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

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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

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Find a Book with Lexile via kwout

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Create book lists by Lexile level.

Reading Lists for Animal Lovers

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

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Stop Watch Tool

Great tool for keeping track of precious seconds--or minutes.
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Online Stopwatch via kwout

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Food for thought about our libraries and our practice.

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

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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

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BookletCreator - create a booklet from any PDF document via kwout

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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