Time for Library Resolutions for the New Year

http://christmasstockimages.com/free/new_year/slides/happy_new_year_color.htm

I have taken a short break to rejuvenate myself to be ready for 2014. I have several blog post ideas that I am ready to execute soon, but I thought that I would start the new year on this blog by outlining some goals that I have set for myself and hope to implement in the coming weeks when I return to school. 

Students are constantly asking me what book comes next in a series. Sometimes I  know off the top of my head, but often I have to do a little research to tell them. I found this wonderful site called FictFact that I am now using to track series. It was designed as a tool for keeping track of books, series and the authors that write them. I have started following all the students favorite series here, so I can find books in series order in just a few clicks. If you are a librarian, this website is just what you have been looking for. On Twitter several months ago, I found myself in a conversation about series books. Several librarians (including  and ) mentioned how they labeled series books with numbers on the spine. That is ingenious. Why didn't I think of that? Labeling the books will certainly be more time efficient than having students come up to me to ask what book comes next. It also means that students will be able to easily determine that a book is a part of a series while they are browsing the shelves and also see if the first in the series is available. Resolution 1: To label all series books in the fiction section of the library. 

Another subject that school librarians have been debating recently is genrefication. That means organizing the library more like a bookstore model with like books shelved together. I am not ready to ditch the Dewey Decimal system just yet. If you are interested in researching this idea, I have collected some blog posts and online articles to help you in your research on this topic here: http://sqworl.com/vgzr7a. However, I have lots of empty shelving. I am thinking that I could create some themed displays on these shelves. That way I can get an idea if genrefication is something that would boost circulation in my library. Since these displays would be temporary and flexible, I would not attach labels to the books, change the catalog or be stuck with a limited number of genres. Really the sky is the limit: books that rock, love stories with happy endings, love stories with unhappy endings, adventure in another world, adventure in our world, etc. Resolution 2: To create some fun and eye-catching fiction displays to draw in new readers. 

In August of 2013, I opened the doors to the library at the new school. I like the minimalist look at work. I don't have a lot of clutter in the library which means that I don't have that many signs. I have been thinking that this is not such a great idea when students come in and don't know where to find certain books and resources that they want. I need to rethink signage and start labeling and marking areas to make finding materials easier for all patrons. Resolution 3: To assess needed signage throughout the library and begin labeling. 

As always, I will continue to read lots of YA lit, keep up with technology advances as best that I can and blog all about it right here. I wish you and yours a very HaPpY nEw YeAr! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Banned Book Week: Students Make Comments Pro & Con Censorship

Image
This blog post is being designed as a lesson for the English I students at PFTSTA. The teachers and I have collaborated on an activity to celebrate Banned Book Week (BBW). Many times in the past during BBW, I have invited the 8th graders into the library to discuss the banning and challenging of books in schools and libraries. I usually show some videos and share books owned by our library that have been banned or challenged somewhere in the US. This activity always spurs great discussion among the students and teachers. This year we wanted the students to create a written response to the presentation. We thought there was a real world connection if we had the students post their opinion online as a comment to someone writing about censorship in schools. The teachers and I want the students to learn how to compose a well thought out comment that is supported by evidence and concrete details. How more real world could it be than having the students comment directly on their librar
Read more

Students Weigh in on Banned Books and the Freedom to Read

Image
Every year, for Banned Book Week, I prepare a lesson for our 8th graders. It was always teacher directed with discussion until last year . The English I teachers and I created a lesson for the students that included research and writing. I pulled the materials that I wanted them to read, and the students would write a very short essay declaring their belief in the need for teens to be able to exercise their freedom to read what they want to or the need for certain books to be taken off the shelves of the library or pulled from the English curriculum.  Above is the slide presentation that I have made for the students. Included in the slides are several videos that I thought would get the students thinking. There are slides with links to specific articles that we want the students to read and use for the concrete evidence to support their stance. A rubric is included at the end so the students know exactly what is expected. The teachers and I want the writing to have a rea
Read more

If You Build a Green Screen, They Will Come

Image
In November, I decided to add some new items to the library makerspace . I dedicated $350 to buy materials and games that we did not already own. Everything would be new not just more Lego or more K'Nex. While I was in the process of compiling my list of items to purchase, everything I bought on Amazon, I was following tweets from the AASL (American Association of School Librarians) conference in Phoenix. I was intrigued by the session on green screens from prominent librarians Michele Luhtala, Jane Lofton, and Deb Schiano. I looked at their Google slides and realized that my students would really love trying out a green screen. These librarians inspired me to order the green screen with my new makerspace items. Open here for a link to the slide show they used in their session at AASL  maybe it will inspire you, too. Then I attended the LACUE (Louisiana Association of Computer Using Educators) conference and went to a session on green screens  with Janet Corder and Joan Gore 
Read more