The Library is My Happy Place

Website Exemplar I have chosen the Selkirk Elementary library website  as an example of a well-populated website. I was introduced to this website when I was teaching on call at Selkirk, the largest elementary school in Vancouver, and the sub notes directed me to the student links page which had several age-appropriate resources on bears that linked to the unit the primary students were studying. Having student links for a variety of topics and age ranges is useful both at school (in the library and in the classroom) and at home. I enjoy the layout of this weebly site and find it easy to navigate. It has key information such as library hours and borrowing policy on the main page. I like the "request a book" feature as well as the "new books in the library" widget that rotates through the covers of new items.  The links to the school district's OPAC, online databases, and even the local public library catalogue are easily accessible. I appreciate tha...

Module 5 reflection post for LIBE 461 Administration of the School Library Resource Centre Welcoming Policies: As a TOC, I have had the chance to work in many different libraries and I try to pick up different ideas from each one. Last week, I taught in a vibrant library in a large Vancouver elementary school. One policy that was successful for that library was accessibility! It seems simple, but by having the library open for twenty minutes before and after school every day of the week, students were encouraged to visit often. I only wish every school had this policy in place! Circulation was high at this library and there was an entire wall listing holds on popular books. Another library I saw recently had a list of student names written on a sticky note on a new book to indicate the order in which it was to be borrowed. In my children's school, the former TL used a positive reinforcement strategy in regards to overdue books. Classes with no overdues at the end of the year earn...

I'm sure most of you who work with elementary students or have young children in your life are aware that Mo Willems has written his final Elephant and Piggie book and he is now overseeing the publication of books in the Elephant and Piggie Like Reading! series. The first two books are The Cookie Fiasco and We Are Growing! and my five year old has been enjoying them. I just saw today that there is a new book in the series coming out in May 2017. It's called The Good For Nothing Button and it's written and illustrated by Charise Mericle Harper. I'll be watching for it!

I'm currently taking a free online course called "Cataloguing for Non-Catalogers" from WebJunction  (the learning place for libraries). I've just learned about the five laws of librarianship and the infographic below contained html code for sharing, so I believe it's ok to paste it here. USC Online Library Science Degree

Module 1 reflection post for LIBE 461 Administration of the School Library Resource Centre As a wannabe teacher-librarian, I'll have to use my best guess to prioritize the various areas of the job. I don't have a current SLLC, but I hope to have one within five years. In my hypothetical library, clientele comes first to me, as the goal of the library is to support student learning. In order to do so, I need updated, relevant resources (both physical and digital) as well as efficient and welcoming facilities. Image fits into this high-priority area as well, because if your library isn't known as a welcoming and interesting place to be, you won't succeed in engaging students. Lower down on the list would be budget as I would guess it will be extremely low, so I can't get my hopes up for too many purchases for the library. It's hard to select any other aspects as less important, but as a new TL, I'm thinking it would take me some time to build up my leadershi...