Why I almost didn't eat lunch today and other things

So, I finally got to play with my ipads. Wicka, Wicka... Speaking of wicka, I downloaded this amazing app called Autorap. You pick your song and then talk and it changes your words into a rap. It is pretty fun. Maybe a little too much fun seeing as I barely did anything else for an hour. I absolutely love this app.

Then, I played with imovie for about another hour. I used to have kids use Moviemaker to do book trailers (because that was the only thing available), but my students who took the project home and used their Macs always came in with a way superior end product. Anyway, I sent the email out to the staff so the ipads are officially launched. I have three more coming my way; I am just waiting for them to appear some day when I least expect it.

On a completely different note I was helping a student (avid reader) find a book to check out. I ended up filling her arms with about fifteen books, even though she can only check out two (I do hate that rule), and let her sift through the books to find the one she really wanted. Then I took the leftover 13 books and made what I will call a "lazy display" that was just titled, "These Books are Good... Check Them Out," and placed them on a table right at the front of the library. Most of them were new books like Jay Asher's The Story of Us, which is a cute quirky romance. Others were a few years old like Sarah Dessen's The Truth About Forever, and not all of them were girly books like the previous two. I have about three left, so I guess my demand worked. I thought maybe I should create those types of displays everywhere. I could even have students pick... "Joe Shmoe likes these books... Check Them Out." Let's be honest, it is really hard for me to show students some of the fantasy and science fiction books because I really don't LOVE that genre. I'm more of a realistic fiction gal. By having other students recommend books I'll increase my audience. I will have to start that after spring break maybe. All of those after spring break projects are really starting to add up...

When It's Really Quiet

          Please tell me that I am not the only who cannot stand to have complete silence in the library. I know that it may go against everything I knew growing up, but I just can’t have it. It isn’t in my DNA to be quiet or have quiet or like quiet. I grew up in a household where there was no such thing as quiet and I’m totally okay with that. I have three kids, and the only time my house is quiet is during nap time (and usually I’m at work when that occurs). The past few weeks have been teaching about the research paper and I have loved every minute of it. I get to teach the kids about databases, help them find books, make jokes about research papers, and really get to know some of the students. And, the best part… I don’t have to grade the papers!!!

            Research paper is over, and I have found the last few days to be grueling. I have been weeding books (which definitely needed to be done), I have been ordering books, keeping up on twitter and Pinterest, and trying to think of what I wanted to write on here.


            I have gotten super good at Photoshop! Which is great because I have the READ software and now I can make READ posters of all the teachers in the building including my own children (I may or may not have Photoshopped one teacher's books out and put Fifty Shades in instead). However, sometimes I really miss being in the classroom. Since this is only my second year here, I find it really hard to get some of the teachers to collaborate with me. I know they are all super busy, but I really want to help, and I feel like it’s my job to help. I’m still figuring out how to get them to work with me and let me help them. I’m sure that collaborating sound like a ton of work, and they just aren’t into it. Hopefully I can brainstorm some ideas and get the ball rolling, and I’m sure in a couple of years I’ll be so busy I can barely stand it. I have hope that this will be the learning hub I want it to be!

Emma's Read Poster... Adorable, right!?

I know Ava doesn't have a book, but she's so freaking cute!

My 1970 Library... And Why I Need it to Change

My library was built before I was born, and although some things have changed, more seems to just be the same. It's only my second year, and last year was so much about finding out what kind of librarian I wanted to be, cleaning out the hoards of "stuff" left, and oh yeah, in January I found out I was pregnant (surprise!). So last year felt more like my first year of teaching. This year, although I was out for eight weeks of maternity leave, I feel like I am truly getting my bearings. And, as I do, I am realizing just how outdated the space is. 

Last year I weeded the crap out of the library. If I saw an outdated book I got it off the shelf. Any yellow pages or torn up book was gone. I pulled out the picture books and put them in their own section, and I added an entire section on young adult books that my eighth graders went nuts for (obviously I am careful about what I choose for my middle school audience). I just wanted as much new fiction as I could get my hands on and because I was still getting to know the middle school curriculum I wasn't as good on what to buy when it came to nonfiction. If I would have had my way, I would have done away with the reference section entirely, integrating it into the nonfiction section. Instead, the reference books that used to never be circulated were given a one day checkout. 

I wanted to collaborate with everyone and anyone, but I couldn't really get anyone in to talk to me. I became a yes man. "Oh, you need fifty books on World War II pulled by next hour... You got it!" "What, there aren't computer labs open for your classes, well I have ten working netbooks you could come down here and use." "You want to bring your class down to check out books... Well, we have two classes in here now, but wait fifteen minutes and you got it." I literally did anything and everything I could to make the library a happy place. I started a book club with pizza. I made breakfast for the staff. I probably did a lot of things that all librarians do to get people in their library, and some days it made me happy, other days it made me crabby, but most of all, I felt like I was making a change in the school even if it was a small one.

This year, I still do those things, but I am a little smarter about it. I stopped creating a schedule for the English teachers to follow (and sometimes forgot), and allowed them to sign up for times that fit best for them. I also started handing out reminders that included what I could possibly do for them. And for as many changes as the library has gone through, I am not satisfied. Our shelves are still the original 1970 shelves, our tables are wobbly and about to fall over (I honestly think that they are probably a hazard, but I don't think the district would give me a budget for all new furniture), we still have a computer lab in the library that is super distracting and makes it almost impossible to teach a class if the lab is full, and our lights don't turn off the way I would want them to. I would literally change the entire set-up if I could.

I've decided to attempt to make a few immediate changes. I bought Ipads for teacher checkout. I just got them in and they are A-Mazing. I'm currently trying to figure out my budget because I would really like to buy some I-O Smith Posts and surrounding tables, because currently we only have outlets along our walls I want a portable SMART board because I currently don't have one I can use. The SMART board I do have is in the lab within the library and is often used by classes.  I'm also making a proposal about how to enclose that dumb computer lab that we desperately need, but has to have its own place.

I also just read an article in LMC about a Library Science class that some high schools have. To quote Liz Lemon, "I want to go to there." How do I get in on that? Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store, and other times I feel as though my ice cream has just fallen on the ground. I have so much to do, and I’m never sure what order I should do them. I will figure it out and get the ball rolling on what needs to be done.