McAdory Jacket Slam!

*Very special thanks to Pam Bullock at McAdory High for this post.

We held our first ever Jacket Slam the last Wednesday in April in honor of Poetry Month. This event began with a student who saw the promo for the Word Up event held in Bham. She decided that we needed to put together our own event and started a sign up sheet to see if there was enough interest from the student body.

Planning began in late February and she and a small committee of students promoted it by making posters. They created a form for students who wanted to participate and share their own original work. We included poems, short stories, rap/song, and skits. In the end we had 10 students perfom their work and each area was represented. We held the event in the library and had it set up like a cafe.

After each person performed the audience snapped their fingers to show their support (much like a beatnik). The library sold snacks to the audience during intermission as a small fundraiser, and the students who performed were able to have snacks after the event was over (for free of course).

I was very pleased with the poems performed and proud of the students who were willing to stand in front of their peers and share their personal work. The senior English teacher and I were the faculty sponsors and she was the MC while I videoed. One of our principals commended us on having the first McAdory Poetry event and has asked that we continue it next year in the fall and spring (hoping that it will empower other students to participate).

I truly loved seeing the students take control and plan and manage everything. We liked the intimacy of the library setting but would love for more students to be able to attend, so we may have to expand to the auditorium in the future.

Importing Records into Atrium

    Here is some handy information for importing records into Atrium: 

1.  Click on the attachment in the email and choose to “save” the file ( I generally save these to my desktop, but you can save it where you want as long as you know where it is later).

    2. Open up Atrium and choose "Catalog".

3. Click "Import MARC file".

4. Click "Browse".

5. Navigate to the file you saved earlier.

6. Click "Continue".

7. Then you should get the confirmation screen. You then click the "blue" words: Review Imported Bibliographic". You will see a screen that looks like a "report" screen that says "View Imported Bibliographic".

8. Now click "edit" and add holdings by inputting a barcode for each record. Rather tedious but necessary. If you are importing records for e-books, go back to step 4 and choose "Import MARC E-book File" and follow the next steps. There will be no need to input barcode numbers.

For a document with screenshots, please e-mail dstaton@jefcoed.com

Great things at Greenwood!

*Big thanks to Caralyn McDaniel for these pictures and information about the great things going on at the Greenwood Elementary School Library! 

Greenwood Elementary students are enjoying their reading tent! GES students voted on for a camping and outdoor theme for the library last year. They can earn special, individual time in the reading tent as a reward from their classroom teacher for good conduct, helping out, and the like. Each semester, I send out an e-mail with reading tent "tickets" for the teachers to send with the student. It can be used anytime during open check-out time...essentially whenever a class isn't meeting in the library.

Postermaker site

Kids are visual, and creative posters can be the best effort we can make to help them understand announcements, details of events, etc.

BigHugeLabs and Glogster are among the most useful sites out there to help with the visual cause!

Not in Kansas anymore...

Ever moved to a new city? If you’ve not been through this, it’s quite an experience. Originally from the coast, moving to this area about ten years ago turned my whole world upside down. The interstates are much more complex here than they are down South, so it was difficult to navigate. Well before GPSs and Google maps, I literally could not even make it to the grocery store without calling for help. I didn’t know the tornado culture of Birmingham at all, and had an all-out panic attack when suddenly one Wednesday morning sirens erupted in our neighborhood. Another aspect that made the move difficult was starting over again on friends. It was hard to know who to trust and who could be counted on. These are things that only time could help.    

Transitioning to a new school this year has been very similar to a geographic move. Having spent the past five or so years at a quaint little elementary school (and the five or so years before that at another heftier elementary school), middle school has been a new adventure for me in more ways than one!

The first order of business has been figuring out the people. Who works here and where are their classrooms? The school website has been a great resource for determining who is in which department and which grade level. Using this information, I created email groups in my contact lists to ease communication with them. This has helped me begin to memorize who teaches what and in what grade levels they belong.

I believe that one of the single most powerful indicators of becoming successful in a new environment is learning the culture. The “hidden curriculum,” so to speak. When I’ve been accustomed to working with one administrator and now there are three, who do I go to about what? How does the copier work and what are the rules? Where is the faculty restroom? When do I have bus duty and what are the procedures? How does the financial secretary prefer me to submit paperwork and book fair money? I’ve never had to submit grades or attendance before, so how do I log in to iNow, set up my grade book, and post grades and attendance? What is a department meeting and in which department do I belong? These are only a few from the eternal list of questions that have flown around my brain this year.

Next, because I know that understanding what the teachers teach is the springboard to collaboration, I began reading and reviewing the curriculum for each grade level. I miss being able to know exactly when the 4^th grade teachers are going to cover certain objectives in their social studies curriculum, and exactly when the 2^nd grade teachers cover the life cycle of a butterfly. My first attempt to fix that has been to print courses of study from ALEX and organize them into a nice, neat binder. I read and reread those standards every chance I get, in hopes to know it like the back of my hand like I did the K-5 curriculum. It is helping to initiate some dialogue with the faculty about teaching lessons with them.   

Also important has been adjusting to the library facility itself. At first I was frustrated because I could not print (all devices were disabled as we were setting up 21 new desktops) and couldn’t find scissors, paper, pens, tape, etc. An abundance of basic supplies were HERE, I just couldn't find them. It has taken some time to discover and reorganize to suit my own style and preferences. I also have several maps scribbled out as a guide for rearranging the main library space. That will take some time for sure, but I would like to accomplish minor renovations as I settle in and make the place my own.

Other differences for me this year have been learning the quirks of the equipment at this school, how to manage student aides, and dealing with the incredibly destructive nature of middle school students. (Seriously, why do they break everything?!) A few months into my move, everything seems so incredibly difficult that I kept wondering if I had made a mistake. The kids were great, the teachers were great, the administrators were great…it just didn’t feel like home yet.

With all these adjustments, though, over time I have grown to really love my new school. I’m still learning and trying to figure things out, and hopefully will continue to do so for years to come. But…it is beginning to feel like I just might belong here after all. 

Boy Books and Girl Books

I am a firm believer that all literature provides equal opportunity for any individual, regardless of gender. There are many who disagree. Some folks say girls don't like Hatchet, and some say boys would never be interested Little House on the Prairie. To them I would ask why a girl shouldn't enjoy a good survival book (Hunger Games demographics have very recently proven that), and also why a boy wouldn't enjoy a vividly descriptive work about pioneer life.

We can't put readers in our preconceived boxes. 

But just because it's true that some girls really don't like Hatchet, here is a great list of books recommended for the little ladies from ages 1-9.

Likewise, just as the young gentlemen can be a bit choosy sometimes when being proffered literature, here's another good list for them as well, appropriate for various ages through middle school.

These might be a neat idea for a display for the last two weeks in April. What would you title it? Boy Books and Chick Lit?

Disaster Preparedness

Unfortunately, our area has had more than our share of natural disasters in the past year. In one of the recent webinars from the state department, LeeAnna Mills (librarian at Northside Middle whose school experienced a fire in 2011) offered tips for disaster preparedness that she learned the hard way. Here are a few:

• Catalog EVERYTHING. The stack of donated books, the extra professional resources brought in by administrators, books you bought at the book fair, items purchased with grant money, big books, puppets, supplemental materials, resource kits, realia, equipment, new stuff, old stuff worthy of keeping...everything. If you have to go through a disaster, you won't remember what you had or didn't have. This is your best method of ensuring your collection will be replaced. LeeAnna said even if you don't have time to catalog an item, scan ISBN numbers into a Excel file at the very least (saved to the server) so that you have some sort of record of these resources. 
• Keep an electronic copy of your personal items (certificates, awards, etc. in list or PDF form). 
• Make sure when cataloging equipment to include Title, Make/Brand, Model Number, Serial Number, Date of Purchase, and Funds Used. (All of these are part of our district's standard record-keeping procedures for equipment.)
• Always have a wish list. After you experience a disaster, many times you will receive offers for help. Keep a digital list with a vendor (or Amazon) for generous people to purchase exactly what you need.
• Keep an electronic copy of your library's floor plan. Pictures are very valuable, too. 

The American Association of School Librarians also offers a huge grant for libraries who have experienced disaster. You do not have to be an ASLA member to apply. Details can be found here.

Managing Multiple Devices

Just for kicks, I wanted to share with you all one little tiny techno device that has really made my life a lot easier of late.

I was browsing Pinterest one night as a treat between graduate work assignments and stumbled across this adorable USB hub shaped like a little pot of tulips.

I immediately pinned it to my "WANTED" board. 

As luck would have it, one of my family members saw the pin and gave it to me for Christmas. Sweet! 

Many of you may be using these little hubs already, but this was my first one. Okay, it's true that I like it because it looks like a pot of tulips...but I LOVE it because of the added convenience it brings to my use of various technology pieces throughout the day. Now I can keep my printer, scanner, barcode scanner, digital camera/video camera, and a multitude of other devices connected at once, whereas before it was a matter of figuring out which item to unplug in order to use its port.  

Screencastomatic

*This post is by Carla Leake Crews, one of the school librarians serving at Shades Valley High School/JCIB. 

In theOctober post titled Screen RecordingTools, Michelle posed the question “What other ways can you use/have you used screen recorders in the library?” Our library has recently used screencast-o-matic.com to create tutorials and capture on-screen information. It is web-based, FREE software that records everything happening on your computer screen while you narrate! After showing teachers how to use this site at one of our recent Teacher Tech workshops, teachers commented on how easy it was to use…. no email registration, no software downloads, and no file conversions! There are a variety of screen capture softwares available, including Jing, CamStudio, Screenr, and Movavi. But, I’ll tell you a little more about Screencast-o-matic since our library found it easy to use and within our budget. 

What you need:

1. For Screencast-o-matic, you need the most recent version of Java installed on your computer. See Java.com for downloads (Not sure if you have Java? The “Do I have Java?” button from the site’s main page can check your computer for the software and/or latest version).
2. A microphone. Laptops generally have internal microphones. You will need to attach an external microphone if using a desktop computer.

What to do:

1. Go to www.screencast-o-matic.com and click on the blue “Start Recording” button.
2. Fit the dotted lines around the portion of your screen that you want to record.
3. There is a menu bar at the bottom of the dotted box. You may want to adjust the recording volume before you begin.

1. Record your presentation.
2. Click “done” and preview your recording.
3. If you are pleased with the recording, you can choose to upload or save your video. The “publish to video file” option will allow you to save the video to your computer or jump drive.
4. Select the file type for your video. This should be determined by what program you will use to play back the video. For example, if you record a video on a MacBook, save it to a jump drive, and want to transfer it to a Windows machine, you want to select the “Windows Media Player (AVI)” save option. On this same menu, there are options for adding notes and captions to your recording. Don’t forget the SAVE button all the way down at the bottom!

Would those instructions be easier to understand if I showed you? Certainly! Here’s a brief tutorial: http://www.screencast.com/t/1ZZxeKtvVeH

How to share your video with others:

• If students will be viewing your video from school computers, you can save the video to a jump drive and transfer it to the student machines.
• If you want to send parents or teachers a link to your video, you will need a site to host your video: YouTube, TeacherTube, SchoolTube, etc. You upload your recording and then send people a link to the site so they can view it. Some screen recording tools, such as Jing and Screencast-o-matic, will also host your videos on their sites. Sometimes the hosting requires a paid membership (Screencast-o-matic’s Pro account is currently $12 a year; Jing will host a limited amount for free at screencast.com).
• Upload the video file to your JefCoEd SharePoint page.

Screencasting ideas for librarians:

• Create and post a video that shows students and parents how to register and log hours for Scholastic’s summer reading program
• Create a video demonstration that reminds students how to access the school’s OPAC from home or navigate the AVL databases
• Create and post videos for teachers that shows them how to use a new software or website

Screencasting ideas for students:

• Be the tour guide of a virtual museum – have students record themselves as they “walk” viewers through the online content of the Smithsonian Institute or Modern Museum of Art
• Create your own digital story – after using an online comic generator to produce comic strips or mini graphic novels, have students narrate their story

Screencasting ideas for teachers:

• Record lessons/PowerPoint slides with voice-over narration. Post these for students who are absent, students who need to hear an explanation more than once, or even leave a recorded lesson for a substitute teacher.
• Record yourself correctly pronouncing words that you have typed on the screen. This type of tutorial could be used with new readers, ESL learners, and older students who take foreign language courses.

The possibilities are endless! Anything you can display on your computer screen can be captured in movie format. Give it a try… you may end up adding “producer and director” to your job description!

Fillable Forms

*This post is by Valissa Burnham, the school librarian at Hueytown Middle School.

Creating Fillable Forms on Microsoft Word   (*Keep in mind that this will not work with Word 2003 and earlier versions.)

Click on the Office Button

Click “Word Options” at the bottom

Click “Popular” on the left side

Put a check next to “Show Developer Tab in the Ribbon”

As you create your document (or add to a document already created) click on the Developer tab at the top of the screen to add the areas that you want people to be able to change.  The buttons are found in the “Controls” group.  Hover over each button to see what it will do.  For example:  The “Aa” button will add a space for Rich Text. 

Once you finish creating the document, click on “Protect Document."  Then click “Restrict Formatting and Editing."  Put a check next to “Allow only this type of editing in the document:” Click the drop down box and click “Filling in Forms.”  Click “Yes, Start Enforcing Protection.”  It will ask you to create a password.  Do not forget the password you create, or you will not be able to edit the document.  

Once you have done this, people will only be able to edit the areas you have designated with the buttons in the Developer Tools.  If you need to edit the document again, click “Protect Document” then “Stop Protection." You will have to enter the password you just created.

Cookin' the Books

What are your circulation records doing? A skilled librarian once said, "Put everything on your calendar - even if it's something that occurs last minute - to justify what you do and so people can see what is going on in the library". It's all about transparency, isn't it? Well, the same thing can be said of circulation records.

When a teacher asks you to pull books and have them available for a project for using IN the library, check them out to the teacher. It increases the circulation of your library and the teacher IS using the books, so there's no need to worry about "cooking the books!" It's legit! This whole idea sprang from a discussion that Sheri' (my library aide my right arm) and I had. A class had come in and we discussed whether to check out the books to the teacher. We decided we absolutely should to which Sheri' replied, "I don't think anybody's going to think we're cookin' the books!"

However, if you are looking for ways to increase circulation in your library, here are a few ideas:

• Create great displays and keep them coming! Once they empty out, replenish!
• Banned book displays, Coretta Scott King winner displays, series displays all work well.
• Movie book displays are always a winner.
• Suggest to teachers who don't visit the library that often to check out books to ignite discussion in the classroom (a science teacher might want to check out books for students to browse and thumb through after a test).
• Students often will come to the library to check out a book that a teacher has briefly used to teach a reading skill - so be ready for suggestions for teachers! They often indirectly influence what kids want to read.
• Teachers often dash in quickly and ask for some examples of informational text - I have given them ESL brochures with barcodes, technology how-to books without barcodes, and newspapers. Rule #1: Check out anything with a barcode.
• Teachers and substitutes often come in for a book or magazine saying, "I will be right back with it. Do you really want to check it out?" The answer is yes! Not only does it increase your circulation records, but you know where your resources are.
• There are also the ubiquitous reading contests that will help increase circulation.
• Programs in your library can help increase circulation: Create a display surrounding the program - Someone from the Civil Rights Museum is coming? Create a display. Having a gaming day in your library as a reward? Create a display on board games, sports, and word games. 
• What is your library doing to increase circulation? There must be many ideas out there to share.

Just keep those books cookin'! Check them out so they will reflect well on the circulation records of your library (the cooked books on the stove above are courtesy of our Teen Living classroom).

Sounds Good to Me

Okay, I'm sure this is old news to many of you, but I wanted to share one trick I've recently discovered...constantly streaming music in the library. I found an old stack of classical CD's and dusted off an old player, and the effect has been outstanding. Without saying a word, I have observed numerous classes coming in to use the lab just automatically settle down so they can hear the music. Pods of kids who would normally need some intense supervision to prevent all kinds of naughtiness are just completely laid back and on task.

Even the teachers are calmer...and that's saying something for late January of any school year! :)

 It's such a small thing but truly has made a pretty amazing difference in my library. Give it a go!

What tricks do YOU have to share?

Offline Circulation

One of the coolest features of Atriuum is that even in the rare event that the network goes down, we can continue to manage circulation by using the Offline Circulation tool. This is an incredible piece to our circulation system because it means we never have to go out of the business of putting reading material in the hands of students and teachers who need them RIGHT NOW (isn't it always RIGHT NOW?)! :)

In order to use this feature, you have to download the application. To do that...

1. Log in to Atriuum and go to Administration and then click the link for Library.

2. Click Downloads, and scroll to the bottom section titled Utilities.

3. Click Offline Circulation Setup (Mac or Windows, depending on your machine). This is an executable file (.exe), so you will want to click Run or Open (not Save). From this point forward, I'll be listing directions for Windows machines, since that is what most of us are using. If you're on a Mac, well...a)You're awesome, b)You're on your own, and c)You can probably handle that. :)

NOT that all my Windows peeps aren't equally as awesome, of course! 

So anyway, up will come this installation wizard. Click Next. 

4. Select your installation destination (just click Next). 

5. Select Start Menu Folder (just click Next). 

6. Select your target icons. (Just leave everything as defaulted and click Next). 

7. You are now ready to install. Click Install. 

8.  Click Finish. 

9. Okay, just one more step and you will be ready to roll. Now you must configure your server settings. To do this, click File and server settings.  

Everyone's server name is the same: library.jefcoed.com

Your library name should be the extension you see in your Atriuum after library.jefcoed.com: (Ex: mine is library.jefcoed.com/norhes, therefore my library name is norhes) If you need help with this, I would be happy to assist you. 

Your user name is what you use to log in to Atriuum. 

Your password is what you use to log in to Atriuum. 

And Ba-da-Boom. You're in business!!! 

Citation Aggregators

I don't know how in the world I made it through undergrad without a citation generator. Plugging a source was easy enough (and my pre-librarian consciousness willed it), but figuring out all that punctuation was sort of a nightmare at times..especially when one professor wanted Turabian, the other wanted MLA, and a third wanted APA style.

These days, students are well versed in all the citation generators available. CitationMachine, BibMe, and EasyBib are just a few examples of free websites that, given the necessary information, computes a nice and tidy citation to be copied and pasted into their References slide or page.

The difference between a citation generator and a citation aggregator is that a generator does just that...it pumps out a citation, given the proper information. An aggregator, on the other hand, is a collector. EasyBib is a great example of an aggregator because your students can create accounts and then save and organize their citations over time. That is immensely helpful to students collecting a variety of sources for assignments.
Zotero is another example. Many users enjoy Zotero because it has a plug-in you can install to your browser and it will automatically generate a citation (and save it) for whatever site you are reading/browsing/etc. Additionally, Zotero will input citations directly into your word processing software. Pretty nifty!

Kids today...sheesh! They have it made! :)

KidZui

For some of our students, learning to use technology tools even at a very early age, is second nature. By age two these kids ( mine being among them!) can use an iPhone or iPad better than most adults I know. For others, however, walking into the library or computer lab as a kindergartner is the first exposure they have to any sort of computer resource. Regardless of the skills they arrive with, it is our job to help all of them learn how to use technology resources.

Starting out right away with Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer might be fine for some, but for other young ones a more basic browser may be necessary. KidZui can help with that! It is an internet browser created specifically for young children. It requires a quick, FREE, download to each machine, which is a bit of a hassle, but is time well spent.

Once downloaded, you teach students to look for the orange "K" on the desktop. When they open the browser, it completely takes over the machine. Students can watch videos, play games, use favorites buttons, and practice navigational techniques like back button, forward button, and scrolling. 

If you use a seating chart, you can even preconfigure the options so that the games are targeted to boys, girls, certain ages, etc. Most of the videos stream from YouTube, which of course will be blocked for us. The games and other interactive sites will work beautifully, though. They key to KidZui is that even though children are consuming the same type of media as the "Big Internet," only these resources have been hand selected by parents and teachers. 

My two and four year olds love KidZui. I highly recommend it to parents of young children, because one of the features is that it emails you a chart each week they use it detailing how much time they spent on each area of the browser. I like it because my kids are learning how to navigate the Internet, but because of how the program works they don't have free reign out on the world wide web. Boundaries are good for children! 

KidZui comes highly rated by CNET and several other major tech media outlets. Check it out for yourself! 

Weeding

*Microsoft Clip Art Gallery

Weeding out books that no longer positively affect our collections is something that we librarians take very seriously. Especially in our current times of such economic stress, it seems that every book- even the most raggedy- are needed on our shelves.

This post on the YALSA blog (if you are middle school or high school, YALSA is the ALA division tailored specifically for your needs) presents some of the American Library Association's recommended guidelines for weeding.

Speak Their Language

*This post was written by Carla Leake Crews, a new librarian at Shades Valley/JCIB. Welcome, Carla!

Have you ever posted a sign with important information for students, only to have it go completely unnoticed by them? Get their attention by sending them a text! Well, a fake text, that is. 

At www.ifaketext.com, you can create text messages for the information you want students to read. This free site doesn’t actually send a text message; it generates an iPhone-like image that you can then print and post in your library or embed on your website. 

Our library used the site to create 8.5x11 signs for our computer area. We posted one that encourages students to ask for help when needed and another that addresses the cost of printing. Other ideas for library use include:

•  posting OPAC search tips
•  advertising a book fair
• providing conversational-style book recommendations

 The fake texts we created include correct spelling and grammar, as I just couldn’t bring myself to “rit lyke thiz ok? LOL. L8r! J” for an academic setting. If you’re uber-hip, perhaps you might create something in a text language. Your students will love it! The site only generates about 12-14 short lines of text, so information has to be concise. Students could use this site to create poetry, have fun with vocabulary words, or have a "conversation" with their favorite literary character.

More ideas for educators can be found at http://www.tammyworcester.com/TipOfWeek/TammyWTechTipOfWeek/Entries/2012/1/3_Tip_109_-_iFake_Text.html. Between polling a few students and watching others’ reactions, these posters appear to have passed the "cool" test. And, best of all, students actually take the time to read the information.

The Kindergarten

*Today's post was written by Jennifer Anders, the school librarian at West Jefferson Elementary. 

I can’t think of a more rewarding job than being the School Librarian. I get as excited as the students when I turn them on to new information or share a really great book with them. I love helping them create digital products and write reports for their classes. I can even enjoy doing a good puppet show every once in a while or even a little Reader’s Theatre. I have taught many students how to look up a book using the OPAC or even simply how to use a computer mouse. I can even drive classes to the public library to get library cards or to a local play. I am not faint hearted. Except when it comes to Kindergarten.

Nothing scares me more than a class of five year olds that can’t tie their shoes, walk in a line or raise their hand to ask a question. I am terrified of looking deep into their mouths to examine the latest loose or missing tooth. I’m afraid they won’t get Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and will laugh in all the wrong places. I am petrified when one wants to go to the bathroom and then they all need to go. Needless to say, they haven’t always gotten my best teaching.

However, the neatest thing happened the last week before the break. We have been studying Jan Brett, and I read them the Gingerbread Baby. I found this incredibly cool site, http://www.highlightskids.com/flash/gingerbread-house, where the kids could create their own gingerbread houses. So I decided to let everyone take turns adding parts to it using the interactive whiteboard. I just knew there would be arguing, pushing and complaining because they had to take turns, or some kind of free for all with the kids that had to wait. I just have to say, I completely underestimated these little guys. They were completely engrossed in the project and attentive to one another. 

Now, I wonder what we can do next? 

iGoogle

Things we know: 

-There AREN'T enough hours in the day. 

-There will ALWAYS be books to shelve. Lots. (Which is a good thing!)

-There will ALWAYS be one more thing to put on your To Do list. 

Can I get an Amen? :)

I don't know about you, but I am always on the lookout for productivity tools. Anything that makes me maximize those hours and make the most of what little time I have. iGoogle (pictured above) is one unique tool that really works for me. Included in my normal morning start-up routine (logging in to Atriuum, Outlook, BookTracks, Self Check stations, computer lab machines, Renaissance Place, etc.) is loading my iGoogle page. iGoogle permits you to customize your home screen with a variety of interactive widgets that meet multiple needs all at once. Here are a few examples:

• This one may not seem relevant to the library setting, but stay with me. I like using the weather widget/app to help me track any severe weather or (these days) extreme differences in temperatures throughout the day. My library is a VERY busy place with a huge wall of windows, and many times both teachers and students ask about the temperature outside or whether it is supposed to rain on us during afternoon dismissal. You know, those of us with the cute rain boots like to know when we can wear them! :) Again, this might not seem so important, but it helps me help my people. 

• I include my Google Books library as a way to easily search the texts of works I may be studying with students or on which I may be planning a literature project. 

• Maybe YOU were a math major in your undergrad life, but not Moi! I need a calculator to help with with everything from determining laminating charges for classroom teachers to gathering circulation statistics for those monthly reports. Sometimes I loan out my handheld device, so this widget helps make sure I always have a number cruncher when...well, when I need to crunch some numbers. 

• I don't actually use this one quite as much as some of the others, but I definitely like the option of being able to search dictionary.com or thesaurus.com quickly and easily, without having to open an additional tab and wait for another graphics-heavy page to load. This is a time saver. 

• Google Docs, oh Google Docs...how I love thee! Serious business, this widget is one I use most often. Rather than having to go to the Google docs page and then locate the one file I want and then open it, I have 3 extra windows open cluttering up my screen and have had time to sprout 3 more gray hairs to boot. Skip that with this Google Doc widget that enables you to open exactly what you want exactly when you want it. 

• This Google Translate app is another that I don't use much. We have been cautioned as a district not to rely on these types of translators when dealing with English Learners and their families because there are cultural considerations that should factor in the translation of any document. Please keep that in mind...but for a high school language class, this would be a pretty cool quick resource to use in supporting students as they complete their assignments. 

• If you aren't using a blog reader or site aggregator tool, you really should consider opening an account. Google Reader is my favorite (though there are several others), and this Google Reader app on my iGoogle page shows me the categories I may want to read at various times throughout the day when I have a moment. And of course there's the saving "Mark all as read" button when you either just don't have time or you are too overwhelmed with other tasks to consume any library leadership or educational technology blogs. 

  

• Last, but certainly not least, is my all-time favorite reason for using iGoogle.........GOOGLE TASKS! This widget lets you set up a different list for any categories of your choosing. I have one for various projects I have going on in the library, and of course my daily To-Do list. You can mark items off, just as on a notepad. You can set due dates for yourself and sort them by the order of due date. (Outlook will do this as well, but this is more user friendly to me. To each his/her own, right?)

Library Cards

Student library cards are as unique as the schools and librarians that create them. Some schools use plastic student ID badges for all circulation purposes, and others merely use them to help remember the children's names.

The card I have designed (using Publisher) is incredibly simplistic but is a very important tool for helping students use the library.

At the beginning of the year, I print these cards (8 per sheet) on a unique color of card stock. Last year my cards were white. This year my color was orange, to the flagrant disgust of the rabid Bama fans in the building. :)

After they are printed, I print patron barcodes using Atriuum (Patrons>Print Patron Barcodes>Filter for one class at a time) onto sheets of 30 mailing labels. Remember even if you end up with partial sheets, you can program your barcode printing menu to start at whatever column/row you need to maximize those label sheets.

After printing the labels, I attach them to the open area on each card, laminate them, and record the teacher's name below the barcode with a permanent marker. Even though my school is not fortunate enough to have a machine that creates the more durable student ID badges, I do the best I can with what I have. 

After the cards are prepared, the classroom teachers and I administer the STAR test to determine the kids' ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development...AKA "reading ranges"). Every teacher has different goals and expectations for their students' book selections, and I do my best to honor their preferences, but many of them prefer that their children read at least one book they can take a quiz on. The quiz scores are not included in their reading grades whatsoever...this is just a measure to verify how closely the students are reading and to reward them for their success. 

Once the STAR test has been completed, I record each individual's ZPD on the line for 1st Quarter. We retest each nine weeks, and I reward my sweet babies whose levels increase even slightly with a sticker on their card. They love it...yes, even the big and bad 5th graders! 

These cards also have students' Study Island login information and Renaissance login information printed on the back, which enables the students to access these resources without frustration.

An added bonus is that these cards help facilitate self checkout, which is a fun post for another day!