Technology Tools- Wired Wednesday

    Snow Day today!!!  We have about  4 inches - not to bad! 
    Today I want to talk about Thinkfinity!  I was looking at my blog notes and way surprised that I had not yet written about it.   ThinkFinity   is   supported by the Verizon Foundation ( and some partners- AAAS, NCTM, Smithsonian, National Geographic) and is a lesson plan data base. There are may free lesson plan data bases  but this one is heads and shoulders above the rest. 
    Educators who join ( which is free) can collaborate through groups, blogs, and discussions.  They can share resources and  explore best practices  in teaching and learning.  The star of this site however is  the lessons which are digital resources  for students in K-12. They are interesting, engaging, and aligned to state standards and the common core.
    Check this out and show your staff. I think  you will find it very helpful and interesting.!

Common Core Standards and School Librarians

      On Friday I wrote about Librarians , CCS , and literature/ fiction texts.  But the main push of the CCS is the need for students to read and understand  increasinlgy complex non-fictionand informational  texts.  As librarians we need to supplement teachers and classrooms witgh more non-fiction, and informational texts.  Each classroom can not possibly have or afford the amout of informational needs  of its studdents.

     We need to provide Scienc, Math, and Social  Studies  books and passages that will help students become  more able to comprehend the  increasingly difficult books.  We need to find out/ become aware of the content areas and what the teachers are doing. Essentaily, school librarians  will become integrated into each classes currcuilum  to help students and teachers make connedtions among the learning in each area.
       Begin to take a leadership role in your school . If you have yet , learn each grade levels curriculum, Provide resources  ,and assistance   so the students will become career and college ready.
 

Common Core Standards and School Librarians

    I received a question just the other day about my book pass article  in Library Sparks and what CCS that activity would be related to . So I really started to think about the CCS and how they fit into the library program .
    Reading is at the core of the ELA common core standards, so really most of the standards go along with the library program of reading readiness for college- even in the youngest grades.  Each and every book that students read will help them on their way to becoming better readers.
  As librarians we build collections for students to read for pleasure - we have story hours, read alouds, reading incentives, and use award lists to promote the best books.

  As students read they are also gaining confidence  in pulling out main ideas, parts of the story  characters, plot, and  story curve.  The standards give some great examples of stories, poetry  and drama that apply the range of reading text types.
  We need to be aware and know the CCS and be an advocate  to administration , teachers, parents, and students that school librarians are at the core of learning within  the standards.  When you dive into the standards for you state, you will begin to see the important job we need to do to help students in all areas.

Wired Wednesday- Technology Tools

    I just discovered this and I am  really excited to share it with you.   Teacher Tube is similar to  YouTube . It is a video sharing site meant for educators and studnets to use.. It is designed to allow those in the educational industry, particularly teachers, to share  vidoes that they have  produced and used in their classrooms. You really have to dive right in and search some of the awesome videos they have.
   Once you are in you will see that on the right hand side you can sharpen your searches. There are video, audio, and collections which can be  used by classes and groups. Check this out and see if you can use it - I am sure that your staff will love it! 




http://teachertube.com/

Managing magazines in libraries- part two

      As mentioned in the previous blog, we are discussing how libraries manage magazines.   Many libraries both school and public  libraries circulate magazines . There are a couple ways to do this of course.
     One would be to simply have cards and write the title, month, and year at the top. When the borrower wants the magainie , he/she would just sign  the card. Then file it and when returned cross off the name.
      In our computer world there is also the tech way. If you do not have a large circulating magazine collection, one way would be to place a bar code on a card . When a patron wants a magazine , simply scan the card under the persons name and then add ( on the fly as many circ programs have the capability) the title and month/year of the magazine.   When returned , just scan in and keep the card for the next time a magazine is wanted.
      The other tech way which is more labor intensive but easier in the long run would be to place on each magazine a barcode and put the information into the computer when it arrives. In that way the  person at the circ desk can just scan it and the patron/ student is good to go.  Again on check in- just scan the magazine and return to the magazine shelf.

Managing magazines in libraries- part One

         How do you manage your magazines?? Do you let them circulate? Do you hold them for reading in the  library?
      There are many questions and differences of attack in the circulation and storing of magazines.  Also now that the computer age is here, many have done away with many of the issues of magazines .
        But Patrons and students like the magazines , and they do get read.  Many students come in and just want to read the papers and look at the magazines.  More and more families do not receive magazines and newspapers at home .
        One way to go is to  not let them circulate and have them be read in the library during open hours. This may be the easiest to do. Check in the magazines when they arrive , put on a couple of  prpperty stamps., arrange them on the shelves, and straighten them at the end of the day.
         If you chose this route- you many find that some just happen to"walk" out the door.  Yes, the most popular ones will be not in good shape.  But that will be the case in either option of holding or circulating.
        Another plan for magazines is one that many schools and public libraries do with their magazines. They hold the current monthly issue and let the back issues  go out. This seems to work well for the most part.
         If you  decide to circulate your back issues the next problem is how to go about it?  There are several different ideas here. One is to simply write down on a card the title of the magazine, issue/month and year, and place the borrowers name on  the card. File by date due. When the item is returned - cross out or erase the name of the borrower.
        Save the Card for use if some on else wants the same issue-  These cards could be made up ahead of time so they would be  at the ready when a patron wants to borrow a magazine
         What do you do with your magazines?  What are your issues with magazines?

Technology Tools- Wired Wednesday

         Happy New Year to all!  Is everyone back in the swing of things yet?   I was really sick for almost the whole week of Christmas so I am slowly getting around and getting back to library world.  ( I knew I was sick when I could not even sit in front of the computer!!
        I have found some great  slide shows to use in my classes on Slideshare.net.   Check out this resource and share with your staff.   There are many many slide shows on here that can be used by anyone who has registered.    Comments can also be posted about the slide shows.
        If you have a presentation you want to share you can also place it on here  and the slide show can be seen  and used my many.  Anyone who need the topic you have completed can  use your  presentation  for their students.


SlideShare