How do you spell hoky?

I'm currently taking this last little class to finish up my degree before I leave for my new job!!

Did I mention I obtained a school librarian job finally...

This class is amazing it is a survey course on Children's lit, and is showing me incredible ways to get kids into books. Not just learn how to read so they can pass standardized tests while standing on there head...because let's face it this in a valuable skill...but to enjoy reading.

Last Tuesday we talked about how to set up kid versions of book clubs (we also talked about this in previous library sci courses). Sounds so obvious now that I write it down, but no one in any school I have ever subbed in ever did this. It was always read this book...write notes...sticky notes are especially popular these days...take this test, answers these questions...etc.

Remember when we did this in school. Now tell me one positive experience where you enjoyed the book. But think if you were able to choose the book with your friends then talk about what you liked, didn't like, or didn't understand? Wouldn't that have helped you love reading more?

Look out new job, cause I'm instilling some serious book clubs. I know, I know, I'll need to model this, and have some structure, but hey doesn't it sound I should try it out?

peace out

I love the word JOBBER!

I'm taking the wonderful Praxis test this Saturday...I'm thinking of just winging it. What could possibly go wrong, I mean it's not like I spent over a hundred dollars on the test...oh wait.

I've been looking up study questions, and guides, and figured that what I already know SHOULD let me pass the test. I hate tests. They don't really measure anything. I'm sure there are tons of librarians that could pass the test, but wouldn't give a crap about what Johnny needed, or Ms. Smith wanted, or how to incorporate this with that, etc.

For every test question, the answer could have been easily LOOKED UP...the skill they are testing you on. So why answer a question, that a librarian should not necessarily know the answer to, but be able to look it up and find the answer. Now that would be an authentic test!

By the BY

I GOT A LIBRARY JOB....YEAHAH! TAKE THAT PRAXIS TEST.
However the coolness is starting to wear off, and the freak out is starting to set in.

"Nobody graduated from a library, Nobody graduated without one."

This holiday weekend I visited with family. My mother-in-law watches a little boy every morning before school. She told me recently the little boy brought with him a dozen books that had a school library stamp on them and the word discard. The elementary school library the books came from is one his dad works at (as custodian) NOT the one the boy attends.

My mother-in-law asked the boy how he had gotten the books, he said his dad found them in the garbage. So after a little research (my sister-in-law is a teacher at the school) I found out that the school has so many books that they weed constantly and just throw out books.

Well, as you can imagine I went on a little tirade! It was actually my turn this year, as someone has a melt-down at every family get together. I, not calmly, discussed how ridiculous this is. It reminded me of the two libraries my friends work with or at. One is in an affluent community and has so many books they don't fit on the shelf, the other library has empty shelves. So we discussed the possibility of sending books from the richer library to the less stocked one.

But even if the library can't find another school library to work with they could have done so many other things with them: donate them to a classroom, a children's hospital, a women's shelter, the public library, a daycare, WHATEVER JUST DON'T THROW THEM AWAY.

It makes me ponder the inequality of material distribution, why does one library have so much and others have so little?

The middle school library I work at is so well-used and so well-stocked because the librarian believes in books, and makes sure her kids get what they need--getting these books are not always an easy thing. However, what if the librarian can't get books--I don't believe it, there are ways to stock your library that does not involve a yearly budget allotted by school boards. Librarians who don't tap into these sources are lazy...pure and simple...plus I know lazy, right now I'm using a reaching stick to move the curtain so the sun doesn't shine on the computer while I'm typing...I could get up, but...hey maybe I can get my 3 year old to do it?

Librarians need to work together.

"Whatever the costs of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation"

Wondering what Japanese students are doing with their spare time?

Check this out:
“What icons do on our desktops at night.”

Beware, danger ahead!

If your library is not unsafe, it probably isn't doing its job.
John Berry, III

I finally read The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron. What a joy to read. A story of a little girl trying to find some sort stability, some love to hold her up. Who doesn't relate to that? However, I bring her up to come back to the discussion of censorship. Due to the word scrotum the book has been banned from many school libraries as inappropriate for the reading level.

Now we won't go back to the complete absurdity of banning a great read because of an anatomically correct word, oh no, I won't revisit the absolute insanity of not buying an AWARD WINNING book to put on the shelves because of a WORD (which my seven year old didn't even notice, but if he had I'm sure he would have become a sexual deviant because of hearing this word, which would lead him to drugs, homelessness, and let's face it possible homicide).

I bring this up to tell you of the how librarians are the worst culprits. I am trying to start that library in my sweet little alternative school, yet who keeps telling the English teacher that it wouldn't be a good idea because the books might not be appropriate...another librarian in the district...what? You're going to tell kids who have slept in the street, endured abuse of all kinds, and seen things we only see on the Lifetime channel that a book with questionable language is bad? Ahhhh, engagement of reading? Importance of life-long reading? Who needs it?

This is comparable to the way new books are "approved" in the district. So, after all the extensive obtaining, processing, and cataloging of the new books (usually donated or begged for) they are sent to the Board for approval. So then the School Board reads reviews and/or reads the books themselves right? Ah, no they look at the cover...the title...that's it, maybe read the cover comments...so if the title is Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging, board says oh no, that could possible be bad for our innocent babies, it talks of thongs for god-sake, imagine the chaos as girls go crazy running amuck in the school halls.

Can you hear my teeth grinding? The Title? should I mention that this too is an award winning book, beloved by many teenage girls, hilarious, and is continued as a series. Yeah, let's ban that book. So guess what, we put it on hold at the public library, and put it in the hands of as many readers as possible.

So that's right, we librarians are sneaky, we keep lots of sneaky stuff in our tightly wound updos, too.

The Future is Now!

Holy crap! This library breathes new life into the biz...something we desperately need now that many seem to desire their extinction.

Check out the Allen County Library in Indiana (Webjunction did a highlight, or visit the site itself). They made videos, little commercials if you will, for their programs, or grand openings, or even training, then turned them onto YouTube...genius! Free PR! They also have this amazing eRef program that is out of this world with innovation, technology, and most importantly-getting people information that they need. Chat rooms, department collaboration, etc.

I just now thought of a way to advertise for events at a library--what about a MySpace account? Students are on it so much, why not create a site, reel em in, tell about events, book lists, resource, ask questions! This needs more pondering. Did you see the lightbulb over my head just now? High on life baby!

Watch this funny video about their YA program--notice the dance revolution going on IN THE LIBRARY! Be gone quiet library! Enter fun, hub of community.

Small World

This is a photo contest winner!

Photographers take pictures using a microscope...can you imagine the incredible science lesson plans from this site!

"Nikon Small World is regarded as the leading forum for showcasing the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope."

Check out the link here or in the Check it Out! section