Don't worry, a school library with fewer books and more technology is good for today's students A recent article about a new approach to a school library sparked vigorous discussion on social media. Many worried the school had completely abolished traditional library services. The article describes how a Melbourne school changed its library to a technology-focused centre staffed by “change adopters” who host discussions with students and encourage creative thinking. The school’s principal was forced to defend the library’s restructure. She wrote that its traditional purpose hadn’t been lost. The College Library has been transformed into a Learning Centre that continues to offer all library services to students and staff, including a significant collection of fiction and non-fiction books, journals, newspapers, magazines and other print resources, as well as online access to other libraries.
Library Reports as Infographics – Librarian Design Share For those of us in school and academic libraries, the end of the semester and school year is a time for reflection and…reporting (womp womp). Rather than send out the same old charts, graphs, and narrative reports, why not turn a chore into an exercise in graphic design? It’s a great opportunity to learn a new graphic design tool like Canva, Publisher, or Illustrator, and may even give you a chance to think about what numbers and data mean the most to you and your library. 10 Reasons Librarians Are More Important Than Ever It's National Library Week, and we couldn't resist paying homage to one of the most important members of the school community: librarians. Also known as library media specialists, librarians play a unique role in our schools. Often asked to take on a wide range of duties, these passionate and savvy educators deserve more than only a week of praise. And in case you need a reminder of all that librarians do for our students and our schools, we've put together a list -- but it's only a start.
Why We Still need Bookshops and Librairies in the Internet Age Dare the question: do we really need bookstores (or even libraries) today? In theory, no. If you’re in search of a book a simple click on the Internet can satisfy it: within 24 hours it is delivered in your mailbox. Better, you can have it immediately in its digital version. Better yet, lying in your couch you can ask your personal assistant — Alexa, Watson, Siri whatever… — to take care of the purchase. Better yet, it can advise you on your next reading. How to Create Stunning Infographics in 30 Minutes or Less From word clouds to network data visualizations, infographics have become a primary format for content in a relatively short period of time. Although the ‘infographic’ is nothing new, its proliferation and evolution has been nothing short of exponential in the past few years.From word clouds to network data visualizations, infographics have become a primary format for content in a relatively short period of time. Although the ‘infographic’ is nothing new, its proliferation and evolution has been nothing short of exponential in the past few years. Whether you love them or hate them, the rising popularity of infographics can’t be denied.
School Library Journal Visionary school leaders and superintendents are reinventing school libraries, highlighting their key role in student learning and literacy. From left: Superintendents Warren Drake and Pam MoranFrom Left: Photo courtesy of East Baton Rouge Parish School System; photo by Cale Elem librarian Anna Balasz Thomas S. Woods-Tucker vividly remembers his high school’s media center in Cotton Plant, AR. He would pore over the Arkansas Democrat and the Arkansas Gazette and spend time on the first computer he’d ever seen, an IBM Tandy 1000. “I have no idea what the computer cost back then, but I am sure it was a lot,” he says.
The Important Emotional Labor of Librarians Most People Never Think About For librarians, as with many other professions, “Other duties as assigned” is code for tasks that are distasteful, off-kilter, or just plain gross. I’ll be blunt: Almost every librarian I know has a story or three about retrieving something odd (think half-eaten food, cigarettes, live animals) from the book drop, cleaning up feces or other bodily concoctions, or finding members of the public doing foul deeds (clipping their nails, bathing naked in the bathroom, masturbating) in the library. But that’s not what this article is about. For librarians, “other duties as assigned” has another meaning, too. Most people intuitively understand the emotional load taken on by professions like social workers, nurses, 911 operators, and teachers. Rarely, however, do people consider the emotional labor of librarians.
The Five Ed Tech Elephants in the PreK–12 Classroom Despite encouraging advances in the application of technology in classrooms, we have yet to see a more pervasive model of true Blended Learning, where technology is seamlessly integrated into instruction in order to drive better student learning outcomes. Schools worldwide are redefining the traditional classroom model to deliver personalized learning through technology-driven methods, but familiar issues − including lagging student achievement, still-inequitable distribution of resources, and continued segregation – continue to impede progress. How do educators provide equitable distribution of the most promising and effective learning technologies and strategies to all students—most notably the ones in resource-poor districts? Schools are gamely exploring ways to lay down wireless infrastructure to deliver more consistent Internet access for students. We also now see schools intentionally blending “technology” into teaching and learning objectives.
Why school librarians matter: What years of research tell us - kappanonline.org When schools have high-quality library programs and librarians who share their expertise with the entire school community, student achievement gets a boost. Since 1992, a growing body of research known as the school library impact studies has consistently shown positive correlations between high-quality library programs and student achievement (Gretes, 2013; Scholastic, 2016). Data from more than 34 statewide studies suggest that students tend to earn better standardized test scores in schools that have strong library programs. Further, when administrators, teachers, and librarians themselves rated the importance and frequency of various library practices associated with student learning, their ratings correlated with student test scores, further substantiating claims of libraries’ benefits.
Thinking Outside the Books – Snipette It’s late in the night, when most people are getting ready for bed — if they aren’t asleep already. Daytime shops have closed long ago; they wait with their shutters down until the next morning. But in this silent street, one door remains open. 10 Social Media Marketing Tips for Libraries There are now so many social media platforms available for libraries to participate in, but it’s sometimes difficult to get a handle on how these channels can best be used for marketing library services. If you’re considering leveraging social media to promote your library, here are some strategies I’ve found helpful: 1.) What Exactly Does a Librarian Do? Everything. Growing up, I liked to imagine what it would be like to work in a library. What little I knew about them was what I’d gleaned from movies and TV because my conservative parents never took us to any and only let me read books they purchased from the Bible Book Store. I didn’t know any librarians in real life—outside of the elderly woman who ran our tiny school media center—but I understood librarians were smart and savvy. Cool and collected.
What It's Like to Use the Hogwarts Library In a while-ago Literary Tourism post, I talked about my love for my uber-bookish hometown, Oxford in the UK. Oxford has a ton of literary connections, and the often-quoted claim of having the most published authors per square mile than anywhere else in the world. One of the things that makes Oxford particularly special to readers, though, is its beating, book-loving heart – the Bodleian Library. The best 2017 infographics about books, libraries, and reading The world of books and reading as seen in the most popular infographics released in 2017. Although not as popular as a few years ago, infographics are still an entertaining and convenient way to share facts, ideas, figures, and mechanisms. Our archive of infographics about books, libraries, and reading is continually growing, and we are excited to share with you the ones that met with the best reception from our friends, both on the blog and in social media. Compared to 2016, which was full of fantastic infographics about libraries and librarians, this year is mainly about reading. You will have a chance to learn about reading habits around the world, compare time spent with books vs. phone, or find lots of tips to make you a better and happier reader.