There are resources for kids' book tastings, but what about the grown people? Here's a how-to for hosting a book tasting for adults at a public library.
We are passionate supporters of public libraries here at Pages Unbound. But there are still awesome services and programs I would love to see libraries provide! Here are ten cool ideas that would g…
Next week marks the start of National Library Week!
Yesterday I had the opportunity to work with a fun group of librarians in the northern part of my state who had some questions about weeding. Specifically, they were concerned about getting rid of old materials when their collections are already small and there's no money to replace the discards with shiny new replacements.I understand this concern, but when it comes to weeding, I err on the side of less being more. To me, these are the major problems with holding onto old, out of date, musty
Library musical chairs is a terrific game to promote reading and incorporate technology with Google Form surveys.
The most successful displays I've done at my library have been passive readers advisory. For the last five years or so, I’ve done a monthly display of minature books based on the top YA titles checked out in my library system, with the top 10 books getting four readalikes. The Tiny Library is a collection of tiny books based on our most popular titles. Each tiny book contains reading suggestions based on our readalike list. There is a QR code that leads to a Google Form where teens can choose the books they want to pick up from the library.
It can be hard to remember Library Day! Communicate with families with these convenient library day bookmarks. Send them home at the beginning of the year or a new school term. Remind students and parents of library checkout day and give families important library contact information!⭐ ⭐️ This product is included in the August Library Bundle! Save 20% on 5 Back to School resources!! ⭐️ Print these bookmarks on cardstock and encourage your students to keep their bookmark in a convenient place at home. Color, black and white, and Spanish language versions of the bookmarks are included. You have the option to print out a whole week on one page, or print each day on its own. Choose from several options to find the one that works best for you! Included in this product: Library Day bookmarks in color and black & white K-2nd or 3rd-5th grade versions Spanish language versions Rotation Days (1-10) version Rotation Days (A-E) version 1 day per page or 5 days per page Editable PowerPoint file to customize for your library and print on the reverse side of the bookmarks. *Use the editable PowerPoint file to include information unique to your library for the reverse side of the bookmarks. This PowerPoint file uses the Century Gothic font. If your computer does not have that font, you may have to adjust the font size in the text box to make it fit into the bookmark.* **************************************************************************** You may also enjoy these products from The Trapped Librarian!: Library Catalog Activities BOOM Cards Bulletin Boards Literature Units Library Management Research Units ***************************************************************************** CUSTOMER TIPS: How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: Please go to your My Purchases page (you may need to login). Beside each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Just click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you feedback credits that you use to lower the cost of your future purchases. I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your library and classroom so I can create more for you. FOLLOW ME to be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches! All of my new products are offered to my followers at 50% off for the first 48 hours!
When schools have high-quality library programs and librarians who share expertise with the entire school community, student achievement gets a boost.
A library and education blog and place to be heard through creating, technology, connecting, reading, collaborating and noise.
There are many possibilities for using apps in creative ways in libraries. In my online course, “The Book as iPad App,” one of the assignments is to participate in a virtual brainstorming activity…
NoSweat Library Lesson Planner Template FREE template for from library lesson plan template, image source: pinterest.com
A culturally responsive School Librarian features cultures, races, and ethnic groups throughout the school year, and works diligently to build respect for diversity within ourselves, our library co…
You can make the overdue book return process fun! Get ready for some simple tips for collecting library books at the end of the year!
More reasons to hide out in a library all day!
April library lessons can bring a high level of engagement, active learning, inspiration and fun to your elementary school library classes!
Book clubs are one of the intersections between collection development and programming. There are an infinite number of ways to organize a book club in a school or public library, and it’s in…
An exciting virtual or in-person program, Tangram Puzzles only require a few supplies and get kids thinking outside the box to be creative!
Petal Signature Cotton® Design #3868502 42" wide, 4.4 oz per sq yard Everyday-use cotton for quilting, crafts and apparel Estimated shrinkage: 5-6% in length and 2-3% in width Perfect for quilting, craft projects, costuming, toys and accessories.
The only purpose of a school library orientation is to “orient” students to various locations in the school library. This simple approach will make your students’ first library vi…
In this post, I share what I learned from genrefying the fiction section of my library and offer tips and advice for organization your collection by genre.
Compact yet remarkably comprehensive, this book covers all the major aspects of school library services, from administration to instruction focused from the elementary school librarian perspective--now updated and expanded to include the latest developments in makerspaces, the Common Core, social networking, and eBooks. How do you accomplish a technology transformation at a time when budgets are extremely limited? What is the proper location for web-based social networking in the school library? What are the best practices for working together with students, parents, and educators? The 21st-Century Elementary School Library Program: Managing for Results is an invaluable resource for answers to these and many more questions, as it brings together in one volume the advice and insights you need to bring your library into the new century. This invaluable guide provides tips and techniques, forms and templates, and advice on everything from staffing and budgeting to collaborating with teachers and other libraries, to Web 2.0 and other new computer tools for building collections and devising special programs. Whether you are just getting started or are a library veteran seeking effective program renewal, this book belongs on your shelf.
Ideas for self-directed activities and passive programs for kids at the library. Obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, displays, and more.
You borrow books at the library. Did you know about all these other fun things to do at the library? Check out your library today.
So you have an awesome new program coming up, and you're super excited. That's fantastic! Now, how are you going to get the attendance your program so richly deserves? That all depends on how you advertise. Naturally, you want to tailor your advertisements to the program's target demographic, but don't forget that parents often make plans for their children, older patrons sometimes have visiting kids and/or grandkids, and word of mouth is incredibly valuable. It can't hurt to try some different things, right? In this three-part series, we will be discussing some average (and not so average) ways to advertise. First up... Posters, Flyers, and Where to Hang Them Sure, we've all made posters, and they go up on the door, or maybe on the bathroom door if we're feeling ambitious. Where else can we put them? Well, that depends on your audience. Have you tried... Local schools - If you email the superintendent, you can often get permission to hang signs in the school library, if nowhere else, but making sure that the teachers know about your programs can help promote library services to students, school faculty, and parents. Don't forget that teachers are potential patrons, too. Maybe the English teacher is just dying for a book club to join; maybe she will see the sign in the Teachers' Lounge and be your new best member! Senior centers - Again, the programs you advertise there don't have to be just for seniors! Yes, there is "competing" programming going on at many senior centers, but when you work for the town, collaboration is always a good thing. Unless you are doing a movie program at the exact same time as their movie program, you probably don't have to worry. I have often advertised Children's Room programs in the Senior Center, too, This is particularly helpful for Summer Reading ("the kids are visiting and I don't know what to do!") and the our library's circulating collection of toys and games ("the kids are visiting and I don't know what to do!"). Recreation centers, yoga studios, gyms - When playing sports and games, there is often almost as much time waiting (for your turn, for the game to start, for your ride home) as there is playing. Why not give these poor waiting people something to read and look forward to? Local businesses - Coffee shops, restaurants, bookstores, and other places where people linger will often have bulletin boards dedicated to local events. If you ask nicely, you can often hang up a poster, which lets their customers (and staff!) know about your upcoming awesomeness. This is particularly useful if the business has a connection to your event. For example, hanging a flyer at a comic store or game shop is perfect for promoting teen Wii Game tournaments or board game parties. Other areas of the library - You'd be surprised how few libraries will advertise the adult Summer Reading Program in the Children's Room, even though there are usually just as many parents as children! This holds true the other way around, as well. Patrons have families and friends, and they will let them know if they see something they might enjoy. If you have something complicated enough that a quick glance at a flyer might not be enough, try hanging them inside the bathroom stalls - you have a captive audience! Inside of books - When I did a Zombie Party, I put flyers inside copies of The Walking Dead graphic novels. Pete the Cat party flyers are inside all Pete the Cat books. Hide Classic Movie Mondays flyers inside biographies of classic Hollywood starlets, Fantasy Book Club flyers inside fantasy books, and "Did You Know We Have A Database About This?" flyers inside reference books. I have also seen some great e-book bookmarks inside books on the shelf where the e-book version was available through our catalog. "Check it out now, or download it from home!" Things to Remember: If you're not used to posting flyers outside your library, there are a some things you might not have needed to think about before. A few things to consider: Make sure that all flyers are clearly labeled with the library's name, address, and contact information. It wouldn't do for a potential patron to be interested in a program, and not know where to go. Less (information) is sometimes more (attention). You want eye-grabbing art and words, because you are competing with not just the other flyers on the bulletin board, but the entire world around that bulletin board: smart phones, pumpkin spice lattes, best friends meeting up for lunch, someone's dog who is just so darned cute. Large blocks of text will be skimmed over if not ignored: it's better to get someone's attention and point them in the right direction for more information than to not grab them at all. Also, please ask permission before you start hanging things up. Let's not be silly about this. If you have a favorite place to hang your flyers, we would love to hear about it! Please let us know in the comments here, on our Facebook page, or on our Twitter. You can also follow us there to make sure that you never miss a post. Don't miss reading Part 2: Media and Social Media and Part 3: Unique Advertising Ideas!
Summer is here and there are so many wonderful virtual reading and learning programs and resources being shared with all of us to pass onto our students and families. I started a Collection by Destiny to bring them together for our families at Van Meter and wanted to share it with all of you too. You will find the Summer Reading and Learning Programs For All Ages and Families Collection here. In the Collection, you will find a wide variety of programs from reading, coding, making, cooking, exercising, researching and more, while learning about interesting topics and new places. I have added a description and age or grade level of the program to each too. Here are a few that I think look super fun! The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami is offering wonderful virtual summer art camps. As the site states, Campers will be introduced to mixed media, painting, drawing, and textile arts during these fun workshops held via Zoom, and led by professional art instructors. Final projects will be featured in a virtual exhibition on MOCA’s website. You will find it here. My favorite digital creation tool, Buncee, has the amazing Buncee Summer Challenge for all of us to be part. As they share here on the Buncee blog, Tune in with the Buncee team on Twitter to participate in the #BunceeSummerChallenge! Every day at 11AM ET, we’ll be sharing a new activity to keep your creativity in tip-top shape. As a bonus, you can add your finished Buncees to our Buncee Summer Challenge Board! Camp Wonderopolis is the free online summer-learning destination that's full of fun, interactive STEM and literacy-building topics boosted by Maker experiments. There are five different camps available for all ages and you will find links... ...to all of them within the Collection and... ...here. The adorable Summer Reading Worksheet Packet for students K-5 from our friends at Follett... ...will inspire families to read together and engage in fun activities they can do throughout the summer. You will find it at this link and is perfect to post on your library or school social media or email out to families too. I posted it on ours this morning. PBS shares on Camp PBS Kids, Summer is full of opportunities to play and learn! We know summer might look a little different this year, but Camp PBS KIDS is here to fill your days with creativity, exploration and fun for the whole family. Explore ideas, tips and activities around different themes with your favorite PBS KIDS characters! The resources, activities, games, and ideas for families to learn and have a wonderful summer together from PBS can be found here. I included our Virtual Camp Adventure in the Collection too. We are now in Week 3, since my students have been out of school since May 22. You will find the website for Virtual Camp Adventure here. And I have put each week into the Virtual Camp Adventure Collection too. If there are other free reading and learning programs and resources you know about, please let me know and we can add them to this Collection. This will be a great resource to share with families as we go through the summer. I can't wait to see where all of our learners go!
Are you avoiding a School Library collection inventory because it seems like such an overwhelming task? Understand why we inventory our collection and how to do a series of mini-inventories over ti…
However compelling the research is, it can be hard to make the case with a 30-page study, or even a executive summary. Sometimes you need the visually attractive, embeddable, tweetable version of the elevator speech. Over the past couple of months we’ve seen a research translated and chunked in the form of infographics. We’ve also […]
Creative ideas to promote books from your library collection.
Building a makerspace resource library is essential for supporting the independent learning of your makers. In this post, I offer up some suggestions.
Spotlight: National Library Week Selections from our copy of Using Your Library. 32 Posters for Classroom and Library. Dansville, N.Y.: F. A. Owen Publishing Company, 1965. Be a Library Champ!!
Are you intimidated by the thought of weeding your Dewey Decimal books? I discovered that a substantially decreased collection dramatically increases circulation of what’s left. Here’s …
Fixed schedule in your elementary library? You can still offer makerspace learning activities with makerspace centers as part of a library centers program.
Lear, Brett, W. Adult Programs in the Library, 2nd ed. Chicago: ALA, 2013. 027.62 Lear 2013 ed. ISBN 978-0838911402 Programming is an important means of not only drawing new people to the library but also better serving existing patrons. Lear s invaluable guide to adult programs is back---and better than ever, with refreshed, expanded content and new ideas to reinvigorate programs and give them a 21st-century spin. This edition includes · Updated chapters on basics such as funding, crafting guidelines, topic selection, publicity, post-program evaluations, and more · A new section on technology, with ideas for online book discussions, offering programs via Skype, and turning programs into podcasts: Methods for tailoring programs for specific groups, such as men, baby boomers, and seniors A collection of "five-star" programs from libraries around the country that can be easily adapted Walking the reader through every aspect of adult programming, this new edition of a tried-and-true book is truly a librarian s best friend.
A book inventory is usually a complex and labor-intensive project. The book elaborates the cost-effective inventory process, proper hand-held inventory device choosing, and inventory exception handling regarding a variety of related issues, including missing, mis-shelving, on-going shelf reading, and varied inventory exceptions. Inventory can greatly help…
Are you overwhelmed by all the “stuff” in a library and the “things” you have to do to serve teachers and students? You may need a Personal Management Strategy! Read on to see how I dev…
