March 2019

March TL Workshop

Jane Schissel hosted the March 12 TL Workshop. Jane talked walked us through the amazing transformation the Broomfield HS library has undergone as well as the impact the physical design has had on students and staff. She reminded us that the work doesn't stop with the completion of the renovations--that's just the beginning. As students and staff interact with the space things will continue to evolve. Jane recently conducted a survey to understand how students are using the space & what they think of the changes, etc. She received over 300 responses she will use to info programming, collection development, and any changes or additions to the space.

Kim Butler, TL at Birch Elementary, shared work she's been doing with students in grades 1,4, & 5 to engage in the the process of developing research questions. With 1st grade, Kim read the book If by Sarah Perry, to get them "wondering". Students documented & illustrated their wondering question in Wixie. Kim then created Wonderbooks and shared them with students via Google Classroom. It got all of us wondering about how cool it about be to capture this work so when these kiddos are 9th graders could look back on their 1st grade wonderings.

Lizzy Carmichael , TL at Emerald Elementary, is working with students to develop a book recommendation website. Students used design thinking to map navigation and populate the pages wit video book talks. The site is very user kid-friendly and it's delightful to watch the students recommend their favorite Animal Tale, Mystery, & Fantasy title. Next steps, link this website into Insignia so can access book recos via the OPAC.

Thanks to Jane, Kim, and Lizzy for leading and sharing!

Donalyn Miller- The Bookwhisperer

Coming to BVSD

YES! Donalyn Miller, the Book Whisperer, will be in Colorado and would like to visit BVSD on either April 30 or May 2.

Please click HERE to vote on your preferred date(s) by EOD March 19. We need at least 35-40 attendees to secure Donalyn's appearance. Unfortunately, the dates and time of day are non negotiable (we tried). Realize a middle of day absence will not be do-able for many TLs. (we are unable to provide subs). However, if you have some flexibility with your schedules and library coverage, please vote and attend.

Talk Topic:

Invest in Children’s Reading Lives All Year (45 – 90 minutes)

The institutional emphasis on standardized testing places students’ reading test scores in front of children’s reading lives. Extensive research proves that children with positive reading identities and the opportunity to read independently at school and home achieve at higher levels on reading tests. In this presentation, Donalyn Miller, describes the factors that engage children with reading both at school and home—ensuring both their academic success and their lifelong reading habits.

Absolutely pass along this LINK to other teachers that might be interested in attending--have to get to that magic 35-40 attendees to make this happen.

Dr. Anderson TL Meeting Recap

The long awaited meeting with Dr. Anderson happened on Monday, March 11.

Dr. Anderson kicked off our conversation with his appreciation that librarians in BVSD are called Teacher Librarians because that positions us as "teachers first". He was happy to learn BVSD is unique among school districts in Colorado in that our schools are staffed by licensed and endorsed librarians. To paraphrase, "Too bad for them and good for us."

Dr. Anderson reviewed the BVSD Librarianship infographic based on the survey you all completed back in December. He wasn't aware of the budget disparities between schools and that led to some great conversation with TLs about SRA and other funding sources. He was also unaware that the District doesn't purchase databases for schools. Dr. Anderson echoed the need for students to have access to credible, vetted, and scholarly information sources-"We can't rely on just on Google for research." He mentioned he would like to see what more can be done to increase access to curriculum aligned digital content including streaming video content. TLs also asked about the possibility of an RFP next year to acquire a modern library management system that would allow TLs to collaborate and share resource collections district wide. Dr. Anderson seemed open to this and mentioned he came from a Follett Destiny district that also took advantage of Destiny's asset management capabilities to track curriculum materials.

All in all, very reassuring to hear Dr. Anderson echo long-held views and positions shared by all of us including the value endorsed and licensed TLs have in our learning communities, the need to provide equitable access to resources, print & digital, that support all learning styles and robust curriculum investigations, and positively impact student growth.

Primary Genre Kit

Follett Simplifies Genrefication

Follett is now offering genre sticker sets that include coordinating shelf labels and posters.
- Go to http://www.titlewave.com/main/explore-follett-genres - there are elementary and secondary sets.
- Rae also has the inside scoop on how to use your Titlewave Collection Analysis to help genre-fy your collection.

Secondary Genre Kit

New - Ebooks with audio collection for all levels

Our BVSD OverDrive/Sora collection contains 210 (145 new) ebooks with the Read-Along feature, and includes Elementary, Middle, and High School interest/level books. Text is highlighted as it is read aloud: primary books are a word at a time, higher levels are a sentence at a time. Readers can adjust the speed of the reading by clicking on the menu in the top right of the page. As always, words and phrases can be highlighted, defined, or referenced in online notes. Titles are all curated in one easy collection, allowing students to find what they are interested in. Check it out

Not a Rocking Chair Librarian Podcast

E20 "Ding Ka-ching" | Patron Self Service

Tune into to a lively and candid conversation with your peers about patron self service with Erika Arias, Lizzy Carmichael, Regina Hoskins, and Maura Rhodes.

You can subscribe to this podcast via iTunes or via your favorite listening platform.

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