#jrhighlibrary

Makerspace has been the buzz work in my school recently. I find it a little funny that things I have always done and had in the library are given new life with this new subject heading.

 For example, I have always had Lego, puzzles, markers, crayons, etc., for the students to use.  My theory for the library is that I want it to be the first place people think of when they need something, not the last.

 Recently we visited the U of C and two high schools in Calgary to see their MakerSpaces!!!  3D printers, a computer design lab, a Laser Cutter, etc.  These are large ticket items that I have no idea how to use!!  Little bits, coloring, Lego, are some of the low tech items I have.

 As I did this tour with a group of teachers and one other Librarian, I was struck by the different approaches these two groups have towards MakerSpace.  My type of programing is more “passive programing” I supply the items you decide what you want to or not want to do with them.  The teachers were busy discussing credits and Rubric’s!!!  My only thought was if you want to mark it you are missing the point.  As soon as you want to mark it, you are telling students how it needs to be done and in what time frame it needs to be done.  A student may want to build a skyscraper out of Lego, they have done this many times before and will again.  However they may onetime try to do a circular skyscraper, or a large window on the top floor, or on the bottom floor, they may add a balcony.  They have a basic design but they may alter it each time they build it and learn what works and what doesn’t.  You can’t mark this!!  This process takes years!! Not weeks.

I know this looks like play time and it is!!  Why is that bad?  The kids are learning they just don’t know it.  They are learning to do something that interests them.  They are learning not to give up on an idea.  They are learning to tinker or edit an idea until it works.  They are learning to listen to other people.  To share ideas about what worked or didn’t work for them in the past.

A Stapler that works!!!

  All I want sitting on the desk is a stapler that doesn’t jam!!!  I work in a 7-9 jr high.  I have three staplers sitting on the desk for people to use.  At any given time we feel lucky it one works.  I spend oodles of time trying to unjam staplers.  I have tried expensive staplers, cheap staplers.  Eventually they all give up.  Are our needs really that complex

Honestly if you can invent a stapler that will stay on my desk for a year (and not get “acquired” by someone else) and doesn’t jam, you could make millions.

I often get asked for recommendations at Christmas time and here are a few of my favorites I recommend

 Picture books

Imagine a night by Sarah L. Thompson

Snowmen at night by Caralyn Buehner

 Beginning chapter books

Fly guy by Tedd Arnold

Rainbow magic by Daisy Meadows

 Popular in our school

Micheal Vey by Richard Paul Evans

Anything by Sarah Dessen

Guinness World records gamers edition

My personal favorites

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Pushing the limits by Katie McGarry

   http://www.simonandschusterpublishing.com/inthemiddlebooks/index.html

is a great website I found promoting books ages 5-12  searchable by age and theme also has a activites to download for most of the books on the site.

 Merry Christmas and happy shopping

I finally did It, I made some QR codes to use in the library, I used    http://www.qrstuff.com/   it was super easy.

 I was shelving the warrior series books by Erin Hunter.  These books frustrate me because there are so many sub-series within the series that I truly have no idea what comes next.  I then went to the computer to find a suggested reading order for these books.  Then I came up with the great idea of proving the link to the website on the shelf beside the book.  QR codes are perfect for this.  All the student has to do is use their device to scan the code and it takes them right to the website!!!  Being a BYOD (bring your own device) school, we are encouraged to use innovative tech ideas when we can.

I then decided to make a few more shelf talkers for different authors that go directly to their website.  I have printed them out, and am getting a few students to make them pretty for me.  Once we have them up I will be interested to see how it goes.

  QR codes are not new.  However I haven’t taken the time to learn how to make them or use them before.  It took me about half an hour for this whole project.  Believe me if I can do it anyone can!!

Why you need a newsletter

  Ahhh the dreaded school newsletter.  Our school actually no longer has one.  We use social media Facebook, twitter, and Instagram to let our student and parent population know what is going on.  You announce items in a timely manner as needed.

However once a year I do a library WOW letter.  This letter is not for the students or parents but to email to the staff. I include in this letter all the events and projects that have happened in the library over the past year.  I also include lots of pictures.  Even though I work in a school not everyone knows what the library does.  It is important to show the whole staff how the library can be used and how diverse the projects that take place here are.

It is a bit of shameless advertising I send out in May; however no one else will do it for you.  Not bad to remind the whole staff that the library is important especially when people are working on next year’s budget. ;)

I include, bookfairs, science projects, World Read Aloud Day, Special Needs luncheon, Maker space, new books etc.  Anything and everything I think is important.  I send out emails all year long. FYI items, blog articles, announcements, requests (like whoever took the whole shelf of I Spy books could you bring them back!!)  But it is nice to have a positive newsletter to remind everyone what a cool place the library is.  Before and after major events I do short animoto( www.animoto.com )videos to advertise what is coming up and what happened.  These I include on social media to reach the student population as well.

Personally I think every dept. in the building should do a end of the year newsletter.  Working in a big building with lots of people we can get cut off from each other.  It is good to know what everyone is up to.  For example how many students participate in the drama club?  How many students went to divisions for sports?  What science trips happened this year?

  So take a chance give it a whirl I use publisher and save the newsletter as a PDF but use whatever format works for you.  A end of year video could be quite cool to!!  Good luck!!