Counting Down!

Well, 2nd last week of school and counting down! All down now to shelf checking, locating resources, sorting out AV equipment and chasing up staff and students for their last bit of borrowed items.

Miss Mckenna has put up a grand display of students life plan goal boards which were designed and made during PLP classes this term.  They look great and thank you Miss Mckenna for taking care of the displays this semester!

We have had a few new books arrive for the Lee Cook Collection which are now catalogued and on display.  The one which has become popular with students is all about different types of papercrafts - everything from origami to making gift boxes.

A gentle reminder inserted here to please return your borrowed items sooner rather than later so there isn't a mad dash on the last day.

Enjoy your holidays and make sure to spend some of your well-earned break kicked back, relaxing and READING! 

Wishing all of you an awesome Christmas and all the best wherever you plan to be next year.

Update from the Library

It has been a while since I posted on here.  Everything has been on hold for various reasons, but it is good to be back posting again.

I am not sure how long this blog will run for, at least in it's present format, as my postition has been deemed unnecessary by the Department but, I figure, why not go out on a high note?

I have had a fairly easy semester of it, with Miss Mckenna and Miss Jeanny keeping the displays current for me, with all their students work.  Thank you, ladies, it is much appreciated.

We have a number of new  Fiction books that have now been catalogued and are on the display shelves and ready for loan.  Everything from Horror to Mystery and Science Fiction, so come and have a look.  Feel free to take one or two home for closer inspection. 

All the usual plans are underway for the end of the year, which is a bittersweet feeling this time around.  So a reminder that I will be chasing down all resources to be returned by the end of week 8.  Count this as your first (polite) reminder.

If there is anything that you think the Library can help you with, please just ask.  Libraries do a lot more than most people may think and we are no exception.

So have a great day and carry on being awesome!

History and Holidays

I came across this on the Teacher Librarian listserv the other day and thought I would put up the link as it may catch someone's interest.

Some of the data was interesting in how things have changed over the years.  From the days of books chained to the shelves to todays mobile libraries being delivered on phones and computers which requires little effort, it is a whole new ball game out there.

Most of our work now isn't about guarding shelves of dusty tomes, as well as being decapitated and ripped to pieces on the steps of the library while defending it - but about finding, curating and providing access to all sorts of information.

I am not sure whether to be nostalgic or relieved......

http://librarysciencelist.com/libraries-of-the-future-visualization/

Wishing you all a safe and happy 4 week school holidays. 

Libraries of the Future

Well, 2 weeks to go - and the holidays will be here. Who's counting, I wonder?

Below are a few links I recently came across that may be of interest of some of you.  Have a look, and maybe check out some of the links that I haven't added.  Most of these were found on a blog called TeachThought.  It is rather American, but don't let that put you off checking out some of the ideas on offer.

http://www.teachthought.com/trends/elearning/15-free-learning-tools-youve-probably-never-heard-of/

http://www.teachthought.com/trends/10-ways-the-library-of-the-future-will-be-different/

http://www.teachthought.com/technology/on-teacher-comfort-zones-pirates-using-qr-codes-in-the-classroom/

http://www.teachthought.com/learning/6-channels-of-21st-century-learning/

Have a look and see what you think.

Collective Nouns

A discussion has been happening on the TL listserv just recently about collective nouns - and what would be the best suggestion for a group of Librarians.  Below are some of the suggestions that have been made - what do you think? Personally, I like the idea of a community of librarians or a web of librarians.... however does anyone have any other suggestions?

A catalogue of

A web of
A gripe of
A genius of
A Dewey of
A Google of
A database of
A collaboration of
A community of
A full text of
A Boolean of
A shoosh of
A hush of
A quizzical of
A dust of
A coven of

For anyone that likes words - check out this site:
http://www.annexed.net/bthree/nouns.html

While we are talking words... A couple I came across a while ago are meant to describe the feeling you get when you enter a search into Google and find yourself faced with millions of pages to troll through.  How do the terms gazillionised and info-whelmed appeal to you?

Isn't language a wonderful thing?

Busy days in the Library

The last couple of days have been busy here in the Library - not so much with Library 'stuff' though. 
Although there has been some of that - re-shelving, shelf checking, lots of quietly muttered comments over where books have been found, and then an acknowledgment that at least the collection is being used.  Overdues and account notices sent out, which, I guess, also proves that the Library is being used.

However, the Library isn't just about books and computers, although that is a large part of what we do.........

Homework classes for the Middle School run from the Library on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday's, and recently we have had up to 15 students in after school working hard.
Senior homework classes run on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.



Blood Pressure fine!

He DOES have a heart.

Yesterday saw a visit from the Remote Health Team who were here to showcase careers in the health field.  A lot of the visiting team were trainee doctors who did a brilliant job of engaging the senior students.
There were fingers being plastered, blood pressure being taken - there were even a few 'bodies' sprawled out having ultrasounds done on their hearts so that they could see all the inner workings of the body.  The students were fascinated, as were most of the staff.

Thanks to Mrs Spina for the use of the photos.

Today there is a visit from the United Nations Youth representative team and again we have various classes of students engaged and involved with what is happening. 

Just a reminder that Library staff are available to help with locating resources for class or individual use, including websites if necessary, proof reading of assignments, and helping with bibliographies if requested.  We are not limited to this however. So if you think there may be something that we can help you with, come and have a chat. 


Battle of the Red, Green and Blue

Today is our Sports Carnival AKA the Battle of the Red, Green and Blue. Lots of people running around with war paint, costumes and fingernail polish in their team colours.  If the cheering and yelling is anything to go by, a good time is being had by all. 

Latest update on scores as the day ends indicates that Stuart (Red) have won.  That's my team - AWESOME.

Well Done everyone!  Now go and enjoy a long weekend.

Now back to our regular library stuff.  Just about all of the books ordered for the Lee Cook Collection have arrived, been catalogued, processed and are now out on the shelf waiting to be borrowed.  Actually, quite a few have already gone out on loan, which is wonderful. 
If you get the time, drop  in and have a look and see if something interests or inspires you.  Lee was like that as well - a beautiful and inspiring lady.

New Books

Welcome back to Term 2 - which has been already been as busy as Term 1 was.  Which is a good thing.  Our enrollments are up and we have lots of enthusiastic students and teachers.

Things have been busy in the library as well.  A new selection of fiction books has arrived from Standing Orders and are now ready for loan and most of the new books have arrived for the Lee Cook Collection and are almost ready to be borrowed. 

The Lee Cook Collection came about when one of our staff members died and left the library a legacy in her will.  The decision was made to have a small, separate collection stocked with books covering Lee's interests, which were diverse.   So we have books on cooking, cake decorating, gardening, paper crafts, costume making and so on.  We have just finalised the purchase of these books and they should all be out and ready for loan in the next week or so.

We received a wide selection of books from Standing orders this time - mystery, horror, war, family...... lots to choose from.

Below is a small blurb about a couple of the books.  Come in and have a look, maybe borrow a few.

'Inheritance' by Lisa Forrest:   Genre: Horror

"Will an ancient gift determine her future?"

Tallulah has always known that she was different.  She can communicate without speaking, a secret she shares only with her childhood nanny, Irena - who warns her that gifts like hers are not always welcome.

When Tallulah starts training at the prestigious Cirque d'Avenir school it soon becomes clear that the troup is not at all what it seems to be.  As she is drawn deeper into a world of dark ancient powers and centuries old greed, she must call on all the skills she has been taught - and on the protection of a mysterious bracelet she was given. 

But what is the secret of the power of the bracelet - and why are people prepared to die to keep it?

'Evan's Gallipoli' by Kerry Greenwood:     Genre:  War

" An unlikely friendship and an incredible journey"

Fourteen year old Evan Warrender travels with his father to the Dardenelles, when they intend to provide help and suport to the Allied soldiers.  When they are captured by the Turks, they are launched into an epic journey - living on their wits and the kindness of strangers as they escape through Turkey, back to Greece and finally home to Australia.

Along the way they meet unlikely friends and companions, some of whom have deep secrets - and when Evan's own secret is revealed, we realise just how truly incredible the whole journey has really been.

I have placed this one into War genre - but it could just as easily be put into Diary genre, as it is written in diary format.

Library Lessons and End of Term.

Year 7 Library Lessons are now over and I hope the classes learnt some skills that will help them with their research. I am noticing lots of Year 7s using the Dewey decimal chart to help them find information

They have spent some time learning how to use Boolean Operators to refine their web search, how to take notes and how to evaluate the Web sites that they find. 

I think the highlight of the note taking class was learning how to turn one piece of A4 paper into an 8 page notebook!

Boolean Searching is a big part of being able to easily find information on the Web as it helps to refine the search down to just what is needed rather than having millions and millions of sites to look through. If they remember nothing else, hopefully they will remember how to do this.

The fun part of this lesson was the Research Frenzy game where the class was in teams competing to see who could answer the most questions in a set time. Each team started with either books or computers and then swapped over halfway through so they could try both methods.  At the end of the lesson, the jury was out as to whether computers or books were better - I think it came down to how well they could use the encyclopedias as to which they preferred.

We also had a few teams trying to break the record set by last years class in this activity.  Whilst they didn't manage to set their own record, they did draw equal with last year's group, so well done.

With the end of term approaching, enjoy a relaxing break - and make sure you find the time to kick back with a good book and READ.  What better way to spend your break?

Bibliographies and Year 7s

Well there you go.  A lesson I was dreading turned out to be an awesome class!  Bibliographies and two Year 7 classes.  Who would'a thunk it?? 

Thank you Miss Rogan and Miss Toscano - and thank you for letting me steal some of your ideas. 

And THANK YOU Year 7s for getting so involved with the Dewy Decimal System and Bibliographies.  What a fantastic class!

Looking forward to working with you all again.

Speechless and QR Codes

Library Lessons for the Year 7s have started and will be running for the next few weeks.  This week was all about where to find things in our Library - and a QR code Hunt using the ipads.  The class really seemed to get into the idea of a 'treasure' hunt using iPads and scaning the bright yellow and black little squares that had been stuck up all around the area. 
This idea is one that would work for most subjects, I think and is very easy to put together with all the free on-line sites for generating QR codes - and can be anything from text to URLs.


New title in the Library this week:

‘Speechless’    -    Genre:  Issues

"Saying she’s sorry isn’t enough.  Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret – until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast – and nearly got someone killed.
Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence – to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting everyone else.  And if she thinks that keeping secrets is hard, she has no idea how hard not speaking up when she is ignored, ridiculed or even attacked is going to be.
However, there is strength in silence and new friends coming her way. A boy she may even fall for.  If only her new friends can forgive what she has done........if only she can forgive herself."

 Well worth a read - after all communication is a huge part of our lives and talking involves at least a good half of it.

 

The School Swimming Carnival is on tomorrow, so good luck to all. 
GO STUART!!

Have a wonderful weekend - week 6 next week so almost halfway through the term.

 

 

Free Resources

ABC 'Splash' is a new education website, packed with hundreds of audio and video clips as well as games.  All of which are linked to the Australian Curriculum.

There are sections for parents as well as teachers and it is all free.

See volcanos erupt and microbats fly. Investigate fossils, megafires and worm farms. Meet fairytale monsters. Unwrap an Ancient Egyptian mummy and explore the Great Barrier Reef without getting wet!

Check out the link below:

http://splash.abc.net.au/home

 

Happy Library Lovers Day

Happy Library Lovers Day.  I hope you make some time today to gain some of that work-life balance we need and spend some time READING.

Mrs Spina's StepUp class spent some time making posters and bookmarks for our 'Love Your Library' display, and have done a wonderful job.  Come and take a look.

We have a new book in the library that I couldn't resist when I read the blurb.  Check out the details below.

'Breathe'          Genre: Science Fiction

'Oxygen is essential for most living beings.  For 2.5 million years, it was the most abundant chemical element on earth.  Until the Switch.
When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides who will live inside the Pod.  Everyone else will slowly suffocate. 
In a world with NO TREES, NO AIR and NO TRUTH - there is NO CHOICE but to FIGHT BACK'

Well worth a read if you like dystopian stories and there will be more to come as this is the first in a series.

It is on the shelf and ready to borrow.

Digital Resources and Information

Below are a couple of links to some more Web 2.0 tools that may come in handy. 

The first is a link from the Resource Hound blog.  This time it is for Interactive History Maps.   They start with Pre-History, such as the Continental Drift Theory and end with the  Roman Empire.  They have a good audio and easy to follow instructions
http://theresourcehound.wordpress.com/2013/01/17/interactive-history-maps/

Dropbox is a free service that enables you to bring your photos, documents and videos anywhere and share them easily.  You will never have to email yourself a file again.  I use this one myself quite a bit if I have to work on things at home.  It also has the capabilities to allow you to collaborate on things with colleagues. 
This is cloud computing - so remember to BACK IT ALL UP on your computer.  Don't just rely on the cloud to take care of it or you may be in for a nasty suprise. Of course, this is also sheer common sense.
https://www.dropbox.com/

Content Curation is something has always occurred in schools - resources were gathered around the topic being taught to help explain and to expand student's understanding.  The difference is that previously it was always 'hard' content - books, posters, kits etc while nowadays there is a huge wealth of digital resources.  Many of these are often found while searching for something else and often cannot be located when needed.  This blog article offers 6 different methods or tools to help you to collect, collate and share what you have found.  Curation is about collecting, but it is also about explaining, illustrating, bringing in different points of view and updating the view as it changes.
http://resourcelinkbce.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/6-ways-to-keep-track-of-digital-information-a-resolution-for-2013/

Enjoy.

 

New Fiction Titles

We have had a few new fiction books arrive and they are processed, on display and ready for loaning.  Below is a small blurb about a few of them. Come in, take a look, maybe borrow some for reading.

If there is something that you particularly want and we don’t have it, just ask.  I may be able to get it from somewhere else on loan for you.

 Life in Outer Space:  Genre: Love

 Sam is a geek and he is totally cool with that.  He has his horror movies, his nerdy friends, World of War craft and unless Princess Leia turns up in his bedroom, he doesn’t have to worry about girls.

Then Sam meets Camilla.  She is beautiful, friendly and completely irrelevant to his life.  Sam is determined to ignore her – except that Camilla has a life of her own and she has decided that he is going to be part of it.

Sam believes that everything he needs to know, he can learn from the movies – but maybe he has been watching the wrong ones.

 When We Wake:  Genre: Science Fiction

16 year old Tegan was loving life – she was joining friends to protest the wrongs of the world, she was playing the guitar and she thought that maybe she was falling in love for the first time. She didn’t plan on the best day of her life being her last.

When she wakes, 100 years in the future, she is locked in a government facility with no memory of what happened. As the first person to be cryogenically frozen and successfully revived, she is an instant celebrity. And all she wants is a ‘normal’ life back again.

When terrible secrets come to light, Tegan must make a choice: should she keep her head down and survive – or fight for a better future?

What the Raven Saw:   Genre: Family?

I dare anyone to read this and give me a definitive genre for this book.  I have made it Family, but it could be Mystery, Love, Issues, even Animals. 

Even the blurb leaves you wondering......

“The Raven doesn’t want you to read this story. What if you find the location of his hidden treasure? Or worse – learn his secret? But you should read it, even though the Raven wants to be left alone. A pesky pigeon, a beady-eyed weatherhen, a ghost boy and a lovestruck scarecrow will make sure that this book isn’t just about one grumpy raven.”

Web 2 Resources

Below are a couple of links to Web 2 Tools that may be handy. These were mentioned on the teacher librarian listserv today and got good recommendations from others as well.

http://kidblog.org/home/

Kidblog is designed for teachers who want to provide each student with an individual blog.  Students publish posts and participate in discussions within a secure classroon blogging community.  Teachers are able to maintain control over student blogs and user accounts.   

You can use Kidblog to:

• Create classroom discussions
• Learn digital citizenship
• Reflect on learning
• Practice writing skills
• Assess writing

 http://www.voki.com/

Voki is a free service that allows you create avatars, give them a voice by recording speech and then publish them to a blog, website or a profile.  Voki itself is free, however if you decide to upgrade to Voki Classroom, there is a small charge.  I guess it depends on what services you want from it.

http://www.wibbitz.com/

Wibbitz is a text-to-video platform that can apparently change any text based article, post or feed into a short video. This seems to be in beta mode at the moment, but turned the titles of my blog posts into a headline type announcment and made choices of pictures to add to it.  Quite fun to play with. Again, a free service.

Have a great weekend all.

Welcome Back / 2013 Challenge

Welcome back to all students and staff – especially the new people who have joined us.  Here’s hoping that you had a fantastic break and are all refreshed ready for the school year.

I managed to cover 4 states, 2 territories and 10,000 kms over our break.  We got to catch up with lots of family and friends, handfeed meerkats (probably my highlight!), dodge bushfires and floods, and generally got to see a whole lot of Australia I hadn’t seen before.

(I’m so NOT ready to be here!!)

 However, having said that – some time was spent on browsing lots of library blogsites – as you do, of course – and that’s where I came across the 2013 Challenge.  The weblink is below if you are interested. Most of the ideas suggested I have ‘borrowed’ from this site.  I would love to think I was that creative but I’m not.

 The idea has been floated that 20+13 = 33 and if you change 2013 seconds into minutes, you get 33 mins and 33 seconds.  Just a really neat little block of time for students and staff to spend READING.

 You could do it for 13 occasions during the school year, which would work out to about once every three weeks. We could call these ‘Literary Lunches’ (or whatever) and invite people from the community to come in and read to/with the students. Maybe introduce students to different genres, authors or series and challenge them to try out 13 new ‘things’ and then to share them with their classmates, school or the community.  It could go on this blog, or we could make up a wall in ‘Wall Wisher’ for the purpose or....

 Please have a look at the link below and let me know what you think – and whether you would be interested in helping to get this up and running? You may have a totally radical way of putting it in place.

 http://hubinfo.wordpress.com