60 in 60 by Chris Harris

If you can spare an hour of your time, either at work or at home or somewhere in between, I highly recommend 60 websites in 60 minutes, Chris Harris’ latest presentation from the New York School Library Media Conference.

Being a somewhat of a self professed nerd techie in libraryland, I can appreciate Chris’ analysis of available 2.0 tools and their best use in academic and educational settings. It’s a pretty comprehensive list of what’s on the Web to help you in your own quest to digitally reshift.

Gaming in School Libraries

Chris Harris & Scott Nicholson have me really excited. If you’re not familiar with their research I highly suggest you check it out. It’s funny that these two guys have finally crossed paths. Scott was my professor (one of the best) at the iSchool at Syracuse in the early 2000’s and Chris heads up the neighboring School Library Systems at GV BOCES.

Chris and Scott are heading up an initiative to introduce and study the concept of gaming and its place in libraries. Naturally, as a school librarian I am interested. If libraries are true to form and they exist to serve their users, then gaming in school libraries is a fit. Now I’m not going to get too carried away, saying that a large percentage of a school libraries function should be to serve gamers, that’s why arcades and home platforms exist, but what if 25% of the budget, the facility, and the schedule including personnel for a school library were geared towards the gaming experience?

In listening to Scott’s presentation at the Bird Library on Gaming in Libraries, I find it alarming that we are losing our teens as library users at such an important age. Gaming as a part of a user-rich experience might help bring some of our YA’s back.

Chris Harris has taken AASL’s Standards for the 21st Century Learner and aligned them with the basic ideas and skills that make up gaming. This is brilliant. And to take this idea a step further, what if on the front cover of every game, right next to the ESRB label sat another label. An even BIGGER label. On that label would be the top learning standards that the game aligns with as a user or users engage in that particular gaming experience.

I could go on further but I’m just starting to dive into this area of research. As I move forward with my career and my highly anticipated tenure review, gaming in school libraries is an avenue in the future that I would love to pursue.

Computer Lab Management Strategy

Tired of the shirt tugging? Hate hearing your last name when you’re instructing in the computer lab?

I’ve got your solution.

I’ll let the picture do the talking on this one.

The red/green card is an ingenious idea for management of an elementary computer lab. If a student has a question or concern they turn their card from green to red. So, in five year old terminology, green=good red=stuck.

To assemble your very own red/green cards take index cards and tape green construction paper on one side, and red construction paper on the back. If you want them to last a few years, I highly suggest you get them laminated. When the come back from laminating, take wooden squeeze clothspins from the dollar store and affix them with an adhesive to the corner of your computers. I ended up using the leftover adhesive strips from the plastic 3M hooks for students headphones.

Voilà! An easy elementary school computer lab management strategy.

Observations…Check, Portfolio….Check, Tenure…..?

I’m back from a long, long absence. The three months away from my blog have seemed like an eternity and I am sure that all readers have probably abandoned School Libraryland. I’m not worried, I’ll eventually get you back

I’m in my third year as a school librarian in upstate New York. I can honestly say that it has been a positive experience, having three years of being in trenches under my belt. To think of where I was when I started as a greenhorn to the point that I’m at now, I know I am exponentially better at my craft. But, I simply cannot type to my bosses and the Board of Education the two sentences that I just typed to you. There are formalities you see, and hurdles that must be hurdled. Oh yes, the hurdles…the many, many hurdles.

I’ve been observed in an instructional setting nine times: six by my Principal and another three by upper Administration. I’ve completed a three year in-house course in mentoring and hundreds of hours of professional development. Then there’s the published writings, professional work in the community, unwritten scholarship, and on and on.

For the last month I’ve been working on my professional portfolio and I’ve found it to be an intensive exercise in self-reflection and growth. By leveraging my training at Syracuse at the elementary ed. and library media specializations, I feel that I’ve put together a product that is not only a doorway to my beliefs and pedagogy but a product that is a combination of theory and emerging best practices.

This week I am submitting my portfolio and documentation to the Board of Education for their review and consideration for tenure. Have I distinguished myself from my peers as an educator and librarian? Have I demonstrated excellence in teaching and promise for future intellectual and professional development? I’ll let you know in a about two weeks.

Best Cities To Educate Your Child

It’s been awhile since I’ve blogged. OK, a REALLY long while. But the tenure process, new homeownership, coaching high school hockey, and the 4:45pm EST sunset has been sapping every last ounce of my energy.

I have a bunch of ideas for future blog posts, I’ll eventually get to them. I’ll get there, if you’ll hang in there with me….a tough thing to do in an on-demand world.

I was compelled to blog after reading a Forbes magazine op-ed piece on the best metro areas to educate your child. The number 3 factor in their consideration was the popularity of local public libraries. The inclusion of library usage into the author’s study is a sign of the value and virtue of libraries, especially in the public sector.  But, we also must never neglect the value of libraries in school settings either.

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Best series books for your elementary library

Just like the title of this post says, I’m going to recommend popular series books based on what I’ve learned from my library. For those of you that are librarians, you probably already know how important it is to have many diversified series’ books in your collection. Series books are critical for student motivation to read as well as circulation. Like Stephen Krashen points out in “The Power of Reading”, its not how hard the reading is, its how much they (your students) do. Volume is the only factor to reading attainment.

With Krashen’s quote in mind, here are a few good series that you need to have in your library.

Geronimo Stilton: Adventures about a mild-mannered mouse who works as a journalist for a fictional newspaper. Geronimo is always finding himself smack dab in the middle of a risky and always dramatic situation. Colorful words and accompanying illustrations on every page make this a perfect series for students in grades 2-5. Currently there are 33 books in the series.

Bone by Jeff Smith: Half Casper the Ghost, half Snoopy, Bone is a graphic novel series that motivates boys to read like crazy. A must have, especially for boys in grades 3-6. Currently there are 6 books in the series.

Katie Kazoo by Nancy Krulik: Katie is a fourth grader who wishes she could become anyone else but herself. Her wish comes true, and every book in the installment trouble ensues when Katie turns into a person or animal. Highly recommended for boys and girls in grades 2-4.

Garfield by Jim Davis: Probably the original graphic novel series. Kids still love Garfield. My guess is that students first get exposed to Garfield through their local newspapers comic section. Garfield flies out of my library faster than any other series. Recommended for boys and girls grades 2-6.

Captain Underpants and Ricky Ricotta’s Mighty Robot by Dav Pilkey: Potty humor and super heros always sell well with adolescent boys. If you don’t mind booger and diaper jokes, these two series always command young boys’ attention. Personally, as long as its OK with the parents, I’m all for students reading these risque types of books. Approximately 7-8 books in each series.

Magic Treehouse by Mary Pope Osborne: Jack and his younger sister Annie travel to historic places using a magic treehouse. A tremendously popular series. Teachers often tie the Magic Treehouse series into classroom instruction. Highly Recommended for students in grades 1-4. Currently there are 38 books in the series.

Matt Christopher (Various Sports): The quality of writing leaves a little bit to be desired, but young boys gravitate towards these type of books because of their interest in athletics. Recommended for boys in grades 2-6.

Junie B. Jones- A classic. Students as early as first grade are exposed to this series and often start reading chapter books because of Junie B. Approximately 20 books in the series. Highly recommended for students in grades 1-4.

Animal Ark by Ben Baglio: You can never go wrong having lots and lots of animal books in your collection. Animal Ark is a series where a girl named Mandy, the daughter of a local veterinarian finds animals in trouble and attempts to help them with the assistance of her friends. Recommended for students in grades 3-6.

Shadow Children by Margaret Peterson Haddix: A futuristic, an overpopulated earth and government control are all part of the world that effects the children that are the main characters in the books. Recommended for students in grades 4-7.

The Circ Files - September 07

Well, the first month of school was a real bear. It always is. I don’t know why I always expect it to be any different.

My collection has substantially improved since I took over in 2005. A collection development plan and an $8000 per year book budget can expedite the process. But, there is no substitution for having good books in your collection. And I don’t mean good books that just adults like (see Caldecott winners), I’m talking about the titles that motivate young boys and girls to read.

In September the most popular book in my library was Dogs Rule! by Daniel Kirk. The book contains 22 hilarious poems from a canines perspective. Accompanying the poems are full color, lively illustrations and a CD with all of the poems set to music. The beauty of Dogs Rule, is that its charm and humor doesn’t fit into one age group. It can be enjoyed just as much by five-year olds as it can be by fifty-year olds. When I booktalked it this past week, I had 1st graders rocking out in the story corner….such uninhibited enthusiasm.

Next time you’re putting together an order, make sure Dogs Rule! is included.

Curriculum Night Refelections

Recently, I attended my elementary school’s annual curriculum night. What a turnout…for the classroom teachers. OK, I’m being a little dramatic. The library didn’t do awful, we had our share of visitors. I did my best to pull parents in and promote our digital library services, our diverse and updated collection, and everything else under the sun. But, truth be told after speaking with parents, I’m not so sure that parents have an awareness of the school library as a foundation for 21st century information services. Parents, and I’m generalizing here, still see the school library as the same primitive repository of books and resources as it was in the 60’s and 70’s. Old attitudes die hard. Libraries and their respective librarians need to work harder in helping to shed such stereotypes.

I’m finding out, as I move forward as a school librarian, the importance of creating a brand for your library. Chris Harris is spot on with his posts that cite examples from marketing genius, Seth Godin. School Libraries need to do a better job of making their professional activities more transparent.

Chris Harris talks about using Avery labels to market your school-wide efforts. The books you used your professional judgement to recommend to a department, the technology you trained others to use, the links and websites that you provide through your homepage or wiki, they’re all part of what you do. But it is rarely noticed or considered part of the job. If teachers and administrators don’t see it, parents won’t either. Start making all the little things you do noticed, they’ll add up in a hurry.

A monthly report to your administrator isn’t a bad idea either. Creating an understanding of your position at an administrative level can only strengthen your standing. Remember, if you’re in a K-12 school, your building administrator received little or no preservice preparation in 21st century librarianship. If you aren’t talking or writing about what your doing, they can only assume you’re being the 60’s and 70’s librarian I referenced earlier.

Get involved in team and department meetings as often as possible. The more you roll your sleeves up to collaborate and work with teachers, the more your program will blossom. Teachers talk amongst other teachers. Like Gary Hartzell says, “The more people perceive their experiences with you as positive, the more your like-ability quotient will go up. Good for you as a person, and even better for your library.

We need to start doing a better job. Are you reading Seth Godin? Are you taking Chris Harris’ suggestions? What strategies are using to brand and market your library?

Interest Inventories

After a nice summer vacation, I’m back in the saddle as an elementary school librarian in Central New York. It’s been a crazy week thanks to Mandarin 3, but circulation is up and finally running.

I’ve found in my two years teaching as a librarian that motivating students to read and learn throughout the year is critical. One strategy that I’ve found to be enormously effective is to administer to all students, in the first week, an interest inventory. The inventory is a critical piece of information to the librarian over the course of the school year. First, it informs the librarians decision making process when purchasing literature. A smaller, more targeted collection does better. Second, knowing what your users want, at any level (elementary clients included), is critical to circulation and school/patron-wide reading.

I’ve found that getting a baseline of your patrons’ interests can inform purchasing for the entire school year. It also comes in quite handy when a 3rd grader is giving you a great deal of grief about your ‘boring’ collection. When disinterest spells a dislike for reading, I’m able to query the vertical file and remind them of their interests and point them to books on topics that they’ve specifically requested.

Over the course of three years I’ve boiled my inventories down to ten essential questions. I highly recommend administering an interest inventory at the commencement of each school year. You’ll see a spike in circulation and more students motivated to read books from your collection. Promise.