Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Wired Wednesday- Technology Tools

     I have  found some great sites that provide book reviews on a regular basis.   Since most of these blogs are librarians , and book lovers ,I have found that they are great ways to stay current with some of the great new books. It is actually more fun to read these reviews because you know that they are having a great time with all their reading.

http://mrsnthebookbug.blogspot.com/


 This site is maintained by an elementary school librarian and is a great site in general.  She has a list of books that she is reading running along the left hand side.  On each book is a link to her GOODREADS site.  She does a   Monday What are you reading  post which always has some interesting books. She also has some great Freebies you might want to check out.




http://thebooksmugglers.com/
                      This site is run by tow booklovers who love to read, ( and write reviews).  They give straight review and opinions about books .  Also they provide a monthly newsletter that you can subscribe to.  In the newsletter they give a listing of books they will cover in the month. They have a great rating system for the books they read.
                     Most of the reviews are YA and science fiction . This will be a good source for the YA and teen librarians.



http://librarygals.blogspot.com/


This blog is a collaborative blog written by a group of librarians and other blogging friends. Each Monday they have reviews and comments on books (It’s Monday-What are you Reading?) that they are reading. It is very cool to get comments and insights and enthusiasm from this group and also find some great reads as well.  



 

Monday, February 25, 2013

Creating Goals to align to Mission statements

      Now that your mission statement is done, the next step is to create goals. These goals will explain in detail how you will accomplish your mission statement.   Your goals should be measurable and observable,  as to the activities , tasks, programs,  and  lessons ,  so the documentation that they produce will be available to your administration or board. 

       Goals are specific items that you will do on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to accomplish your mission.   So take your mission and then think about what you will do to accomplish   this mission. So what will you do each day to further your mission?  These can be your goals /objectives.

      Another wise choice for goals is to attach a time frame in which the goals will be achieved.  Like your mission statement, your goals or objectives , should follow along with your organization mission.

     These goals will be useful when  you are planning what items you will do each day. So write them down and even have them posted so that you accomplish your goals and missions.

Friday, February 22, 2013

More Games in the Library

  No I have not completed all the ways to use games and gaming in the school and public library.

There are a few more ways that I have used homemade games to help reinforce library skills.

1.Learning and Reading Call numbers. After teaching a unit on call numbers , challenge students to
   A) Use riddles and puzzles to have students guess the topic of a book with a certain call number. Have a scavenger hunt for students to locate books with certain call numbers

2. After a lesson on using the online card catalog have students  find a particular took using in few keyword, a call number, authors names, or other location type . Younger students can work in pairs to accomplish this game.

3.  Provide a trail of questions and clues that students solve( of course using the library resources)


4. Have students find  fascinating facts or items of general knowledge.

Articles &Advocacy: Resources

  Teen Librarian

http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2011/11/game-on-your-library.html

Talking Points about Gaming in Libraries

 http://gaming.ala.org/resources/index.php?title=Advocacy





Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Technology Tools- Wired Wednesday

    The site of the week is   http://wonderopolis.org/


         Wonderopolis, a program provided  by the National Center for Family Literacy,. This  engages  students to  become more educated in a natural way. The power of discovery is strong . Young people love to discover  and this site will  give them engaging questions.

     Each day there is a wonder of the day. They answer the question and then go into further details. There are videos, photos, vocabulary and even activities to go with each wonder. Students and teachers and readers of the site can nominate a wonder also, Which will really get the students thinking.  . All in all a very interesting site!! Check it out!


        Wonderopolis  has thousands of free educational resources for parents , teachers and students to use in  and out of the classroom. Teachers can also  sign up for free  online  or face to face training to learn how to make the most of Wodneropolis and Thinkfinity.   Financial support for Wonderopolis is provided by the Verizon Foundation;  and Wonderopolis is a member of Verizon Thinkfinity.


For Presidents Week/Month:

classroomhelp..com/lessons/Presidents/index.html

bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/government/natinal/executive.html.




Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Library Missions and Goals

         Yesterday we spent the day checking out new towers and laptops. I think we picked the one that we will get, so at least now that  is over. We sometimes have a hard time making a decision on new technology because there is SO MUCH out there. It would be easier if there were not so many choices.

        Now that you have your mission statement, post it !   Type out in bold letters ( I use a slide from Power point)  . Then I printed and placed it where every staff and patron can see it.   I also would put one in my office ( if I had one ).

        Why should you do this? Well it lets you and your staff and your patrons know what you do and why you do it.  Glancing at this during your work day will also help you stay focused on what is really important to you and your library.   Stop and think about your mission when you start a new project and see if  the new project aligns with your mission and goals.

      Say "NO "or "Let me think about it "when some asks you to do something that does not go along with your mission. You don't want to ignore library duties and responsibilities to do something that will not further your mission and goals.
    
      Having missions and goals will help you  get more done each day.    The goal for this week is to finish and post your mission. Any one want to share ? or need help? Let us know!!

      Then if you have time- work on your goals!!  

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Wired Wednesday - Technology Tools

     I found some  a few more sites that  have library games , so I am continuing on this same thread.  If I find any others I will give them to you.

Quia Library skills comes from St Joesph's Elementary school,  and has quite a bit of items that can be used with students. Check them out before  you use them to make sure they are age and skill appropriate.  There are so many links on here.There are many you will be able to use  with students and for online games to improve skills and just have fun.
http://library.stjosephsea.org/quia.htm


  WartGames has many many games. Again I would suggest before letting students go wild with this you should preview and select which games you want students to use. Perhaps put them in a Pota Portal so that students go directly to the game you want them to do.

 http://www.wartgames.com/










Tuesday, February 12, 2013

March Bulletin Boards

  I am thinking about March  ( hoping it gets here soon).     There are several special reasons to highlight different days in March on your bulletin boards. So let's see what we can do.

 Spring into Reading- Flowers, insects, book jackets with titles of spring like books,

 St. Patricks Day- Every Day is a lucky day for reading.
                              Reading is Golden
                              Books to Treasure


Fly high With Reading- kites with book titles blowing in the sky

 Catch the reading Bug!

March- Women's History Month

Dr. Seuss- Read Across America

Monday, February 11, 2013

Gaming in the library

  I just am having fun thinking of how we can use games and gaming in the library to encourage use of the library and let the students enjoy learning new skills .   So I am  continuing this thread. I hope you are enjoying it also.  What have you done with your students as far as making games to reinforce skills you have taught? Have you  made any games to actually introduce a specific task or activity?  I would love to hear about it.!!
 Here are  some more ideas for self made games tailored to your library.

 1.  Use games that require research as part of  or as a culmination of a research unit.  This game could require use of both print or online resources .  If you use both the students /patrons will have a lot of fun with it.
 2. If you are in a school , use games that support the curriculum. There are many games that support the  math, history, and science, Use the ones that are at your students age and ability level.

3.  Have  a treasure hunt with clues hidden on certain pages of books,or at different sections of the library. Use each clue to lead the students to the next clue.  Remember to offer prizes.

4. A competition  of dress up as a  book character- some schools use this around  /or instead of a Halloween celebration.

5. A competition for students and patrons to draw and design posters , bookmarks, and art work.
   

Friday, February 8, 2013

Games in the Library - you make

         There are so many ways that games can be used in the  library. Here are just a few that I have either made and used, thought up, saw in a book or on the Internet.
      Make it your self:


    1. Take cards and make a "Find  the book in the library Game" So Easy to do.

       Take 3 by 5 cards . Make a game for each section of the library: Write down with permanent marker  call numbers with letters for the students to find.   Try to make a lot for each section so that many students can play at once. This is great to do especially after you have introduced the section and how to find  the type of books.   I have made these for Fiction, Non-fiction and Biography, Easy section and easy non-fiction  section. The kids love to do this and think they are really playing a game.

  2. Treasure Hunt /Map game.

     Make a map of your library. Leave out  all the labels. Make another sheet with items to find. I number each one. Tell the students to write the number of each item on the place where they find it in the library. Younger students can work in pairs if you like.
   Items to have them find: Circulation desk, computers, fiction  section, non-fiction section, biography's, reference, tables and chairs  story time area, ect.

 3. Genre Bingo- At the end of the year use this to  review or as a culminating activity.  Make a playing card with Genres or Bingo across the top. In each block, write a genre . Give at least one free token, and you can also include  and non-fiction / reference in this game.  Students can work in groups or singly.  Tell or show titles, they must figure out what genre  and place a marker on the correct spot.   You may also discuss what the genre should be , and may want to check when someone announces BINGO.  Have small prizes for this one.

 4. Dewey Bingo: Similar to Genre Bingo. In the boxes  place Dewey categories and numbers. Show or tell titles of books in your library.  Discussion of what category may be needed, Have small prizes.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Wired Wednesday - Technology Tools

http://www.librarygames.com/

    I found this site and had to use it this week when I am discussing games and gaming in the library.  It is really a great site and it has a lot to offer.  There are lots of free activites and games to help make the library a really fun place to be.  There are tabs - some which are clickable- Funbaraian, Fun Workshops, Activities, Books and Games,
   At the bottom of the page there are links to many different items that can help make your library a really fun and learning place. I can't guarantee it will be quite  but the students will love to come to the library and use the library for all their learning and reading. So check this out and I am sure you will find something fun and useful.


http://www.librarygames.com/

Monday, February 4, 2013

Educational Games in the Library

         You probably have been  reading about gaming in the library. This is reaalivey new topic  that has been discussed on and off with the pros and cons of  using different games in the library.   Of course , there are many library games that librarians have been making and using for many years.
       When I first started doing games in the library, I was in a Middle school setting and I use the games to reinforce  skills that had been taught.  These were simple games that  did not take long to produce and the studnets enjoyed doing .
       Now gaming has taken a new slant, and librarians , both public , and school are having more formal games of many differnt kinds in the library.  The obvious are board games that the students do for fund . My local public library has a chess night  twice a month, and I hear it is quite successful.  
      Games in the library  pro0mote both fun in the library and also promote learning.  This leads us to the notion that libraries are not alway considered  quiet and boring. The key  with games and gaming will be to balance  study and reading with fun activites that inspire and stimulate.
       So hear is a good discussion for librarians everywhere: Do you have/ do games in your library?   What are they  ?  How do you monitor when the games are played?

      Future blogs will cover some more ideas on games and gaming in the library- perhaps latter in the week. Let me hear your thoughts on games and gaming.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Mission Statement and goals

                        If you are done writing your mission statement, you should probably have  4  sentences at the most.  Any thing longer will not be as effective. Now you will be thinking: " What do I do on a daily basis to  help fulfill this mission?"    You can think about what your goals will be . 
                       Goals explain in detail  what you will do to accomplish your daily operations.  Goals are specific.  But be sure that your goals are measurable and  you will know when they are accomplished.  Goals need to be proven.  There can be documentation that each goal is met. There should be  a change  from the beginning  of the year to the end.  This might be a list  of  activities, statistics, and programs that you have  done over the course of the year. 
                  So by now  I am hoping that your mission statement is at least a tickle in the back of your mind. Any one wishing to share their mission and goals?? I am looking forward to seeing some of them.