A New Year!

A new school year is just around the corner (really.. I go back on July 31st) and I am SO excited! I have a couple of weeks left of my summer classes, and then I only have one semester left to be a full fledged librarian! I will hopefully graduate in May.

Just like a teacher, as a librarian my brain has been moving fast as I think about next year.  How am I going to promote the library? What types of activities am I going to have? How am I going to work with teachers?

This summer I promoted the Irving Public Library activities by having a couple of Meet Me At the Library.  The Irving Public Libraries offer so many great programs through the summer and throughout the school year.  I am already excited about some guest authors that will be coming to a public library near me!

The first part of the summer I also spent working summer school programs at the library. It gave me a chance to still keep the library open, and also think about rearranging for next year. One of the things that I took time doing was creating new labels for the shelves. 

Old shelf labels- new ones coming soon!

I also moved some tables around, moved some book sections around, and also worked on weeding (which I couldn't do without some help!)

The month of July I chose to spend front loading some items, so I wouldn't be so behind (of course I will still be behind on some things.. oh wait.. who am I kidding.. lots of things!) 

-I have designed shirts for the beginning of the year and for Dr. Seuss day

-I cleaned up emails (do you know how good it feels to start at a zero inbox on 5 different email accounts.. AMAZING!)

-I have cleaned up my 3 different Google Drives

-I have backed up and cleaned my desktop

-I have decided what my theme will be this year.. going for the Travel theme

Although these all seem like little things, they make a big difference in organization. 

I also nabbed a couple of sets of these cuties.  I have not been a big fan of stuffed animals in the library..
but OMG.. it is Mo Willems!)

Some things I hope to incorporate in the library next year-

-more planned out Library Helper and volunteer opportunities

-more technology

-Sponsor a shelf

My word this year is Seek. I plan to Seek out new ideas, Seek out new opportunities, and most importantly Seek calmness as I take on new tasks and ideas!

What did you work on this summer?  What ideas do you have for next year that you for sure want to implement?  Do you have a word of the year?

Collaboration

I LOVE Libraryland! Have I mentioned that before? I have always been an avid volunteer, one that likes to try new things.. and I love connecting.  Now, is libraryland overwhelming.. it sure is! Another thing I love is learning from others (and having a space to offer to different activities is great as well)

The title of this blog is collaboration.. but when rethinking and writing it, I realize that the collaboration that I had with my art teacher was bouncing ideas off of each other.. and making sure the space was ready for various activities.  That is still collaboration..right??

Before I became a librarian.. I was already following some amazing librarians (some that I will actually get to meet in person soon!!!) So, one awesome librarian/tech facilitator Nikki Robertson posted this way cool picture that she had found (if you are the original poster of this.. would you please let me know so I can thank you for the wonderful idea.. and give you credit!)

How absolutely beautiful is this!

So, I talked to my amazing art teacher on campus.. and the conversation went something like this:
"Hey Mrs. R... want to work on something like this for the first of the year? The feathers can be students hopes, dreams, wishes and resolutions."
"Sure! That is great!"
A couple of weeks later.. Mrs. R approaches me and shows me the bag of beautiful feathers.
"Yes, Mrs. R.. these are PERFECT! How can I help!?"
"I am still getting feathers"
We decided to hang this up for science night (as what better time to talk about wishes and dreams)
"Hey Mrs. R.. what can I do to help with these wings?"
"Help me hang them!"

In other words.. I had nothing to do with this! (Well.. I did make the poster above the wings.. and I helped hang them) Seriously.. they are beautiful! She created a generic feather and then asked each student in the school to create/decorate their own and then combined them with this wonderfulness.These wings are right across the hall from the library, so I loved hearing the conversations that students had with their parents about their goals and dreams (and of course it was a perfect photo opp!)

Mrs. R. the rocking art teacher

At the beginning of January, Mrs. R. came to me and asked if I would like to help with a Chinese New Year Celebration.  She did tell me that there would be no glitter! (Side note.. I love seeing things being created in the library.. and I don't mind mess. HOWEVER.. I HATE using glitter.. that is the one thing not allowed)  Of course I said yes.. as the library is a great space to have people! We set a date, got it on the calendar.. and like before I asked what can I do to help.

The space is how I helped (and help somewhat monitor the stations)
The Chinese New Celebration ran much like the Late Night in the Library.  It was an extended time with several stations set up.  I read a short story in the middle of the time, but the hightlight.. the Dragon Dance!

Stations:
-Rooster stamp
-Paper lanterns (like this idea.. but of course there are tons of ways that you can make them)
-Chinese Plastic Spoon Dancing Dragon (like this idea, but did it with plastic spoons, string and paper pieces)
-Chinese drum (much like this idea)
-Write Happy New Year in Chinese (this was a super cool station because she had put out thin paper and brushes with the black paint)

The art club students ran the stations, and we had over 30 attendees for a Friday afternoon.  These art club students are also the ones who did the Dragon Dance.

We are already talking about next year for this!  We are going to do the Dragon Dance to end the day.. but before the event starts as almost a parade to the library.
Did you celebrate Chinese New Year?  How do you collaborate?

Upcoming blogs-
-how my lesson plans are evolving
-February happenings (I just finished my first actual display!)

Getting Organized

As my title says.. I am a Busy Bee.  If you follow me on my social media outlets, I tend to have a ton going on all at once. I am able to do this for a couple of reasons.
1. I LOVE BEING BUSY!! I am involved in the things that make my heart happy and I feel like I am making a difference.
2. I am fairly organized.

With that being said. It is hard to be organized when you re in a new position and not for sure where to start the organization at.  Now, I am loving every minute of my job.. I mean.. I get to school at 6:15am and often times don't leave until at least 6pm.  It has kept me on my toes, lets me crazy and creative, and I get to do lots of different things in one day!

I also have the privilege of having Mrs. Gamez help me in the library during different parts of the day. I of course work with amazing people, but ya'll Mrs. Gamez has kept me sane over these last 3 weeks. She is kind, she knows every nook and cranny of the library, she is quick to help students (and me) and she is just all around amazing.  Did I mention that she is fast at shelving books (this is just an added perk to how wonderful she is)

So, I have all of these random crazy ideas.. and I am fairly good at following through on them.  But, I am slow.  I remember when I worked at the Stomping Grounds Coffee Shop that we were supposed to clock out 1 hour after the store closed.. I always did, but usually I ended up staying an extra hour.

I have lots of pieces that I want to organize.. but I knew that I needed to start with checking in/shelving books.  Last week.. I got overwhelmed.. might have shed a couple of tears (what am I saying.. I totally cried and drowned my overwhelmed self in twinkies). The books were everywhere.  Nothing that the students or teachers did.. I just didn't have a system.  This is how it was every day and I just felt like although I was doing my job teaching students, I just couldn't keep up with getting books back on shelves.

My hot mess last week

Before I left school on Friday, I came up with an idea. 

Now, today was the first day to try it out.. but guys.. check in only took 5 minutes and it was SO MUCH EASIER to shelve books.  (side note.. I am sure that this has been written about in some area... but I am learning) (side side note.. I realize this is the first day so I know it won't always work this well)

The previous librarian had set up a blue cart with the various Dewey numbers on it.  Students had been trained to put books back in the proper number if they took it off the shelf and ended up not wanting it.  Even that was out of order. 

I pulled out another book cart and labeled the top 6 shelves with the alphabet (this is for everybody books) and the bottom shelf for green dots (where are our easy chapter books) and found another blue cart and labeled it with the non-fiction Dewey numbers to match the first cart.

Today we started my new system:

1. Students came into the library with their books.  We talked about the label on the spine of the book and the type of information that it gave.

2. Teacher checked in book and students put it in proper location

Guys.. I had 1st graders doing this today and do you know how much easier it was to shelve books this afternoon? They were already sorted and partially alphabetized.. AND.. look at those skills the students are learning!

Everybody Book Cart

Non-fiction, graphic novel and fiction books

Now, I know that I am going to have more frustrations and I know I will get overwhelmed.  I hope to share frustrations.. and exciting things I am doing.  I am new and learning SO MUCH!
Upcoming- my blogs are getting makeovers! AND.. Dot Day is this week! I can't wait.. and then Book Fair.  I have decided I will sleep during Christmas break (Destination ImagiNation and Girl Scouts start next week!)
How do you stay sane? I am going to have library helpers and parent volunteers, but what are some of the job descriptions that you give them?

New #Bookstache Party

Check out all of these new books!

This year I began my new role as librarian.  Guys, I am a LIBRARIAN!!! Anyway, I have walked a TON of miles in the library, seen a ton of barcodes, and have seen a ton of great books.  Not only that, but I have some amazing mentors that are helping me along the way (another blog about that.. because I have got to give some major thanks!)

Today, however, I hosted my first ever New #Bookstache Party.  Last week our library received our order of books.  I had seen several other librarians posting about how they gave their teachers a sneak peak.  I knew I wanted to do something too.  After school today we had a New #Bookstache Party.

I partnered up with PTA and they provided water, cookies and an amazing doorprize (and they had a chance to get teachers to join as members!)

It was easy peasy set up.  I got some uber cute mustaches for photo props, had some cheesy sayings, put down black table clothes and spread out the books.  Not only did PTA provide a door prize, I provided 5. These coupons ranged from 1 free book from the book fair to $25 at the book fair (OMG.. I am planning a Book Fair soon too!)

I do have to say, I enjoyed this event.. and hopefully the staff did too.  Check out the #bookstache hashtag for fun pictures (and check out all the pictures below).   Next up.. #dotday16

I just LOVE using Canva! 

The coupons I created for doorprizes

Of course I had to say thank you to all those that came

Door prize bags

Super yummy cookies! Thanks Elliott PTA!

Striking a pose with #bookstache