Late Night in the Library- October

I LOVE being in the library! Now, granted.. it is overwhelming, but an overwhelming in a good way. My brain is constantly moving, I am constantly learning, and I am constantly finding one more thing that I love about my new job.

During this summer I was inspired by one of our Irving Library sessions that Jennifer Larariviere gave. I loved so many of her ideas such as finding a just right book..but I also loved her idea about parent involvement with parent/child reading event.  She did hers during lunch time, but after conversing with my principal that wasn't really a feasible idea.  BUT.. I did come up with another idea! Each month I am going to have a late night in the library.  The library hours are currently 7:15am-3:45pm every day (well.. except Wednesdays it is 3:00pm) but I know that sometimes parents can't make it to the library during that time.  We had our first late night in the library to go along with Trunk or Treat.  Now, Late Night in the Library will not always go with another event.

The idea:
-have a read-a-loud
-have a STEAM activity to go along with read-a-loud

Invitation sent out to all the students (there was a Spanish version too) I used  Picktochart to make this.. I LOVE this program!

The book that I chose to go with this evening was Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman. I of course also scoured Pinterest for ideas on what our STEAM activity could be that would be fun, affordable and fairly easy. I came across this blog Fun with STEM: A "Punkin Chunkin" Catapult with Craft Sticks.  Thanks Heidi Songs for the great idea (and directions!) There are of course a ton of ways to do this activity, but I liked the ease of this one.

Materials needed:

-Popsicle sticks (7 per patron)

-masking tape

-we used candy corn pumpkins 

The Idea

Give parents and students a chance to work together.  Give parents a chance to sign up for a library card (and check out books with their student!) and of course share a story.  They also got to view the 50 pumpkins that were submitted to our first Book Character Pumpkin Contest.

I was super thankful that the specials teachers were there to help me out! Since people came in at different times, it was nice to have several areas set up.  I ended up reading the book 2 different times, with the 2 different groups that meandered through.  I also used a counter to count how many people we had come in.. we had about 70!!!  3 parents checked out 10 books.

Ideas for next time

I have the very high possibility of doing the next Late Night in the Library on my own, so now that I have done it once.. I know how to organize a little bit better.

-have station signs with directions in both English and Spanish

-Have materials in several locations

LOVED that I had Max help me out for this.

Next up.. October 31st is Texas Library Snapshot Day and my husband is SUPER excited to be the Guest Reader to 3 groups.  He of course will be reading Where the Wild Things Are.. and there will be a STEAM Activity go along with that as well.  The library will also be open for extended day until 5pm.  I plan to do 2 more read-a-louds that afternoon and STEAM activity for those that come.

Do you offer a Late Night in the Library? What different programs do you do? 

#Busybeelibrarian

This week began my first ever book fair! I am person that asks a ton of questions, but not always the the person to ask for help.  Being in this new position, however, I know I need help.. but often times I am still unsure how I need help.. and if you don't know how you need help, managing volunteers can be a little crazy!
I knew that I wanted to decorate.. and I just knew that I would have time to do it. But then, reality hit and my good friend Madden reminded me.. get these awesome parent volunteers to help!

But wait- before I go any farther- have you seen the AWESOME new layout of my blog? My friend Carrie (aka Heck Awesome) did an AMAZING job redesigning this blog and my Ideas from a Busy Bee! I mean seriously- go check her out @HeckAwesome and her website.  I am in LOVE with it (my blog is getting more hits because I keep looking at it :)

The theme for the Scholastic Book Fair this fall was Bookaneers where Books are the Treasure.  Did you know that you can shop online too (now, it doe get delivered to me.. but if you live in the DFW or Amarillo area.. I bet I can help you out.. I can't ship.. but I can deliver!)
Lots of pictures in this blog, but I wanted to share what I am going to do different for the next book fair
-have volunteers set up for preview time to help monitor students and offer help
-have volunteers set up books (thinking about having a book fair crew)
-have volunteers help with book buying by making sure that kiddos in line actually have money to spend. (which happens next week.. so I am sure I will figure out more ways to have volunteers help!)
-have volunteers help with check in and check out (still having regular check in and out times)

Party city had coins. I am part of the Book Fair organizer page and got this idea!

Look at all of those books!

Changed the circulation desk into a pirate ship.  These parents did a great job!

Had another parent change the doors into the library into a pirate.

Had donuts and juice for staff members on Wednesday morning while they made their wish lists.

You can't go wrong when you have the chance to dress like a pirate!

This weekend is a 3 day weekend, so Saturday I had a chance to attend an author visit at the 

South Irving Public Library.  A couple of weeks ago, I had my first ARC (advanced reader copy) of a book delivered to the library! Gertie's Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley is the book I can't wait to delve into this long weekend! But super fun to actually meet the author.  If you think the name sounds familiar, her sister wrote Circus Mirandus. 

Look at these fun cupcakes!

I bought a copy of the book for the Elliott Library! You know I can't pas up a selfie with anyone.  

#DotDay16 and #PoweredLibraries

Okay, I realize that I am about 15 days late to posting about International Dot Day.  Right now I am gearing up for my first ever BOOK FAIR!!!

This year International Dot Day fell on the same day as #poweredlibraries it was a perfect meld!

Now, you know I have been celebrating International Dot Day for at least 3 years (this was either my fourth of fifth year) What is International Dot Day? International Dot Day is based off the book The Dot by Peter Reynolds. It is all about a teacher encouraging a student to make her mark and see where it takes you.  You can easily search Twitter and Instagram for #dotday #dotday16 for a ton of great posts! I mean, how can you not love a great story with a great message!  This was my first Dot Day to celebrate as a Librarian.. and guys, my heart was SO HAPPY!!!

The students and staff were invited to wear dots to celebrate the day.  I also drew random names to those participating for a book at the upcoming book fair.

This is only half of the staff that participated in wearing dots

I know that many schools do things during the school day, but I love offering our Dot Day activities after school and inviting families to join in.  Our event was 3:30pm-5:00pm and we had over 50 people participate!  I of course want more.. but even if it was just one student, that student got the opportunity to participate and create.  As I said, since #DotDay fell on the same day as #poweredlibraries I wanted to make sure to infuse even more technology into the activities.  In the past we have had an augmented reality station and a couple of others, but I was excited to add more stations! Now, I could NOT have done all of this without great volunteers.. and an AMAZING Art Teacher!

Check out the pictures below to find out about our 5 stations!

Before all the Dot Day madness!

We brought in tools this year! This station each participant got a metal washer and could use a metal stamper to stamp out a 4 letter word.  Once stamped we put on ribbon so participants could wear it is a bracelet or necklace.  If they wanted to, they could also paint their washer using nail polish.

CD sgcraffito station. Mrs. R spray painted cds black and then participants could scratch out various designs. Check out more instructions here

Making your Mark station.  Each participant grabbed a dot and decorated it.  Then using the Chatter Pix Kid  app they took a picture of their dot and then had it it talk about how they would make their mark.

Polka Dot Pinwheels.  Participants made their own pinwheels and then decorated with dots. (okay, I might have had an anxiety attack at this station when I saw a container of glitter being dumped :) 

Each participant was asked to take one slide on a Google slide and using only circles create a story. I loved this website on How to Write a Dot Day Poem.

Not to bad of a program at all! In looking back at it, I know that there a couple of things that I would like to change.
-Make sure to have one volunteer at each station just to answer questions.  Although we only had 5 stations, and we had volunteers that were around, I need to be more structured.
-Spread it out a bit.  We had held this event in the cafeteria the last few years.  The library is a little bit smaller space, but I sure do love it!
-Have an elmo set up so when I did read The Dot I could put it on the big screen.

I can't wait to start planning next years stations!

From the collaborative Google Slide

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

Reflections of my Librarian Journey- A Beginning

As my final assignment for one of my classes, I needed to reflect on what I have learned, what path I might be on, and where I eventually want to end up.  I had started several paragraphs in a word document, but I thought what better place to express these reflections than in my blog!

When I was very little, I knew in my heart that I wanted to be a special education teacher.  I dreamed of it and I became one.  I don't know how good I was, but I know that I tried hard and I always tried to grow and learn more.  Special education was my heart (it still is!)  I LOVED my classroom of kiddos and I loved the parents and staff I worked with, but I knew that I wanted to affect more students.  I had the opportunity to gain my first masters.  When I started the educational technology masters I had several of my librarian friends encourage me to become a librarian.  I somewhat listened, but I thought my next dream would be to work in a setting where I could open up doors and classrooms of students of all abilities by becoming an instructional technology specialist.  I became one, but found when I went to technology conferences I spent a good portion of my time with librarians.  I work hard as instructional technology specialist and strive to make a difference in even more classrooms with more students.  I think that I have done well, but I still don't feel like I have found my niche.  I am a little quirky, I like connecting with people, and I LOVE working with all different types of people in the community.  

I say all of this because part of any journey is not always knowing the exact direction that you are going, but realizing that there is a path along the way.  I just attended my first Texas Librarian Association Conference, and it was that epiphany of where my next adventure was going to lie.  I knew that I was on the right track to become a librarian, but TxLA16 secured any thoughts I had of being anything else.

For my career objectives, I know that they are going to change. I am not one that sits still well, but I am also one that strives to make a difference.  My current career objectives are to offer a place and space for patrons of any type to feel as if they belong.  To give patrons an opportunity to grow beyond the four walls of a classroom and get lost within the shelves of a library.  When they have found all they need to know on the shelves to be able to connect and extend their learning past the pages of a book.  One of my favorite sessions I attended at TxLA16 was that of Mellissa Sanchez so many great ideas came from that session, but my favorite was "A library is a place where they can dream and where dreams come true." Mellissa Sanchez  My career objective is to make a difference.

A few of my notes from Mellissa Sanchez's Session

As my journey continues, I know that I will need to grow and learn.  That is the exciting part about any journey is the adventure that one gets to go on.  As part of any journey there are ups and downs.  I enjoy blogging about my different adventures (both the good ones and the fails)  I know that I do not do everything right, but I also know how to ask questions along the way.  When reflecting by blogging I am able to put on "paper" and with pictures where my current journey is.  In my current job, I have goals that are set forth by the district, but I also look at my own data and figure out goals that I need for myself. 

Although I am just beginning this MLS journey of becoming a librarian, I am already seizing any opportunity to learn more.  I have already started to lean on my PLC through Twitter.  I am also grateful for the librarians that have already taken me under their wing.  I know that I can not do everything on my own and have already started cultivating resources that will help me further my career as a librarian.  Although I enjoy attending conferences and learning from others, I think I also learn by leading professional development and also blogging.  I understand the importance of sharing what I have learned and what I am learning.  

My hopeful career as a librarian will not be contained to the school that I am in.  Being a contributing member to my school is important, but for me it is even more important to be involved in various aspects of my community.  Learning from other librarians and my PLC are important, but it is even more important to be involved in organizations that contribute to the librarian profession.  Being a librarian is so much more than shelving books and figuring out story time.  It is to realize that there is a larger community that you can affect.  Being a part of a professional organization will not only open up more opportunities for myself to grow, but also more opportunities for my library to grow.

I am so excited to be on this librarian journey. I look forward to the adventures that I will be taking in pursuing this new dream.

Spring Break of my First Semester

Next week is my spring break from my first semester at TWU.  I have spent this semester learning how to juggle my time, because I do enjoy staying busy!

I have survived! Not only am I surviving.. BUT.. I am learning.  I recently had homework that required me to observe a library.  Now, that doesn't seem like it would be to hard..right? I mean.. I know how a library works? I am JUST KIDDING!  I am part of an awesome elementary school that has a wonderful and helpful librarian.  I am part of a community that has great resources to go along with the libraries.  I am also connected with librarians from all over the globe who are doing the most amazing things!

What I learned from this observation... I don't know anything!  In the big scheme of things I understand that the library is a big piece of a community (I think this one of the biggest draws for me to go into this profession) but I didn't realize all that my local libraries were already doing.  I spent my afternoon observing the South Irving Public Library  What a great observation it was.  I knew that they offered programs for children, but I didn't realize how much more they offered! I have already marked a few more things on my calendar to join in.  I might or might not have also picked up a volunteer application while I was there.

I am thankful for all the librarians that are changing how the community interacts with libraries.  I am even more thankful for all the librarians near and far that are doing amazing things! I am watching and taking notes!

About half way done with my first 6 hours... 30 more hours to go?  I am excited about one of the big events coming up, the North Texas Teen Book Festival!  I am very excited that this year they are offering a day before that has sessions for librarians and teachers.  I will be missing the main event due to heading to Austin for an ATPE event.  Excited to learn even more in my next courses.