I can't believe that we are already on the 5th week of school. I am averaging about 4 miles a day in the library, and I LOVE how busy it stays!
About my library:
-9th-12th grade
-over 230 staff
-over 2000 students
What a great month it has been. I will be real honest- at the end of last year I was in a funk. I had not read any books, was not super interested in creating, and felt defeated.
The first week of school I was working late (I don't drive home in the evenings when I work my water aerobics job- easier to just stay at work) and loved hearing the sounds of the AcDec team already preparing for the year ahead, and then I heard the library door open and close. I peaked out my office to find the cheerleaders hanging up signs that promoted the library!
My big goal this six weeks is to students and classes into the library. The library I am currently in has 3 different sections. There is time for a library to be quiet, but there is also lots of time for a library to have movement, noise and collaboration. Because this library is such a large space I have a Google spreadsheet that allows each section to be used. There have already been several times where I have had 1 or 2 classes in the library at the same time.
Collaboration
With this being a comprehensive campus, it allows for more opportunities for the library to be used in different capacities that supports all students and content areas.
Our campus has a floral department that includes a floral practicum class. I am the first to say- Displays are NOT my forte- give me something digital- and I can do it. Outside our library is two large display glass display cases. The practicum teacher approached me at the beginning of the year and let me know that her students had done the cases in the past. I was elated, but then asked- do I get to see a prototype of what it looks like? With that question this became more of a project that the students could collaborate on and I became the "client"
Students were:
-Divided into groups and told the theme of the cases (and one bulletin board)
-Students were given a day to come up with a drawing of what they wanted to do for the case
-Students came back in and presented to me their idea for the board
As the client- I chose 3 different displays out of about 6 (and that was hard! They all did a good job of presenting)
-The group that was chosen was in charge of the display and put the rest of the class to work
-Not only did they do the display they had to do research to see what books they could include in the display as well
-Once they were done with they came back at day later and I shared my comments/concerns as a client with the display. (also- the displays were amazing- I just had to remind students that when you are working for a client- they notice EVERYTHING)
Upcoming Programs in September
Croc Mum/Stanley Cup Mum making
We are in Texas and Mums are a big deal! With homecoming right around the corner I wanted to create a program that was fairly easy to manage. With the help of an Amazon list (and the help of my awesome clerk Tracye for cutting hundreds of ribbon!) I was able to get enough materials for about 200 croc mums or Stanley Cup Mums. This will be a station in the library before school. I also have the Senior LIFE students coming in to work with our Student Leadership kids this week to create mini mums for Homecoming.
Voting Activities
Thanks to a great webinar from ALA over Reader.Voter.Ready and seeing Lucy Podmore last year at TLA the High School Librarians are preparing items to have some passive and active programs that go along with voting.
BAM (Books Anime Manga) Club
Confession- I love programming.. I love library land.. but I have not ever had a Book Club. There is a first time for everything and this is already on my calendar- so it is happening!
Gaming Club
I really have no idea how this will look- it was a program that has been going for the past few years- I am just going to make sure the library is a space
Lessons in the Library
Orientation
I have done orientation in so many different ways- but this year I made it super simple. We are on a block schedule so it is 90 minute blocks. I offered teachers 30 minute slots. During orientation I introduced myself, shared some of my recent reads, talked about checking out books and accessing SORA and then let students check out.
Research
We have some amazing premium resources. I have already had teachers approach me about a quick introduction into accessing these resources and the reminders of citing sources. I have also used research to do a lesson over informational texts.
Recording
An upcoming lesson is with one of our ESL classes that are using Canva to write their own children book. We are going to work on the record feature to have students record their books.
I love all the different opportunities that this space has to offer and I can't believe that it is only September! What are some of your favorite things you have done so far this year?
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