Your library became Freytastic
What Mrs. Frey accomplished in just six months
Salmon River High School
Collection and circulation
Improvements to the collection:
Finalized budget and orders for 2012-2013 year:
- Created book purchases to focus on Common Core-aligned nonfiction and high-interest graphic novels
- Purchased titles missing from popular series
- Updated magazine and newspaper subscriptions
Corrected science fiction books so that they are no longer separated from the general fiction in the catalog and collection
Reconciled collection
- Labelled books checked out for more than a year as lost*
- Deleted books marked as missing (not checked out) or lost (checked out and never returned) for over three years*
*Records have not been completed for several years
Created budgets and book orders for 2013-2014, using:
- Teacher requests
- Common Core standards and recommended texts
- Reviews from national organizations and publications, including AASL and School Library Journal
The online catalog has more uses and looks better.
The library's online catalog underwent many changes:
- Rearranged homepage to improve appearance
- Edited and added new pathfinders for content-area projects
- Added library news, including contests and programs
- Added relevant, interesting links, including games, news sites, and more
Curriculum Support
- Created pathfinders for research projects
- Assisted students with research (online searches, databases, citations, and more)
- Co-hosted "Doodle 4 Google" with art teacher
- Shared ideas for using library resources in instruction through distribution of monthly newsletters
- Provided support for study hall students completing assignments
- Collaborated with art teacher to select the annual Library/Art award recipient
Programming
Doodle 4 Google Contest:
- Created advertisements (print, digital, announcements) for school-wide contest
- Created display for contest details and entries
- Created daily drawings and grand prize book giveaway to provide students with books
National Poetry Month:
- Advertised national poetry contest
- Created poetry display
- Participated in National Poem in Your Pocket Day
Book Giveaway:
- Provided students and staff with free books, discarded from the library's collection
Space
The library is being used more than ever.
The library was chosen as a site for:
- Study Hall
- Professional Development sessions
- Grade-level and department meetings
- Club meetings
- Regents testing
- Class testing
- Class activities
Study Hall
- Averaged 30 students per period
- Created policies and procedures for study hall students
- Trained study hall staff in the usage of the library's online catalog, and the Dewey Decimal System
- Assisted study hall staff in monitoring study hall students
Computer Lab
- Averaged 4 periods of usage per day for classes
- Used during conference days for staff training
Conference Rooms
Used for:
- Testing accommodations
- Regents language speaking exams
- Parent/teacher conferences
- Isolated work area for students with special needs
After School:
- Averaged 4 students choosing the library for academic or recreational purposes per day
- Averaged 4 club meetings per week, including 4H Mentoring, Health club, and others
- Welcomed grade-level and department staff meetings
Representing the library
In the building and district:
- Attended school wide staff meetings
- Logged over fifteen hours of mentoring with Salmon River Elementary librarian
- Met with other district librarians during the May conference day
- Participated in the All-Night Grad Party's donkey basketball game
- Attended school functions including drama productions, award ceremonies, and more
- Hosted Community Based Work Experience student
In the Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES:
- Attended FEH School Library System spring liaison meeting
- Reviewed nine books ahead of the September deadline for the 2013 fall book review, providing the library with free, new titles
In the professional community:
- Published article in the May/June American Association of School Librarian's journal, Knowledge Quest
- Participated in webinars conducted by ALA and AASL
But what about next year?
Looking Ahead
I'm working hard to ensure the library is in great shape for the 2013-2014 year.
- Teacher requests
- Common Core standards and recommended texts
- Reviews from national organizations and publications, including AASL and School Library Journal
Completed collection analysis:
- Completed inventory of collection
- Surveyed every fiction title and nonfiction title in 000-499 for status, condition, and value, removing items no longer needed in the collection**
- Set goals for collection development
Organized library program space and files:
- Reorganized the Interlibrary Loan manual for easier usage and less paper consumption, adding relevant "how-to" documents**
- Reorganized library office space to allow for more storage**
- Created a file system for the library file drawers**
- Filed copies of all of my lesson plans and materials for the incoming librarian
**Had not been completed in recent years