Friday, July 31, 2015

Babies Need Words

   The Assocation for library Services for Children ( ALSC) has launched  a new campign called Babies Need Words Everyday.  The Campaign kicks off with free resources that offer parents and caregivers fun ways to help improve their  child's language and learning.

    The resources can be customized and printed out. There are posters, booklets, and a media kid which can be printed. There are  also talking points for librarians, and letter templates for letters to the editor and potential community partnerships. Display them in your library, at your children's programs, and in local businesses  and in other public community places.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Victory for School Students & their libraries

   In early July, the Reed- Cochran Amendment was passed by the US Senate.  The Reed - Cochran  Amendment will help save and expand school libraries in every state  in the US.  It will authorize school  districts  to use ESSA  ( Elementary & Secondary Ed. Act)  funds to develop and maintain effective school library programs  with certified librarians at the core of the program.

 The amendment has the backing of the Senate's Health , Education, Labor & Pensions committee.
 The senate voted 98-0 in favor of this bill.

   This win is important , but the work is not over yet. The bill has to be discussed on the Senate floor , then a senate vote and then it goes to  the house.  Then a conference committee will be appointed to resolve disagreements to arrive at a bill that all is in favor of.  Go Libraries!

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Book Review- To Kill a MockingBird

Written in the mid 1950's Go Set a Watchhman is the sequel to to Kill a Mockingbird.    In this novel by Harper Lee, Scout is 26 and returning to Maycombe, Alabama .   She goes back yearly for her 2 week vacation from her job in New York city.

  Jean Louise ( Scout ) returns to find her Father Atticus, and her boy friend Hank (  the boy who  Atticus  took under his wing) , and the town in a bit of  political turmoil.   The negro/ white situation is tense 

  Hank wants to marry Jean Louise, she keeps putting him off. Jean louise  loves Hank but can't see herself living in Maycombe.  Memories  of her childhood ( which are taken from  To Kill A Mockingbird)  keep flooding back. 

  This is a moving story about Scout's journey  into adulthood. The writing is not as polished  as Harper's famous book.Sometimes the transitions  from past to present are not always  easy to discern.  It was hard at times to keep track of where Scout was in time.

  The characters are well developed . The setting helps show the tensions and how the people lived in Maycombe.  

 So this is a story of Scout,  the people who love her, and her hometown.  Without To Kill A Mockingbird this story would   not really make sense.  

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Professional Development- the easy way

   You can do some professional development and learn a new skill without a lot of traveling by using lynda.com.  This is an online  subscription  that teachers  librarians  through high quality instructional videos taught  by leaders in the library industry .
   There are more than 1,400   training video   in a broad range of subjects : business skills, web design,  and development. You can watch an enitire course or a single tutorial  .Watch as you need  and at your own pace.

  Our system  provides  us access to  this service and I am looking  forward to doing some of my required 3 workshops this year.

Friday, July 17, 2015

E Books For Teens- Summer Reading

Overdrive , which is our suppliers of e books on our library website, is teaming up wiht SYNC to offer two Ya aduio books each week that readers can keep. They will offer a current Ya titles and a classic or a required reading summer title.

  When you sign up for a email or text alert you can be the first to know when the  titles are available to download.

  This year some of the classics are: Great expectations, Dracula, Adventures of Huckleberry Fin , and Around the World in 80 days.  The selections are designed to pair with school  and library reading programs but all ages are sure to love them as well. A toolkit  with posters to promote the program is available on the SYNC website.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

FREE Library Lesson!

This lesson will be here FREE for a short time only and then will be for sale on TeacherPayTeachers. Join here at the Organized librarian to be up to date for the next free lesson! Each one I will place for free before I put on TeacherPayTeachers.  

      Library Lessons With The Midnight Librarian


     The Midnight Librarian by Kazuno Kohara (Roaring Book Press, 2014) is a great read aloud for introducing students in Kindergarten and First Grade to the library.   Use it  at the beginning of the year or any time  to review.  


 Read the story  aloud to the students.   Discussion questions can be asked  at the end 0f the story or at occasions where students can use text and illustration cues to answer the questions.


  1. What do the animals do in the library? ( p3-4)
  2. What was the correct behavior in the reading room? (P5-6)
  3. Was there a hole in the roof?
  4. Was it raining in the library?
  5. Why was the wolf crying?
  6. What jobs did the librarian do in the library?
  7. What jobs did the owl assistants do in the library?
  8. How did the little librarian help the tortoise?
  9. How is the library in the book different from our library?
  10. What do you think are some good library manners ?


Answer key:
  1. read books
  1. Correct behavior- being quiet
  2. NO there was not a hole in the roof.
  3. NO it was not raining
  4. The wolf was crying because the book was sad.
  5. help animals pick a perfect book, put away books
  6. she made him a card so he could borrow books.
  7. answers will vary
  8. Answers will vary: be quiet, put books away,


Word Puzzle - The Midnight Librarian


Word Bank:  Librarian, Instruments, Yawn, Rain, Assistant, Read, borrow


1. Person who helps find the perfect book   L _ _ r_ _  _ _ _


2.what the squirrels played                            I _ _ t _ _ m_ _ _ _


3.Tortoise was allow to  take book                b _  _ _ o _


4.What  the animals did  in the library           r _ _ d


5.One who helped the librarian                     a _ _ i _ _ _ _


6.when the wolf cried                                      r _ _ _


7, owls did after story & fell asleep               y _ _ n


Answer Key


  1. Librarian
  2. Instruments
  3. Borrow
  4. Read
  5. Assistant
  6. Rain
  7. Yawn

Matching ( terms and definitions) The Midnight Librarian


Copy  this page  ( Make several copies)  and  cut apart. Glue onto cards Have two  or three students work together to match terms.  This can be also done during  time when there are students who are finished with book check out or are not checking out books. Make a easy check by  placing on the back  books!  on the cards that go together.


          Place where all  the  books are

           reads you good books
                Library assistants

            lets you borrow books
                Library behavior

            being quiet and respectful


                 Librarian
                Library
                Library cards

  take a book home and then bring it back.
                  borrow

      Helps put books away
Answer key on back of
place where all the books are - Library               B
library assistant- helps put books away               o  (1)
library behavior- being quiet and respectful      o ( 2)
Librarian- reads  you good books                            k
library cards- lets you borrow books                       s
borrow -take a book home & bring it back            !

The Midnight Librarian


Sequence  Game  : Students can work in pairs to put the following cards or strips of paper in the right order after listening to the story.  After everyone is done,  you can review as a class or have another pair at the table check work.


Animals  come at night to the library to read
                                                           
                                                                                         
The Tortoise can finish his book.


The Little Librarian reads to the owls as they fall asleep.


Little Librarian & her three owl  assistants help find the perfect book.


The Little librarian asks “Please be quiet in the reading room”


The Little Librarian takes the squirrels to the activity room.


The Little Librarian makes the tortoise a  library card.


It starts to rain inside the library.


The little librarians and her assistants read to the wolf.




Bands of squirrels play music looking for a good song.

Other Books Written and Illustrated  by Kazuno Kohara


Here Comes Jack Frost /Roaring Book Press, 2009


Ghosts in the House/ Roaring Book Press,2012


Little Wizard/Pan Macmillan,, 2011


The Haunted House/ Macmillan Children's Books, 2008


Susan Pierce Couture is a career librarian ,  with experience in both public and school libraries.  Currently , she is a branch manager in a public library system.  You can  connect with her at her blog  : TheOrganizedLibrarian. blogspot.com

Friday, July 10, 2015

Career Services At the Public Library

    What kinds of services do you have at your public library for those seeking jobs?  Most libraries have some kind of assistance  for job hunters. At our library , we have  a valuable resource - our computer expert also provides career counseling on a one on one basis. She works with patorns who are looking for  work.
     The other service  she provides  is  she holds two workshops a month. One is on interviewing skills with many tips and hints on how to  have a successful interview.  Her other class is a resume class, where  she walked participants through what a good resume should have.  During these sessions , she also provides  many tips and hints  on being successful in the job hunt today.

  We also have printed information out for job seekers, and our data bases are also very helpful!
We also have computer classes that help patrons get up to speed on their technology skills that may be needed  for many jobs today.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Literacy Calendar

     The New York State Library has a website DayByDayNY for families with young children.  It is part of an early literacy program initiative called Read to Read at New York Libraries.
       The site was designed for use by families across NY State. It has am interactive calendar to help young children develop a love of books and learning that will last a life time.
       Multi media is used to enhance books , songs, and health issues resources. Even just a few minutes a day spent together using this calendar  can  give families quality time that  is both educational and enjoyable!