Library Update
January 2020
What's Happening in the Library?
I hope you are enjoying a relaxing break.
I wanted to update you on what's taken place in the library. Looking back the last 4 months a lot has happened---lots of fun, lots of learning, so many more books!
Thank you to everyone for making my transition to Shorewood so wonderful!
The Most Popular Websites from 1996-2019 video
I thought you might enjoy this video. Sends me down memory lane, I can almost hear AOL and the modem sounds booting up, "you've got mail"!
Some surprises, but fun to watch the changes.
Our #1 Priority: For students to become more independent users of information
- I've added more signage in the library to help students find rows and sections with ease.
- Updated the online catalog interface to be more student friendly, if you haven't seen it, take a look here: Lake Bluff and Atwater
- Books in a series have been placed in baskets at Atwater
- I'm starting to teach self checkout to some grades
All of this has been working very well! Not every kid gets it...yet, but I no longer have every student asking for help to find things, they have become more independent. Yay!
The ultimate goal is to increase the time I have for lessons, centers, and STEAM/maker-space activities, to efficiently conduct book checkouts simultaneously, while everyone is focused and happy . . . because, after all, the library is the happiest place on earth. Oh wait, that's Disneyworld, but maybe the happiest place in school??? ;-)
NEW Databases and Webpage Changes
I've added 2 new databases for your students to use for research and nonfiction text reading. Please take a look, (found on the library webpage under Reference Shelf) they are fantastic!
- Gale KidsInfoBits (video link) is designed for grades K-5,
- and Gale in Context Middle School (video link) for grades 5-8.
Perfect resources for you Expeditions. I've started to show grades 5 & 6 and let them explore what the databases have to offer, but we've barely scratched the surface. When it makes sense, please have your students use these resources BEFORE going to Google. I will continue to get other grades acclimated to our resources over the next 2 months.
Gale Passcodes
for Atwater = water
for Lake Bluff = bluff
The databases integrate with Google Classroom, have audio, video, photos, translation, text to speech, saves to Google Drive, text is leveled, AND citations are everywhere! Articles are from news sources, books, magazines, encyclopedias, primary sources, and other reference materials
I am also getting rid of other databases because these 2 offer so many options that a few others became redundant. I want our students to have the best quality, rather than a large quantity of resources to confuse them. Please complete the survey in the next section to help me decide what stays.
2019: A Year in Photos
Reading with our Library Reading Buddies
For Fun - Some helpful tips
I Tried #TablessThursday
I was successful for about 8 minutes until instant messenger went crazy with questions and I had to open tabs to find answers! But I like the idea of single tasking and doing one thing well, being in the present. The video offers some great ideas; it is difficult to stop multitasking.
Imagine how difficult this is for our students/digital natives.
#Tabless Thursday might help?
Plan to Empty Your Inbox – Int’l Clean Out Your Inbox Week is in the end of January!
To keep myself sane, I use Unroll.me to help me organize the mountain of emails I get. If you need some help, I highly recommend Unroll.me. Take a look at what the app/website offers.
Unroll.Me scans your inbox to find how many subscriptions you have, then gives the option to either unsubscribe or consolidate them into a daily digest called a “Rollup” - in one swipe.
- Unsubscribe: Unsubscribe from the subscriptions you don’t want
- Rollup: Roll up the subscriptions you want into a daily digest
- Keep: Keep the rest in your inbox
Let me know if #TablessThursday or Unroll.me works for you!
Diana Knight
Atwater and Lake Bluff
Please like and follow the library page on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/shorewoodelementaryLMC/
Follow what I'm reading on Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6441048?shelf=read
Email: dknight@shorewood.k12.wi.us
Website: www.pickyreader.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shorewoodelementaryLMC/
Twitter: @dkwi