Image 3 of 7 from gallery of Snøhetta Designs a "Forest of Knowledge" Library in Beijing. Courtesy of Plomp/Snøhetta
If you don't have a lot of time or money to decorate your school library, these simple tips and ideas will help you create an inviting, welcoming space.
The James B. Hunt Library at North Carolina State University is a revolution in information storage.At the Hunt, robots fetch the books. Two million…
Recently, I've been looking back through photos of my media center at Stewart Middle Magnet from the past five years. I'm working on a conference presentation for the Florida Association for Media in Education about transforming library spaces. As I look back over these photos, I'm struck by how the space slowly evolved over this
Transform your teaching with the ultimate tech resource! The Technology Toolbox for Teachers offers tutorials, presentations, and endless ideas for your elementary students.
Presenting information, data, or library instruction content, in appealing and innovative formats offers librarians opportunities to engage students and library users in services, resources, and in…
Roly Keating, chief executive of the British Library, says libraries should stop worrying about their future because they will outlast the internet. Libraries are not adapting to the digital age. T…
We need to rethink how we design our environments for students. The resources here will help you to use learning space design to transform your space.
A HUGE collection of back to school free resources just for school librarians! These free resources can help make the transition back just a bit easier!
Today let’s talk about how and why I started a low-tech makerspace at our high school library! When I started at this library 5 years ago it was completely different than it is now. Circulati…
School Librarians will find these 41 quality Websites very helpful to gather information & ideas on professional development, library advocacy, library lessons & activities, reading promo…
If I've worked with your school district or spoken at your state's conference or you happened to run into me at your neighborhoo
Transform your teaching with the ultimate tech resource! The Technology Toolbox for Teachers offers tutorials, presentations, and endless ideas for your elementary students.
Free library lesson plans by grade-level focus on teaching library skills and reading skills. Library lessons align with AASL and Common Core standards.
Megan Cope Elementary media center modernization created a hub for students, teachers & parents. Gain insights from their success.
My first article was filled with tidbits to consider regarding the use of iPads, but now I can write about the fun part- the apps! For the last few years, I have been on the hunt for fun, useful, friendly, and most importantly, free, apps. There are thousands of applications to sift through, but with
Libraries can be some of the most visually stunning meccas of architecture, but even if you aren't fortunate enough to live near one of the most beautiful libraries in the world - your local libraries can still contain some pretty creative designs. The following list is a collection of photos from everyday libraries that have been spiced up with hilarious and creative twists from the funny librarians who run them.
More reasons to hide out in a library all day!
This is a bit of an update for the series that I did last summer when the iPad was brand new. Go here, here, here, here, and here for the original posts! This one didn't change much but I think the others might. BOOK APPS Most of these are not free. Don't despair (because for a LONG time I wasn't allowed to pay for any apps either) ... not all posts will be about apps you have to purchase. But this one is. Still LOVE Harold and the Purple Crayon (Oddly enough ... I cannot find this on the US app store anymore! Did they quit selling it? It's so awesome! One of our favorites.) Harold at the North Pole (this one either ... SO STRANGE and I must say ... a bummer for the rest of you ;]) How Rocket Learned to Read The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore (there is an iTouch app--must be one with a camera--that will work if you also have the print book) The Monster at the End of this Book can also work on either. Totally worth the price. I like it better than the second one but the kids like that one, too. Could just be me and nostalgia. Barnyard Dance is only $1.99 and will work on either device. FUN! Dr. Seuss books from Oceanhouse Media. I have the two collection sets. I also have the Smithsonian books from Oceanhouse Media. For your lovers of non-fic they are definitely worth it. Plus? YOU don't have to try and figure out how to say "pachycephalosaurs." Weird but True is a totally fun app that works on either size device. Can't really be used for directed research but for fun ... maybe as a game where kids then tried to figure out where they'd go in the library for MORE information or to verify a weird but true fact? Bobo Explores Light. Great way to introduce inventions, inventors, and properties of light. A little confusing to navigate, though. OVERDRIVE ... is so awesome can hardly stand it. Will work on iTouch or iPad or Droid devices. For audiobooks it's just a matter of downloading. For ebooks you have to create an Adobe account first and sign in ... but that's just a one time thing. Go here for help! And maybe go here to get a splitter for headphones. Want to Try (Will get our Terracycle check sometime in January and hope to use it to get an iTunes Volume Purchasing card ... but haven't been able to buy any new ones since I first started posting about apps.) Bartleby's Book of Buttons Brave Interactive Comic ... not usually a huge fan of movie to books but this one looks good. And it's only $1.99. Ultimate Dinopedia is $4.99. But it looks COOL. User reviews are mixed but it is a NYT Top 10 Best. Didn't End Up Loving So Much Pete the Cat will work on either iPad or iTouch. It's OK ... especially for the price. But it's NOT the book ... just sort of a couple extended activities to go along with mainly the School Shoes book. But again ... for $.99 you don't NEED the book. Just not a lot to it. Curious George at the Zoo does not have much of a story. It was only $.99 but it really doesn't even have THAT much of a story. And it's got some in-app purchases that of course everyone wants. Dare I say it? The Numberlys. By the same group as Morris Lessmore! LOVE the animation. The story ... not as much. But to be honest I haven't tried it with kids yet so I can't tell you their opinion. Just that I didn't quite "get" it. I need to read Sunday in Kyoto with the music teacher and see what she thinks. Rhyme guitar with bizarre and you lose me. The pictures are kind of cool, though. The Artifacts story is actually kind of interesting and the art fun ... but some of the interactive parts are not super intuitive. Kids end up just sort of banging around on the screen trying to figure out what the app wants them to do. Our school district got a site license for the Reflector software (which actually goes on your DESKTOP). Makes it so you can project the iPad up on the projector screen without it having to be tethered to any sort of adaptor. When I do it it works pretty well but will sometimes make strange ... scratchy noises. Haven't asked around to see if that happens to everyone or not. (PS The free trial? Works for 10 minute increments. Which could actually be enough for many of you.) Next Tuesday ... apps for Media Creation. (I will say that Puppet Pals Pocket Director's Pass will be discussed next Tuesday ... and drat. It was free yesterday but that's already over. I did tell FB fans in time. Apologies to everyone else. :/) And now to link up with Farley ... Tehnically it's New Year's Eve. I might not make it through the 5K I'm doing with my little brother tomorrow, though, so I decided to go ahead and post now (and hey! The Media Creation apps post is already written and scheduled ... so you'll get that much. Just may not get the Photo Editing, Utilities, and Miscellaneous posts cause they're not done yet ;]). Dumb allergies have made the last month super unpleasant and "training" has been not so good. But I REFUSE to wimp out. I will not start 2013 on an wimpy note. I WILL NOT. No matter how much I want to and how many strange NyQuil induced dreams I've sort of slept through the last couple of weeks. A little overshared at this point but if you made it down this far ...
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson has developed a new design for Square's San Francisco Headquarters. Square’s new headquarters addresses evolving programmatic
Some school libraries are reinventing themselves as makerspaces, but this Ohio library took a slightly different approach and has seen incredible results.
We often struggle with school library spaces that were not designed with today's students in mind. Learn how to identify and reframe design problems.
What do you want your students to do? There’s an edtech app for that! Created by @Poeteacher TechUseGuide pdf
A modern high-tech school doesn’t need a library of the past. We need to explore responsible options for school library collections, but having a certified School Librarian is still critical …
Explore in-depth reviews and savvy recommendations of the best and latest educational web tools.Discover how these tools can transform education and inspire innovative teaching.
Ideas for keeping library books visible and pulled forward on library shelves so that they look more attractive and accessible for students or patrons.
Many school librarians struggle with advocating for makerspaces in their libraries. This post looks at some of the common questions and criticisms.
Teacher attitude toward the school library determines student use of our facility. School Librarians can show teachers the benefits of collaboration & library visits by creating a customized l…
Leverage technology to make libraries the center of innovation. Explore this Digital Tools for School Libraries and Media Centers Top Picks list of 49 tools curated by Common Sense Education editors to find relevant and engaging edtech solutions for your classroom.
Transform your teaching with the ultimate tech resource! The Technology Toolbox for Teachers offers tutorials, presentations, and endless ideas for your elementary students.
Learn the basics of how to use Microsoft Excel to create a floorplan, with a focus is on educational spaces such as classrooms and libraries.
A modern high-tech school doesn’t need a library of the past. We need to explore responsible options for school library collections, but having a certified School Librarian is still critical …
Building a makerspace resource library is essential for supporting the independent learning of your makers. In this post, I offer up some suggestions.
A classification scheme used in libraries to arrange and classify books and other library items is called the Dewey Decimal System. It bears Melvil Deweys name and was created by him in the late 19th century..
We asked school librarians what worked best for them last school year. Read their reponses, with ideas you can use in your school library!
Teen librarian Karen Jensen shares some thoughts about reader's advisory and the recent online trend of creating RA menus
As we welcome the new year, educators and industry leaders are anticipating the top education trends for 2024. Look at 5 trends for K-12.
If you don't have a lot of time or money to decorate your school library, these simple tips and ideas will help you create an inviting, welcoming space.
