Library Web Page-What is on it?

  I think it is a good idea to periodically check  your Library Web Page. 

1. Are all the links working?  Check the databases or  give student helpers a job and check them. Check other links as well. Sometimes students or teachers may tell you, but more than likely they will just turn to something else on the page or go to Google. 

2. How does the catalog look? is is up to date-sometimes just changing the background if you can , will grab some more attention.

3.If you have a place for comments or questions, check those at least weekly. Or if you have a place for student comments, that needs to be checked.( Glogster, Library Blog, ect)

4. If you have a review section, add reviews weekly. Some catalogs let students review which is a great tool.

5. If you use Google Classroom- make sure it is linking up correctly and looks right.

Update your library web page!

  How often do you update your library page? What exactly should you update?

  1.If you do a lot of collaboration with teachers and student then you need to do quite a bit. Whenever you work with students, try to add/ edit a livebinder or a curated list of sites for them to use.

 2, Update links/ websites for students to use in projects - check links to be sure they are working and up to date.( eliminate old ones and look for new ones)

 3. Additional resources- add links for staff to use for their information , or teaching resources

 4. Add your newsletter if you do one.

 5. Add Book recommendations ( what the librarian is reading - or have kids do this with reviews

 6. Information about what is happening at the library

 7. Publicize new resources

 8. Add links for student recommendations   to books if you have a section on that.

Library Webpage and your Calendar

   I wrote a while ago on what you should have on your library webpage.  At the middle school level, I am finding that I update my webpage probably at least once a week.

  Each time a class reserves the library or my time for inquiry, research, or project based learning, I put the scheduled classes on my library calendar (and in my plan book). Also each time there is a department meeting or a professional development day at the library I put that in also. The other thing I put on the library calendar art e book clubs, and any other special actives that are held in the library.

  The Calendar is  important to my page because   teachers and students can see  what is going on in the library, and if the library might be available to use.

Blogs for School Book Clubs

  I am going to create a blog for our school book clubs . I think I am deciding on  having two blogs (but am not sure yet) , one for 7th grade and one for 8th grade. 

 What I want students to be able to do is to leave comments on the books  they are reading within in the  group.  This will also allow between meetings   a way for students to bounce around question and ideas   about the story. Perhaps at the end , also creating a readers guide for the book When they are finished  we might even be able ( big wish) to get the author ot comment to questions! 

 Students may also bounce around ideas for titles  for the next month . They can suggest titles and we can vote on it when the  book is finished. 

 Use of the blog for the book group will allow for a constructivist   tool for he student  to  build their interest and ideas. Hopefully  this will encourage more independent reading by the students in the group. I am hoping to have it open to all students in the school and this will perhaps more students to joining the book groups! 

National LIbrary Card Month- September

September is National Library Card sign up month.  Now is a good time to start planning how to get the word out to the community members.  They probably do not realize how many resources and programs can be found at their local library!
  September is also a good time to remind parents that the library is a big help to students in their educational life.  Snoopy ( from the Peanuts comic strip) is the promotional characrer this year.  To learn more and get access to some promotional material ( Proclamation, graphics, ect) visit the ALA website.

Top Library Technologies- Library databases

  Today , one of the most essential tools that library's  offer to patrons is the libraries databases!  Researchers  and information seekers use these to find facts they need, facts they want, and items to further their positions  or their education.

   Databases offer a way to provide information that is accurate and up to date. Hopefully  your website will have easy accessibility to the data bass. You and your   staff may also want to provide classes on using the data bases. All of your staff should be at least familiar  wtith the data bases  and know the availability  on the site  for patrons use.

  Our site has the data bases grouped under tabs:  general, news, science & health, business, history, language and literature, & a tab specifically for students and children. We also have electronic  journals with academic and  specific  focus.

More Information needs of the Community

Communities libraries also provide local business with needed information: statistic, addresses, legal information, and computer assistance classes.

   Individuals also can be provided with career counseling, resume update, and interview skills,.  Students also have their "work" and need help with assignments,research, and computer tasks. They also may require data bases, and guidance in locating  homework sites, information,, and  other required  tasks.

  Finally , Readers Advisory (direct & indirect)  : Patrons may just want a good Book to read!! Librarians and clerks who are readers can provide assistance and recommendation in this area.

 So Public libraries are very much an important part of the community. We must keep up with community wants and needs. We must seek to provide what the community and our patrons want and need . In doing  so we become a vital and important part of the community and will be seen as a community hub.

Community Information needs- Public library resources & programs

    Libraries provide information for people who live and work in the community.  So we need a variety of resources , and an understanding of the kinds of questions and resources that our patrons may need. A lot of people expect to find their answers at the library or the library 's website!
   
   Patrons may be seeking many different facets of information.  For example , product information, : before making a major purchase, many want to find out the quality and features of a product. This can be done at the library through journals or different website searches.,

   Health information is also a big need by  many.  Patrons want information on how to stay healthy, diet and exercise books and magazines, information on medical conditions and lifestyle choices,

 Patrons also need to learn about their communities, and their county's government and their representatives. They may need to contact then for help or to become part of the decision making process.

  How to do it- Patrons like to attain knowledge to do it themselves.  They can learn car repair, baking and cooking, fixing household items and building use items.   How to books and sources are one of the most attractive items to patrons using the library.

  Patrons also use the library for personal enrichment.  They want to read for pleasure , play online games, check favorite websites, enjoy special library programs and gather with like minded  groups of people.

Essentials for a Public Library Website

     What should a website for a Public Library include?    First of all think about your patrons ( children, teens, adults, and    senior citizens) . What do they need to get from your site? How can you draw them in to get them to use resources and bring them into the library?

   Does your site provide patrons with an accurate picture of what your library is all about?  A public library should focus on resources and programs.

     A good site will show case what a books, resources, and services the library provides  So of course one of the primary items should be the online catalog.  Information here can also allow patrons to request items and place them hold.

   Additionally ,  there could be having easy links to the library's databases . Information can be given on  what to do if patrons are accessing the databases at home.

   Also have in a calendar or a listing  of programs . Our public library has a link to the calendar  which shows all the special programs and events ( book discussions, poetry nights, game nights, story hours, book sales computer classes, ect)

   How about electronic books and magazines? Have  a link with directions on how to download and then also items available. Information on terms of loan and how to request should also be available. Some libraries have Zinio and magazines can be downloaded for patrons to read on tablets.

    Additional tabs or pages could be the basics: driving directions, contact us, about us, board of directors and their minutes,  new arrivals( books, DVD's videos), newsletters,  and library news.

    Last but not least, what kind of fun things can you include?  Do you gave photographs of  patrons using the libraries resources? How about photos / videos of special programs, and classes ( think story hour, kids program, discussion groups, poetry slams, ect.) Put them interspersed around the site or prepare a slide show  that patrons can watch.

    Make  your public library website a place where patrons can find out all that is going on at your library!

Technology Tools & Websites

       I spent the morning at the dentist with my husband. He had to have two teeth taken out - Ouch!!  Now that's that is done his mouth should feel better.  Check out  my new page- Technology tools/ Websites. I will update it several times a month. Right now I am putting links on  that I discussed in the summer blogs.  I hope this is helpful to the techies - instead of pulling up old blogs you can just go right there and see the  links and  go straight to them.   Let me know what you think.
    Good day to be off- the sun is shining and it is pleasantly warm out. 

What we need for our students - Part 1 & 2

 How do you use Blogs or Wiki's in your school and in your library?  How do you and your teachers  use these tools to get students more engaged and interested in learning?  Blogging , I think , is more appropriate for students in the younger grades because  the teacher/ librarian is in control  and has to  approve the comments. This works very well for book discussions, comments and questions about specific events in history,  student writing in response to a prompt / book/ poem.   Please share any ways that you and your staff use blogs with your students.

First Grade- collaborative lesson!

I had my intro class with my First grade class. I went into the room and set up our library's web page. The steps to get to the Data base was shown . Students were also told that if they had computer and internet they could get here from home. Log in was completed, and then students were shown how to select there level. On the main search page, one student was asked what his animal was. Then we did some " higher level thinking" to figure out what we should click on to find that animal.

We then looked and found the animal in the list and clicked on that . Students were shown the different headings. Students were also shown a graphic organizer that I had developed for them to fill in. The students were also shown the side where they could print out a labeling chart of the animal.

On the smart board we went back to the Main search page, and did some more higher order thinking to figure out where some of the other students might click on to find their animal.
Tomorrow the students will come to my library - in two groups- and work on my bank of computers. We will have two adults beside myself that will be able to assist with the task of finding facts on their animal!

Great Website!

I just discovered this website/ wiki for librarians! It has many ideas for lessons that you can read, print out and use. I just found that I will do with K-2 graders for a book I always use at the beginning of school : A fine , Fine School by Sharon Creech.
I will comment on lessons that I use. Let me know if you use any lessons and how they went. I am excited to use more of the information on this site.

fcpslibrary.wikispaces.com

Picture Book Month- November

November is Picture Book Month. I found this wonderful site that has interviews of authors and others on why they love picture books. I love picture books too because they offer everyone a quick read and so much can be done with them. Besides reading them to the younger students, they can be used in so many ways with older students. I will try to give you some of my ideas during the month.
Check out this link: PictureBookMonth

What do you do with picture books??

Your Library website

Your Library Website
What should you have on your website? As 21st century librarians we need to have a web presence so that students can use some of your resources even when they are not in the actual school library.This is called your Virtual Library.

Hopefully your library website will link up to your schools webpage. By now you may have your blog up and running. So what else should you have on your site?

It is very important is your a link to your online card catalog. This way students can be in the classroom or at home and be checking out what books or resources you have available.

Another item you will want to have will be your online databases and perhaps also links to your statewide resources online that are available
for students to use. If you have links from your local region ( in NY we have area BOCES which provide for us several great databases for teachers and students to use) .

Do you have selected sites that students use in the computer lab or library? These are also great to have on your site so that students can easily connect to them. Most of ours are under a PortaPortal which I as the librarian maintain. This is an easy site to update any where you have internet service.
What is portaportal? A Portaportal is a free, server based bookmarking utility. Watch here for a link ! Using this helps students get to recommended sites quickly!

Selected Sites to Use for your Virtual Library!
1. www.blogger.com/tour- check this out. It will give you a tour and help you get started on your blog.

Copyright 2011- No duplication without permission of author.