Well, here we go - the start of 2020 and a whole new year of opportunities for books, and reading. How awesome is that? In truth, it's a whole new decade!!
I thought I would start this post off with a quick reminder of some of the services we offer and maybe you could let your students know as well - or better yet, introduce them to this blog so they can find out for themselves. Maybe you could get them to write a Twitter book review on a book they have enjoyed, or write a report about their class activities .... after all the written word ROCKS, however it is used..
Yes - we do loan books out. We LOVE to loan books out. Loaning books out is our whole rationale. (And not just books, either) Of course, we do want them to come home at some point and can get a little upset if they don't.
- Looking for a particular book? Come and talk to us. We can organise an Inter-library-Loan or help you find where to purchase it.
- Resources: Books, Magazines, iPad sets, Digital Cameras, Video Recorders, Computer Mice sets, Boxes of Headphones, Data Projectors, Teacher Reference, Web Cams........
- IWB area, and a bank of computers and laptops that are available to be booked for classes. The laptop trolley in B3/B4 is only to be used in the Library area, however.
- Help with research, proofreading of assignments, suggestions for books to read - we are your people.
- Library Skills Activities/Boolean searching
- A place to display your amazing class work.
- Collation of websites for subjects/classes
- Anything else? If there is something that you think we can help with, just come and have a chat. We have learned to be fairly good at pulling rabbits out of hats and we also like a challenge, most times anyway. There are some days .....
Students have a 3 week borrowing period while staff have a month. For most of the resources, we can adjust the loaning period for whatever is needed - at least till the end of term. However, this doesn't include the AV materials - that is a 1 week loan period only. Depending on what it is - Headphones, laptops, etc. are all due back at the end of the lesson. Students can borrow 2 items at a time and staff are pretty unlimited in borrowing.
One of my goals for this year is to attempt to make the library more relevant to the needs of the school. Hard call really, when I'm going up against the ingrained idea that Google can give you EVERYTHING!! But I'm going to give it a shot anyway!
So, now... some homework for you all. Could you email or comment and give me some ideas on what you see as the purpose of the school library and my role in it? I'd love to be able to make this a one-stop shop type of deal for everyone.
Below are a few quotes that I think sum up, to some degree anyway, my philosophy about libraries. Enjoy!
"Google can bring you back 100,000 answers - a librarian can bring you back the RIGHT answer". (Neil Gaiman)
"Libraries are full of ideas - which are perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of weapons". (from the 'Throne of Glass')
and being a fan of Albert Einstein, how could I pass up this one?
"The only thing you absolutely HAVE to know, is the location of the Library"
(Albert Einstein)
Wishing you all a fantastic school year with lots of READING involved. Now carry on being awesome.
Always being one for visual props and ideas, I came across a Digital Citizenship Survival Kit for students. This has been designed by a teacher in the USA for his digital citizenship classes, to hand out to his students, mainly to reinforce some of what he teaches.
What do you think? Any other suggestions?
Padlock: to remind you to have strong passwords
Toothbrush: Would you share your toothbrush? No? Don't share your passwords either.
Permanent Marker: EVERYTHING you put on the Internet is there forever
Toothpaste: You can't get toothpaste back into the tube - nor can you ever take your posts off the Web.
Magnifying Glass: What shows up when people search you on Google? Is that what you want people to know about you? Will it get you a job later?
Fake Tattoo: 'Digital Tattoo' instead of 'Digital Footprint'. Footprints can be washed away - a tattoo is much harder to get rid of.
Sheet of paper: Screw it up, stomp on it - now smooth it out and try to make it as new as it was.That's what happens with cyber bullying - the marks are always there.
Strainer: Know how to 'strain the real' from the Internet. In other words, know how to spot fake stuff and don't get caught out by hoaxes.
Below is a link to paste in that is a quiz about Digital Citizenship. It could be interesting to try it out on your class.
http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=andretrace_1
And an infographic that shows you how to go about finding out whether a site is fake or not.
http://www.stonesoupcreative.com/infographic-fake-news-real-news-10-tips-getting-facts/
Well, this week sees us start a 2 week trial period on using the new version of TV4ED, with all it's bells and whistles. Hopefully, it will save you all much valuable time and effort in searching for the right resources for your classes.
I know it already saves me a massive amount of time - I don't have to tape the program, then re-tape it while cutting out the ads and then prepare the DVD case - while doing the rest of whatever I do as well. I can't imagine not having it!
Please make the time to log on, search, add and just generally play with the system - and let us know what you think. If anyone is interested, I can try and organise a Webinar training? If you have any questions, come and talk to me - I am still learning my way around the new version, but I do at least have phone numbers to call and ask questions. Remember - it should be available on any device, any time, anywhere. If you can access a browser, you should be able to access this system.
I know some have been playing - I have seen new stuff added to the 'bookshelf'.
Aside from that, have an awesome weekend folks.
Well, here we are - last day of Semester one - and it has been a busy one. Everyone is ready for this break, staff and students.
Just a reminder to have all resources back at home in the Library for the 4 week break - both they and I will be much happier about that.
As a thought for the start of Semester Two, I came across a few special days....
On the 20th July, it will be Space Exploration Day, 30th July will be Paperback Book Day and the 1st Aug is World Wide Web Day. The last one should be easy to celebrate - we just do what we always do, I guess.
Chances are this is the kittens last day as they should go to their new homes during the holiday break - so anyone who wants a last cuddle, today is it. They would like to express their thanks for being so welcomed here.
Wishing you all a safe, enjoyable and relaxing break. Make sure you include the time to curl up with a good coffee and an awesome book. After all, recreational reading lowers the blood pressure and calms the mind.
Look forward to seeing you all in four weeks time to do this all over again.
http://the-e-list.tumblr.com/
Some of the recent lists that have appeared on this site include:
- 4 tools to save your notes, resources and for inspiration
- 9 Youtube channels to keep you informed
- 4 one-app wonders - all your apps in one app
- 4 ways to store your documents securely in the cloud
The link is above so take a few minutes and have a look around. You may find something that is of use to you.
Have an awesome day.
Well, here we go - the start of 2014 and a whole new year of opportunities for books, and reading. How awesome is that? And I am BAACK!
(Well, yes - I know I am biased but that's okay.)
I thought I would start this post off with a quick reminder of some of the services we offer and maybe you could let your students know as well - or better yet, introduce them to this blog so they can find out for themselves. Maybe you could get them to write a book review on a book they have enjoyed or write a report about their class.... after all the written word ROCKS, however it is used..
Yes - we do loan books out. We LOVE to loan books out. Loaning books out is our whole rationale. (And not just books, either) Of course, we do want them to come home at some point and can get a little upset if they don't.
- Looking for a particular book? Come and talk to us. We can organise an Inter-library-Loan or help you find where to purchase it.
- Resources: Books, DVDs, Magazines and Newspapers, iPad sets, Digital Cameras, Video Recorders, Computer Mice sets, Data Projectors, Teacher Reference, Kits........
- IWB area and a bank of computers and laptops that are available to be booked for classes. This laptop trolley is only to be used in the Library area, however.
- Help with research, proofreading of assignments, suggestions for books to read - we are your people.
- Library Skills Activities.
- A place to display your amazing class work.
- Collation of websites for subjects/classes
- Anything else? If there is something that you think we can help with, just come and have a chat. We have learned to be fairly good at pulling rabbits out of hats and we also like a challenge.
Students have a 2 week borrowing period while staff have a month. For most of the resources, we can adjust the loaning period for whatever is needed - at least till the end of term. However, this doesn't include the AV materials - that is a 1 week loan period only.
One of my goals for this year is to try and make the library more relevant to the needs of the school. So, now... some homework for you all. Could you email or comment and give me some ideas on what you see as the purpose of the school library and my role in it? I'd love to be able to make this a one-stop shop type of deal for everyone.
Below are a few quotes that I think sum up to some degree, my philosopy about libraries. Enjoy!
"Google can bring you back 100,000 answers - a librarian can bring you back the RIGHT answer". (Neil Gaiman)
" Libraries are full of ideas - which are perhaps the most dangerous and powerful of weapons". (from the 'Throne of Glass')
and being a fan of Albert Einstein, how could I pass up this one?
"The only thing you absolutely HAVE to know, is the location of the Library"
(Albert Einstein)
Wishing you all a fantastic school year with lots of READING involved. Now carry on being awesome.
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.
It has been a busy time in the Library just lately. Along with all the usual end of year cleaning, sorting and reorganising - we pick now to decide to catalogue all the SOSE and English resources and put them into genres. I guess it comes under sorting and reorganising!
All of the resources are now catalogued so they can be checked out properly (and we can keep a better track of who has them) and have been placed into genres. The idea being that if you are looking for poetry or drama for example - you just have to check that area. We hope it will make it a lot easier for all.
So you will now find all of SOSE and English resources in their special category - Poetry, Drama, Reading, Financial Literacy, Citizenship, Techitracy and so on. It will be a good way to start 2013.
As this is our last day of term - I would just like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.
Look forward to doing it all again next year.
A request was published on the teacher Librarians list-serv today, asking for anyone who has the time, to take part in a quick 10 minute survey examining teachers' use of touch technologies in education, including professional learning habits aas well as suggestions and tips for the effective use of iPads in education.
This is part of the TIPS2012 iPad research happening in West Australia. You can find out more about the project as well as check out some great iPad resources by following this link:
If you have a few minutes to spare, and you are interested in contributing, you may like to take part in the teacher survey on the link below:
http://tips2012.edublogs.org/2012/04/07/contribute-to-ipad-research/
