You Make a Commercial

What do you say when someone says why do I need to go to a database training? Last week, I was asked that question by more than one person. With a need, comes a solution. I needed an infommercial about our district one-stop-shopping source for all your digitial information needs- Destiny. So, at midnight on Friday, I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand and recorded my thoughts. This morning, I made a little video. Too large to email, I created this post. Here is the text of the video. Perhaps you can use the bones of it to create your own infommercial.

Suppose you are a 6th grade student doing research on ancient China. You do a Google search and get 11 million hits. How are you supposed to know which site has the best answers?

Maybe you’re a classroom teacher. You have to teach a unit of inquiry and you just don’t have enough resources for content. You need differentiated texts.

Maybe you're a parent. You can’t afford to buy an encyclopedia every year and you don’t have the gas to drive to the public library after school closes.

Maybe you’re an administrator and you just want to level the playing field to ensure that everyone has equal access to the most current information.

We’re all busy. Isn’t there one place to go with all that information?

There is. I’m Deborah Ford, your resource librarian. The answer is one simple word. That word is Destiny. It’s available 24-7 and it goes beyond the bricks and mortar of your library.

Our district library catalog, Destiny, is more than a list of books. It’s one stop shopping for all your digital needs- from up to date encyclopedias to PDFs of magazine articles in databases, from vetted websites to readers’ theater scripts, you’ll find everything you need all at one website.

Want to know more about Destiny and the digital databases? Contact me, Deborah Ford, at Library Services to Schools. From a 15 minute overview that leaves you wanting more to a hands-on two hour workshop, you can find out how your library extends beyond the bricks and mortar with Destiny.

Oh! And you can find out what books you have in the collection too.

Orientation 2.0 Style

One of the first things we “do to” our students is bore them to death with an Orientation. Rules, procedures, what we will learn this year… Yak. Yak. Yak. Snore. Snore. Snore. Sometimes, I think we should just herd them all into the cafeteria and do it all at once. Get it over with- like ripping off a band-aid. It’s a necessary evil. We have to do it, right?

Maybe we do have to do it, but it doesn’t have to be boring- for your students or for yourself. They only have to hear it once. You may have to do it 6 to 25 times! Enter a solution. Orientation 2.0 Style. On Saturday @ the IMC I’ll be teaching a Saturday Matinee about modern ways to teach the same old thing. We'll look at websites that offer free digital tools. For example, we’ll learn how to make a Voki, like the one here (click on the play button to get your homework assignment). I'll show you how to work smarter by looking at what other folks have done. For example, my class for elementary teachers has its own website- Best of the Best- Top 100 Web Resources for Teachers or a wiki like Web 2.0, Cool Tools for Schools.

During our quick hour, I’ll introduce you to PowerPoint games that you can adapt for Orientation- Jeopardy, Millionaire and Smarter than a Fifth Grader. These interactive games can be adapted by your older students and played by your younger students. They can be used later in the year as pre or post tests for your curriculum units. The more students are involved in the learning, the more likely they are to remember.

We can also take those same slides, add some pictures, and create movies in Photo Story or other video programs. One of the best uses of this media is that it saves your voice (and retains your enthusiasm). You can play it all day long without having to repeat yourself, ensuring that all students get the same message. Once your movie is created, you can also place it on your website and students or parents can watch it when they need to do so. Be sure to do “best practice” and introduce your video as well as discuss it afterwards.

You can also use your interactive whiteboards for your orientation. You could create a flipchart that has students take a test. Use Inspiration and have older students create a chart of rules and procedures. You can easily use it with the PowerPoint games you created.

Online voting is another interactive way to use 2.0 technology is You can create a survey that students have to complete online. As the creator, you can get their compiled answers. It’s a great way to test students who ought to know the answers. There are many free online sites for creating surveys- Survey Monkey, Google, or even your school website. Our district uses School Wires which has surveys as a component.

Another fun way to use technology is to create a QR code. Anyone who has a Smart Phone can scan the QR code and it will take them to your website. It’s a great marketing tool. Once you create it, put it on your brochure or newsletter. How about a bookmarker for your parents?

And because I am a firm believer in working smarter by collaborating, I have added a page on my wiki- Libraries Matter for Orientation. As folks create their orientation, I'll invite you to post yours to my wikispace page. Then, as we add projects, we can borrow what someone else created and adapt it to suit our needs.

And yes, I know everyone doesn’t have a Smart Phone, interactive whiteboard or even an LCD projector, but just like everything else we do, we need to reach out in all manner of ways. Different fish are caught with different bait. Why not try some new bait this year? You never know who might actually bite.

Beyond the Book

While reading the local paper online, I saw a link to an article called Beyond the Book. Intrigued, I clicked. What I saw next was brilliant. The article was a description of 20 programs that will be held in North County public libraries over the next week. From resume writing classes to guest speakers and musical programs, patrons can attend these free programs- beyond the book. Check out your local public library. There’s a lot going on.
There's also a lesson in there for school libraries. How many of us school library types offer programs and activities like this? What are some beyond the book programs that we offer?

How about these?

• Resumes that Get the Job
• Concerts from student performers
• Theater performances by student actors
• Books Anytime- Anywhere- E-books
• Reference Online- Databases Rock!
• 4G charging stations
• Dial-a-Story
• Game Night/Day
• Stitches- A Sewing/Knitting, etc. group
• Musings- Teen Writers Workshop
• Yoga in the Stacks
• Gaming Night/Day
• SAT Prep
• Poetry Slams
• Art Demonstrations by students
• Recycling Crafts
• Cooking Demonstrations

So think about it. When people think of the library, what do they think of? It's time to change the stereotype. There’s a lot more we can offer beyond the book. Why not advertise that too?