LIBRARY! We also have people who believe that librarians are a thing of the past. Again - NOT IN THIS LIBRARY!
Do you know how to find the most current information regarding important events of the day? Do you know how to search the Internet in the most effective and efficient manner? Do you know that most print materials are also available online in a variety of formats? Do you know how to differentiate between an authentic website and a hoax? Do you know what a widget is, a wiki, a QR code, Web 2.0...? I DO! I CAN TEACH YOU!
So, thank you to the students who realize the importance of information literacy. Thank you to the students who come to the library on a daily basis just because they like the inviting atmosphere. Thank you to the teachers who ask me to help them build lessons and activities that involve information literacy.
And THANK YOU to the student who made my day by sharing his appreciation for all that the library has to offer!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Live White House Webinar
This afternoon, we had the opportunity to listen to Ben Rhodes, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speech Writing. After a 15 minute overview on the recent events surrounding Osama Bin Laden's death, students were given the opportunity to submit questions. Our students backchanneled during the webinar, discussing the presentation as it occurred.
It was a great activity and opportunity for our students to learn about a current event with significant importance to our lives. While I listened to the webinar and watched the backchannel, I couldn't help but think about how far education has come since I was a student sitting in high school. What a difference from sitting at a desk with a textbook open just taking notes - BORING! Now students are able to interact with one another and people all over the world. The education they are getting is much richer and more experiential than even just five years ago.
Anyone who says that technology isn't important to education is out of touch with today's students. I'm so glad to have shared in this 21st century learning experience. I know that the students participating in today's webinar learned a great deal about our government, country, and military and they didn't have to leave the building to do it. These real world experiences are priceless in education.
Today was a great day!
It was a great activity and opportunity for our students to learn about a current event with significant importance to our lives. While I listened to the webinar and watched the backchannel, I couldn't help but think about how far education has come since I was a student sitting in high school. What a difference from sitting at a desk with a textbook open just taking notes - BORING! Now students are able to interact with one another and people all over the world. The education they are getting is much richer and more experiential than even just five years ago.
Anyone who says that technology isn't important to education is out of touch with today's students. I'm so glad to have shared in this 21st century learning experience. I know that the students participating in today's webinar learned a great deal about our government, country, and military and they didn't have to leave the building to do it. These real world experiences are priceless in education.
Today was a great day!
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