Bitmoji for the Library

With many of our homes becoming our office, there is a rise of Bitmoji use! I LOVE using Bitmoji's and I use them for so many items! I have loved seeing how educators of all type are now creating their own scenes for their digital classrooms and headers.

Being a librarian, my "classroom" looks a little different! I decided that I wanted to jump on the bandwagon and create my own Bitmoji scene, but do it for a Virtual Reader Advisory activity (Thanks Skye for the great idea!)  I watched several videos, and chose to do my first header in google draw (which is something that I am not as familiar with.)

I have added templates to all that I am sharing in this blog.  

*One thing I did realize- when choosing a background image, it seems to work better when you actually inert a background, and not just an image as the background)

I watched this YouTube video here (he uses Google Draw) and here (she uses Google Slides... and also offers templates!)

Once I created my header, I create a Google Form for students to fill out.  (REALLY.. I also realized I needed to do this, because I was in my own reader funk and the Irving Public Library now has one of these forms.. and recommended some books for me! You can find my whole TikTok about it here)

My Form- it will force you to make a copy

After creating the readers advisory form, I realized I needed to take a step back and figure out how I was going to get book recommendations to the students.  Although I would love to say that ALL my students know how to access our digital resources and eBooks, I have to also be realistic.  Using Google Slides I created both a template for a "Virtual" help desk.  This virtual setting has a video to share with students on how to access our resources, a link to our current virtual help desk that we have as virtual librarians and also the form from above.  I love that once I make it in Google Slides, I can publish it to the web or download it as a PDF.  Both of these versions allow for easy sharing to staff and through Google Classroom.  Both publish to the web and PDF also allow for the hyperlinks embedded into the document to still work.

I have created this template (without the links to the book form, help desk or video)

Once students had filled out the form, I then took their information and am creating a Virtual book shelf.  What I love about this virtual book shelf is that I can recommend so many different items from our digital resources and not just regular style books.  After I make the recommendations, I am emailing the student their link to the published individualized Google Slide and also the PDF of the links.

Sample email:

Thank you so much for filling out the form for some book recommendations.

Based on your survey it looks like you enjoy both non-fiction and fiction.  I found several books that I think you might like! I recommended 2 Capstone books and one book that you can find on Destiny. 

If you need any help with logging in or other information, please let me know!

If these books were not what you are expecting- please let me try again! You can fill out the form as often as you like.

Virtual Bookshelf for student:

Sample Virtual eBook Recommendation shelf that students/staff get as a link and a interactive PDF

I know that there is SO much more that you can do with the virtual classrooms and Bitmoji, but I am loving that I can connect with my students even more!

I did create a YouTube video for a full walk through

There's No Place Like Lamar- Teacher Appreciation During a Pandemic

I LOVE helping plan teacher appreciation week.  It makes my heart so happy to help celebrate such amazing people!  I mean- these are the same people that gave me a WHOLE parade for Librarian day! You can find my TikTok here of it and a video of the whole parade here.  I think it is SO important to celebrate people and what they are doing!

Before Spring Break- we had already set down and planned teacher appreciation.  Then March 14th we knew we weren't coming back.. so April Richmond and I were on the case and got it planned!

Also- I LOVED watching what all the schools were doing! There were so many amazing things happening to remind educators that they are so important!

We created most of our items in Canva- April made them look AMAZING!

We started our planning through Zoom and collaborating on our Google Doc and I do believe planned out a fantastic week!

Monday we sent out a link to staff to invite them for myself and Richmond to take photos or family "porchtraits" The week before we had also asked staff to send us pictures of when they were little! Richmond created our own Munchkin Land game in Kahoot and we had a staff get together on Monday afternoon. We will be working on Porchtraits through the end of the year.

Tuesday- Was a little of a flop.  We invited people to add words of encouragement to a Google doc.  I think if we had sent it out earlier- it would have worked better.  

Wednesday- We invited staff to take it outside!  On Monday we told staff they might need some side walk chalk.  Our amazing art teacher did some sidewalk chalk art for us to share so people could get an idea.  We started a zoom call and people chatted as they created.   Just having the chance to chat without the expectations of meetings is always nice!  Staff had their own kids helping on the call! April put all the artwork into a slide show to share with staff.

Thursday- Thursday was my FAVORITE day! We aren't Lion, it takes Courage to Teach Virtually!  If you know me.. I am a question asker.. and I usually have people tell me questions to ask!

So, when we first started planning this all we had the toughest time thinking of what we could do for this.  Our mascot is the Lions, so this saying fit perfectly.  SO, we decided to go on an email, Instagram, Twitter campaign! I emailed some of my friends and LOTS of celebrities.  My Instagram DM box has SO many messages of people that I emailed.  Our email campaign included the information that we are working on Teacher Appreciation and our mascots are the Lions.  We talked about our theme is Wizard of Oz and could you send us a few words of encouragement that we could share with staff.  Oh My Goodness!! When people opened up the video, they say it was over 8 minutes long.  I know that is super long.. and I even had staff tell me- I was not ready to watch an 8 minute long video.. but they did :) I am SO thankful that all of these awesome people responded with words of encouragement.  This is the one that made my heart the happiest! My personal love language is words of affirmation.. and this video filled all those boxes!!

Friday- With the help of Irving Schools Foundation and Lamar PTA we invited staff to Ease on Down the Road to Lamar to enjoy Kona Ice! April and I got to school early along with Officer Todd to make sure that we had cones set out.  We followed all the Physical Distancing Rules. This has been hard on everyone.. but one of the things I have missed the most is actual physical humans.  We are doing a great job as a staff doing the things we can virtually... but actual interaction is what we all need!
We also had staff submit their favorite motivational/upbeat songs for the end of the year to Ease on Down The Road to. I pay extra for Spotify, so I LOVE making playlists! You can find our Lamar is Oz Mazing List here

Irving ISD teachers were also treated to lunch from the Irving Muslim community on Friday! I had the BEST lunch, and I am so thankful to this group that has done so much for our community in so many ways!

We also picked up our Spring Creek certificates too!

What a different teacher appreciation week this was, but I am SO thankful that we figured out how to still do some fun things!  I LOVE the school I work for!

Next blog- all the things that I have been doing as a distance librarian! Although I prefer to be a librarian in an actual building.. I am thankful to be a librarian that can work anywhere and share all the resources that we have in this new online world!

Here are some of my past teacher appreciation ideas:
-80's Theme
-Hollywood
-Best in the World
-Camp Lion
I have also done a Seuss theme, Super Hero, and 50s theme :)