OELMA eNews
Spring 2017 Edition
In This Issue...
- President's Message - Kelly Silwani
- Past President's Message - Liz Deskins
- Vice President's Message - Deb Logan
- Book Talk with Angela Reagins
- OELMA's Information Literacy Position Statement - Susan Mongold
- Join the OELMA Board! - Kelly Silwani
- 2017 OELMA Annual Conference Updates - Jessica Klinker
- Right to Read Week: Students Celebrate Authors, Books and Reading - Lorri Kingan
- Tech Tools & Tips - Lori Lee
- INFOhio Needs Your Help! - Emily Rozmus
- OELMA Receives ABC-CLIO Leadership Award - Susan Yutzey
President's Message - Kelly Silwani
I love spring. There’s nothing like watching the blah of winter give way to more colors than one can imagine. With spring, I also like to look ahead to the coming school year. I’ve already started moving furniture in my library, repurposing shelves, and having conversations with my classroom teachers and admin about their needs for next year. OELMA is thinking ahead too, implementing changes we approved last year, to the board structure, and working on new ways to meet the needs of our members.
You might have already noticed changes to our website and newsletter. The website has information about our annual conference which will be held at the Columbus –Worthington Double Tree Hotel, October 18 – 20, 2017. You can also see the new Coffeehouse Chats page under the professional development link. We will be listing informal get-togethers there for our members.
If you haven’t had the chance to connect with OELMA via Facebook or Twitter, I encourage you to do so. I’m always learning new information I can use right away in my library from the OELMA Twitter chats #oelmachat.
This weekend (April 8, 2017) is the annual Ohioana Book Festival. OELMA will be there and we still need volunteers. Contact Liz Deskins at liz.library@gmail.com if you’d like to help out. For more information on the festival see their website: http://www.ohioana.org
When planning with my teachers for next year, I know I will be turning to INFOhio. I’m sure most of you have heard by now of financial crisis they are facing in order to keep digital resources available to all K-12 students in Ohio. Many of you have already contacted your state representatives and I thank you. If you’d like more information, please see this link to see what our students will be missing if funding is not restored and calculate what it would mean to your district if they had to replace resources that students and teachers rely on.
In the months ahead, we will be announcing new initiatives and PD opportunities. I feel I can speak on behalf of the entire OELMA board when I say we take your comments and suggestions seriously. Thank you to the members that responded to the membership survey. We are processing and discussing the data now. However, please know that I am always available to talk to you about any immediate concerns or questions. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly at krs1614@gmail.com.
Past President's Message - Liz Deskins
Mark your calendars now, especially if you are in central Ohio! The Ohioana Book Festival is tomorrow, Saturday, April 8, at the Sheridan Hotel downtown. More than 100 authors will be there, with many of them author and/or illustrators for children and teens. OELMA is happy to sponsor the Teen Room and MakerSpace for the second year. (Yes, there is also a children’s space!) As you can see below, there will be things happening in both spaces all spaces all day! We invite you to come and enjoy the day, and even volunteer an hour or two.
Just in case you missed the email, Ohioana is also offering to do some “matchmaking” of authors and schools; a chance at a free author visit for your school. Check out this site for details: Ohioana Author School Matching 2017
Please send me an email if you would like to volunteer in a slot!
Teen Room Schedule
11-2 MakerSpace Open
11:30 - 12:15 – Draw-On (Craft paper on tables for graffiti/doodling)
- C.F. Payne
- Joe Sutphin
- Bill Cotter
- Steve Harpster
12:30 - 1:15 – Imagine-On (Fantasy)
- Carey Corp
- Ellen Fritz
- Tracy Lawson
- D.W. (Wendy) Vogel
- Tara Tyler
1:30 - 2:15 – Move-On (Speed Dating)
- Shari Goldhagen
- Mindy McGinnis
- Shelley Pearsall
- e.E. Charlton-Trujillo
- Lorie Langdon
2:30-3:15 – Forge-On
- Nancy Roe Pimm
- Sara Holbrook
- Josephine Rascoe Keenan
- Karen Meyer
3:30 - 4:15 – Write-On
- Jennifer Maschari
- Tricia Springstubb
- Krysten Lindsay Hager
- Natalie Richards
Vice President's Message - Deb Logan
The request to share my involvement in OELMA made me think about and beyond the
many years I have been involved in and volunteered as part of OELMA; it reminded me of the volunteer work I did growing up. In tenth grade, I entered an essay contest on how to improve our community. My belief was that volunteer work would make a difference to the community and our world. I still believe in the power of volunteers. Over the years I have focused my passion and need to make a difference into my work for our students. I also believe that there is strength in numbers. Together, we are OELMA and we can make a difference for our students.
I have been a member of the OELMA board of directors as a central region director and I have spent approximately ten years as advocacy chair and co-chair. Now, I am honored and excited to serve as your vice president. Whether it has been on a committee, in an office, or as part of a special project, the work I have done as a volunteer for OELMA, AASL and ALA has given me opportunities to work with and learn from inspiring colleagues; there is no question in my mind that getting involved in our professional associations has allowed me to make a difference.
As the OELMA vice president, I work closely with OELMA President, Kelly Silwani. I also work with the Conference Committee Director, Jessica Klinker. We are working together with the many conference committee volunteers to plan a conference that will be a memorable learning experience for all of us. I am also working with OELMA’s many leaders and volunteers to promote strong school libraries, while educating local, state, and national leaders about the difference strong professionally staffed school libraries can make for our students. During my time as your vice president, I am learning from OELMA President, Kelly Silwani, and OELMA Past President, Liz Deskins, as I prepare to serve our students and to work with all of you all as OELMA’s president.
Decades after I wrote my essay on volunteer work, I still believe that volunteers can make a difference. I won the essay contest and being a volunteer has been one of the positives in my life. Volunteering is not just work; the time I spend with my “library peeps” is one of the joys of my life. I am looking forward to working with and for all of you. We are OELMA. We are the association. Together, we can make a difference and we can win for our students.
Book Talk with Angela Reagins, LMS at Cleveland Metro Schools
OELMA's Information Literacy Position Statement - Susan Mongold, East Region Director
Over the past few months, OELMA members, Angela Wojtecki, Deb Logan, Brandi Young, and Susan Mongold, met to develop OELMA’s Information Literacy Position Statement. During the December 2016 OELMA Board meeting, it was decided that in the era of fake news, it was time to take a stand. Modeled after the recently released AASL position statements, the OELMA statement includes an argument for the importance of information literacy instruction, identifies the licensed school library media specialist as an information literacy expert, and provides a definition and characteristics of an information literate person (as identified by the Association of College and Research Libraries in Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education). The new position statement was adopted by the OELMA Board on March 10, 2017, with the hopes that it will be used to guide programming, add value to the school library media center program, and emphasize yet another reason to employ a licensed library media specialist in every district in Ohio. You can find OELMA's Information Literacy Position Statement here: http://www.oelma.org/position-statements/
Join the OELMA Board! - Kelly Silwani
Wondering how to become more involved with OELMA AND wondering how you can get free pizza? Nominate yourself or a friend to run for a position on the OELMA board! Not only will you be meeting and working with some fabulous librarians from around the state, lunch is provided at our board meetings. Conversation and food. . .what could be better?! Our wonderful nominating committee of Dana Wright, Nellie Schmidt, Kathy Aurigemma, Susan Yutzey and Liz Deskins are looking for nominations for the positions of Vice President, Treasurer, Director Liaison to Operations and Director Liaison to Teaching & Learning.
Not sure you have time to serve on the board? Watch the listserv for sub-committee positions. Each of the director positions will be looking for people to chair and work on sub committees.
Nominations will be closing soon, so If you are interested in finding out more on a particular position, please email Liz Deskins at liz.library@gmail.com or Susan Yutzey at oelmasdy@gmail.com. Serving on the board has been one of the best professional decisions I have ever made!
2017 OELMA Annual Conference Updates - Jessica Klinker, Director Liaison to Strategic Conference Committee
The Conference Planning Committees have been hard at work to create an exciting, information-packed conference that will allow you to connect with colleagues and pull together all the pieces of your job as a Teacher Librarian. Here are some of the highlights:
- Conference will be held October 18 - 20, 2017 at the Doubletree Hotel in Worthington (Columbus area). You will be able to attend this amazing professional development opportunity at 2016 rates! The Board has made every effort to keep operational costs low, so that we can continue to provide a stellar conference at reasonable prices.
- Dr. Heather Moorefield-Lang Announced as Keynote Speaker: Heather Moorefield-Lang is an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina in the School of Library and Information Science. She received her masters in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her doctorate in Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research is focused in emerging technologies and how they are used in education and libraries. Her current research focuses on makerspaces and their subsequent technologies in libraries of all types and levels. To learn more about Heather and her work, see her website www.techfifteen.com or follow her on Twitter @actinginthelib.
- Preconference Speakers Announced: OELMA’s very own Angela Wojtecki and Trent Roberts will be the featured presenters for this year’s preconference, which will be held Wednesday, October 20, 2017 from 4:30 - 7:30. The evening will focus on exciting new technology tools and learning strategies you can use with students and teachers and promises to be an evening of fun, hands-on learning opportunities. The cost for attending preconference is only $25, so be sure to invite administrators, tech coordinators, and other teachers in your building to come with you!
Call for Proposals Open, Now - April 15: You are doing amazing things in your library! Share your best practices with us by creating a presentation for the OELMA Conference. Primary presenters also get reduced registration rates for attending conference. Find more information and the online submission form at http://www.oelma.org/conference/call-for-presentations/.
OELMA Swag: We have created an OELMA store in Teespring that will help raise funds for OELMA and help you show off your librarian swagger. Throughout the year, we will be adding different designs and models of t-shirts, bags, mugs, and more. We are holding a “Best Librarian Gear Fashion Show/Contest” on Friday, October 20 during conference, so start stocking up now!!
If you ever have questions, suggestions, or are interested in helping out for conference, please contact Jessica Klinker at teachklink@gmail.com.
Teacher Librarians: Making All of the Connection
OELMA 2017 Conference
Preconference 2017
Another preconference clue!
Dr. Heather Moorefield-Lang
Dr. Heather Moorefield-Lang will be one of several speakers at OELMA 2017 conference.
Right to Read Week: Students Celebrate Authors, Books and Reading - Lorri Kingan, Director Liaison to Awards Strategic Committee
Marilyn Sadler, author of Alice from Dallas and many more children’s books is visiting Ellsworth Hill Primary School in Hudson, Ohio this week! We are lucky enough to host an author visit annually, and when we do, we celebrate Right to Read week as well. The following are some tips to consider when planning similar events.
Traditionally, we plan our festivities for Right to Read for the week preceding Spring Break. As the media specialist, I meet with our PTO committee in the Fall to brainstorm names for our author visit. The PTO then secures the author. In early February, our PTO committee will meet with our teacher committee to look at the author’s books and determine a theme and slogan for the week and activities for each day. Events will include daily reading requirements paired with fun activities such as themed days that will coordinate with the author’s featured titles. Sadler will be sharing, Alice from Dallas so we created a weekly reading theme of “Yippee Ki-Yay for our Wanted Readers.” Students will then celebrate reading with themed days like a Wild Hair Hootenanny, Wrangle Up a Reading Friend (read with a stuffed animal), and a Crazy Sock Showdown day. Also, Mystery Readers will visit classrooms all week. This will include visits from the superintendent, assistant superintendent, Human Resources Director, principals from other buildings, the school treasurer and the district police officer.
When students enter the building this week, they will see the entryway decorated in a theme that showcases Sadler’s books, especially Alice from Dallas. A campfire and camping chairs will be featured in the foyer of the school. This area can be signed out by teachers throughout the week for class reading time. Each student, under the instruction of our art teacher, will have a “WANTED” Reader poster on display throughout the building featuring his/her selfie designs.
Finally, Marilyn Sadler will speak to three different groups of second graders about her process of creating and writing. Students will come prepared with questions to ask if they choose. Families were able to pre-purchase the author’s books and have them signed. Teachers and the parent committee will have lunch with our visiting author courtesy of our supportive, generous PTO.
Right to Read week is an amazing way to celebrate literacy. It is an excellent student-centered, commemoration that allows teachers, staff, parents, and community members to come together with the shared goal of promoting a love of reading to students!
Tech Tools & Tips - Lori Lee, LMS at Zanesville City Schools
One of the underutilized Google tools is Google Keep (keep.google.com) and it recently got some handy updates. Google Keep is a web-based application that allows you to create and share notes, lists, and reminders. You can also add images, voice notes, drawings and more! Each note resembles an online sticky note that can be customized and shared just like other GSuite apps.
The Android and iOS Google Keep apps also offer one additional feature that isn’t available in the desktop version of Google Keep: Voice Notes! There is also a Chrome extension that can be used to quickly save websites and create notes.
The newest feature is the integration of Google Keep with Google Docs. While in Google Docs you can view or Keep Notepad and click and drag the note into your document. This would be a great way to take notes during a meeting and then create a document or agenda for a future meeting. Or use Keep on your phone as a handy way to make notes when you are stopped in the hall by a student or teacher who asks you for something.
Learn more ways to use Google Keep in the classroom here.
INFOhio Needs Your Help! Restore $1.1M for Digital Content to FY14-15 Level! - Emily Rozmus, INFOhio Liaison
Proposed FY18-19 Budget Does Not Include $1.1 Million For Digital Content!
On March 28, the House Finance Committee met. Terri Fredericka, INFOhio Director, and Geoff Andrews, Chief Executive Officer of the MCOECN, testified. Amy Stanley, River Valley High School, Gallia County Schools, library media specialist in Representative Ryan Smith, Finance Committee Chair’s district, testified with a high school student and her principal as well.
Check the advocacy website for the documents and video after the testimony.
Advocacy Squad – The INFOhio Instructional team is recruiting advocacy coordinators for every county. Volunteers will call their legislators to restore $1.1 million budget loss
-and- recruit other people to call as well. 47 volunteers have committed as of Friday, March 24, 2017. The calls are first targeting the House Finance Committee, then other state representatives, and finally State Senators . We are getting great stories with details on how our grassroots campaign is having an effect. Please share yours as well.
Budget Amendment - Alexis Miller, Senior Legislative Aide for Rep. Nickie Antonio (Minority Whip) confirmed Antonio is working with other members of finance committee on our budget amendment. They are waiting for an amendment number, which we should get soon. Representative Antonio reinforced the need to get calls to all House finance committee members so that the amendment is supported. Please help us out by contacting your representative today!
Get more information about how you can help at https://www.infohio.org/advocate-for-infohio
Questions? Call or email Melissa Higgs-Horwell, 740-352-6820, horwell@infohio.org
OELMA receives ABC-CLIO Leadership Award - Susan Yutzey
On February 28, 2017, OELMA learned that it received the AASL ABC-CLIO Leadership Award for its project entitled “Make Leadership Your Superpower.” More details about the project will be forthcoming soon. You can read more about this prestigious award on the AASL website: http://www.ala.org/aasl/awards/leadership. OELMA last received the award in 1998. Members of the grant team included: Liz Deskins, Sue Subel, Susan Yutzey, and Betsy Lantz (NEO_RLS). The OELMA Board approved the submission of the grant at its first Board meeting in 2017. The grant amount is for $1750.
In the letter from AASL it stated that “this prestigious award showcases the impact of strong school library programs in schools and highlights the importance of the school library program in the educational community.” As the OELMA Newsletter goes to press, AASL is contacting local government officials as well as media outlets to inform them of OELMA’s receipt of the award.
The award will be presented to OELMA at ALA’s 2017 Annual Conference in Chicago during the AASL Awards Ceremony, June 22-27.