SLS Weekly Update
May 14, 2021
New audio books in Sora
- As of July 1 we will be adding several hundred new unlimited use audiobooks to our Sora / OverDrive collection
- This is part of a group buy with almost 30 other BOCES
- The majority are high interest fiction titles
- Also tons of classroom titles!!!
- All of these titles can be assigned to students
- Below is a listing of all titles 475 titles
NYLA/SSL Knickerbocker
- The winner is Bryan Collier
- Friday, May 21 at 7 PM there will be a virtual evening with Bryan Collier
- Register: https://www.nyla.org/knick21/?menukey=nyla
- NYLA Members are free, all others are $25
NYS Summer Reading Program
Find the 2021 PSAs in English and Spanish on the Summer Reading at New York Libraries site at https://www.summerreadingnys.org/librarians-educators/le-kids-video-audio/ These are short YouTube videos designed to encourage students and families to participate in Summer Reading and Learning at their local library. And the PSA spots feature awesome animals to reflect this year's theme and slogan of Tails and Tales!
You can also find PSA shorts at this link on the Summer Reading site: https://www.summerreadingnys.org/psa-shorts/ These are great for Instagram or other social media posts!
Please reach out if you have any questions, and thank you for supporting and promoting Summer Reading.
Best,
Sharon
Sharon B. Phillips
Youth Services Program Manager
New York State Library/Division of Library Development
NYSED Civic Education
BOARD OF REGENTS ACTS ON MEASURES TO PROMOTE CIVIC EDUCATION AND BRING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TO NEW YORK SCHOOLS
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy Statement Builds on Framework Announced at April 2021 Board Meeting
Pilot Program Created to Establish the Seal of Civic Readiness and Regulation Proposed for a Civic Readiness Pathway to Graduation
Department Launches Website Dedicated to
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives
The Board of Regents today acted on measures to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in schools across the New York State and promote civic education opportunities, State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa announced. The Board, building on its Framework on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in New York’ s Schools, released its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy Statement which will promote and support efforts at the State and local level to strengthen Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies and practices. Additionally, the Department acted to create the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness and proposed the Civic Readiness Pathway to graduation.
“One of my first priorities as Chancellor has been to transform the Board’s work to view everything we do through an equity and inclusion lens and make the necessary changes to lift up all students,” said Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. “The Board’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy statement and accompanying framework will help New York’s schools and institutes of higher education do the same. Part and parcel to an equitable society is civic education, which can lead us to a more just democracy for all New Yorkers and enable students to be powerful agents for social change.”
“Civics education increases the likelihood that students will participate in political and community activities; be more committed to fundamental democratic values and principles; and be more tolerant of those who may have different points of view,” said Commissioner Rosa. “Civics education, when steeped in the fundamentals of the Board’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative, will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to question and engage in civil discourse and offer sustainable solutions to issues that are important to them and their communities.”
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, “The Assembly Majority has fought tirelessly for years to ensure New York’s students have access to high quality public education. As part of the Diversity, equity and inclusion policy, I believe that financial literacy is a major component in educating our kids and important to ensuring that our students are able to engage and thrive in our schools, and these principles must be the foundation on which our schools operate. These initiatives help us move beyond rhetoric and towards holistic and systemic changes that address the challenges we are facing as a society.”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy Statement
The Regents believe strongly that there is a moral and an economic imperative to remove the inequities that stand in the way of success for whole segments of New York’s student population. The Board has adopted a policy to encourage and support efforts in New York’s schools, colleges and universities to create an ecosystem of success that is built upon a foundation of diversity, equity, inclusion, access, opportunity, innovation, confidence, trust, respect, caring, and relationship-building. All students must feel that they are welcome, they belong, and they are supported.
The Board outlined elements that should be included in DEI policies to be most effective. DEI policies should consider the entirety of the schooling process and should include measures related to Governance, Teaching and Learning, Family and Community Engagement, Workforce Diversity, Diverse Schools and Learning Opportunities, and Student Supports, Discipline, and Wellness.
Strong DEI policies, in partnership with parents and families, empower students from all backgrounds to visualize successful futures for themselves and provide them with a sense of belonging and self-worth. These benefits can lead to improved student achievement, which in turn can lead to better outcomes in other areas of their lives, including work and civic engagement. This is true regardless of a school’s geographic location or the demographic composition of its students and faculty.
Many of New York’s education stakeholders and their organizations have prioritized this issue, and their efforts must be recognized and applauded. But more work remains, and the Board of Regents and the State Education Department are committed to supporting schools and districts in their efforts to lift up all students.
The full text of the Board of Regents Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy Statement is available on the Department’s website.
Civic Readiness Initiatives
The Seal of Civic Readiness
The Seal of Civic Readiness, modeled on the existing Seal of Biliteracy, is a formal recognition that a student has attained a high level of proficiency in terms of civic knowledge, civic skills, civic mindset and civic experiences.
To obtain the Seal of Civic Readiness, a student must complete all requirements for a New York State local or Regents diploma and earn a specified number of points, to be outlined in guidance issued by the Department, in two areas: Civic Knowledge and Civic Participation.
- Civic Knowledge: Students may demonstrate proficiency in civic knowledge by earning credit in Social Studies courses, receiving a passing or mastery score on a Social Studies Regents Exam, or completing a civic readiness research project.
- Civic Participation: Students may demonstrate proficiency in civic participation by completing a culminating high school civics project, completing a service learning project, achieving proficiency in a civic engagement elective course, or participating in an extra-curricular program or work-based learning experience that promotes civic engagement or civic action for a minimum of 40 hours. Students may also earn points by completing a middle school Capstone project or a high school Capstone project.
Civic Readiness Pathway to a High School Diploma
The Department proposed a rule to allow students who earn the Seal of Civic Readiness to apply that accomplishment toward a +1 Civic Readiness pathway to a diploma. The proposed pathway would allow students to graduate with a regular diploma when they have demonstrated the State’s standards for academic achievement in math, English, science, social studies and the State’s requirements for civic readiness knowledge and skills necessary for college, career and citizenship after high school. The Civics Readiness pathway would be added to the existing +1 pathways to a diploma that currently include STEM-Math, STEM, Science, Humanities, Arts, CTE, CDOS and World languages.
Next Steps
Schools participating in the pilot for the Seal of Civic Readiness completed a self-assessment application and submitted it to the Office of Curriculum and Instruction for approval. Schools meeting the Department’s criteria will begin the pilot in September 2021. Participating schools will be expected to provide examples of lessons and activities that will be included in the final Seal manual as exemplars for the Seal of Civic Readiness.
The Department will collect information and resources from outside organizations that provide guidance on civics education during the pilot. Using the information attained from the pilot, the Department will then finalize and publish the Seal manual that will include the approved criteria for offering and attaining the Seal, along with analytical data from the pilot. Pending the success of the pilot, the Department projects that in the 2022-23 school year, the Seal of Civic Readiness will be an option for all NYS school districts that wish to apply.
It is anticipated that the proposed rule will be presented to the Board of Regents for permanent adoption at the September Regents meeting, following publication of the proposed amendment in the State Register and the 60-day public comment period. Public comments will be accepted through July 26, 2021. If adopted at the September 2021 meeting, the proposed rule will become effective on September 29, 2021.
Gale ebooks update
Hi all, I wanted to share with you that the Gale released the ebook component within Gale in Context: Elementary today! Please take a look at the screen shots and quick 1 minute video. Please register for the upcoming webinar on May 13 at 2 to see this live, or get the recorded session:
May 13 at 2
https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/4916152267890/WN_6xa4svAORZytsAnW3z5dug
Again, I’m thrilled to announce the release of eBooks in Gale In Context: Elementary! With this release, K-5 eBook titles will now be available directly in the Elementary experience. With an improved eBook reader (ImageViewer), Text-to-Speech for every title, and the ability to surface eBooks directly within the visual topics-browse experience, this release simplifies K-5 learning and helps meet the needs of our youngest users.
Please send any questions my way!
Danielle
Bringing eBooks to Gale In Context: Elementary will increase use of Gale products in daily curriculum. Purchased K-5 eBooks will now appear directly in the Elementary experience, and with features such as I Wonder prompts and a visual topic tree, students are encouraged to explore further. It has never been easier for our young users to find and access content that develops their curiosity—all in one place!
Summer Virtual Reading Events for Readers with Print Disabilities
The Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library, a Regional Talking Book and Braille Library located in Missouri, is opening their summer youth reading program to all young Talking Book and Braille Library patrons! Talking Book and Braille Library students, their families/caregivers, and teachers are welcome to participate.
Please see the following message from Lisa Hellman, Youth Services Librarian at Wolfner Talking Book and Braille Library, for more information:
I am excited to announce that Wolfner Library is opening our youth summer reading ZOOM events to print-disabled youth across the country!
We have set up 9 ZOOM events related to the summer reading slogan, “Tails and Tales.” Please note that these events are only for Library for the Blind and Print Disabled youth patrons, their families/caregivers, and teachers.
Visit https://www.sos.mo.gov/wolfner/programming/summer-reading and scroll down to “ZOOM Events:” to find the events we are hosting for youth and the registration links. Feel free to share these events with your youth and/or incorporate them into your own youth summer reading program. This is not only a great way for kids to learn about animals, it’s also a great way for them to meet other kids just like them from across the country!
I also wanted to share with you a special labyrinth that was made by Maia Scott, author of American Printing House's (APH) Finger Walks! She was inspired by this year’s theme and sent this to me for free and said I could share this with all of you! If you have a tactile graphic maker (like a PIAF or American Thermoform’s Swell Form Graphics Machine), you can print the attached paw-shaped labyrinth for your summer reading participants and turn it into a tactile labyrinth. I recently did a podcast with Maia on distressing with labyrinths and finger walks, which you can find at https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Wolfner//De-Stressing-with-Labyrinths-and-Finger-Walks-Podcast.mp3.
To learn more about the two Regional Talking Book and Braille Libraries in New York State, please visit:
NYS Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) serves eligible individuals living in Westchester County and counties north in NYS.
Contact TBBL: tbbl@nysed.gov, 1-800-342-3688
Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library serves eligible individuals living in New York City and Long Island regions.
Contact Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library: talkingbooks@nypl.org, 855-697-6974
Thank you,
Jane
Jane Bentley, Senior Librarian
Talking Book and Braille Library
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
Facebook | 518-402-5623, 1-800-342-3688
Gale Webinars
Gale has scheduled the following webinars for NOVELNY databases for May and June 2021. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. An attendance certificate will be provided to those who attend live; this certificate, when pre-approved by your employing library or employing library system may count towards professional development hours.
Wednesday, May 19, 2021, 10:00 AM, 30 mins.
For NOVELNY: Raise Awareness of your NOVELNY Resources
Did you know there’s a wealth of free, customizable marketing materials on NOVELNY’s new support site from Gale? Along with finding your library’s geo-authenticating URL for the databases, you can also find ready-to-go social media posts, newsletter blurbs, quick tutorials and much more. In this session, we’ll explore ways you can take advantage these materials to raise awareness and use of your NOVELNY resources. An attendance certificate will be provided to those who attend live.
Audience: Public libraries
Register here: https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OFOXoQuQRdqGP7TihjHkqg
Wednesday, May 19, 2021, 2:00 PM, 15 mins.
15 Minutes to Mastery: Prevent Learning Loss with your Gale In Context Resources
Inspire and engage students over the summer so that they’re motivated, confident, and ready to tackle any learning challenge in the year ahead! With just a couple of clicks, you can use your Gale In Context resources to share trusted topic overviews, short videos, articles from top publications, and more to spark learners’ interest and encourage summer exploration of quality sources. In this webinar, we’ll explore how to quickly find information on trending topics, send it to students, and keep them interested in learning so that they’re prepared for the new school year.
Who Should Attend: This session is designed for K12 educators and librarians and public library staff with access to Gale In Context resources who support students over the summer. An attendance certificate will be provided to those who attend live.
Additional Support: After this session you will receive an example Gale activity to engage students over the summer.
Register here: https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/7116178002224/WN_TrNJoo7lRdyCCl1xgA_URQ
Thursday, May 20, 2021, 3:00 PM, 30 mins.
For NOVELNY: Supporting End of School Year Work with NOVELNY
The end of the school year is rapidly approaching, and we want to make sure your library is ready for a flurry of time-sensitive student research. Your NOVELNY resources offer a wealth of content and tools to help support student work. In this session, we’ll provide quick tips for helping students find what they need and putting what they need, where they need it. An attendance certificate will be provided to those who attend live.
Audience: K-12 libraries, Academic libraries
Register here: https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XLTizzn2S7K39LVXkSo6FA
Monday, June 07, 2021, 11:00 AM, 30 mins.
For NOVELNY: NOVELNY Support For Virtual Reference and Programming
Public libraries have found creative ways to reach patrons virtually during the pandemic and, even with restrictions easing, virtual help is still thriving; your NOVELNY resources can help! Persistent URL tools can provide easy ways to link your patrons to reference questions and reach patrons who can’t attend virtual programming. In this session, we’ll explore these tools and more to assist you in expanding your virtual reach. An attendance certificate will be provided to those who attend live.
Audience: Public Libraries
Register here: https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iOV9L2zsQOaAo9UYctRhKw
Tuesday, June 08, 2021, 1:00 PM, 30 mins.
Adult Book Club Support with Gale OneFile Resources
Book clubs promote a love of literature and critical thinking; why not help jump start discussion with in-depth literary criticism, author interviews, and more from your Gale OneFile resources? In this webinar, we’ll explore finding engaging content in two Gale periodical resources-- Gale General OneFile and Gale Academic OneFile. You'll learn how you can share this content with adult book club members to help strengthen discussion and gain new perspectives on book club selections. An attendance certificate will be provided to those who attend live.
After this webinar, you’ll be able to
- use database filters to find literary criticism, interviews, book reviews in Gale OneFile resources
- use Get Link and retrieval options to share articles with book club members
This training is designed for library staff who have access to Gale General OneFile and Gale Academic OneFile who support adult book clubs.
Register here: https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/3516178054040/WN_EVEw2H80SAi5ILwEAN7mew
Tuesday, June 15, 2021, 10:00 AM, 30 mins.
For NOVELNY: Supporting Hospital Libraries with NOVELNY
Your NOVELNY provided Gale OneFile collections offers a variety of databases that support health care professionals with more than 2,500 embargo-free, full-text periodicals. Gale OneFile: Health and Medicineanchors this collection, but you’ll also find specialized databases for physical therapy, sports medicine, and nursing and allied health as well. In this session, we’ll explore these resources and share best practices for getting content to those who need it. Academic librarians at schools that offer health related degrees may be interested in this session as well. An attendance certificate will be provided to those who attend live.
Audience: Hospital libraries; Academic libraries
Register here: https://cengage.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_am_hqZinS2i7V_ne3YHv2Q
Provided by the New York State Library, NOVELNY is a Statewide Internet Library connecting New Yorkers to 21st century information. NOVELNY is supported with temporary Federal Library Service and Technology funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The NOVELNY e-resources cost $2,654,778 for 2020-2021 and are supported fully with IMLS funds.