'Tidying Up' the School Library- SLJ

     I am finally catching up on my reading- yes this year I am Way Way  behind!!   I actually did this quite a few years ago when my school and library were being renovated from a Middle school to an Elementary school. In my office We shoved every thing( supplies) willy nilly  into boxes when we were packing! When we got into the renovated space and it was the beginning of the year, we just shoved the boxes into brand new cabinets. ( It was a big office with even a bathroom!)
   But then of course , I did not know where anything was! So I dumped boxes into the center of the room and began to organized everything!  And put supplies away, And mark the cabinets,  And labeled every drawer, and cabinet  so I knew where everything was and how much I had! And I did make a map so that I could glance at the map to help me find what I was looking for!
    Read this article  & check out my article on organizing your supplies in The Organized Librarian!
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Library Bulletin Boards - April

 It 's time again to start thinking about April!   I like to always think ahead! Some ideas for your bulletin boards! Adapt them to your needs and space!

     I've got a poem in my pocket!-- pockets with poems typed stuck in- these can be changed  weekly. Or let  students put in their  favorite poems.

     Get Graphic@ the Library!  Scan covers of some of your Graphic Novels and put on a colorful Bulletin Board.

      Get Hooked on  Books!- Fishing line with book titles or covers along the line.

( Fishing for a good Book)

     Spring into Reading with Great Books

      Sports Stories

      It's Raining Books- Put an umbrella in the corner of the bulletin board. Then place large blue and grey raindrops with book titles on them.( Again let students put up their favorites.

     April showers bring great books! ( Similar to above idea)

National Humor Month

School Library Month

DEAR- Drop Everything and Read

February Bulletin boards for Libraries

   I've been floating through  January but now it is time to think about February and what to do about the bulletin boards.   Here are some ideas :

We love to Read!- Give pink or red hearts  to students and have the write their favorite books. Students can write I Love...   and give the title and their name. Place on BB with letters of slogan on top in black letters - Can use a light background and heart /scallop edges.

Black History Month- Place pictures of famous African Americans. You can number them, Give some clues under each one. Students can use references or online sources to find out . Students can give guesses in to you- At the end of the month, place names under each one.

Tech tie in- Tweet a sweet Book! Give students an enlarged note. Place a cute bird on each side of the BB- Students can write their favorite titles on each note and then placed on the BB.

Presidents Day- You  can do this similar to Black History Month.( Use presidents that students do not know) Or you could place some presidents  and have students find little know facts on each person.

Fiction to Film: Scan covers of books that you have in your library that have been made into movies.  Place the slogan in the middle and the covers around. A slogan to add  would be: Have you read these?

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!