Does your district recognize the need for evolving school libraries?
As I've written before, I believe school libraries are more relevant today than ever before... IF they are evolving to meet the needs of 21st Century students. I love this quote from the Mediamorphosis website, "The library, as we once knew it, may no longer be relevant. School librarians, as we once knew them, may no longer be relevant. And, yet, this is undoubtedly the most exciting time in history to be a librarian. For the first time in history we are moving from a time of information scarcity to one of information abundance." I could not agree more.
I also love this article about school libraries from the National Association of Independent Schools, especially the "What's Hot, What's Not" table. I feel like many of today's library debates turn into a finger pointing game. Some librarians want to blame districts for a lack of support, and some districts see librarians as unwilling to change what they've always done. I think it's important that neither side "win" the fight. Students should be the winners here, and that means everyone is going to have to bend a little.
For districts, that means librarians are going to need time for collaboration with teachers, time (and funding) for meaningful and relevant professional development, and up-to-date technology tools. For librarians, we have to forget about the way things were done in the past and be willing to change our instruction to help students navigate an information world that is constantly changing. This may seem like an uphill battle, but it is truly the key to school library success in the world we live in today.
5 Simple ways to make your library the heart of the school
1. Communicate regularly with students and parents. If you have a special event coming up, make sure everyone knows about it! You can send a note home, put it on the school website and/or social media pages, or use an automated call system. I share some ideas about communicating with parents in this post.
2. Find time for collaboration, even if it's passing by another teacher in the hall. Check out this post for more ideas.
3. Make an effort to involve your administration in library-related activities. Did your students create a cool Prezi or FlipSnack? Invite your principal in to watch the presentation! Better yet, involve your principal in fun reading incentives, like one where students were given a piece of tape for meeting a reading goal and used it to tape the principal to a wall! Local news outlets love these stories, which could give your school library some free positive publicity!
4. Keep displays current, and think outside the library! Find out if there's an unused bulletin board out in the school building, or if that's not possible, decorate the outside library door. These displays remind students of the library even when they're not inside it.
5. Help students stay motivated by offering various incentives throughout the school year. You could offer 10 minutes of extra recess to the class with the fewest late library books, or popsicles for the class with the best behavior for the week. Check out this post for more ideas on behavior management in the library. I like to offer incentives because it reminds students of the library even when they're not there.
Janell says
One idea I'll share we do the last of January or first of February because kids seem to want to slack off of reading is I run a Pig Out Week. We pig out on books for a week. They make a contract with their teacher (either minutes they'll read daily, or how many books, or earn so many AR points) We do a different dress code every day with it. Like inside out and crazy hair day (kids come with their clothes inside out and wild color hair). If they make their goal at the end I award them with a book from scholastic. I hold two book fairs a year and use that money to buy those books.
Janell says
When you go to the above website, go to Urie Elementary to see what we're up to. The one idea I'll share we do the last of January or first of February because kids seem to want to slack off of reading is I run a Pig Out Week. We pig out on books for a week. They make a contract with their teacher (either minutes they'll read daily, or how many books, or earn so many AR points) We do a different dress code every day with it. Like inside out and crazy hair day (kids come with their clothes inside out and wild color hair). If they make their goal at the end I award them with a book from scholastic. I hold two book fairs a year and use that money to buy those books.
Janell says
When you go to the above website, go to Urie Elementary to see what we're up to. The one idea I'll share we do the last of January or first of February because kids seem to want to slack off of reading is I run a Pig Out Week. We pig out on books for a week. They make a contract with their teacher (either minutes they'll read daily, or how many books, or earn so many AR points) We do a different dress code every day with it. Like inside out and crazy hair day (kids come with their clothes inside out and wild color hair). If they make their goal at the end I award them with a book from scholastic. I hold two book fairs a year and use that money to buy those books. If you want to know more about this contact me at my email.
Giovanna says
Hello,
I'm interested in knowing the two book fairs you host a year.
Janell says
I use scholastic, with my book fairs I do a big family night. I run games, face painting, play dough stations. Serve cookies and water. I always select a favorite Christmas book and have ideas for families to use that book. Then at the end we do drawings. Scholastic gives you promotion items I use those in drawings. Plus teachers at the end of a school year will give left over items I can use in the drawings.
Jamie says
Good ideas to keep in mind -- many of which I do but always needing to stay fresh. What do you suggest for being in the 5th year of no budget from your district?
Mrs. Barton says
No budget, that's very sad! I would recommend letting the students know, you take donations of gently used books. Scholastic book fairs are an awesome way to get new books, as well as a few dollars too:)
Romo says
Donors Choose. I was able to get 25 new books for my school's library and build a relationship with my PTSO. Letting the public know we got this inspired parents to fund magazine subscriptions. This was the first funding we received in five years.
Linda says
The years I had no money in the budget my PTA stepped up their contributions. So grateful, after those lean years the district started to add library into the budget.
I also took in donated books.
Good luck
julie says
Follett is also offering book fairs now. But I have always had great luck with Scholastic . Scholastic offers pre fair promotions, printable invites, and great help.
Amanda C. says
No pressure, but I just shared this article with my superintendent lol.