Wednesday, June 29, 2011

How I'm spending my summer vacation (beyond library work and classes)

I've been reading a few personal blogs lately, all about travel:  Lechi Lach ,  The Brown Cow and Adventures in Africa and I wonder if it's easier to create and keep up a blog that has a specific, limited time purpose.  If blogs were genres, all these would be "armchair travel" which I seldom read in book form.

I will be have to read a non-fiction book to complete the adult summer reading program at the Manitowoc Public Library.  I did win a prize in the first weekly drawing -- and I was surprised by how excited I was to get the email.  So, note the value of intermediate rewards.  I am turning in my other mysteries, but to get into the grand prize drawing, you have to read 5 books from five different genres.  I like the challenge.

It's finally a beautiful day, so I'm going to see how much professional reading I can get done at the beach.  I will have to go to the library this afternoon to 1. claim my prize  2.  see them paint the library red, white and blue  3. do more homework, both for school and for real life.

My colleagues and I are meeting tomorrow to decide on the five main purposes of the school librarian.  Here's ONE very rough draft.  What do you think?

Vision:  Library and Information Access for Students, Staff  and Community

Mission:
1.     Information and Digital Literacy Instruction
2.    One on one instruction:  sharing excitement for research and enthusiasm for reading
3.    Acquisition of materials and informational tools
4.    Communication and Collaboration with all members of the learning community
5.    Provide opportunities for student engagement 

Examples:
1.     Information and Digital Literacy Instruction
a.    Steps of the research process (Big 6)
b.    Evaluation of materials
c.    Respectful and Responsible use of information
d.    Media, print, and digital literacy skills
e.    Choosing literature and recreational reading
f.     Use of technology tools for creating products

2.      One on one instruction:  sharing excitement for research and enthusiasm for reading
a.    Reader’s advisory:  helping students & staff select books
b.    Reference:  helping students and  staff identify information and sources
c.    Coaching students and staff in the use of electronic resources, including library catalogs, databases, and search engines

3.    Acquisition of materials and informational tools
a.    Review the professional literature to select and purchase books, magazines, sound and video recordings, e-books and other materials based on district goals, curriculum, and in response to requests.
b.    Select and purchase databases in consultation with the faculty, after research and trial review.
c.    Suggest content for the District Website and provide content for each library’s website
d.    Identify articles, free Internet sites, applications and other materials for use by faculty and students in accordance with district goals
4.    Communication and Collaboration with all members of the learning community
a.    Work with teachers to design and implement curriculum related information literacy instruction
b.    Lead staff development classes
c.    Coach staff and students on projects and technology use
d.    Write articles for parent newsletters and school web sites on library and information literacy topics
e.    Facilitate cross-curricular lesson planning and discussion
f.     Suggest books and materials for special projects
g.    Serve on school wide and district committees

5.    Provide opportunities for student engagement
a.    Coach book discussion groups, battle of the books, and other literacy related activities
b.    Employ and train student helpers in the library
c.    Serve as coaches or mentors for school wide activities such as literacy night
d.    Provide opportunities for students to share their ideas and reviews of books  (bulletin boards, blogs)
e.    Celebrate book and technology related special events such as Teen Tech Week and National Poetry Month









Fortune Cookie

Information is not knowledge.
Knowledge is not wisdom.
Wisdom is not truth.
Truth is not beauty.
Beauty is not love.
Love is not music.
Music is the best.
Frank Zappa