Department Meeting, February 16, 2011

1. Netbook use procedures
2. Wiki Project from LRMS Library
3. Document Camera
4. School Library Media Program Evaluations
5. Videoconference sharing
6. Follett eShelf

Must read!
"Going Out of Print", District Administration, February 2011. http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2684

Assessing information literacy skills for students in grades 3, 6, 9, and 12:
Trails

TRAILS: Tool for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills via kwout

Department Meeting, January 19, 2011

1. Staff Development Day, January 31, 2011
Videoconferencing at BOCES all day unless you're an eChalk site manager in which case please attend site manager training in room 309 at the high school from 12:30-3:00.
2. Collection development presentation to PTA Council Curriculum Committee
3. State Education Department School Library Media Program Evaluation
4. Kindles in the high school library
5. Global Village at Uniondale Public Library, Sunday, January 23, 2 pm
6. Library websites

Of note:
School Libraries Cultivate Digital Literacy

Together We Can: Collaborating to Meet the Needs of High Risk Students

Joint Meeting with Uniondale Public Librarians, December 15, 2010

Welcome to our annual meeting of Uniondale school and public librarians!

Topics to cover:

1. Summer reading programs and incentives
2. Collaborations
3. Visits

Joyce Valenza's response

A perfect response to an ill-advised position:

What librarians make. A response to Dr. Bernstein and an homage to Taylor Mali « NeverEndingSearch via kwout

And more food for thought:

Rethinking the Library to Improve Information Literacy | Edutopia via kwout

Antiquated or Essential, That is the Question

I read with dismay Marc Bernstein’s recommendations regarding steps our schools should take in these trying budgetary times (Newsday, November 23, 2010). His comments suggesting that having a professional librarian in our high schools and a minimum number of books is antiquated shows a lack of understanding of the pivotal role school library professionals play in our schools. In fact, I believe that schools at all levels should have libraries that boast an extensive variety of resources and reading materials as well as a professional librarian whose responsibilities are so varied that any compiled list doesn’t do justice to the reality of the myriad professional activities that fill the librarian’s day.

Professional librarians across all levels support classroom initiatives to increase student achievement by providing to students a rich, varied and challenging collection of resources. Instruction delivered by school librarians promotes literacy, critical thinking, and develops ways in which research process activities may be utilized to foster intellectual growth and greater success with assessments. Certainly the number of resources a library holds is not as critical as the backbone of instruction that bolsters the use of these materials.

Professional school librarians develop an understanding of the curriculum and collaborate with teachers to ascertain what our young people need to know. They evaluate and select books and resources that are most appropriate to their assignments and interests. Librarians teach students the strategies they need in order to use these materials most effectively. Librarians entice students to take a break from their everyday activities to delve into the world of literature by carefully selecting and promoting titles that appeal to varied interests and reading abilities. Librarians teach students and teachers how to integrate technology to best advantage to invigorate teaching and learning. Librarians prepare students to take advantage of the complex libraries they will encounter in post-secondary educational settings.

In an environment where 21st century skills are touted, we must recognize that a student’s academic achievement extends beyond the classrooms into libraries, that equity of access is every student’s right, and learning how to be an effective library user translates into gaining the skills to be truly information literate and taking one’s place on the path to lifelong learning. Districts should be encouraged to nurture a program that places the library at center stage in a child’s educational journey. Budgetary support for our libraries and the professionals who run them must continue even in challenging economic times.

Staff Development Day, November 2, 2010

Welcome! What are we doing today?







Suggested steps for using multimedia resources for curriculum development and reporting:

1. Retrieve the Multimedia Reports document from the Y drive and save it to your own folder with a different name.
2. Make your word list to feature highlights from your program.
3. Decide which statistics you will use from Follett and sketch out how this will look in your final product.
3. Create a Wordle or Tagxedo (see description below).
4. If you haven't already done so, create a Glogster account and make a poster to use in your report.
5. Go to your Animoto account and create your movie.

If time permits, other web 2.0 sites to visit and consider:

1. Embedit.in.com shows documents on your website. It allows you to upload documents to their site and use a player to read the document even if you don't have the software.

2. Scribblar
Online interactive whiteboard for those of you who don't have one.
Link to the url rather than embed.
Give everyone moderator privileges.
Free collaborative tool.

3. Docsteach.org
From National Archives
3000 documents, images and maps
Search by era, drill down by skill
Creates url
Can e-mail activity results to teachers

4. Hippocampus.org
Comprehensive
Can be complete online course
Course and textbook tab--video and text
Can set up classes

5. History Pin
http://www.historypin.com/
Connect history to people
Photo database connected to Google maps
Upload old photos; can add stories

Set up classroom gmail account
Some teachers find it to be an issue when students need to put in their email address when entering a site. This is often more of a problem when working with elementary children. However, Gmail has an interesting way around this.
Set up a gmail account for your school or class. Your students can use the email to enter the sites.
2. To do this, just add a + sign and the students first name (or classroom number or any other name shortcut that indicates which student is using this) after your gmail address. (your address+student1@gmail.com)
An example of this: techsummit@gmail.com
Then Johnny can use: techsummit+johnny@gmail.com
techsummit+keri@gmail.com

The children can’t send or receive email. If someone uses techsummit+keri@gmail.com to send a message to Keri, it will end up in the techsummit email box, where the teacher can moderate.

Note: When setting up a school-use gmail account for yourself, remember that students (and possibly parents) will see and use your email name, so choose wisely! Avoid account usernames that would be inappropriate.
http://mail.google.com
Student Naming Suggestions
Use first name followed by last initial
Use initials only
Use 1st 3 letters of the first name and first three of the last name

6. Kwout
Embed section of website; includes original url at bottom

7. Sweet Search
Search engine for students
Collection of educational websites similar to Nettrekker which you all should be using!
Gives you option to look at results from Google
Can put search widget on home page

8. Scratch and Scratch Ed
http://scratch.mit.edu/
http://scratch.media.mit.edu/
Graphical programming language

9. BBC Dimensions
http://howbigreally.com/
Compare the size of disaster to any zip code. Amazing perspective!

10. Tagxedo
http://www.tagxedo.com/
Wordle with shapes.
Can save as jpeg

11. Timetoast
http://www.timetoast.com/
Create and share timelines
Plug in dates, pictures and descriptions

12. Wetoku
http://www.wetoku.com/
Broadcasting site
Can embed onto blog or wiki
Stream live or pre-record

Others:
Collage http://www.vuvox.com/
Cute pdf http://www.cutepdf.com/
PDF my url http://pdfmyurl.com/
Stories in flight http://www.storiesinflight.com/flickrpoet/index.php

Create flipcharts on ActivInspire. Learn new tools and tips.

ActivTips
http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/professional-development/activtips/

Flipchart Fundamentals
http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/professional-development/flipchart-fundamentals.aspx

Writing Effective Lesson Plans
http://www.prometheanplanet.com/en-us/professional-development/best-practice/lesson-plans/

Department Meeting, October 20, 2010

AGENDA

1. Follett Destiny--update your home pages

2. PowerSchool--report card update

3. Staff Development Day, November 2, 8:00-3:00
Using Multimedia Resources for Curriculum Development and Reporting
ActivInspire, Glogster, Web 2.0 Tools
Please take and save photos to use for report.

4. Budget—Status and Preparations
Consider any equipment or extraordinary needs for budget development.

5. Department Meeting with Public Librarians—12/15/2010

6. Common Core Standards--See Library Y folder

Websites of Note:
Museum in a Box http://museumbox.e2bn.org/

Timelines
Timetoast http://www.timetoast.com/
Capzles http://www.capzles.com/

Presentations
Prezi http://www.prezi.com
Edmodo http://www.edmodo.com

Center for Digital Literacy

Visit the Center for Digital Literacy for an ebook that shares lessons designed to implement AASL's Standards for the 21st century learner.

Center for Digital Literacy via kwout

Department Meeting, September 15, 2010

1. eChalk Lesson Planner update
2. Summer reading program
3. Budget Information
6. Inservice Classes
7. Videoconferencing
8. Online Databases
9. Staff Development for November
10. Google Stories: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu5-ya0eNjA
From in-district: http://lightspeed/SafeVideos/Video.aspx?id=fu5-ya0eNjA
11. Websites, articles of note:
Ten Tips to Get Your Year Started Right
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/printissue/currentissue/886351-427/what_every_new_media_specialist.html.csp

Search for Creative Commons images: http://compfight.com/

Dotty Dots http://dotty-dots.appspot.com/
The Best Online Learning Games http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2010/09/12/the-best-online-learning-games-2010/
The Best Music Websites for Learning English http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/01/30/the-best-music-websites-for-learning-english/

Searchy Pants: Safe Internet Surfing for Kids

Searchy Pants - Safe Internet Search for homes & schools via kwout

Wordquest http://pbskids.org/wordquest/index.php#/team

Staff Development Day, September 2, 2010

Staff Development Day
September 2, 2010

1. Welcome back!

2. Introductions

3. Department meetings, 2010-2011
All meetings will be held on Wednesday afternoons after school in the high school library, unless otherwise indicated.

September 15, 2010

October 20, 2010

November 2, 2010 (Staff Development Day)

December 15, 2010—joint meeting with the public librarians

January 19, 2011

February 16, 2011

March 16, 2011

April 27, 2011

May 18, 2011

June 23, 2011 (Thursday, 12:30)

4. Meeting Agendas and Minutes and between meeting info on blog: http://uniondalelmc.blogspot.com/

5. PowerSchool Gradebook, Report cards for elementary schools

• Demonstrates understanding of library curriculum
• Participates in library lessons and activities
• Uses library materials with care and returns them on time
• Displays appropriate behavior

6. eChalk Lesson Planner

7. Annual Report—laying the groundwork
http://theunquietlibrary.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/the-unquiet-library-multimedia-annual-report-2009-10/

8. Linking New Programs to Library Skills and Genres

9. ActivInspire 1.4 tools

10. iPad demonstration

11. Digital Book Trailers

Digital Booktalk via kwout

12. Inspire your students to read!

“This book’s gonna be a good book!” - Reading-Inspired Video via kwout

13. Staff development resources: http://workbench.wikispaces.com/

14. This Book is Overdue by Marilyn Johnson

Finally, why the library is critical:
http://www.nyssba.org/index.php?src=news&submenu=on_board&srctype=detail&category=On%20Board%20Online%20August%209%202010&refno=1443

Library Projects

http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/sep03/terry_spear.shtml

In the Library with the Lead Pipe Blog

Six librarians from various library types share reflections about professional library work with the hope that doing so will improve library communities. Check it out:

http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/

Information Fluency

This site is devoted to efforts to facilitate information fluency, "...the ability to find, evaluate and use digital information effectively, efficiently and ethically." It includes many helpful resources and tutorials that have an audio feature.

information fluency via kwout

Library Blogs

Library Blogs with a Voice Worth Hearing:

Will Manley's Will Unwound

The Unquiet Library

Wired Librarian

Top Shelf

Information Literacy Weblog

Stephen's Lighthouse

Doug Johnson's Blue Skunk Blog

Cathy Nelson's Professional Thoughts

Booklist Online

I really like this site: http://www.booklistonline.com/. I've been on their online subscription list for a while but haven't had the time to take a good look which I did today. It's worth perusing. Award-winners are conveniently listed on one of the site's frames.

Department Meeting, May 19, 2010

1. Database selections
Please review current purchases and give me feedback for changes.
2. Periodicals updates--send Delores updated lists.
3. Summer reading partnership--We created a succinct bookmark announcing the summer reading partnership. This will be given to you for distribution along with the flyers. Books for incentive baskets have been purchased and will be assembled for you to display.
4. Replacement book monies--Hand in replacement book monies to Mr. Flanagan who will adjust budget lines accordingly.
5. Overdrive
"OverDrive Media Console is a free application designed to use the OverDrive titles available for download at many public library and retail websites. Built with the user in mind, OverDrive Media Console makes downloading easy and convenient. It offers a variety of playback and title navigation options including multiple playspeeds, bookmarking, and a 'resume from most recently played point' button. For those who prefer to take their content 'to go,' OverDrive Media Console has built-in Transfer and Burn Wizards, allowing users to transfer OverDrive titles to portable devices and burn to CD in just a few clicks. OverDrive Media Console is an all-in-one solution for enjoying OverDrive titles."
Should we consider? Feedback, please.
6. Summer positions--High school library position is open.
7. Summer Technology Institute--Look for listings in My Learning Plan.
8. Our final meeting for the school year will be on Wednesday, June 23 at 12:30.

9. Library M files have been moved to the Librarians folder in the Y drive.
10. Websites of note:
21st Century Information fluency

21st Century Information Fluency Home via kwout

Department Meeting--April 21, 2010

1. Summer Reading Program
LITE Bytes articles due. Please save them to the Summer Reading, 2010 folder in Library M.
Incentive discussion

2. Digital Storytelling presentation (book trailers)--Cara C.

2. Library card applications available online: http://uniondalelibrary.org

3. Online databases--recommendations

4. Budget re-cap

5. End-of-year meeting, Wednesday, June 23, 2010

6. Summer Technology Institute survey--Please complete!

Handouts: Character of Characters Bibliography; Telling the Story---Digitally; Why Do People Read?
Available Online: Empowering Students for Life: Research Skills in the Age of Testing by Carolyn Foote

Department Meeting, March 17, 2010

1. Purchase orders due by April 9.
2. Requests for staff development for back-to-school--Submit suggestions to me by the next department meeting.
3. Follett Destiny update--Destiny 9.5 will be installed over spring break.
4. Ana Ritter, Google Search presentation
Fresh from her participation at a one-day academy for administrators sponsored by Google, Ana shared with us hidden features of Google searches including alerts, translate, Scholar, Squared, and News Timeline. Most of these are available through a search on Google for Google Labs.
5. Shared: Financial Literacy resources article

Check out:

Youth Media Awards Winners: http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2010/january2010/ymawrap2010.cfm

Summers_March_April2010.pdf via kwout

Doug Johnson has an interesting blog entry on social vs. educational networking:

Don't confuse social networking with educational networking - Home - Doug Johnson's Blue Skunk Blog via kwout

Curriculum Correlations from Gale provides a search tool that helps visitors select Gale titles connected to New York State curriculum standards.

Gale Schools - Curriculum Correlations - Home via kwout

Department Meeting, January 20, 2010

1. Follett Destiny
The catalog now has the capability of listing Lexile levels for books. To use this feature, go to the catalog and, without logging in, you will see the Reading Programs upside down book picture and a pull-down menu. Select Lexile and your level and search.

Any day now the catalog will be upgraded to 9.5.

2. Staff Development, February 1, 2010
8-11 a.m. Google Earth UHS 211
12:30-3 p.m. Nettrekker UHS 309

3. LITE Bytes articles

4. Public Library card drive

Websites of note:
StoryCorps http://www.storycorps.org/
Oral history projects

For those of us who have been in the library field a while, this is for us:

http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/columns/wills-world/retiring-golden-years

Nudging Toward Inquiry http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/articles/fontichiaro2009.v26n1p17.html

Student Inquiry and Web 2.0 http://www.schoollibrarymonthly.com/articles/Berger2010.v26n5p14.html

Article in School Library Monthly, 12/09, "The Teacher's Take on the School Library Program" is worth reading. Actually, this and other articles in this issue are worth perusing.

American School Board Journal has a compelling article about the future of libraries.

School Library Resources for ELL's

Colorín Colorado :: 10 Ways to Support ELLs in the School Library via kwout

Department Meeting, 12/16/09

We met with the public librarians for our annual get-together and discussed the following:

1. All staff members in the Uniondale School District are entitled to work-in-district library cards. Depending on the patron's home library, these may offer additional borrowing privileges.

2. An online registration form for library cards for residents will be available in January. When that happens, we will publicize through e-mail. Elementary students without cards will receive forms from building librarians. Recommendation: invite representatives from the library to attend school functions where parents will be present in order to distribute library card registration forms.

3. Visits to the schools by public librarians are always welcome! YA visits included a program on databases, and it was suggested that this be extended to the elementary schools as well.

4. The library provides online homework help through tutor.com.

5. The annual Global Village is scheduled for January 24, 2010. Black History Month will feature a program by a jazz player, and visitors to the library will be treated to an exhibit of murals on the African Diaspora.

6. The library's Kwanzaa program was highlighted in VOYA.

7. School libraries will publicize the winter reading club, Driven to Read. Lots of enticing prizes will inspire students to participate, including entry into the Monster Jam World Finals.

Library Blog, and Library Nourishment

Library Blog:
David Lee King, Social Web, Emerging Trends, Libraries

New York Times library story:
Stoking the Furnace, and a Love for Books

Librarian in Black Blog

Thanks to Mary for sharing this blog:

Librarian in Black Blog – Sarah Houghton-Jan via kwout

I especially appreciated the post,

IL2009: Information Overload is the Devil

where she supports the premise that we are "...far more adept in generating information than we are in managing it." (Jonathan B. Spira) Check out her 10 tips for managing information overload.

Classic Recap

Nancy R. happened upon an article that introduces readers to a website that captures the essence of literary classics and entices students to read one. Check out the article, "A Novel Approach" http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2009/10/31/a_novel_approach_to_getting_kids_into_classics/
and then visit the site:

60 Second Recap via kwout

.

Department Meeting, October 21, 2009

AGENDA
October 21, 2009

1. Follett Destiny—update and issues
2. PowerSchool
Problems syncing with Follett. Inconsistencies. Will follow up with techservices. Forward examples of new admits not syncing.

3. Staff Development options, November 3, 2009, 8:00-3:00

a. ActivInspire software

b. Digital storytelling--with high school ELA and Social Studies teachers; most appropriate for secondary librarians and/or those who didn't take this staff development previously

c. NSLS workshops--evaluating library programs and creating personal learning networks (two separate sessions on location at BOCES)

Decision:
Two will start with digital storytelling and then go to BOCES.
Everyone else will start with ActivInspire. Some will go to BOCES in the afternoon.
Remaining will continue work on ActivInspire.

4. Budget—Status and Preparations
Consider any equipment or extraordinary needs for budget development.

5. Department Meeting with Public Librarians—12/18/2009

6. National Geographic books for distribution and sharing
Books were selected for collections.

7. Other--Kidpix? Any other solution for elementary art program? Will investigate.
Will invite Promethean trainer to conduct a session with our group.

Websites of Note:

ALA AASL Best Web sites for Teaching and Learning Award via kwout

Free online tutoring:

HippoCampus http://www.hippocampus.org/

CliffsNotes http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA

FactMonster http://www.factmonster.com/

Interesting article on social networking through the library automation system--Follett Destiny is featured: http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=14806


If you're interested in any of these articles, let me know:

The Library Media Specialist's Role in Teaching Online Safety (Library Media Connection, August/Sept 2009)

Literature Circles in Library Class (Library Media Connection, August/Sept 2009)

Have We Lost Our Way? Examining the Purpose of Libraries in a Post-Literate Society


Actually, the magazine is chock-full of interesting articles. Let me know if you want to borrow it or if you want me to photocopy anything for you. The October 2009 issue also has articles of interest, particularly one about local museums, delivery and design of instruction, wikis and action research, supporting reading instruction, graphic novels, personal response systems.

Off the Shelf, Onto the Laptop

Check out the article in today's New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/books/15libraries.html

Curling Up with Hybrid Books

What do you think of this development?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/books/01book.html?scp=1&sq=hybrid%20books&st=cse

Department Meeting, September 16, 2009

1. Follett issues
2. PowerSchool
3. Interactive whiteboards--ActivInspire tutorial http://www.prometheanlearning.com/
4. Summer reading program follow-up
5. Finance Manager--budget information
6. Lesson plans
7. Staff development--survey
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dFR4Vk5SeUxFdnpYNVlKNmhzRVA0WEE6MA....
8. Videoconferencing
9. Websites of note

America’s Story from America’s Library takes the primary source materials from the Library of Congress and creates an interactive story with activities
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/

Listening skills using the Animal Sounds Library from SeaWorld/Busch Gardens.
http://seaworld.org/animal-info/sound-library/index.htm

DigiTales—The Art of Telling Digital Stories--resources for creating digital stories in the classroom.
http://www.digitales.us/

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art virtual tour. http://www.carlemuseum.org/

Homework Helper from Time for Kids
http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/hh/rr

Welcome Back, September 3, 2009

1. Today we'll learn how to navigate PowerSchool to extract information we need:

a. usernames and passwords
b. addresses
c. other fields as needed

2. Follett Destiny 9.0/SIF update

3. ActivInspire, the replacement program for ActivStudio Professional

Lexile Book Lists

"

Find a Book with Lexile via kwout

"
Create book lists by Lexile level.

Reading Lists for Animal Lovers

United Animal Nations : Programs : Humane Education Ambassador Readers : Suggested Reading List via kwout

"

Stop Watch Tool

Great tool for keeping track of precious seconds--or minutes.
"

Online Stopwatch via kwout

"

Food for thought about our libraries and our practice.

"

13 Point Checklist updated - Home - Doug Johnson's Blue Skunk Blog via kwout

"

Libraries for a Post-Literate Society

Check out this Doug Johnson article in Multimedia & Internet @ Schools: http://www.mmischools.com/Newsletters/MmisXtra.aspx?NewsletterID=744#1. Doug Johnson defines a post-literate society as one in which people can read but who "...choose to meet their primary information and recreational needs through audio, video, graphics, and gaming. Print for the postliterate is relegated to brief personal messages, short informational needs, and other functional, highly pragmatic uses..."

Twitter and FriendFeed

If you're like me, you might find all the interest in Twitter a bit baffling. Check out this article in Library Journal for a librarian's perspective.

The Future of Books and Reading

Check out this panel discussion on the future of books and reading: http://www.futureofeducation.com/forum/topics/panel-discussion-on-the-future.

PDF Booklet Creator

"

BookletCreator - create a booklet from any PDF document via kwout

"

Department Meeting, May 20, 2009

We had a productive meeting:
1. We finalized database selections. Cara will look at Soundzabound to see if we should add to it.
2. We agreed to update our periodicals lists and send them to Delores.
3. I will arrange to have the summer reading partnership flyers translated.
4. We will follow up when mailed overdue notices are returned to us.
5. We picked up the summer reading baskets and will put them on display to entice summer reading participants.
6. We confirmed our training session for Discovery Education (June 1, 8:30-10:30, BOCES, 1 Merrick Ave.)
7. We will distribute UPL censorship exhibit literature.
8. Our final meeting for the school year will be on June 25, location TBA.

Newer Professional Books!

Today's School Library

A movie is definitely worth 1,000+ words:
http://henrico.k12.va.us/hcpstv/vv_library.html

Learning4Life from AASL

NPR Library Blog

NPR has a library blog. Check it out:

"

NPR: As A Matter Of Fact via kwout

"

An interesting take on creativity and copyright in today's world

"

Larry Lessig says the law is strangling creativity Video on TED.com via kwout

"

Library of Congress is on You Tube!

YouTube - LibraryOfCongress's Channel via kwout

If you see any videos you would like to make available to your students, submit the url to me and I'll post it on the SafeVideos site.

Department Meeting, March 18, 2009

1. Summer Reading update—Public Library Partnership and In-District Program

2. Poetry Contest and Film Festival at the Uniondale Public Library
Deadline—March 20

3. NovelNY Databases--Grolier and ProQuest added as of 4/1

Go to http://novelnewyork.org/pressroom.php for a listing of the changes.

4. Professional/National Geographic Books

5. Curriki http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Main/SummerofContent
From the website: Do you have an instructional unit or course you’re proud of that you’d like to publish and get paid for? Interested in earning money this summer to develop a new unit that will be shared with a global audience? For our Summer of Content initiative, Curriki is soliciting elementary and middle school content in ELA, math, science, and social studies. Apply by April 15th, 2009.

6. Taking it Global--Participate in a community of global educators.
http://www.tigweb.org/tiged
From the website: TIGed provides rich, interactive learning experiences designed to improve students' global citizenship, critical thinking, and leadership skills, bringing the world to students and preparing students for the world! You can access existing projects, create a safe, interactive, virtual classroom, access online learning activities and resources.

7. Websites of note:
The Unquiet Library Blog http://theunquietlibrary.wordpress.com/
The Unquiet Library Wiki http://theunquietlibrary.wikispaces.com/
Google Apps in the Classroom http://www.google.com/a/edu/
HotChalk http://www.hotchalk.com/
Joyce Valenza Workshop http://joycevalenzaworkshop.wikispaces.com/
Speaking avatar http://www.voki.com/

New Professional Books!

AASL has new website

AASL has a new website. Check out the details at
http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=14378

and visit the site at http://www.aasl.org.

Department Meeting, February 25, 2009

1. New students and Follett. Is the sync working correctly?

2. I was relieved to see that there is a stay in the ruling concerning lead in books published prior to 1985. Check out http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2009/January2009/leadlawstayed.cfm for details. We would have an awful lot of weeding to do if this law is applied to libraries!

3. Summer Reading

I would like to update the list of recommended authors to include in our summer reading newsletter. Take a look at the one from last year (posted http://district.uniondaleschools.org/www/uniondaleschools/site/hosting/uniondalenyorg/Summer_Reading/summer%20reading%202008.pdf) and e-mail me your suggestions.

4. Carousel of Careers

We'll complete our project. Anyone interested in showcasing an online presentation? We could run it on a laptop without being present. Let's brainstorm ideas.

5. NSLS is moving to 1 Merrick Ave.

6. Discussion:
Heroes and Villains--What happens when a hero becomes a villain and we have titles about the individual prior to his/her unfortunate transformation? Read this article: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6632974.html

Websites of Note:

Flowgram http://www.flowgram.com
findingdulcinea.com http://www.findingdulcinea.com

Sweet Search http://www.sweetsearch.com
School Library Media Activities Blog http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/


Articles:
Learning with Wikis and Blogs
http://ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/feb09/vol66/num05/Learning_with_Blogs_and_Wikis.aspx
Dewey Decimal Sudoko http://www.schoollibrarymedia.com/articles/Montgomery2007v23n10.html
Impact as a 21st Century Library Media Specialist
http://www.schoollibrarymedia.com/articles/Creighton2008v24n7.html
What Are They Reading for Fun? http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6636538.html
That's Infotainment http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6632973.html
This article suggests software to create video tutorials. We can do this with Promethean software. If anyone is interested in learning how to do this, let me know. (Flowgram, website listed above, is another way to do this).

Department Meeting, January 21, 2009

Today we're going to create our contribution to the Collage of Careers event that is scheduled to take place on May 19. Be sure to bring any materials with you that you want to use. We have a collection of words for our "wordle", courtesy of Grand Avenue's fifth graders.

A reminder that the deadline is approaching for the winter edition of LITE Bytes. Please send your contributions to me or post them yourselves on the litebytes wiki (http://litebytes.wikispaces.com/). If you decide to post your article, let me know so I can prepare it for viewing.

Elementary librarians may be interested in Lookybook, a web 2.0 tool for sharing favorite picture books.

K-12 Instructional Media Center has links to websites to help students with their research and teachers with their professional development.

If you haven't looked at the Library of Congress website lately, take a look at the Learning Page, replete with resources for teachers.

Take some time to look through the National Plan for Implementation of Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and Guidelines for the School Library Media Program, courtesy of AASL. Acronymed L4L (Learning for Life), this implementation plan was created to support states, school systems, and individual schools preparing to implement the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. Forthcoming there will be guidelines for the school library media program.

Do you know about commoncraft, a free site for online video tutorials? I just watched one about RSS feeds and it cleared up any remaining confusion that lingered. Definitely worth a peek.

Leapfish is a new search engine with innovative features. Not quite the same as searchme (did you try it yet) but pretty powerful.

Follett Destiny

Mary and I are at a Follett Destiny user group meeting and we are learning!

We just made a change you might like. On the first screen of the catalog, students can search for Award Winners. In the field next to Search Award Winner, select New York. Then, place your cursor in the search box and hit enter. Voila! You will see the list of award winning titles your library holds, and I know you will be impressed.

You can also search for literary prize-winning titles. In the Search Award Winner field, scroll to the second choice, Literary Prizes, and in the bottom box, either leave it as "all" or select the prize you want to locate. Once again place your cursor in the search box, and hit the enter key.

We also made two discoveries. Well, actually one discovery and one reminder. Check out Library Bytes (no relation to our own LITE Bytes) and 23 Things.

Did you know you could add subjects to your Visual Search? Take a look at the high school library catalog, select Visual Search, and click on Famous People and then Barack Obama. If you're interested in learning how to do this, let Mary or me know. Alternatively, when you're logged on, you can go to help and do a search for Visual Search.

One more tip. When you're in help, you can do a search for "Quick" and you'll get a list of all the tipsheets that are available.