January Library Bulletin Boards

 So here are some ideas that I have used in January.
 
    Let's read til we get snowed under-  snowflakes with book titles in the center. Blue sky in background. Bottom can be a silhouette of the town or school building.

   Sink into winter reading-  student/ teacher in a cozy chair reading, book jackets surrounded the chair.

   Hibernate with a good book- bears reading ( in a cave or in the snow)

  "READBOX"-  a redbox( movie rental)  with titles around that align with popular

The Button War- Book Review

 Set during WWI , in a Polish village,is where the boys Button War starts. Seven boys who hang out together agree that the guy with the best button will be the Button King.
  The competition is fierce. Jurek  decides He will be the king, just because he thinks he is the best. Patryk and the others don't want him to win. Most of the them don't like the idea , but they don't want Jurek  to be the king, he is a bit of a bully.
  So they steal buttons form the soldiers wash line, and then begin  cutting them off dead bodies of the soldiers as the fight between the Germans and the Russians escalates.
  Jurek will do anything to be the Button King. The game becomes more and more dangerous. Patryk keeps on with the challenge  because he doesn't want Jurek to win, the others agree. The war torn village loses families to death and those so scared they leave. And still Jurek will not give up.

Book Review- The Organized Librarian

  Kirkus just posted the review of my book on their site!  So excited to share this book with those who need a little extra help with their library work day!

Keyboarding Program

  Typing.com is the online program I am using to teach my middle school students  keyboarding.. It is free and it actually pretty good so far I looked at another program  that  my principal wanted me to look at  but I don't think she was convinced it was worth the price/ ( Not quite sure what is cost- that was never made clear  to me.)
   Typing.com has a great dashboard. For each class , a code was created  so I can view and check on each class ,and their activity on each lesson.This will make it easier for me to do grades.I have not figured out how to import the grades to our School Tool but I am hoping it will work.  Each lesson comes up grades with an accuracy and a percentage.
 
    There are basic exercises,more advanced, typing tests, games and passages to type.

    Does anyone else have a keyboarding program that they like?  Does any other librarian have to teach keyboarding? ( I have 10 sections!!)  Please tell me what you use with your students! 

Fixed schedule for Middle school?

The beginning of this school year has been crazy! I found out two weeks before school started that I was teaching 10 sections of Keyboarding!!! What a mess! And the administration does not believe that this will ruin my Library program!
 So I have 5 sections of keyboarding each day. We are on an A /B schedule - so I see ALL of the 7th graders.( and a few 8th graders who are not able to take a language)  I did find a program that I can use- more about that later!

  My book  "The Organized Librarian " ( sold here and on Amazon) will really come into play this year as I will be scrambling to get library work done , and also plan activities for Keyboarding.( which is not a full year course - but I will have students all year.
  Does ANYONE else have keyboarding? What do you use? How do you set it up?? As you can tell I am not happy! Please let me know what you do for keyboarding if you have to do it also.

Library September Bulletin Boards for Your Library

  Yes I know many of  you are back in school already and probably have your "Welcome back" bulletin boards already up. We go  back  the first week in September!
 I will put up  one of the following. When I make a bulletin board I always take a photo and keep the pieces in a homemade  folder.

Fall in Love with Reading

Leaf though a Good Book

Fall in love with  your library

Rake in a good read

Welcome Back - The books missed you!

All of these can be done with a simple background,  a tree, and some leaves!

Don't forget to leave a comment to one of my posts in order to be included in The Organized Book giveaway!

New Circulation Desk!

     At the middle school library, we finally have a real circulation desk! We have been trying to get one for  9 years!  My Dept chair had asked for one for 6 years and  I asked for one for two years.. She had it all priced out , and it would have only been $2,500.00 the first year. But it never happened.
    BUT since the elementary school libraries were getting all redone and NEW furniture we got the "old" circulation desk,( which is probably maybe 10 years old).
    So here it is!  I am so excited!! Keep in mind , these are  just put in - need to fix up and put posters up , so I will show a really after picture soon!

Special sale on The Organized Librarian!

  The book is here !! Check  out the order page  for details!!  If you follow me on this blog , you will be in the drawing for one of my proof books! So  follow me on the one of my posts to be in.
  Check out the page for other ordering details!!  It came out very well I thought.

littlebits- demo

      Yesterday the librarians in my district were invited to an administrators meeting , as they were presenting littlebits.   Littlebits is a company that provides kits with colored coded  electronic building blocks for students to use in classes and in maker spaces,  The emphasis is on the STEAM areas for school use but they say it can be used in all areas.
      I had seen them before- I am thinking it was last year at our SSL conference in August. The presenters did a good job of showing how they could be used.
     There was a group of students who tried out the littlebits, and built cars that they controlled. I wish I would have taken photos-They had a grand time, and at the end they competed in a race. It was fun. 
        Our new assistant superintendent talked about implementing  them in out schools. they also discussed going to several schools to see how they used the littlebits.  It should be interesting!\
       Do any of you have littlebits in your school or library? How are they used ? Are they used in  your maker-spaces? Please comment below- our administration wants input from us regarding ideas.

littlebits.com/

Exciting News- The Organized Librarian !!

  I am very happy to announce that within a few  days I will have  "The Organized Librarian "  in my hands!! At that time , I will be giving away my proof copies ,so stayed tuned and come back.  Anyone of my followers will be  included in the random drawing.  so follow me at the The Organized Librarian  here , and you will be included!    The book came out nicely- and it has a lot of tips and ideas to keep you on track and organized!

AASL Standards- Using them

 How can the new standards be used and implemented?  Yes , I am still excited about the AASL  new standards.  They are not a curriculum, but they will help as you redo or develop lessons to meet your students information needs.
   As you work on your lessons, you can use the standards to guide your ideas about activities that will help students develop the competencies they  need. Also you can use these as part of your own professional  learning. These will also help you as you determine the success of your lessons and programs.
   I can also see using the 4 domains for students to use as a guide as they progress through research projects, For each learning domain m there are 3 o 4 competencies that go along with the completeion of each one.
   The book has so much to offer and I have only reached the first couple of chapters , so I will continue reading and learning, and sharing  items of interest,

AASL Standards for School Librarians

    I just attended a great conference at the Syracuse ( NY) Sheraton. It was the School librarians  transform Learning : Teaching with the new AASL Standards.It was hosted by the NYLA/AASL for New York State school librarians
   Each participant was required to bring or buy the Book - AASL National Library Standards for learners, school Librarians, and School Libraries,.
  After an overview of the framework, we jumped into learning about the shared foundations and the 4 competencies ( think, create, share, and grow).  The best part was working as a large group- we were about 117 in number. And then  as smaller groups, we divided our selves into grade levels.I got to meet, socialize, and discuss with other NY state middle school librarians.
  Yes , it was overwhelming at times, as all conferences usually are. But I learned a lot and have some really good  ideas for the fall.
  The Book it  self is a great combination of information, charts,  and explanations . We worked on a lesson plan and I even got to discuss our lessons!!
   You will be hearing more about these standards and how they bring connections between students , teachers, and school librarians.

Organizing your day at the library- Your Desk

     One way to keep yourself organized and help maintain your focus at your desk is a wire step file. Label several folders  like this: Do, Announcements, staff list, read , file , hold, and monthly report.These are what I have and am planning for the new school year. These are folders I refer to on a daily basis.  Customize what you put on your folders depending on your needs throughout the year.
   
    Other files are kept in one of my other filing areas ( more on that later) . These are items I do not need on a daily/ weekly basis. At the end of the day, each piece of paper ( or printed email if I deem necessary) are placed in one of these folders if I think it is necessary. Otherwise , I 'file' anything I don't need in the wastebasket.

    Each day I take my Do File to work on items  that need action. I usually only have two tasks in there at a time,with notes to myself as needed. Any other pending tasks next on list I put in "hold" file.

    This helps keep me organized  and focused. It keeps my desk neat and I can accomplish what I need to without clutter.