Last Day before Summer Break - What to do?

What does a librarian do when everyone has gone home for the summer, and she has extra days on her contract?  Plan for next year.  Actually this is a double duty day.  I am working on my presentation for the summer TCEA Library Con, and planning for next year.  Fortunately, that is what my presentation is all about.  Hence, the double duty day.

Here is the blurb for my presentation which is at the end of June.  I believe there are still seats available if you are interested.  It is virtual.  What's not to love about PD in your PJs?

Prepping your Library - One Year at a Time

This is the perfect time to start planning next year’s library agenda.  In this session, you will see how one high school librarian organizes her whole year by aligning her monthly activities and classes with the 6 library strands: Information Literacy, Inquiry, Reading, Digital Learning, Safe & Nurturing Environment, and Leadership.  Creating a digital storage space for all of your information will help you stay organized as well as make your appraisal easier when you have to provide documentation.  Tech tools used in this session include Canva, Wakelet, Google Sites and more. You will leave this session with concrete examples and all of the templates you need to start planning your year.

I am excited about this one because it has helped me stay organized, focused, and at the end of the year, I can turn this in for my library evaluation. I first started this documentation 2 years ago. The first year, it was a reactive process. My appraiser wanted documentation for any standard I wanted to be rated above "proficient." To be honest, I am finishing up my 20th year as a librarian, and I'll take proficient at this point. However, the perfectionist in me decided to turn in a bunch of stuff anyway. LOL!

This is how my documentation looked year one: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nlhW9Fu4eS_PV8QvyJ03Wa1O3f5LSHyfbNqaHiywb7g/present?slide=id.p

Last year, after going to an amazing presentation at TxLA where Katy ISD organized their year, I decided to migrate from Google Slides to a Google Site.  This is what that looked like:

 https://sites.google.com/misdmail.net/shs-library-2022-23/home

Another difference between year 1 and year 2 was the planning piece.  The second year was a proactive process instead of a reactive.  So I planned and documented at the same time throughout the year.  That helped me be more organized and focused.  Now I am going to share that with others this June during the virtual Library Conference.  Come and see me!

Anticipating TXLA 2023

 I am so excited about attending and presenting at TXLA (library conference) this year.  I can always find ideas from the various sessions to bring back to my library and try.  I do love the author panels, and all of the free books!  This year we travel to Austin.  It's been a minute since I have been in that convention center, but TCEA (the tech conference) used to be there every year.  So I am sure I will remember how to navigate the building.

Pam and I are presenting "Top Ten Tools to Make Your Library POP."  We did this presentation back in February for TCEA.  We did change it up a bit.  I created more content and added Canva live to our presentation.  I saw someone use it at TCEA, and it didn't look too difficult.  Basically Canva Live is a back channel to keep track of questions and comments so the flow of the presentation is not interrupted.  I think "Today's Meet" was a predecessor of the back channel, but now Canva has a version for their platform.  I am continually amazed at the amount of content Canva has, and the Pro version is free for educators!  So cool.

I downloaded the app yesterday and started going through the sessions starting that Wednesday afternoon.  I am travelling to Austin Wednesday morning.  If I make it in time, I would love to go to "A Data-Driven Library" session at 12:15.  I take usage statistics every 6 weeks and have for a number of years - in fact Pam and I did our presentation last year was on this subject, "What's Your Story: using data to promote your library."  However, it is always good to have a fresh perspective from a different source.  Maybe I am missing something?  If I can't make that session, I hope there is another session about data and the library.

Of course I want to see the session from Duncanville HS. Love those ladies!  I'd love to sit in on some Lightning Talks too.  I'd also like to discover some programs or digital tools I am not using yet.  Definitely going to the author sessions and then going down to the vendor floor for free books.  The possibilities are endless!  Can't wait to explore the app more and get my agendas set.  Austin - here I come!

Quiz Fun with Book Riot

 

This year I have started many a book club meeting with a Book Riot quiz.  Most of the quizzes are answer-these-questions-and-get-book-recommendation quiz.  The book club students were having so much fun with the quizzes that I brought them out into the general population. Now I make signs in Canva, and I post them around the library - in the shelves, at the book check out, etc.  And, of course, I take them into my book club meetings.

If you have not done a Book Riot quiz before, here is a direct link to their quiz website: https://bookriot.com/category/quizzes/  You will need to scroll down a bit to find the quiz link, but it's worth it.

A word of caution . . . please go through the quiz yourself before promoting it.  I saw a really good one about Netflix movies.  The quiz was going to make a book recommendation based on the type of Netflix movies and shows you choose.  There was one question that asked how you like to "chill" when watching Netflix.  One of the choices showed alcohol.  Great for an adult, but not for a high school student. So be careful and make sure you preview everything.  Plus the students always ask me about my answers.  It only makes sense that I would take the quiz.  Differing answers make for a great discussion.

Here are some of the quizzes I chose this year . . . all "high school friendly."  I have added the link to the quiz and a template to my Canva poster in case you want to use what I have already created.

October Book Quiz

October Canva Template

November Book Quiz

November Canva Template

December Book Quiz

December Canva Template

January Book Quiz

January Canva Template

February Book Quiz

February Canva Template

March Book Quiz

March Canva Template

I'm still trying to decide which quiz to pick for April and May, but I am sure the Book Riot website will have plenty of options.  They have not disappointed me yet.  (and No, I do not get paid for my endorsement of this website.  I doubt the people at Book Riot even know I exist.  I just really love their quizzes)

Have a great day!

Fun Bulletin Board Idea

It's the little things that sometimes keeps you going. Today's post is about a fun display I recently created.

I inherited a bulletin board in the English hallway at my school. I change it out about every other month. This time I made those tear away flyers in Canva; you know the flyers with information at the bottom that a person can rip off and save. Each flyer is a different genre, and the info at the bottom are books from that genre. Then I cut the bottom of the flyers apart for easy tearing. Here are a few pictures of what that looks like in the hallway.

I'm not sure what I am going to do if students actually rip them all off. I guess I need to be prepared with alternative flyers. Someone in an FB group said the tear away can then be their bookmark as they read the book. I hadn't thought of that, but she is right. I love it when logistics work out like that.

If you want to do something similar, I am giving you the Canva templates. One template for the main title, and one of the flyers for you to use/edit to reflect your collection.

• What Should I Read Next?
• Romance Flyer

TCEA 2023

 This was the first TCEA where I travelled away since COVID.  I participated in the virtual conferences, and last year it was in Dallas.  That was so close to my home that I was able to ride the DART rail to get there and back.  That just doesn't feel the same as going to a different city.

I look forward to participating in this conference every year.  I also love TLA, but there is something about technology that I just love.  Of course, I will be looking forward to this year's TLA conference in Austin.  I love the books and hearing authors speak.  If we could somehow combine the best of both conferences, I would be in heaven.

Let's talk sessions.  I enjoyed all of the sessions I attended, but many of them were geared towards librarians.  So of course I did!  My favorite session was about the AI Bot, Chat GPT.  I enjoyed it because the presenters were more about how to use it positively in the classroom instead of banning it.  Granted it is for users 18 year of age and up.  So blocking it from the student's accounts at school is the right choice.  However, I believe teachers should have access in order to model some positive ways to use Chat GPT.  Isn't that what Digital Citizenship is all about? Using technology appropriately?  

I loved Matt Miller's infographic highlighting 20 ways to use it in the classroom.  Here is the explanation that goes with that infographic: https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai#t-1671292150924

I also found it helpful when Mr. Miller listed all the ways classroom teachers were actually using the AI Bot.  He curated his list from Twitter.  It's worth a look.  https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai#tve-jump-185fce7110d

The conference wasn't all about AI; there were many fun sessions I attended.  In addition, Pam Pinkerton and I presented our session "Top 10 Tools to Make Your Library Pop."  It was well attended which always humbles and excites me when people show up to hear me talk about my fabulous library.  I love what I do, and I hope that shows when I talk one-on-one or present in a room full of people.

I curated a Wakelet of all best sessions I attended.  Here is that link if you are interested. 

https://wakelet.com/wake/f0z84XNhv7o6iPgzWQimt

Thanks for tuning in, and Happy Valentine's Day!

A First Semester Review

 

I realize this is only telling part of our story, but I am pretty proud of those numbers.  We have been working hard to bring all of our students into the library.  I think these numbers show we are doing just that.  In addition, students are using our databases and checking out books.  Our class visits have gone down, but that is to be expected.  The first 6 weeks usually includes me seeing all of our ELAR classes for either a library introduction or a library review.  So I am okay with that number trending down . . . for the moment.

Now here is what the numbers don't say.  In looking back at what we did last semester, our most successful programs include . . .

• National Day Giveaways
  
  
• Drones
  
  
• Fri-YAY!
  
  

I talked about all of these in the November 2022 post.  At the time, I was speculating these programs were the reason our numbers were increasing.  After analyzing the whole semester, now I am sure these programs helped increase our foot traffic.  When students come in to participate in programs, they also end up checking out books . . . eventually.  I try to create fun activities in the library to build those relationships.  When those relationships pay off and students come to me to talk about books, I know I've got them hook-line-and-sinker.  I just love that!

If you need more details about our 1st semester, here is a recap of our Six Weeks Usage Reports.

• 1st Six Weeks, August 17-September 23
  
  
• 2nd Six Weeks, September 26-October 28
  
  
• 3rd Six Weeks, October 31-December 20

What's in the Box?

I can't believe half of our school year is almost over. Doesn't it go by in a blink? I have one more day of school tomorrow, and I am just a bit jealous of all those school districts that ended their semester on Friday.  However, tomorrow will go just as quickly as today.  Unfortunately, that means the whole break will do the same, but I am getting ahead of myself.

Let's talk "Mystery Boxes."  That is just an easier title for BreakOut EDU.  Last year I started creating a breakout box for the library each month.  Last year I took most of my ideas from the "lock of the day," which is a part of the BreakOut EDU platform.  It's usually a one lock problem, and mostly digital.  I just recreated that problem with a physical box and placed that box in the library.  I always have books in the mystery box along with some candy or stickers.  To be honest, it didn't go as I had imagined it.  Most of the mystery box enthusiasts solved the problem and opened the box at the beginning of the month, and then the box stayed on the table (collecting dust) for the rest of the month.  Despite that less than stellar debut, I decided to repeat the activity this year.

This year I have been very strategic with the breakout box.  Up until December, I still only did one problem per month. I also tied it to our district Vision 2030 guiding statements, the one that particularly goes with Algebra.  I was trying to decide how to support math in the library and decided to create math breakout box problems.  In addition, I also started advertising on the morning announcements and on social media.  The results are in, and the mystery box is way more popular this year.  In fact, I have an office aide who loves them so much, she created an alternate problem for December.  That made everyone happy.  They were able to break open the mystery box twice this month.  Once by solving a math problem and again by decoding the secret word.  We will probably continue the 2 boxes a month  now that I have a helper.

Here are the mystery box problems for December.  Mine is the green one, and it was up from Dec 1 - 9.  When the students solve the last equation, that is the combination to the lock. Then the white one came from my student, and it started on Dec 12 and will be running until tomorrow, Dec. 20th.  When the students find out what letters they need, they rearrange them to spell out a Christmas word, and then those letters correspond to a number from the chart.  Those numbers are the combination to open the lock.

I'm not sure if it is the variety that is bringing the students to the library to solve the "mystery box," or if it is the announcements, or maybe it's just word of mouth.  To be honest, it does not matter.  The mystery box is a very popular station in the library now, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Happy Holidays!