Open for Business

The library at Northside Elementary  has been open for business for four weeks and business is booming!  Kids started checking out books on day one.  They love the new seating area.  The funniest thing happened last Thursday.  I had half of a class in the library.  The kids had all found their books and were scattered around the library reading.  Yes, I said reading! Some were reading silently.  Some were reading together.   I looked around and thought, "This is the perfect library."  If my life were a musical, I'm sure I would have busted out a song at that moment.  A group of boys sitting on the couch were reading a ghost story.  About five minutes into this perfect utopian world, we heard this ghost-like, eerie-sounding wail coming from somewhere down the hall.  Those boys about knocked themselves out trying to get up to my desk.  "Miss, did you hear that?  Your library's haunted!"  About the same time, the girls that were in the other corner came running up to the desk.  The lamp by the chairs flickered several times.  Yep, ghosts for sure.  We had a good laugh.  Needless to say, there was not much reading going on after all of those ghostly encounters, but we had a good laugh.  And, yes, they are ready for more ghost stories.

 

 

 

I have created two special book display sections in the library that will change throughout the year.  The first themes were football and back to school books.

 

Two other special sections are the reading genre section and the ever popular graphic novel section.  The reading genre section features a book from each genre displayed with a genre card that explains about that particular genre.  The kids are loving the graphic novel section.  I'm finding these books appeal to the reluctant reader as well as those who struggle a bit with reading.  Some teachers have not embraced the power that the books can have, but I'm working on it!.



ThingLink

I've started blogging, and I just can't stop.  Let's talk about ThingLink.  ThingLink is my new favorite technology tool.  I know what you're thinking.  Every new technology tool I share is my new favorite technology tool.  But this one really is cool!  Thinglink allows you to present information in an interactive way.  All you have to do is download a picture.  To that picture you can add features such as text, audio, videos, and more.  I watched the following YouTube video to help me get started.






 I made a ThingLink for the 2015-2016 Bluebonnet Nominees.  A link attached to each book will take you to a book trailer for that book.  I also added an extra feature on the Always Abigail book. Recently, I created a reader's theater podcast, so I provided the link to that podcast. 




You can also search on the ThingLink site for examples of presentations.  I found this one on independent and dependent clauses.   






The possibilities are endless.  Here are some ideas that popped into my head:

•  a report on Texas regions
• a report on one of the 50 states
• a biography report
• rocks & minerals report
• A REPORT ON ANYTHING!!!

ThingLink is FREE.  You can upgrade to an educator's package that is fairly economical for just $39 per year.  However, just get started with the free version.  You'll be glad you did.

Have fun with my new favorite technology tool!

Final Reflection

When the opportunity came up for me to be a librarian, I jumped at the chance.  My district has allowed me to complete my master's degree while working as a librarian for our fourth and fifth grade campus.  With each library science class that I have taken at SHSU, I have learned that there is much depth and complexity to being a librarian than just being the keeper of the books.  When I first got the job my husband asked what exactly would I be doing.  I told him having classes, working with teachers,  checking books in and out, and buying books.  He said I should have no problem buying books because I did that all the time anyway. (By the way, buying books for my classroom versus buying books for a population of 600 students is no easy task.)

I knew that there was this media specialist component of the job description, and, honestly, I was a little concerned about that part.  I'm not very techy.  My solution to fix any dealing with computers is to turn it off.  Wait a few seconds, and then turn it back on.  Then, if that didn't work, put in a tech request for help.  If there was a valuable tech tool to use in the classroom, I waited for someone else to tell me about it.  Boy, oh boy, am I glad I took this class!

I like how we started this course with Facebook and Twitter.  Since I was very familiar with both of these social networking sites,  I felt like I just might be able to do this.  I'm still bummed that our district will not allow us to have individual pages.  We have to submit things we want posted to go on our general district page.  I see enormous opportunities to promote the library and to build a reading culture through Facebook, Instagram, and Vine.  Initially I had started my Twitter account at the International Reading Association convention.  I started following some leaders in the education world then.  Now I have included leaders in the librarian and technology world as well.  I don't Tweet much myself, but I do find some great information that helps me develop professionally. 

I love looking at infographics.  I'm just amazed at the design and information that is included.  However, for me, making the inforgraphic was  a challenge.   It was easy to use the features, but there are so many choices that I could spend hours and hours on one project.  I just made an infographic for this class of my top tech picks.  I wanted an easy way to remember all the techy ideas we covered in this class.  I did spend about three hours on just the design.  It by no stretch of the imagination looks like the ones I see on Pinterest and other places.   If I took that long to create one, I'm wondering how long it would take a student?  I think the more I use it, the more my skills will develop and I will be able to use it with the kids.

When I first thought of podcasts, I thought of dry, boring content.  I really like the idea of using podcasts for reader's theater scripts.  They will be loads of fun.  I also like the comment Dr. Gross made of having older kids record books for younger kids.  That is a perfect fit for my campus. 

Looking into the world of blogs was fun.  I actually plan to keep up with mine after this class is over.  I think blogs are a great way to keep track of what you are learning, doing, and sharing.  Since I subscribed to Bloglovin, I have received emails of new posts from blogs I follow.  It really does not consume a lot of time because blog posts are usually short and not every blog I follow posts something everyday.  It's nice to have that friendly reminder emailed to me when new posts are available. 

I am so grateful for the YouTube, Animoto, and QR code assignment.  Book trailers had always seemed so intimidating to me.  Animoto made it easy!  This is one that will be a big hit.  I see a plethora of QR codes leading to book trailers this year.  Speaking of YouTube...wow!  There is so much on this site.  Years ago, when my daughter was taking a college algebra class, she said she went to YouTube for help.  I didn't really process what she was saying until now.  There is a YouTube video for practically everything.  And, I did not realize how much kids go to YouTube.  There is more here that I would like to explore.

Although I had issues with two of the three screencasts sites to investigate, I really like making them.  Because of my non-techy skills, I was only able to use the Screencast-O-Matic site.  This is one I will definitely share with teachers.  And why should it just be limited to teachers?  I'm pretty sure students could teach us a thing or two using a screencast.

I did not know there were so many online book communities.  Of all the ones we investigated, I still like GoodReads the best.  Also, I am glad I was able to add Destiny Quest in this group.  It is a feature that is readily available on our circulation system.  I think the kids will be excited to use this feature and make recommendations to friends. 

I think the assignment I had the most fun with was the cartoons and comics assignment.  Graphic novels are so popular right now, I think the kids will be excited to use this.  But, my all time favorite app is now Tellagami.  I was super excited to use the app to create an introduction to  the library.  I know the kids will have fun with this one, too.  Shhhh....don't tell them they will be learning while they are "playing around" with this one.

Although I did not get to do the ThingLink assignment of the library tour.  I did play around with ThingLink and made one for the 2015-2016 Bluebonnet nominees.  Each picture takes the viewer to a book trailer for each book.  I think I will revise and add the podcast of the reader's theater as they are done.  I embedded this ThingLink on my library home page.  I know I keep saying I am excited about each one of these tech tools, but I am!  ThingLink is one of my favorites, right up there with Tellagami.

As I completed each assignment I thought, "How will this benefit me, my teachers, and my patrons?"  I now feel like I am a little more qualified for the role "media specialist".  I can start the year with suggestions for teachers and students.  I still may have to submit tech requests to fix certain issues that can't be fixed by turning the computer on and off, but I now know that I don't have to wait and let someone else tell me what tech resources to use. I have started packing my virtual toolbox, and I know where to look to find more.   

Screencasts

 

 

 

Let's just say that making screencasts is my new favorite thing.  I thought it would be hard to do.  But, news flash, it was easy!  I like easy.  I used Screencast-O-Matic to show my patrons how to log into their library account to see what books they had checked out and how to place a book on hold.  After I made the screencast, I saved it as a video.  Then I uploaded it to my YouTube and added it to my library home page.   This is one technology thing I know I will share with teachers in the fall.

 

 

 

 

The second screencast I made showed my patrons how to put books on shelves in Destiny Quest and how to recommend a book to a friend.  There are more features of Destiny Quest to share, but I thought I would just present them in smaller chunks. 

 

 

 



 

 

So, I mentioned that making a screencast is easy and it is.  But getting some screencast programs to work is not so easy for me.  I tried using Screenr but was having issues with Java.  Evidently I have to change something in the security settings of Java.  I thought I did what the help box told me to do, but I was still unable to launch Screenr.  I thought I was getting so smart and learning all of the techy things.  It looks like I still have more to learn. 

 

 

I downloaded Jing, but I kept getting a message error about it having compatibility issues, and the program would not run.  Did I mention that I am not that techy??  I really have no idea where to begin to get help on that one. 

 

 

I did try both Screencast-O-Matic and Screenr websites at my school.  For some reason, the Screencast-O-Matic site was blocked.  I also tried to use Screenr on the school computer but had the same Java issue.  I put a tech request in for HELP and the tech guy said it's an easy fix.  I must not be high on the priority list because he has not been by to fix it yet.  I am sure he will have it fixed by August and I will be rocking and rolling with the screencasts!

 

 

So, with all that being said, I guess it looks like Screencast-O-Matic is the hands down favorite screencast creator for me.  



Instagram and Vine

I really like using social media.  I have a personal Facebook page as well as a Goodreads,   Instagram, and Twitter accounts. As of a few days ago, I now have a Vine account.  I would love to use these social media sites to promote my library.  However, right now my school district policy does not allow that.  We (clubs, libraries, classrooms) can send info to be posted on these sites hosted by the district.  After doing a little research about how these social media sites such as Instagram and Twitter are used in the classroom or library, I wish the district would change their policy.  Looking at my personal Instagram pictures, it seems that I cannot help but merge my personal life,  my reading life, and my professional life and share with others. It's just who I am.

Using Instagram in the Library

An obvious way to use Instagram in the library is for promotional reasons.  You can promote events and books.  I used Instagram to promote the Scholastic Book Fair in October.  In the summer of 2014, I posted a picture of books I wanted to read that summer.  At that moment, I was teaching 7th grade.  When I learned I got the job as the librarian for the 4th and 5th grade campus, I did some book shuffling!  This would be a great place for student and staff recommendations as well.

 





I love this idea from the  New York Public Library.  In March (in honor of March Madness) they have a contest to see which author is the picked as the favorite.  They start with two authors.  The author with the most votes goes up against another author the following Monday.  The winner is announced on March 31st.

After 31 days of voting, we are finally ready to announce the winner of the @nypl #literarymarchmadness: Roald Dahl! The sorcery of Tolkien’s Gandalf proved no match against the magic powers of Dahl’s Matilda, and we are pleased to crown Dahl as King of March Madness 2015. Thank you for your steadfast voting over the past month; we’ll return with more literary madness in 2016! 🏆👑🎉📚

A photo posted by The New York Public Library (@nypl) on Apr 1, 2015 at 9:22am PDT

I also see having fun with Instagram and post daily things like Mystery Monday showcasing a mystery book.  How about Wacky Wednesdays highlighting some bizarre, quirky, or unusual title.  A book like Track that Scat by Lisa Morlock comes to mind. Or, Throwback Thursday featuring an historical fiction, biography, or historical nonfiction book. 

I love finding quotes related to reading and I think Instagram is the perfect platform to share these.  I really like this one that the New York Public Library posted.

Have you ever had the feeling that the world is trying to tell you something? #ReadingAlphabetSoup 📚🍵🍝

A photo posted by The New York Public Library (@nypl) on Mar 19, 2015 at 7:25am PDT

 Using Vine in the Library

I am relatively new to Vine.  In fact I've only had my account for about five days now, which, I think, should put me in about the neonatal unit of the Vine nursery.   It's  a little hard to wrap my head around six seconds.  A few years ago, Good Morning America had a segment on the weekend show where viewers sent in videos telling about their week using only three words.  The words were written on paper either one word per page or all of the words on one page.  The viewers did not talk.  GMA would then edit the videos together and set it to music.  Seeing just three words and the video instantly and surprisingly created strong emotions.  Some where really powerful in conveying messages.  I see Vine ultimately having that potential.  Right now,  I see me using Vine much the same way as I use Instgram: highlighting books and promoting events in the library.  I also think it would be a good way to give a quick tour of the library.  Here is my first Vine video ever.  I'm sure I will look back on this one day and marvel at how much I've grown as a Vine user.  Or do I refer to myself as a Viner?  Hmmm... One day it will all be clear... As mud. 




 

 



PEW Report & Findings

Teens and Mobile Apps Privacy

 

Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Cortesi, S., & Gasser, U. (2013, August 22). Teens and Mobile Apps Privacy. Retrieved June 19, 2015, from http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pewinternet.org%2F2013%2F08%2F22%2Fteens-and-mobile-apps-privacy%2F

 

I  am somewhat surprised at the outcome of a report from The PEW Research Center about teens and mobile app privacy.  What surprises me is the fact that of the 58% of the teens that download an app, 51% have avoided apps when concerns about their privacy arise.  While some teens avoided those apps altogether, 46% of  teens declined to allow the app to use tracking component by accessing their current location.  56% of  teens ages 12-13 avoided apps when they were concerned with their privacy versus 49% of teens age 14-17.  I guess it surprises me because I did not think teens would be so overly cautious or concerned about privacy. One in four teens will uninstall an app if they find out that the app is collecting  private data.

 It is refreshing to see teens using good judgment and being critical users of technology.  Numbers can tell readers much in a report, but I really like seeing some of the direct quotes included in the report from teens.   Two of the teens ages 13 and 17 said they look at the reviews in order to make a better decision before downloading.  However, I think the following quote may be more typical of teens, "If it got a million downloads, I'm like, OK, it's cool, people are downloading.  But if it's got like ten downloads..." 

 

One concern I have from the outcome of the report is that teens are more likely to download an app if it is free.  I think teens may be less critical and less likely to really investigate an app if it is free. As in the words of the one teen --multiple downloads must mean that everything is great, grand, and wonderful with the app.  And, more times than not, that is the case.  Apps with a large number of downloads are popular for a reason.   This is where I think schools really need to discuss digital citizenship and teach kids to be critical consumers and responsible users when it comes to choosing apps.

 

 

(20 pages)
 

Cartoons and Comics

This was a fun Saturday night.  Seriously, there is not a hint of sarcasm anywhere in that statement! I just finished being a little creative with cartoon and comic apps.  And just think, if I had fun learning and creating, how much fun would my students have! 

Tellagami

 The first thing I made was a Tellagami.  This is a free iPad app and super easy to use.  It literally only took me about 15 minutes to make.  Students would definitely be able to make one of these.  I used a background picture from my camera roll, but they certainly have a wide variety to choose from.  I think this would be a fun way to do a book talk.  Just add a QR code to the book, and you have another option besides a book trailer.   I had so much fun with this one, I just had to post to my personal Facebook page right away.  It was a huge hit.  One friend that liked it was on a vacation.  I told her it would be fun to take pictures and let her son narrate their trip.   The possibilities for classroom use are endless.  Just the novelty of this app will get students engaged in learning.  And one more reason to like this app,  I look good.

Pixton

 Next I tried my hand at creating a comic.  By far, my hands down favorite is Pixton app.  It's easy and includes many choices for characters, backgrounds and even the number of panels to included in your comic strip.  It was easy to save, share, and embed the comic strip. 

ToonDoo

 Next, I tried ToonDoo.  This site limited the number of panels you could use.  I felt like it was really hard to be creative when you only had three or four panels to tell your story.  However, there was a nice variety of characters, backgrounds, and other features.  This was easy to save, share, and embed the comic strip.  http://www.toondoo.com

By staceyvesely | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

MakeBeliefsComix

Of the three, I felt like MakeBeliefsComix had the least amount of choices of characters and backgrounds.  Also, MakeBeliefsComix would not let you save.  You either had to print it out or email it to someone.  In my opinion, it was the hardest of the three to use.  But they did provide a great resource for uses of comic in the classroom and lesson plans.  www.makebeliefscomix.com

Gosh, I can't wait for school to start! 

Podcasts

When I tried to think of what to create for a podcast that would interest fourth and fifth graders, I immediately thought of a reader's theater script. The Texas Library Association  features a great resource of scripts and other materials for all twenty of the nominated books.

 



 

I had my students lined up to help me perform the script for Always Abigail by Nancy J. Cavanaugh. Then this little storm called Bill blew in and decided to hang around for a few days. By the time things cleared up, my cast had left town. So I went to plan B. As you listen to the performance, you might be thinking these voices sound a lot older than fourth and fifth graders. Well, they are. They are former students of Northside Elementary and Boling Elementary. They still did an excellent job. Thanks Holly, Christine, and Abby!

When school resumes in August, I plan to do more podcasts with the remaining scripts for the 2015-2016 Texas Bluebonnet Nominees.

listen to ‘Always Abigail take two’ on audioBoom

Online Book Communities

 

Who knew there were so many online book communities?  I knew of Goodreads because I've been a member for two years.  I think these social networking sites are a great way for readers to connect - to find that next book to read.   In this post I will also explore Library Thing, Shelfari, Blooklikes, Biblionasium and Destiny Quest.  Instead of a top ten list, I have a top six list and start with my least favorite online book community.

 

Library Thing

Library Thing has to be my least favorite.  I am a very visual person.  That being said, I just do not like the way the page is laid out.  It's too busy for me.   You can connect to Facebook and Twitter which is a plus. One thing I did like were the recommendations. That was really a nice list. The list had books that looked like popular titles. However, this is not an online book community that I would recommend to kids.

 

 

 



 Booklikes

Coming in fifth place is the site Booklikes.  The thing that bothers me most about this site is the "Popular Discussion" topic that is on my home page.  This particular discussion means nothing to me, so it makes me feel disconnected to any sense of community.  I think its layout is supposed to suggest a blog feel.  And again, this is one I would not recommend to kids. 

 

 

 

 Shelfari

Landing in fourth place is Shelfari.  Had I just been looking at online book communities for adults, I would have picked this one as my favorite just because  it  is visually the most appealing.  Finding groups to join who are relevant to me and asking my friends to join is a snap.  You can browse groups by category or by popularity.  You can make groups private, so that would be an option for school and student groups.   I like the simplicity of the layout.  One of the major drawbacks is that I don't think it is as popular as Goodreads.  When I looked for groups to join, I found several choices but not large numbers that can be found on Goodreads.  Another major drawback is that when you find a book you like the only option is to buy it from Amazon.  A big clue here is Shelfari by Amazon.com.  Enough said.



Biblionasium

Coming in third place is Biblionasium.  This is a great,  kid-friendly online book community.  A classroom teacher can set it up just for his/her kids.  Groups can be formed and challenges can be issued.  There is even a parent component to get parents involved.  Kids can log the number of pages read as well as the time spent reading, lexiles, and reading levels.  Then as a teacher, you can generate reports documenting that data.  Ugh,  there it is.  I just said it.  The "D" word.  Data.  If my main goal is to build a reading culture, I think it is hard to do when you confine kids to reading levels and lexiles.  However those are just options.  I think this site might work well for classrooms, but might be harder to manage at a library level.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodreads

Surprisingly, I have to put Goodreads  in second place.  You can easily connect with your Facebook friends and it is fairly easy to navigate your way around.  It is conveniently connected to Amazon so purchasing your next book is just a click away.  But the best part is when looking for a book, you have other options to purchase or even search in a library.  There are many people and groups to follow and join.   You can make groups private which would be an option for kids and schools.  I am always cautions of social networking sites because of the random advertisements, and you just never really know what kind of creepers are lurking in the shadows.  I can see why Goodreads is a popular online book community. 

 

Destiny Quest

And finally, in the number one spot:  Destiny Quest.  While researching these online book communities, I found a component of our circulation system that is used in my library called Destiny Quest.  When logged in to this feature, patrons  can place books on shelves: books read, books currently reading, and books I want to read.  They can also "friend" other students on the Northside Elementary campus, send book recommendations, and add a review to a book.  Books can placed on hold as well as request new titles to add to the collection.  I do wish the program allowed a group set up for discussion of book titles. We have not used the features of Destiny Quest, but I do plan to use it starting in the fall.   I think it will help start to build that culture of reading I am trying to create.

 

 

 

 



Tropical Storm Bill

All of a sudden there was Tropical Storm Bill.  On Monday, I kept my eye on the forecast, went to the grocery store to get a few things on my way home and made sure I had plenty to read.  When I got home, I watched more weather reports, realized I didn't have enough dog food to last in an emergency situation, so I trekked back to town.  It is somewhat of a trek because I live 15 miles to the nearest grocery store.

I woke up Tuesday expecting rain and wind.  Well all we had was a little light rain and drizzle.  Went back to town to have a birthday lunch with my brother.  Even stopped by an estate sale. Then I headed home and waited for Bill.  And waited.  And waited.  Well, Bill finally arrived Tuesday afternoon.  Satellite went out.  That's the weather alert system at my house.  When the satellite goes out, bad weather is here.   Had my flashlight and book ready.  Well, the winds picked up and the rain blew sideways for hours.  I tried to read, but I just kept looking out the windows amazed by the force of a small tropical storm.  I couldn't imagine riding out a category one much less a category two, three, four and definitely not a five!

Okay, I know what you're thinking.  That's it?  It really doesn't look that bad on these short little videos.  But did I mention the wind and the rain lasted for hours???

Wednesday, Bill just would not leave.  It kept raining.  And raining.  And raining. We probably had at least ten inches of rain, but were in no danger of flooding.  Eventually, the strong winds had died down, and I calmed down so I was finally able to finish my book All the Answers by Kate Messner.   By the way, I think that magic pencil could have come in handy.  What if you could find out answers for a test and truths about people?  Sounds great, right?  But on the other, by the time I finished reading the book, I think I would not want a magic pencil after all.

 

After all this experience with Bill, I know the perfect book to kick off my Bluebonnet Book Club:  Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick.  In this fictional account of Hurricane Katrina, Zane takes the readers through a very descriptive and moving experience.  I know my students and I will have much to talk about.

Plugged In - PEW Report

Lenhart, A. (2015, April 08). Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015, from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/

Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015 

Teens always seem to be plugged in to technology.  These days it seems that a teen’s smartphone is an extra limb on his/her body.  A recent report from Pew Research Center confirms this.  Well… they didn’t actually say the smartphone was an extra appendage on the human body, but based on the numbers cited within the report, one could practically draw that conclusion. 

In this report from the Pew Research Center, 1,060 teens between the ages of 13-17 were surveyed to help determine the number of teens with smartphones and how they used those smartphones to communicate.  Something that I found interesting was that Facebook was still the social media site of choice.  71% of teens surveyed frequently used Facebooks.  Instagram came in second followed by Snapchat and Twitter.  The report said that girls use more visually oriented sites and platforms than boys. In my opinion, because the sites are fairly new, I think they will continue to grow in popularity.  I see teens being drawn to more visual expressions of communication rather than the written word:  Microblogging versus longer traditional forms of communication.  Although the report did say that the on average, teens send 30 text messages per day. 

So, this makes me wonder:  are teens’ brains being wired differently because of all of this constant visual stimulation saturating their pathways?  PEW determined that 92% of teens report going online daily.  Of those 92%, 56% log on several times a day, and 24% teens report going online “almost constantly.”  I can’t help but question how this plays a role in education.  If we have to teach the way they learn, then it seems educators need to consider this.  However, I also worry that the bombardment of all of these small snippets of communication will somehow have an affect a student’s ability to engage in a longer piece of text (i.e. reading a novel).   

While access to a variety of devices may differ between ethnic and socioeconomic groups, the numbers are still surprisingly high in regards to access to some type of digital device.  For example, 91% of white teens have a desktop or laptop compared to 82% of Hispanic teens and 79% of African-American teens.  On the other hand, 85% of African-American teens own a smartphone compared to 71% of white teens and Hispanic teens respectively.  So regardless of what type of device is owned, the point is a majority of teens have access to the Internet.  Perhaps, knowing how teens use social media should have major implications on the way they are educated. 

 

(This report contained 48 pages)

Videos and QR Codes in the Library

Ohhh my. What fun I am having!  Let's start with  YouTube. I watched some great videos that inspired me to create some of my own. The first one I watched showed the school mascot using the library. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeUhXLvFAi4 Kids on my campus would love to see Ricky Ricebird in action, so I will definitely add this to my to do list.

Another fun video was watching kids create public service announcements about overdue books.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05UVqAe5l_w  The characters Bella and Edward from Twilight are having a discussion about overdue books.  Pretty funny! 

In this video, the media specialist is showing students how to cite references using Easy Bib.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRhEc-SJcHo  She has many more helpful videos as well. 



 

Inside out & back again.
 (Photo)
 Retrieved 6/13/15
 from Amazon.com

Scan the QR code to
view the book trailer I made.

The next fun thing I did was make a book trailer.  I had not made one before.  In fact I dreaded it because of my limited tech abilities.  I've seen whole day workshops dedicated to making book trailers.  It must be complicated.   However, the website  Animoto saved the day.  Talk about easy! Educators can have a free account (you will have to renew every six months).  A favorite book of mine is called Inside out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai.  It's about a girl named Ha who has to escape Vietnam because of the war.  She and her family end up, in all places, Alabama.  This is a story
                                           written in verse about starting a new life in America.
                                           It's emotional.   It's enlightening.  And some parts will
                                           make you chuckle.  This was a Newbery Honor
                                           Book and on the New York  Times Bestseller list.   And rightly so.
In a recent Tweet from AASL, I learned about photos that can be used with the references already cited on the photos.  Animoto has a variety of photos and videos that can be used.  Some of the additional photos I found for my book trailer were found at www.photosforclass.com.  I will definitely share this site with my kids in a lesson about copyright. 

Finally let's talk about QR codes.  To find research some ways to use QR codes in the library, I clicked on one of my favorites...Pinterest.  I found some great ideas from the obvious:  Using QR codes for book trailers.  A another one that I liked included using QR codes for scavenger hunts in the library for orientation.  One pin that ignited a firestorm in my brain was using QR codes in an animal research project.  However...sadly...the link to the pin "could not be displayed."  This is where the firestorm started smoldering.  Last year I purchased some "Would you rather" cards from the Teacher Pay Teacher website.  One of the cards read something to the effect of, "Would you rather have Clifford the Big Red Dog for a pet or Shiloh."  Some kids did not have a clue as to who these characters were.  So now I would like to add QR codes to the cards that would provide a link to a summary or book trailer.  Then the kids could really play AND possibly find a good book to read.


My to do list is growing!



Blogs, Blogs, and More Blogs

With all of the social networking sites, why in the world would anyone want to follow blogs?  Well, Tweets are 140 characters max.  Facebook posts are typically longer than Tweets, but still you can get just a glimpse or an inkling of what a person is all about.  Instagrams are pictures.  Pinterest is a way to gather and organize a plethora of ideas.  Sometimes I can feel I am drowning in social networking sites, or gone on a rabbit chase and end up miles from where I need to be with all of these places to explore, new people to meet, and ways to develop my professional life.  But, I've come to realize that you don't have to follow everybody.  Just pick the best of the best.  If that person or entity no longer meets your needs, it is OKAY to unfollow or unfriend.  In fact, it is kind of empowering.

I chose to use the Blog Reader called Bloglovin' mainly because it was easy for me to navigate.  Sometimes I am a bit challenged when it comes to new things like that.  So if I say it was easy, trust me it was EASY.  I chose to follow seven blogs.  Originally I was going to follow only five, but I started chasing that elusive rabbit.

Librarian in Cute Shoes
The title is catchy, right?  That's why I clicked.  I liked the name of her blog.  On this blog, she shares books, lessons, displays, and more.

Nerdy Book Club
Another catchy title.  Actually I knew about this one because of following people like Teri Lesesne and Donalyn Miller.  This is a great blog with frequent posts about books and cultivating that reading culture I am so desperately trying to grow in my own library.

DCG Elementary Library
This blog has lesson ideas, book recommendations, and activities for the elementary level. 

The Laughing Librarian
Yes, the title of this blog sucked me in, too.  Sara is an experienced librarian in the San Antonio school district and shares books, library lessons, and technology ideas.

The Daring Librarian
Talk about phenomenal.  I want to be like Gwyneth A. Jones when I grow up.  (Yes, I know I'm 49, but I'm young in librarian years.)  She does it all. 

Library Displays
I'm always looking for new ideas for displays.  This blog happens to be from "Down Under" so you might find some rather interesting blog posts like "New Zealand Music Month" or "ANZAC Day."
But still...this blog has some creative ideas.


The Book Fairy-Goddess
More book recommendations and library lessons.

Infographic

I viewed a presentation from the Pew Research Center entitled 13 Things to Know about Teens and Technology by Lee Rainie.  I agree with the author that teens live in a tech saturated world.  Being connected to information instantly does lead to some could have a positive or negative impact on the student's ability to conduct research and think critically.

    

Just a "Tweet" Away

I'm fairly new to Twitter.  I set up a Twitter account in 2013 because I went to the International Reading Association conference.  While there, IRA said to do the hashtag thing and follow them on Twitter.  So I did.  I was amazed at the how much I could learn from education professionals on Twitter.  People like Kylene Beers, Chris Tovani, Donalyn Miller, and Teri Lesesne all tweet.  As well as authors such as Jeffy Kinney, Janet Wong, and Seymour Simon.  But wait!  There's more! One could also follow professional organizations such as the International Reading Assoication or journals such as the School Library Journal.  I now have some new favorites in the tech world to follow.  It amazes me what you can learn in 140 characters or less.  If I want to know what's new or info on the latest hot topic, I always check Twitter first.

 

Tony Vincent @tonyvincent 

Tony is my new best friend. (He just doesn't know that yet.)  This is just one example of several videos explaining new apps and technology to use in the classroom.  I'm glad I have all summer to play around with these, but he makes everything look so easy!

New video! Give your learning centers a makeover: http://t.co/Pnw25n5s0C #byotchat #edtech #edchat pic.twitter.com/GccoEbFj5g

— Tony Vincent (@tonyvincent) May 19, 2015

Jim Lerman @jimlerman

Being fairly new to Twitter, I found this particular tweet helpful.

10 Things to Know about Twitter Hashtags * Teacher Tech * by Alice Keeler http://t.co/d0Cony7c2v pic.twitter.com/0dKGIm4no4

— Jim Lerman (@jimlerman) June 1, 2015

Kathy Schrock @kathyschrock

I thought this tweet from Kathy Schrock  was interesting about rubrics. 

Just saw the "single trait rubric" model…thanks for the tip, @mmkrill! http://t.co/4t9QMGJPI5

— Kathy Schrock (@kathyschrock) April 20, 2015

Linda Braun @lbraun2000

This tweet from Linda Braun introduced me to the "Father of the Maker Movement"

Dale Dougherty, Father of the Maker movement talks about breaking rules, erasers & building a learning culture http://t.co/YnvRuAtueo

— Linda W Braun (@lbraun2000) May 28, 2015

The Daring Librarian @GwynethJones

I'm glad I was introduced to this phenomenal person.  I loved this tweet about Pinterest.

6 Ways I Use Pinterest via @TDOttawa http://t.co/zqBAiD29kL @Pinterest is my redheaded SM stepchild pic.twitter.com/HcwIebKZd6

— The Daring Librarian (@GwynethJones) May 31, 2015

Facebook

Facebook

I taught seventh grade last year and the kids reassured me that only old people did Facebook.  Who was I to argue because seventh graders know E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.  Well, call me an old person, but I do like Facebook, and I think this piece of social media should not be avoided by the young or old.  The biggest advantage is that it is an instant form of communication with the world.  And the fact that we can communicate with the whole wide world brings up the only disadvantage I can find.  The scary part.  The not-so-nice-people in the world part.  I would be somewhat concerned about posting pictures of kids just because of the fact that there are some not-so-nice people living in our world.

The advantage of being able to communicate instantly and frequently would help build a reading culture that I am desperately trying to grow with my patrons.  I think to spark that growth, kids and parents and teachers could see the newest books, what others are reading, other services the library has to offer, and that the library is just a cool place in general. 

I wanted to be able to communicate with my patrons throughout the summer.  Of course I automatically thought of creating a Facebook page.  In addition to having so many new books to share, I wanted to create a buzz building excitement for back to school.  My principal was all on board, but she said to check with our tech guy.  His response stomped my dream and almost derailed my literacy program.  Ok… not really anything that drastic but almost.  He said at this time our district is not allowing a bunch of different pages, but I am welcome to submit posts to him, and he will then post to our district page.  So for now, that is what I will have to do.  https://www.facebook.com/ElCampoIsd?fref=ts

As I searched through Facebook for school libraries, I came across some great pages.  One in particular that I liked was the Meadows Elementary School Library page.  This library posted something at least once a week for the entire year.  The posts ranged from author visits at local bookstores to book suggestions to inspiring quotes.  Occasionally comments were made about events that where taking place in the library.  Of course, all were very positive.  https://www.facebook.com/MeadowsSchoolLibrary

I think the key to a successful Facebook page is to post things frequently.  Some libraries posted maybe once a month.  To build the reading culture that I talked about earlier, you have to keep the momentum going with frequent posts.  I follow Dr. Teri Lesesne.  I know she is not a library, but she is the next best thing.   Talk about frequent posts.  This lady posts multiple times DAILY with new books she has read or links to her blog. 

One last note before I sign off… One really cool thing that I found while stalking, creeping, researching was that the children’s author Jan Brett was actually following a school library.  I would be so giddy if a famous author followed my page.

 All aboard the Facebook train.