Student Involvement

After attending the Renaissance Learning Workshop in Mississippi last year I walked away with several ideas to enhance a school library. One idea that stuck out to me was the formation of a book club. The students involved in this bookclub would give brief descriptions of the books on a video recorder. This taping would be broadcast all over the school to promote reading. The idea is for students to come to the library to request the material because of their peers suggestions.

Pathfinder

I had absolutely no idea of what Pathfinder was until today. It is an excellent tool to use within a library or a classroom. Pathfinder assists the patron in locating infromation pertaining to a specific topic. Typically reference books, journals, articles , books, and websites can be used as tools to locate the information. The simple click of your keyboard can bring up so much information. I am going to incorporate this into my classroom next year and the LMC when I get my own library.

High Energy

In order for a vehicle to run it has to have spark plugs. Librarians have to be spark plugs to change the way individuals view the role of the library. The spark plugs is a person who is full of energy, humorous, and great interpersonal skills. In a essence the spark plug trigger good team chemistry. They are often selfless individuals who do not mind giving. They do not have to be the center of attention and they get pleasure out of seeing others happy. Are you a spark plug?

Building

Are you a usual suspect? In many libraries there is a small number of volunteers. Due to budget cuts it's very hard to run a library effectively without help. The government launched a federal program entitled United We Serve. It runs from June 22nd through Sept. 11th. This would be an excellent time to enhance children's reading. Most kids experience a decline in education during the summer. Volunteering in your local library would be an excellent way to give back.