Top Shelf

At last week’s Library Expo, I attended a session called Reaching Beyond Library Shelves, where three librarians from Plano ISD described things that they do that help expand the library program into the community.

Glenda Welch uses a program called Books of Hope. Books of Hope is a service-learning program where U.S. schools select a sister school abroad and create books to help meet the students’ educational needs. Each year her students write, write, illustrate and bind books about various topics, including science, math, geography, reading, grammar, etc. These books are kept in the library during the school year, then packed up in May and sent overseas to their sister school that has been assigned to them through Books of Hope.  Glenda says students really enjoy making these books for students overseas. It fosters empathy and social responsibility in them and enhances literacy for the students in their sister school.

A program for students in need closer to home is provided by Jayme Karen. Jayme’s school population does not have a lot of books at home, so she started the Book Bazaar. The Book Bazaar is a community book drive  to provide free books for students to read during the summer months when they are not in school. Jayme’s goal is for each child to receive at least one book from the Book Bazaar. She solicits donations from the families and the community at large. She has also obtained books from the Half Price Books Donations Storefront, where free books are available to educators and other non-profit groups on Saturdays from 9am-2pm.

The third program described in this session was Catch the Reading Wave. This was a summer library program created by Kelly Hamilton. Kelly’s school is in an area that isn’t serviced by a public library, so she volunteers her time and has her school library open one morning a week during the months of June and July. Students come to check out books and participate in activities led by other volunteers, such as teachers, other librarians, district office staff, firemen, police officers and other community volunteers. The volunteers read aloud to the children and lead activities that go along with the book selections.

Other ideas that were provided during the discussion portion of the session were to host a day at your public library and to check out firstbook.org, which gives grants to Title I schools to provide books for students.

What are some ways that you have reached out and provided services to your community through your school library program?

Image citations: Books Bazaar by Kenzoka and Summer Reading 4 by KOMUnews

The Closed Stacks blog pointed me to this post featuring amazing cakes decorated like children’s books. They are so cute that I just had to share! Go to the original post to see more.

I don’t know if this is for real or not, but it made me laugh, so I wanted to share it! Maybe a commercial like this isn’t a bad idea…

Happy weekend!

In our district’s version of the “23 Things,” we ask participants to create a profile on MySpace or Facebook. Many are shocked at the kinds of photos and personal information they see posted by their students. The new forms of digital communication add new layers of complexity to the social pressures that our students face daily.

Now there’s a great resource out there for teens who are dealing with textual harassment, cell phone trouble, constant IMing, etc. – thatsnotcool.com.

From the site’s About page:

Your cell phone, IM, and social networks are all a digital extension of who you are. When someone you’re with pressures you or disrespects you in those places, that’s not cool.

Thatsnotcool.com is attempting to raise awareness about digital dating abuse and stop it before it gets worse. Sponsored and co-created by the Family Violence Prevention Fund, the Office on Violence Against Women and the Ad Council, the site is designed to address new and complicated problems between teens who are dating or hooking up—problems like constant and controlling texting, pressuring for nude pictures, and breaking into someone’s e-mail or social networking page.

The site features 2-Sided Stories (videos like the one above designed to spark discussion), Call Out Cards (responses to harassment that can be posted on social networking sites or e-mailed), Talk It Out (a forum where teens can discuss these issues), plus links and phone numbers for those seeking immediate help from abuse.

This is a great site to share with middle and high school teachers/counselors, as well as your students.

While out doing some Christmas shopping last week, I happened upon a branch of the Dallas Public Library in Northpark Mall called Bookmarks. It was closed at the time, so I didn’t get to go in, but it looked like a really cool space. I wasn’t aware that DPL had a branch in the mall, but it seems like a good idea. I wonder how much traffic they get?

A quick check of the branch web site revealed this information:

Bookmarks is a kid-friendly, families welcome, fantastically fun place to read, listen, giggle and learn. The first children’s library to be located in a shopping center in the United States, Bookmarks is nestled between NorthCourt and CenterPark in NorthPark Center, the largest shopping center in North Texas.

Bookmarks offers a five-thousand item collection of materials for ages 0-12, including books, audiobooks on MP3, DVD’s, CD’s, parenting and grandparenting items. The location also offers free wireless internet access and laptop computers for children.

Very interesting concept. If you know more about it, please share in the comments.

What a great idea! A video tour of the library for parents and others would be a great addition to any library web site.

I didn’t think it was possible, but Animoto has added even more fun stuff. Now available are Christmas songs and a way to use it to make a holiday greeting! Try it!

Photos from Christmas – a set on Flickr by Matti Matilla and used under a Creative Commons license

The A Library By Any Other Name blog is written by a cataloger and friend from the Spring Branch ISD.  The woman is definitely a cataloger with a sense of humor!

Earlier this week, she reported that a recent event had caused the need for a new Dewey number – 973.932 – and asked her readers to guess in the post comments what the new number might be used for.

I won’t make you play the guessing game. (The picture probably gives it away anyway.) The answer comes from The Dewey Blog (who knew there was such a thing?)