Student Library Assistants- Help you can Use!

If you don't already have a student library assistant program, it is time to start one! In times of shrinking budgets and increasing responsibilities, you can use engaged students to help manage your collection, create displays and resources, and engage student readers. 

The key to establishing an effective Student Assistant Program is having a job description: a clear list of the kinds of duties the student assistant can expect. During the interview process- yes, do this, it helps them to commit to the work- ask prospective student assistants what ideas they have for the library and give them the opportunity to contribute. The student librarian position can also be a great place for students with learning disorders or special needs. The monotony of shelving can be calming to a student who is very order oriented, but not comfortable engaging with others. Over time, students learn stronger personal skills, time management, and organization. While the set-up and training can take some thought and organization, the payoff is significant both for the students and the library. 

It is very helpful to provide a training course so that each student assistant has the same knowledge base. It is far more challenging for teens to just “learn the rules as they go.” Some jobs may be less difficult, shelving for example, while creating engaging displays and interacting with other students may require some guidelines. Then, establish a system to allocate and share tasks, and provide a feedback system. Frequent opportunities for feedback and recognition will encourage students and help them to develop new skills. Student engagement is the heart of the library and student assistants can play a valuable role in connecting to what students are interested in. These suggestions will help to create the library as the center of student learning.  

Makerspaces

  When Makerspaces first hit the library there was a lot of attention and hype in creating a special area where students would create and use critical thinking. I have to say that I couldn’t wait to implement the Makerspace into the library when I started. As we started to progress throughout the year, I was seeing that we were using much more than just this space that I had created and it was just a storage area for some of the items I was using. The truth was I needed more room in the library to work with students in small groups, research, and so on. My thoughts started to change about whether it was necessary to designate an entire corner of the library to this space when the intention of the space was woven throughout my lessons. We have items we have purchased that students build, create, and design with, but the whole library should be a place of creativity and critical thinking. I moved the items from the Makerspace into the back office to get out as needed so that the actual space in the library could be used for other needs. The whole intention of a Makerspace is to encourage creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and the list goes on and on. The library, to me, is the entire space that you use for these activities where all students can be “makers”’ without requiring a certain space.
 What are some of your thoughts on this?

Jessica W.

Here is a blog I found that I thought was interesting and reflective.

Spencer, J. (2016, April 25). You Don’t Need a Makerspace to Have a Space for Makers [Blog
Post].Retrieved from
http://www.spencerauthor.com/you-dont-need-makerspace-to-have-space/

FlipGrid Fun!

I recently went to a professional development sponsored by my district and was introduced to an exciting new presentation application.  FlipGrid is a video discussion platform that has taken the library world (or at least my library) by storm.  

Here is what you need to know the first time you try this engaging and simple to use tool:

·         Create a FREE educators account at Flipgrid.com

·         Create a grid

·         Add a topic to your grid Ex:  Which Harry Potter book was your favorite and why?

·         FlipGrid will provide you with a simple code that you share with students

·         Students do not need to create an account.  They only need the code you provide.  They can use

      any device that has internet access and a webcam.

·         Students visit Flipgrid.com and enter the code

·         They use the webcam to record their response to the discussion question

·         You have total control over what is viewable in case anything inappropriate were recorded

How can Flipgrid be used in the library?:

·         Share booktalks and book trailers

·         Students can share information learned during an inquiry project

·         Perfect for blended learning assignments

·         Students can respond to discussion questions about books

·         Book clubs

Here is what the blogger Nikki Robertson of The Absolutely True Adventures of a School Librarian (http://www.nikkidrobertson.com/ ) thinks of FlipGrid;

FlipGrid is one of the most amazing tech tools I have used to empower and amplify student voice.  There are a million different ways that you can use FlipGrid. I have used it this year for students to submit Book Reviews and Quote of the Day submissions to be included in our morning show... FlipGrid is also a great way to get the conversation about digital citizenship started in a way that is real and relevant to students.

You can check out more on their website www.flipgrid.com.

So You Got A 3D Printer. Now What?

The reason for this post was inspired by my library recently getting a 3D printer for students to use.  I knew what it did, but didn't know how or what kind of lesson would be good for students to learn the purpose of it.  I found an article that seemed to answer my questions by Zach Lichaa and Charlie Wapner.  3D printing helps to bring digitization to the economy of tangible things.  This article first talks about what it would cost to own a 3D printer.  It is pretty much all of your basics for owning a printer.  At first I was thinking that adding it to makerspace for the students to use, but I found out that most things take a long time to print.  Something very, very small would maybe be about 20 minutes and then something medium would take over an hour.  This wasn't working for me to use and have a lesson in a short amount of time.

The best information I found on 3D printers was from School Library Journal.  The article talks about different ways that these printers help people out in the world.  Then, perfect timing happened.  My co-librarian got a book in a Junior Library Guild shipment that talked about 3D printers.  I had my lesson!  The book is called, Beauty and the Beak:  How Science, Technology, and a 3D-Printed Beak Rescued A Bald Eagle.  This book explains how scientists were able to recreate part of a injured Bald Eagle's beak with a 3D printer so that it could use it again.  I think finding types of technology that students can see and have an example for helps them to realize that the 3D printer is not just a toy.

Links to sites mentioned:
http://www.slj.com/2016/04/technology/my-lovehate-relationship-with-3-d-printers-in-libraries/#_

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/sites/ala.org.advocacy/files/content/ALA_3D_Printing_Q__A_Final.pdf

KF

Starting a Successful Teen Book Club

I think one of the main goals of all librarians is to help foster the love of reading in all students.  I love to read, but I definitely prefer to read books of my own choosing as opposed to “required reading.”  I am pretty sure that I am not alone in this.  I think a book club in school would be a great way to encourage students to enjoy reading.

What I envision is a group of teens reading and discussing books of their own choosing.  To give a little guidance/structure, the group would choose a theme for each month, such as Bullying, Mental Health, Divorce, LGBT, Self Esteem, Adoption, Relationships, Immigrant Experience in the US.  The students, as a group, would decide on a book that relates to the theme of the month then discuss the book at the next month’s meeting.

I think the success of a club like this would come from the fact that the students choose what they are reading and what they are discussing.  These are all topics that affect many teens and these topics and books could generate good discussion with their peers.

That being said, I have visions of book club grandeur in my head, but I am not sure how to actually make it happen successfully.  So many things could go wrong- no one would show up, too many people would show up, no one would want to talk, or everyone wants to talk. 

Ilovelibraries.org  has some great information about how to structure and run book club meetings.  I especially liked the idea of how to have a book club meeting without a leader.  The discussion would circulate around the room and the students would take turns sharing their thoughts on the book or if members are reluctant to initiate discussion, then every student would get an index card and they must write a relevant question or insight about the book.  The group would then choose several index cards to facilitate the discussion.

Another interesting idea to help promote the book club once it is up and running came from an article by Carianne Capalongo-Bernadowski in Library Media Connection.  Capalongo-Bernadowski suggested that the students share their passion for reading and the books by writing a review of the books that they read in the club.  The students could post these book reviews in a student blog on the library web page.  The blog would promote reading, the book club and the library, plus allow students an opportunity to practice writing skills.  It’s a win-win situation when students are self-motivated to read and write.

The final key to success of a book club that I found in my research was food.  Lucas Maxwell shared his ideas on starting a book club on Bookriot.com and it came as no surprise to me that Maxwell declared that food was always a popular draw to any activity.  I spent 11 years in the classroom and I very quickly learned that students were always eager to participate in almost any activity when food was involved.

Cathy G.

 Citations

(2018).  How to run a book club.  Retrieved from http://www.litlovers.com/run-a-book-club

Capalongo-Bernadowski, C.  (2007).  Book clubs at work.  Library Media Connection, 26(3), 32-3.

Maxwell, L. (2017, September 13).  Ideas on starting a teen book club in your school library.  Retrieved from https://bookriot.com/2017/09/13/ideas-teen-book-club-ilibrary/

FAKE NEWS, READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Have you ever overheard your students talking about an outrageous news story while walking down the hall? Have you heard a faculty lunch conversation about a news story that just seems to be too far fetched? Fake News is showing up more and more in our everyday lives and we all must put in the effort to look into the truthfulness of information we see, hear and read.

As school librarians, it is our job to help educate our students about Fake News and help
them learn to spot it. One of our many roles as a school librarian is to teach information
literacy skills to our students which will help us produce 21st century, lifelong learners.
This includes digital literacy as well.

I recently read a great article in School Library Connection written by Carolyn Foote, which
gives some good ideas to the Future Ready Librarians (I love that phrase!) about incorporating
Fake News instruction into the school curriculum.

Here are a few of Foote’s suggestions from her article “Future Ready Librarian: Instructional
Leader in an Age of Misinformation” :

Building Instructional Partnerships - Collaboration with teachers who use current events in their classes (English teachers, Government teachers, Journalism teachers, World Language teachers, etc.) is a great way to teach students about Fake News and integrate information literacy into the school curriculum.

Curating Resources - Get together some great resources together for teachers that focus on teaching students about Fake News. This can be a great way to start a collaboration and teachers will get excited about your discoveries.

Empowering Students - Ask students questions about where they go to read their news, what social media accounts they use, the type of news they are interested in and how they feel about the news they read. The students are constantly taking in news on their social media accounts and already have experience sifting through news and information. As librarians we want our students to become lifelong learners who question and research what they read both in print and online.

Read the full article here

Check out these other great resources to help incorporate information on Fake News into your library program:

How to spot fake news: FactCheck.org

School Library Journal Blog on Fake News

Help make your students informed members on society and have fun finding great ways to collaborate with your teachers to share knowledge about Fake News! Be sure to share your ideas here!

Megan M.

Foote, C. (2017, August). Future ready librarian: Instructional leader in an age of misinformation. School Library  Connection. Retrieved from http://schoollibraryconnection.com/Home/Display/2120923

What's all the fuss about VASB 261?

As a student learning about school librarianship I am immersed in the world of school library ideals and best practices. I read of makerspaces, library blogs, twitter feeds, and book clubs. I imagine that when I graduate this year, I'll find a job at a perfect little library somewhere, and will lovingly transform that library into the heart of the school -- complete with all the best books, programs and equipment that engage and inspire my students to become lifelong learners and library lovers.  How could anyone not support that? Then, as I read my new library-filled Twitter feed, I heard about VA SB261.  Apparently, people want to reduce the staffing in the school libraries in Virginia?!?!  I decided to do a little investigating to see what the fuss was all about.  

What is VASB261?

Sure enough, when I visited the Virginia legislature's website, I found all the details about the proposed Virginia (VA) Senate Bill (SB) #261.  I found the entire bill and learned that this is not a new bill, but one that would amend an existing law (§ 22.1-253.13:2 of the Code of Virginia). The original law specifies the number of classroom teachers, special education teachers, reading specialist, math teachers, principals, guidance counselors, librarians and more required for each school based on their total population.  This new bill only proposes changes to librarians and clerical positions for the library.  Basically, it says that for those schools that would be required to have two full-time librarians, they would now only have to hire one librarian and one other teacher (instructional coach, personalized learning lab facilitator, content coordinator, or instructional resource teacher). This applies to middle schools and high schools with over 1,000 students. I’m guessing that “other” teacher would not be helping in the library, but would be working somewhere else in the school. 

As if that weren’t enough, this new bill reduces the requirements for library clerical staff as well.  Instead of requiring one full-time clerical staff for the library, now that can be a full-time instructional assistant. I’m betting that instructional assistant would not be helping out in the library!

What now?

I knew my library best-practice dreams would probably not be realized my first year in a new library, but I had hoped they weren’t completely out of reach. Now I wonder how just one librarian can even run a mediocre library, much less a library striving to become the heart of the school. Will this bill make our libraries look like those from my grandmother’s days? Not if I can help it! Below are a few things we can do to block VA SB261, and keep our libraries fully staffed.   

1. Let your state senator know you oppose VA SB 261.  Send an email and call his office. Then get everyone you know to do the same!
2. Get the word out.  Going along with #1, get your family, friends, neighbors, students, their parents, co-workers, administrators, and anyone else you can think of to tell their state senators to oppose VA SB 261.  Share the great infographics put out by AASL on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Ask your social media friends to share or retweet your posts so the message to oppose VA SB 261 will spread like wildfire around the internet.
3. Keep promoting your library to those who use it.  Keep reminding your co-teachers and administrators of all the amazing things you’ve been doing in the library. Remind them of all the ways the library has made their lives easier and helped the students.  Sometimes your biggest advocates can be those just down the hall.

Much to my surprise, my challenges in the library have started before I even have the job! Hopefully, if we all speak up, we can keep our school libraries fully staffed so we can keep our students fully learning and growing each day. 

Jen Singleton

References

American Association of School Librarians. [Infographic]. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslissues/advocacy/AASL_infographic_strongstudents-2013.pdf

Virginia State Senate (2018). Senate Bill No. 261.  Retrieved February 5, 2018, from https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?181+ful+SB261.