Best Practices for Creating a User-Friendly SLLC Website

Newsflash! Students Find Library Websites Difficult To Use.

https://www.ebsco.com/blog/article/7-best-practices-for-creating-a-user-friendly-library-website

Check out this article to get some tips to make your library site more accessible:

"According to a 2015 EBSCO survey on undergraduates' research workflow, 40 percent of students rate their library websites moderate to very challenging and 15 percent never use them. A challenging library website is a research roadblock to an already time-constrained student."

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Reality Check by MediaSmarts

Videos, tip sheets and activities

 https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/digital-issues/authenticating-information/reality-check

"To help Canadians develop the search, authentication and critical thinking skills that are needed in the digital age, MediaSmarts and Facebook Canada have partnered together to develop the Reality Check! program. Over the course of this two-year public awareness and education initiative, we will be developing a series of videos, tip sheets and activities that will give Canadians of all ages the tools they need to verify different kinds of online information and to help them understand why it's important to double-check before they share information online. Come back often to see what new resources have been added."

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Transforming Student Learning Through Virtual Reality

ERAC session at 2018 IT4K12

https://vimeo.com/308846512

Learn more about virtual reality in your classroom. This presentation "Beyond Engagement: Transforming Student Learning Through Virtual Reality" by Isabella MacQuarrie gives you a good overview, and a number of ideas to try.

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DIY Book Trading Cards — @TLT16 Teen Librarian Toolbox

Trading cards to promote reading, programs and libraries

http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2019/01/diy-book-trading-cards/

Karen Jensen test-drives some apps and techniques for creating "bookish" trading cards:

"So the other day I tweeted and said, what if we made book trading cards? I liked the idea so much that I then started obsessively figuring out ways to make trading cards and exploring the best tools, as I have a tendency to do. Here's a look at 5 tools I used, the trading cards I created using them, and then at the end of this post I have a few ideas for ways that we can use the idea of trading cards to promote reading, programs and libraries in school and public libraries."

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How To Start A No-Stress Book Club At School

"it requires almost no planning on my part!"

http://www.readerpants.net/2018/12/how-to-start-no-stress-book-club-at.html#more

Leigh gives some suggestions for a no stress book club:

"Do you have a book club in your library? You probably do, and if you don't, maybe this post will inspire you to start one. I've done many book clubs over the years, for students and for teachers and sometimes for both together. This post is about problems I've encountered with running book clubs and how I've resolved those issues with the No-Stress Book Club. In my mind, the "No-Stress" part really means no-stress for me, but don't tell the students that! It's no-stress for them as well. Win-win!"

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Getting Graphic with the Past - Canada's History

Explore the structure of the Graphic History Collective

https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/webinars/getting-graphic-with-the-past-graphic-histories-and-the-uses-of-comics-in-education

"With a focus on historical comics, the Graphic History Collective contributes to this growing field through collaborations with academics, activists, educators, and artists. This webinar explores the structure of the Graphic History Collective, lessons learned through our work together, and tips for those looking to create their own projects or bring comics to the classroom."

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2018 Picture Book Readalouds

Books for the "small fry"

http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2018/12/04/31-days-31-lists-2018-picture-book-readalouds/

Elizabeth Bird writes:

"Some of these are books that I find readaloud worthy, and some of these are from the librarians in my location that assure me that these books are the tippy top of the pops with the small fry. Feel free to add some additional suggestions in the comments of books that we might have missed."

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Literacy "Place" signs

"Oh the places you'll go!"

https://www.pinterest.ca/jenmarqt/library-display-promotions/literary-places-signs/

Dress up your library space by creating a signpost that features iconic places in kid/tween/teen lit. For added fun, you can switch out the place names over the course of the year to see which students notice. This Pinterest board has lots of ideas and styles to pick from.

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Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools - A National Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland

 A blueprint for future development and vision for school libraries

https://scottishlibraries.org/media/2108/vibrant-libraries-thriving-schools.pdf

Take a look at this comprehensive 5 year plan for school libraries in Scotland...

"My school library helps me at all levels of my education. I can take part in lots of activities at the library. The librarian helps me with literacy and numeracy at school, and can access books and resources for me that are relevant to my interests. I can read, create, relax and socialise in my library. It is inspected with the rest of the school, which means I can give feedback about my experience of the library. My school library also gives me access to WiFi so that I can try out digital learning and STEM activities, developing my digital and information literacy and my employability skills. My librarian arranges visits from organisations and authors to the school and to other libraries. My library is a trusted space in the school where I feel safe and welcome."

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Blank T-Shirt - Imgflip

Memes and more

https://imgflip.com/

https://imgflip.com/memegenerator/46798201/Blank-T-Shirt

Use the meme generator at imgflip to create fun graphics for your library wall, website or to post aroung your Learning Commons.

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Science Says This Is the Simplest Way to Remember More of What You Read

Hit pause. Reflect on the content. Excel. Repeat.

https://www.inc.com/wanda-thibodeaux/science-says-this-is-simplest-way-to-remember-more-of-what-you-read.html

"...when you give yourself a few minutes to rest and think about what you just ingested from the page, you're allowing your brain to better connect the new information to what you've already done or understand. And because the brain is wired to respond to emotions quickly and efficiently, connecting them to memory formation and the interpretation of facts and rational thought, if you can allow yourself to really acknowledge and respond to what you feel during your reading reflections, you stand a better chance of the new memories being more powerful and easier to retrieve."

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Advocate This, Not That!

A big-picture view of our library work system

https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=advocate-this-not-that

Jonathan Hunt offers an important context for the various contributions TLs can make to the educational system: 

"In my role as lead coordinator of library media services at the San Diego County Office of Education, I regularly work with schools and districts to improve their services. In California, County Offices of Education are an intermediary level between the California Department of Education and local school districts, providing support and oversight. My work has given me a big-picture view of our educational system. It has also helped me realize that we need to reframe key school library elements to bring into better focus our meaningful contributions to four important system-level priorities...."

Read the entire article for excellent food-for-thought.

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ZoteroBib - Cite anything!

Seamlessly produce perfect bibliographies

https://zbib.org/

Tired of the ads on all the other free bibliography generators? Try zbib. ZoteroBib helps you build a bibliography instantly from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software. Seamlessly add sources and produce perfect bibliographies.

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Interview with Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales

Wikipedia and the search for trusted information

https://www.cilip.org.uk/page/JimmyWales

Jimmy Wales offers some good support for the work that school librarians do as they work with students.

"Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales talks exclusively to IP's Rob Green about the search for trusted information and the role of libraries and librarians in the face of the rise of fake news, clickbait and the erosion of trust in news and information sources."

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Creating a Culture of Reading Virtually

Revisiting Skype

https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=creating-culture-reading-revisiting-skype

Read

 about Kristen's experience leveraging the power of Skype to re-energize her library program. Using Twitter, she reached out to authors and recruited them to speak to her students. And the effects spilled over into other areas as well.

"

The result can only be described as library magic—engaged middle schoolers meeting authors, illustrators, graphic designers, curators, scientists, park rangers, and multiple others—building upon their previous knowledge, and asking questions. What happened at Baker Middle School in Tacoma, WA, can easily be replicated; success using Skype can happen anywhere. Here's how we got started in our school, and a few tips to get in going in yours.

.."

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Want Your Books To Fly Off the Shelves?

​Ideas for a ​"Circulation Surge"

https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=circulation-surge-want-books-fly-off-shelves-try-ideas

Lots of great ideas from school library leaders! Read on...

​"​

To boost circulation, of course, you need to get more kids excited about reading. We asked K–12 and public librarians from around the country to share their strategies—from genrefying and weeding to broadcasting booktalks and playing up themed-reading weeks.

​"​

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100 THINGS kids will miss ...

​...if they don't have a TL in their school​.

S

​o, what kinds of things will kids miss if there's no TL? This poster gives a (not necessarily) exhaustive list!​

• ​borrow tech
  
• learn to search
  
• a place to learn
  
• feed your imagination
  
• speakers, authors, illustrators
  
• eReaders
  
• one-on-one help
  

and so much more...​

​Check out the full PDF-printable version here:​

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslissues/advocacy/100_Things_Poster.pdf

=

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The Launch Cycle

Bring Out the Maker in Every Student

http://thelaunchcycle.com/

Something to investigate!

​ 

​

​

​"​

The LAUNCH Cycle provides a creative process that can be incorporated into every class at every grade level … even if you don't consider yourself a "creative teacher." And if you dare to innovate and view creativity as an essential skill, you will empower your students to change the world—starting right now

​."​

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YAACING summer2018

D

​igital Mag for Youth Librarians​

https://issuu.com/yaacing/docs/yaacing_summer2018

YAACS is the Young Adults and Children's Services section of the British Columbia Library Association and YAACING is

​their

 quarterly newsletter for BC children's and teen services librarians

​.

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Hey, I Built a LEGO Wall! Here’s How.

​A

COOL​

, brightly

​ ​

​coloured

 maker space

https://www.slj.com/2016/09/standards/hey-i-built-a-lego-wall-heres-how/#_

​"​

This project was a blessing. It allowed me to connect with other media specialists, it provided my students and staff with a chance to show their altruistic selves, and our school now has a the beginnings of a cool, brightly-colored maker space area in our media center. In fact, I plan to build another LEGO wall. My advice if you're still on the fence: Just Do It!

​"​

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