Sheryl's Birthday

Today is Sheryl's birthday!

Happy birthday to her!

May Blog Winners!

Our grand winner of a $50.00 iTunes educational app card is Amy!

Winners of an additional prize are:

EVERYONE!

Thank you to EVERYONE for your wonderful comments on the library blog this year. 


We love how we have all learned and laughed together and benefited from each other's thoughtful comments, valuable ideas, and insightful viewpoints.

Watch for your bonus prizes to arrive through district mail.

New State Library Core Standards

The Utah State Secondary (Grades 6-12) Library Core Standards have been under revision and have now been approved by the Utah State Board of Education for public comment. 

You can read through the new standards and also comment on the proposed standards.

Jean R.'s Birthday

 OH NO!

WE FORGOT JEAN R.'S BIRTHDAY!

Her birthday was April 27th.  We are so sorry!

So here is our belated birthday wish for our own wonderful Jean.

Gloria's Birthday

Today is Gloria's birthday.

Happy birthday to her!

Graphic Novels

 The discussion about genre shelving has spawned a new topic.  Jean B. asked the question----where does everyone shelve their graphic novels?

Do you keep them in 741?

Do shelve them with fiction?

Do you create an entirely separate special spot for them in your library so that students can find them easily?

What is working for you?  What are your suggestions?

The Salt Lake County Library system created call numbers YGN for young adult graphic novels and JGN for junior graphic novels.  What are your thoughts about special call numbers?

Linda R.'s Birthday

Today is Linda R.'s birthday!

Happy birthday to her!

Shelving by Genre

There is a trend in school (and some public libraries) to shelf books by genre rather than by Dewey numbers.  This is sometimes called the "bookstore model" because books are organized and arranged by topic or areas of interest.

With this model---in the area of fiction---all the mystery books are shelved together rather than shelved in Fiction by the author's last name.  All historical fiction is shelved together, all graphic novels, all fantasy, etc. 

How do you feel about this?

What can you see as the positive aspects of this trend?

What can you see as the negative aspects?

Getting All the Books Returned at the End of the Year

It's sometimes tough to get those last books returned at the end of the year.

When I was a librarian, popsicles were cheap.  I could buy a bag of 18 double popsicles for $.99.

I would put a note in the teachers' boxes and explain that if their entire class had their books returned by June 1st, I would give the class a popsicle prize.

I would also explain this to students as their class came to the library during the month of May.

The teachers had to break the popsicles in half---but with 18 in a bag, one bag was usually enough for each class.  I would stock up on the popsicles and put them in the freezer in the faculty room.  

What are some tips or tricks or ideas that have worked for you in getting those last straggling books returned?

Home Run Books

Isn't it a great feeling when you are sharing a book with students, and you look out at them---and they are hooked!  They are totally involved in the book you are sharing with them.  Their eyes are happy, they are engaged, and they are thoroughly enjoying every word.

Do you have a particular book that is a "home run" every time you share it with students?  ..

Bonus Winners!

We have 8 bonus blog winners!

We looked at the comments from the posting about Have You Seen My New Blue Socks and put the names of all who responded in a hat.  We drew out Pamela!  She has won a copy of Have You Seen My New Blue Socks and also, of course, a pair of new blue socks!

We looked at the comments from the posting about graphic novels and put all commenters' names in a hat.  We drew out Theresa, Tim, Jean B., and Karen!  They have each won a copy of the graphic novel, A Wrinkle in Time.

Finally, we looked at the comments from the posting about Chilly Milly Moo and put all commenters' names in a hat.  We drew out Joseph, Janice, and Jean R.  They have each won a copy of Chilly Milly Moo as well as a $5.00 gift certificate to Baskin Robbins (because the cow in the book squirts out ice cream when she is milked). :-)

Have You Seen My New Blue Socks and Chilly Milly Moo are also on the wiki for you to use if you would like.

Thank you to everyone for all of your contributions to the blog!