Start of a New Year

The first day of school is just around the corner, and I can't believe I am about to begin my 20th year with students. Our librarians have been back since July 26th.

This next week begins in-service for teachers.  So, of course, I have some challenges ready to go to entice the teachers to use the library and all of its services.

I created a menu of services in Canva (you can find the template here) If you have not signed up for a free Canva educator account, I would highly recommend it.  I saved it as an image and put it 4 to a page in Google Slides and printed them off in color.  I then had my amazing clerk Suzanne Lautaret cut them apart and laminate them to use as bookmarks.  During one of our staff training this upcoming week, I plan to pass out the bookmarks and share with staff the interactive menu I created using the image and Genially. You can check out my finished product here

I also created another challenge using the same template for teachers for the first week back (it is the second page of the Canva Template)

This is the email I sent to staff on Friday:

It is that time for a Library Back To School Challenge! The challenge will officially run August 9^th-August 13^th with 9 winners are being announced on Monday, August 16^th!

*SPECIAL PRIZE!* for Monday, August 9^th!!! $10 Giftcard to Starbucks AND $50 to spend at the Fall Book Fair!!

Monday, August 9^th is #NationalBookLoversDay you can get 2 entries for this *Special Prize!*

1. Tweet your favorite book or author and tag @lmslionsread #irvingreads and #NationalBookLoversDay
2. Join in on some TikTok Fun! Find a middle school-appropriate book and let me film you! All you have to do is pretend to be reading and look up from the book.. or find a book in a random location and wave at the camera (look up #fullhousetheme) You must find me on Monday to do this challenge.

These entries MUST be done on Monday, August 9^th! But you have time to find that book!!

Library Back to School Challenge- up for grabs- 5 $5 Gift Cards to Sonic 5 $10 Gift Cards to the Fall BookFair.

This year is all rainbows, unicorns, and magic! You can find the challenge is attached, but here is also the entries

There are 7 possible entries for each staff member (names will be entered into a drawing and randomly selected!)

Recommend-Head to the Library, find a book you would recommend to a student or staff member, write a sticky note why and we will display it
Online Database- Share one Irving online database or resource that you are excited to try or use through twitter-Tag @lmslionsread and #irvingreads
You Decide-email me with one way that the library can support you and your content
Give an online book shout-out- Share your favorite read or author on Twitter and tag @lmslionsread and #irvingreads
Booksnap-Create a #booksnap and share on and tag @lmslionsread and #irvingreads
Investigate-the other Materials that the library has to offer-email Keller something you found
Visit the Library on Friday, August 13th for a treat and to see our new books

Prize information- I am using Scholastic dollars.. and out of pocket. I am also baking a ton of Cakies on Thursday and individually wrapping them for staff to come to grab on Friday. 

Back to school also means creating new goals. I use the program Piktochart to create mine and send 6 weeks updates to admin and share online. You can find the goals here

We have meet the teacher on Tuesday and I plan to have a photobooth and activity going on in the library.  

On the first day of school, I also get to school super early and take the first day of school pics for teachers and students with a letterboard. It is one of my favorite things to do!

Please enjoy my latest TikTok if a Librarian was kidnapped back to school addition. 

Here's to year 20. I don't know how it is going to look or what is going to happen but with my trusty trapper keeper and great friends, it is going to be a GREAT year!

Next up- planning for orientation.  What do you do to get ready for staff and the first day of school? I am also SUPER pumped because I had 2 sessions accepted to TLA and to TCEA (which is #22 on my #50by50 goal list!)

Top 10 of 2018-2019

I can almost taste summer.. just 2 more days away.  Although I will turn off the library lights for the last time this year on Thursday.. I will officially start a much needed break on June 16th!
So, last year around this time.. I made a leap.  A leap that I was so nervous about.. but yet so excited as well! I had been an elementary special education teacher, then an elementary instructional technology specialist, and then an elementary librarian.  After 16 years in elementary.. I moved to Middle School.  Now guys, I didn't just move to any middle school, I moved to the BEST one! You can find about my changing perspectives here

Today I finished my Year End Review  (I used Piktochart to share my information)
At the beginning of each year, I create a list of SMART goals.  This helps me stay on track and think about why/how I am implementing items.
You can find all my SMART goals here

Top

1. Being able to learn from the most AMAZING library clerk! Gomez taught me SO much about middle school, working with middle schoolers, and systems that help make the library run smoothly.

2. The #Skurtcrew- It is important to find people that you can trust and work with. These ladies are AMAZING! They were always there for me, answered all my questions.. and were just an amazing support and wonderful friends!

3. Learning that there is a ghost in my library! You could always tell when Fred was around.  He would push books off the shelves.  These books would usually flip once, always land face up.. and also land about 2 feet away from the shelf (I have a whole Ghost Instagram Highlight at Beeinthebookends)

4. Working with some amazing librarians! Ones that are ready to collaborate.. ready to learn.. ready to try new things.. and ready to listen.  I am lucky that I have librarians all over that continually support me!

 

5. Going to games and seeing the kids outside of school! I didn't go to as many games as I wanted to, but I LOVED cheering on the Lamar Lions! I can't wait until next year to go to even more games!

6.  Destination ImagiNation in Middle School! I have done DI forever (and I LOVE it) but I sure did enjoy working with these middle schoolers! I also got to work with the Nerdy Birdys (which I have been doing since they were in 3rd and 4th grade!) Also.. I was smart enough to burn my chin with a hot glue gun!

7. Attending the North Texas Teen Book Festival with a bus full of kids (and some amazing adults!)

8. Being able to volunteer and work with some of the most amazing people. Words can not even begin to express how thankful I am that I had the help that I did this year.  Not only that, but I am so thankful for an admin that let this elementary school librarian come in.. and do some crazy things! I am also super thankful for the BEST STAFF ever to always try new things!

9. Library LINKS.  These 8th graders were what kept me going.  Did I cry a little when they walked out the door for the last time.. of course I did (I mean.... after my 5th period girls left, I couldn't hold it in anymore.. and then to read what they wrote in my yearbook?)

10.  My Ugly Sweater that I created- I became the real elf on the shelf.

There are SO many things that happened in the library this year.  I really focused on helping staff and students know that they library is a place where everyone can belong.  I had big shoes to fill, but I have enjoyed creating my own space.  My circulation numbers were not where I wanted them, I didn't get all of the things done that I had in my smart goals.. but I feel as I made a difference.  I know where I want to go next year.. I have ideas... and I look forward to continue to grow!

Other highlights

-started a K-Pop Club

-all 5 Destination ImagiNation teams placed at Regionals

-continued the ukulele club

-had 2 late night in the library that had over 100 participants each time

-hosted 2 bookfairs

-weeded over 120 boxes of books

-added over 700 books to the library

-attended some amazing conferences (TLA and North Texas Library Expo)

-I also took the best school picture I have ever had, but then again at the beginning of the year I was told I looked like Spiderman?

-being named Employee of the Month for September

-publishing an article over Bitmojis for the ATPE magazine

I know that I wasn't able to include all the things that made this year amazing.. please know that if we ever crossed paths, I appreciate you!!

What a great year of new perspectives, but this next year I my word is priority! I am starting off this summer with some #digitaldetox. So, catch you guys on the flipside! I will be back at the end of July!

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!)

December Happenings

Tis the season to be super busy in real life, and that is the same for libraryland as well.  This blog is a slight picture explosion, but I just had to share!

At the beginning of December I invited students to share their holiday traditions.  3 were turned in.. not only are they BEAUTIFUL.. they made great decoration in the library! (in January I inviting students to build snowmen!)

I loved the bulletin board that Mrs. Gamez made (she made several to spruce up the library) and I do have to admit I was pretty pleased with my booktree and fireplace that my husband helped me make.

On the Thursday before we got out for break the library was HOPPING! We had kinder Polar Express, New Bookstache Party and Late Night in the Library.

How can you not be excited to wear PJs all day

The kinder students come into the library led by a train conductor.

Couldn't get through a day without these ladies (this was after a slight trainwreck0

PTA provided hot cocoa and candy canes for our bookstache party

I mustache you who is the best ITS.. it is this awesome woman right here!

After our Bookstache party I picked up and prepared for our December Late Night in the Library.  I have gotten more organized!  Since one of our pumpkins won money from Irving Schools Foundations, that is what is funding our Late Night in the Library! For this Late Night I had stations set up (and there were about 93 people that came!!) The captions have the links to where I got the ideas (but of course I made them my own) I am also attaching my station information pictures. I try to have enough materials for 125-150 people.

Things I learned this time-
-Stations are much better and spread out.  It was much more organized.
-This Late Night happened after a music program.  I like that it was attached to something, but I want to make sure that if I do attach it to something it does not take away from the other event.
-I am going to start using my new library helpers for this!

Jingle Bell Maze- patrons created mazes for a jingle bell to go through. I do believe this was my favorite station!
Jingle Bell Maze

Binary Code Ornament.  I did ask each person to only make one that was 4 letters long. Of course I did have a couple of patrons that made her whole family.
Binary Code Ornament

Create a tree that can stand on its own using one piece of paper and no more than 3 pipe cleaners.
Tree idea and Tree idea here

This time we made snowball catapults.
Snowball Catapult we also did it for pumpkins in October.

Getting ready for Santa

Binary code ornaments

Jingle bell maze

Texas Santa passing out candy canes

Loved that my family was able to help with this!

Library helpers raiding our new book cart!

Guess what else I did... I trained my library helpers! I got them signed up, created a Google Classroom and taught them some basics of the library.  I can't wait for next semester! This last week I also ate lunch with 2 fabulous librarians (Renee and Christine) and we came up with #NTLIMB a place for North Texas Librarians to share their ideas and resources! Are you a North Texas Librarian and want to be part of the page, let me know!

Here are my station signs and information:
I added hashtag information too! If you are wondering how I made these or my newsletters.. Canva and Picktochart are my FAVORITE!