June 7

Lunch in the Library

We have done Lunch in the Library for YEARS with success.  Students would sign up to come to the library  instead of going to the cafeteria where they would hear a guest speaker on topics such as how to be a beekeeper, what it is like to do the Ironman, how to juggle and why it’s important to invest money at a young age.  We had 4 27 minute lunches and the first 10 to sign up would have lunch provided.  All others were welcome but would need to brown bag it.   We would feed them pizza and soft drinks while they listened.    Last school year we went to one lunch where students could leave the cafeteria with their food and eat in several designated areas (not the library although we were open).  We adjust Lunch in the Library to accommodate 40 students at once instead of 10 per lunch but noticed that, while students still seem to enjoy the event, our number have not been as good.  Here is our assessment of why:

  • because students are no longer “trapped” in the cafeteria, coming to lunch in the library is no longer an “escape”
  • because there is one lunch, students are able to eat with their friends instead of the old school “none of my friends have the same lunch as I have” problem
  • pizza is no longer a draw because the cafeteria serves the same vendor pizza at least once per week.

Former Rocket Aaron Reed taking about life as a Navy Seal

Former Rocket Donovan Johnson talking about playing professional basketball overseas.

Next year we plan to have our culinary class cater Lunch in the Library.  I’m not sure of a menu, but hopefully we can come up with something tasty and inexpensive enough to work for students and for our budget.  I’m not sure how to combat the other perceived issues with having one lunch.  Hopefully great food will be enough to lure them back.

Category: Programming | LEAVE A COMMENT
June 7

Genrefication

My clerk and I are genrifying the library. (is that how you spell it) . Here is what we have learned so far: Weeding is important….but:

  1.  Weeding

While weeding is recommended heavily by everyone who has already done this, and it is helpful and important, we weeded lots of multiples that we later wished we had kept.  Some titles fit well in multiple genres and it would have been nice to have several copies of the same book we could park in various sections.

2.  Follett genre report:

We used a spreadsheet provided by Follett that classified many titles for us.  (Note: many titles we had just weeded were still in the report so it may be good to wait a day or so for the collection data to update itself)  Some titles we did not agree with such as Hunger Games as Thriller when we would have preferred it in Dystopia.  (this is also a perfect example of a book that could go in several genres).  Also, many of the adult titles like John Grisham or David Baldacci were not classified at all by Follett.  As a result, my clerk and I printed a copy of the Follett report and went through each title using their spreadsheet to confirmed, changed or added a genre.  At first it felt daunting, but as we moved through the fiction, it got much easier.  It also helped us get a feel for genrefication so it was a good thing to have to do.  We then put our changes back into the digital spreadsheet so we could sort them.  The spreadsheet also had to be cleaned up because of the recently weeded titles that were still in it.

3.  Inputing data into Follett

Once the spreadsheet was updated, we sorted it by genre and then copied the column with barcodes for each genre into a .csv file titled by genre.  Then we could upload those files into copy categories in Destiny.  The Follett instructions suggested to scan books into these lists, but it felt easier to just upload barcodes from the spreadsheet.

NEXT STEPS

We have ordered tinted spine label and plan to color code our spread sheet for each genre title.  Students are going to come in July to help put on the spine labels and begin shifting books into displays.  Signage will be created to direct students.  A FUNNY THOUGHT.  Wouldn’t it be cool if a student could go to a board and tap “Romance” or “Sports” and have that shelf light up so they could find it.

Category: Library Environment | LEAVE A COMMENT
March 16

Pop up Library

This is going to be fun!  Every day as I walk the halls students stop me…..  Can I give you this book?  Here is a fine.  Did you find that book for me?  I always direct them to the library.  Go ask Ms. Moffett.  She is at the desk and can help you.  Then one day while perusing Pinterest I saw the Little Free Libraries (my friend and librarian Beth Jones at MLCHS is collaborating with her art teachers to build one) and decided a Pop Up Library is what I needed.  A way for students to take care of library business, chat with me on their turf, and see that the library has some unique things to offer.  I found an old laptop cart (a very expensive thing that has now found its way to the back room), painted it, glued some cute folders inside to hold papers, fliers, poems, whatever, tied some old shopping bags to the sides of it, loaded it with books and voila!  I stacked some little stools on it so students could sit and browse.  I think I’ll swap these out for camp chairs I can strap to the top.  I envision visiting classrooms bookmobile style, going outside with it when the weather gets nicer.  Beause it was a laptop cart, it comes complete with power!  I can charge devices, run a Cricut or 3D printer!  Today kids looked at me like I was weird.  (The football coach was acting as my barker…..”get your library books here”) . so I can’t really blame them.  But I can totally see the potential!  I renewed a book and collected 2.  So I’ll count that as success.

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April 29

Flexible Pacing: 3PT (pace, place, path and time)

How does a responsive library function with a “school within a school” where students use flexible pacing to go as quickly or slowly as they need to go?  A few weeks ago I visited Innovations High School in Salt Lake City, Utah where we witnessed students working at their own pace through all of their core classes then leaving to take dual credit courses at the community college, vocational courses at the technical school, or AP classes at their home high schools.  Students could spend as much or as little time as they needed working through the curriculum for math, English, science and social studies.  They had teachers there to conduct mini lessons, one on one conferring, and to mentor them on their progress.  There were also tutors there to help.  While they did have access to the library at the community college, they did not have a teacher librarian or a library designed to service and support high school students.  Our high school is looking to pilot a small group of students who want to pursue this kind of learning (we are calling it 3PT), and I’m trying to decide where I fit.   Participating teachers will meet regularly to discuss the needs of their students, progress, and planning.  I think I need to attend these meetings and stay closely in tune with the work these students are being asked to do.  Many will use the library as a work place as they work independently or in small groups.  If I’m not careful, I’ll become the babysitter instead of a resource, so I need to stay on top of what they are doing and how it’s supposed to be done.  The possibility for meeting students exactly at their point of need is immense!  I’m excited/terrified by this new learning opportunity our students will have.

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April 1

Overdrive? Will it be the answer?

With a bit of money left at the end of the year (my spending routine was way off this year) I have decided to try Overdrive for my school.  I am a fairly proficient user of this product through my public library and have been struggling with how to get e books and especially audio books into the hands and ears of  my students.  The Overdrive representative for our area happened to contact me and I was pleasantly surprised at how (sort of) affordable this service is.  To begin I have invested $2000.  I am purchasing mainly audio books with some popular e books to test them out.  As I understand it, our students will log in using their school email and password (our tech department makes that magic happen).  As soon as we get the authentications, I am ready to roll.  E books are between $25-$45 and audio books are slightly more expensive at $60-$75.  Some have different digital rights (only 12 checkouts)  but it all seems very straightforward otherwise.  All my students will need is the app on their own device or to go to the link on my website.  I THINK (hope) they can read these books off line on their Chromebooks.  The sales rep says they can.  Here’s hoping he’s right!

Category: Reading | LEAVE A COMMENT
March 25

Kentucky Virtual Library: I STILL don’t use this resource enough

I know this has been communicated and I’m sure I’ve received multiple emails about it, but I continue to undervalue KYVL (Kentucky Virtual Library).  Not on purpose, I promise!  I do have classes who utilize EBSCO quite a bit, but beyond that it is hit or miss.  So TODAY I discovered the Learning Center which is a test prep site that has ACT, SAT, TOEFL (don’t know what that is…should I be be embarrassed?)  and AP test prep.  Who Knew!!!???

Here is a screen cast I shared with AP teachers and guidance counselors.  I’m a little embarrassed that the information specialist in the building didn’ t know about this, but now I do and here it is!!  Next step is a display and maybe an email to parents!

 

 

 

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February 17

21st Century Shift – Definitely a Work in Progress!

20160217-092945-1utuylv.jpgOver our winter break I was bemoaning my library statistics.  I’ve had fewer than 50 classes visit the library, my circulation statistics are 1/2 what they were this time last year, my book displays are lame, and I’m floundering.  What, exactly, is my role?  I attended the AASL Conference in Columbus, I’ve researched, I’ve read books, I have done lots of talking about how libraries still matter, but what it actually “looks like” still confounds me!    I’ve felt busy;  even overwhelmed at times, but none of what I have been doing this year has felt quite right.  Am I now just a manager of space?  Do I simply supervise small groups of kids who don’t work well in a classroom?  I don’t want to  be a password resetter!

I recently did 2 presentations that have really helped me clarify what I want for my students and my library.  One presentation was for my staff during a flexible PD day about my 21st Century vision for the library. It was somewhat well attended and several collaborations have come from it. (blog posts to follow)  The other was for the Alpha Iota chapter of ADK, a teaching sorority in my county,  about Makerspaces.  Something about standing up in front of others and advocating for my students, my library and myself has made me feel much more confident and a little inspired about what @Rocket Library  has to offer our students and staff.

I have a colleague who is a wonderful librarian herself.  Our pact has been to support each other through what we knew would be a really different year.  Both of our schools have gone 1:1.  This rollout has teachers thinking differently about how they teach, how students learn, where they learn, and how they’re assessed. This change is BIG!  Teachers aren’t thinking about library stuff.  They’re in survival mode.  How can I get them to think about me and what I have to offer when they are bogged down with WiFi issues, Google Hangouts drama and Piktochart!      One  tactic has been to provide things in the library they CAN’T get with a Chromebook or in a classroom.  I have comfy chairs, a flat screen television, dual monitors on my desktops, a 3D printer, a color printer.  I have a MAKERSPACE!  “What’s that?” they ask.  🙂

Communication ZoneCollaboration Zone

So I’ve started to try to redefine (for me) what a successful library looks like.  I’m currently using an iPad and the app  INSIDE for individual students to sign in and out.    While it’s not completely accurate, (Adolph Hitler signed in every day for a week), I had around 7,000 students in and out of the library between August and December.  Some come here instead of going to lunch, Some come because they forget their computer and need to use a desktop.  Some come because they are driving their teacher crazy and they “work better” in the library than in the classroom.  Others come because they are doing something that requires unique space only found here.  They are recording a podcast and need a digital voice recorder, a quiet room and audacity.  Some come because they want to use the flat screen television to project a Google Slideshow.  Some come because the dual monitors allow them to keep a Word document and a website open at the same time.  The key is they are still coming.  I need to continue thinking of ways to measure success that go beyond circulation statistics.  I need to continue reaching out to teachers in new ways.  I need to publicize any little successes I have because I’ve found that triggers more awareness and thinking about connecting with the library.  Most importantly, I need to keep thinking about my students and how I can create meaningful learning opportunities for them that reach far beyond the classroom.  To quote David Lankes, “it’s about people”.

 

Category: Collaboration Zone, Makerspace, Professional Development | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 28

Scary Read Aloud! The Merry Fates

Merry Fates

The Merry Fates

If you are looking for an excellent read aloud for Halloween, try the short story “Anthropophagy” by Tessa Gratton.   While the site Merry Fates isn’t particularly up to date, the stories are super creepy and excellent.  The Curiosities is a collection of stories by Maggie Stiefvatter, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff.  In it, the ladies publish stories that include notes to each other about their writing, sketches and more.  Readers get a little insight into the writing process.   I plan to read to my 8th graders all day tomorrow and Friday in celebration of Halloween.

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September 29

1:1 Deployment is complete

At SCHS we went 1:1 this week.  Any student who did not wish to bring his/her own device was issued an HP Chromebook.  We issued the devices over 3 evenings divided alphabetically.  The process was amazingly smooth and relatively quick.  All of our central office employees and district principals were asked to attend.  Upon arrival, parents were given a checklist and then began moving through stations.  The first indicated whether you were picking up a Chromebook or bring a device from home (even BYOD students had to go through the process).  The next step was to pay a $50 usage fee and sign an agreement re: care, insurance, replacement costs etc….  The next station provided us with the RUP (responsible use policy).  As we moved through each station, someone stamped our checklist.  Next we went to the cafeteria and watched a 15 minute digital citizenship video.  Following a stamp, we then picked up a case for the device and the actual chromebook.  The district purchased a site license for Destiny and checked out the chromebook much like we do a library book.  The final station took us to the library where we found an open table and received help logging into Google chrome, GoogleDrive and email.  Once that was finished we turned in our signed AUP and out the door we went.  After 3 nights and a Saturday morning, we have about 100 students who did not come.  Those families are being contacted individually to determine when they will come in to pick up a device.

Things sure are going to look different around here.

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