Media Center Minute @ GMS
The Monthly Library Media Center Newsletter
April/May 2015
The end of the year is quickly approaching!
It has been a great first year for me at GMS. I am looking forward to all the exciting things coming up next year.
Thank you so much to all of the staff and students for welcoming me to the school and supporting me during the year!
Just a couple of reminders:
- Students must always have a pass when coming to the media center. If they do not have a pass, I will send them back to class.
- Students must sign in when they come to the media center if they are coming with a small group or individually. This is a great way for me to keep up with usage statistics, as well as a way to keep track of students. Currently this is a pencil/paper sign in sheet, but next year I will have a digital Google form for students to sign in.
All Library Books due: Friday, May 15
It is going to take a good amount of time getting the library books back in perfect order and ready for next year.
I will be printing out the "Books checked Out by Homeroom" report on May 4, May 11 and May 15. I will continue to print it out every few days after the 15. If homeroom teachers could let students know what they still have checked out, it would be greatly appreciated.
Students will still be able to utilize the library for small group work and research assistance, but will not be able to check out books after May 15.
James Patterson - Scholastic Grant for Library
We recently applied for a $10,000 grant for the Grant Middle School Library Media Center!
If selected, the grant will help our school transform our library into a "makerspace" of sorts and will include items such as: a 3-D printer, iPad bar, magnetic poetry, lego wall, customizable vinyl quotes, whiteboard paint, books on all of these topics and more.
We won't know if we have been selected until the middle of the summer, but I will keep everyone posted!
Keep your fingers crossed!!!!
Digital Resources
Thank you to those teachers who have begun using our recently purchased digital resources! With only having them for about a month, you are utilizing them well!
ScienceFlix usage statistics: 116 sessions; over 700 documents retrieved
Teachingbooks.net usage statistics: 8 sessions; 11 searches; 86 pages viewed
Teachingbooks.net - This resource is great for language arts teachers, especially when introducing new authors to students. It also includes lesson plans and other resources for teachers. Please click on the Teachingbooks.net link above for more information. An email was recently sent out with login information! If you need this information, please, let me know.
March and April 2015 Circulation Statistics
March 2015
Number of Check-outs: 997
Number of searches on the online catalog: 294
Number of students who have signed in and out: 325
April 2015
Number of Check-ins: 1115
Number of Check-outs: 1117
Number of searches on the online catalog: 230
Number of students who have signed in and out: 335
Website of the Month!
INFOhio.org - PreK-12 Digital Library
I am sure that I've promoted INFOhio before and if I did research collaboration with your class you probably heard me talking about this website and it's usefulness. INFOhio.org is Ohio's FREE PreK-12 digital library! It is the best place to start for students who are doing research. There is now a new feature called "ISearch" that offers a one-stop shop for finding information on a specific topic. This resource can be found at http://isearch.infohio.org/client/en_US/default.
We need to make sure students are finding reliable, accurate information and this website offers just that!
If trying to access this site from home a username and password is required, at school it will automatically login. If you need the login information, let me know.
Grant Middle School Library Media Center
We are inspiring a community of achievement!
It is the mission of the Grant Middle School Library Media Program to engage all learners, embrace literacy in all its expressions, and to ensure students and staff are effective users of ideas and information.
Email: smowery@mcspresidents.org
Website: http://www.marioncityschools.org/domain/178
Location: 420 Presidential Drive, Marion, OH, United States
Phone: 740-223-4900
Twitter: @MediaCenterGMS