First Six Weeks Check In

 

Here are the library usage statistics for the first 6 weeks of school.  

Some of the highlights included 

creating the ID schedule for the Social Studies classes, 

visits from the English III classes where we did some Book Speed Dating, 

and the 40 Book Pledge met twice.  

We also hosted 2 national day giveaways.  August 31st was National Trail Mix day, and September 8th was World Literacy day.  

I started the Mystery Box with a Genre Scavenger Hunt, 

and we checked out A LOT of books.  

It's so good to see our students reading!

SHS Library Stats - Sept 2023 by Jeneene Tahaney

Proposal Accepted!

 

Our proposal for both TCEA 2024 & TxLA 2024 was accepted.  Pam & I found out about TCEA late last month, and TxLA just sent us the acceptance last week.  Here is our proposal summary:

Creative PD to ACE your Library Evaluation

Providing professional development to our campus community is part of our library standards. What happens if you are denied the "face-to-face time" by your administrator? When traditional avenues to reach your audience do not work, it’s time to let those creative juices flow. Learn some innovative ways to reach your audiences, document your endeavors, and strengthen your end-of-year evaluation. Example ideas and templates are included!

This presentation will be similar to the one I organized for the Virtual TCEA Library Conference back at the end of June.  As I sent in the June proposal, I anticipated that questions might be about the activities as much as the organization.  That was definitely correct. When I presented in June, a lot of the follow up questions were more about the actual activities and PD I did, and not just about the organization.  I then felt validated in creating the proposal for this year -  a presentation that not only walks the audience through the organization process, but also highlights the actual activities we do.  We use both active and passive programs to make sure we are covering all the library standards to document for our evaluations.

Now that Pam is our library coordinator (Yay! Congratulations!), she no longer has her own library.  So we are planning to adjust the presentation to show her end of the job, supporting us, and my end of the job, being a high school librarian.  It's a different dynamic for us when presenting this year, but I don't anticipate that it will be a problem.  We have similar presenting styles, and we do well together.

Come see us in February 2024 for TCEA, and/or April 2024 for TxLA!

Encore Presentation of Top Ten Tools

Yesterday Pam and I went to Region 11 for an encore presentation of "Top Ten Tools to Make Your Library Pop!"  Our audience was not as big as our other presentations, but we were happy to talk about our libraries to any audience. big or small. I really liked the fact that the Region 11 librarians organized this one day conference for those who were unable to attend either TCEA or TxLA.  In addition to hearing some great presentations, everyone who attended was given PD hours too.

This was the third go around for Pam & I on this particular topic, 4th really if you count a district library meeting.  Pam and I really present well together.  We can bounce off one another.  That's not as common as you would think when 2 or more people present.  It's nice when you find that person, or those people, when presenting.  In fact, we have put in another proposal for next year's TCEA and TxLA conferences.  We should hear next month if we have been accepted or not. Wish us luck!

But back to the topic at hand, here is our current presentation in case you did not catch my previous blog posts: 

Top 10 Tools - TLA 2023 by Jeneene Tahaney

Book Review: The Jump by Brittney Morris

 Book Review: The Jump by Brittney Morris

In "The Jump" by Brittney Morris, the readers meet the Jericho squad, also known as the scavenger hunting dream team of Seattle. With Jax as the cryptologist, Yaz as the parkour expert, Spider as the technology wiz, and Han as the resident history and map expert, team Jericho has earned a reputation as the team to beat. But, when a new oil refinery threatens their community, the team must win the next scavenger hunt sponsored by “The Order.”  This anti-establishment group promises influence and power to the group who can solve its scavenger hunt, and Jericho sees this as the answer to their problem.  Solve the puzzles, and take down the refinery.  However, “The Order'' is not what it seems, and the team is on the brink of losing what made them so exceptional.  Do they walk away and risk the existence of the community they love, or do they continue the game and watch their team fall apart in an effort to gain power and influence?

 Brittney Morris’s work of fiction is set in modern day Seattle. Told from the perspective of the four main characters, the story explores themes of community and change. The readers experience the struggle between the main characters who desperately want to be the agents of change, and their families who want to keep them safe. The chapters are short and fast-paced which is a perfect combination for even the most reluctant of readers.

 Overall, "The Jump'' is an entertaining read for high school students,particularly for readers who love adventure.  There is some language and mature themes.  Therefore, the book is recommended for ages 14+.

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!