Have you seen this article?

Two gurus in our field, Joyce Valenza and Doug Johnson, teamed up together to write this very informative article. It's title discusses the changes taking place in our field and how our roles have changed. I believe it is a challenge to us. This is a must-read. http://schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6699357.html

The link in the "Intellectual Property Rights" section has really made me rethink some things dealing with fair use.

Web 2.0.....

I've spent a good bit of time this summer catching up on reading some journal articles and perusing some blogs that I never got around to during the school year. I have been paying lots of attention to the Web 2.0 articles to find ways that I might effectively incorporate some 2.0 technology into my school. My questions are: Who has already been using web 2.0 technologies succesfully? What types of things are you doing? Are you the one leading the Web 2.0 bandwagon at your school or are there teachers out there working with you?

Any thoughts.........

2009 AASL Conference in Charlotte

Joyce Valenza is challenging library media specialists in the area to step up and volunteer in a variety of ways that demonstrate our leadership in technology by streaming, blogging, tagging photos, and other ways. The edtech world is leading the way at their conferences and she says she does not see technology used the same way at our library conferences. She is bringing a planning team to Charlotte in mid August and would love to have as many volunteers in place as possible. You can read more here: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1340000334/post/410030441.html?nid=3714

Since we will have returned to school by then, perhaps we can contact her and let her know we can provide assistance.

Core Collection Advisory Group

If you volunteered to serve on the elementary, middle, or high school core collection advisory committee, I will be in contact with you next week to get this ball rolling. If you were not at the meeting yesterday and would like to volunteer, please email me.

Update from the LMS Supervisor's Spring Meeting

(April 22, 2008)

Special Legislative Allocation
Eleven of the Rock Hill Schools' media centers received a portion of the $1,000,000 allocation. If you did receive the allocation, it is suggested that you spend the money now to update a target area of your collection. I will be sending out an accountability report that I will need to compile and submit this summer based on how this allocation was spent. I will forward this to you as soon as I receive it from the State Department.

The 2007-2008 survey will open May 1st and will stay open until September 30th. The format is the same as last year and most said it took about 30 minutes to complete. It is essential that you mark the survey complete after the last question. Please make sure you complete this survey and print a copy for your principal as well as for yourself. Martha Alewine will not print out any reports for individual media centers.

Summer Course - Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century
This course will be offered for 3 hours of graduate credit. The cost is $40 for registration with USC. The meeting dates for this course are May 15 (online 4:30-6:30), June 16-19 (in Columbia), and September 13 (in Columbia). Some of the topics covered in the course are: media literacy, creating podcasts, blogs, and using the new Bloom's.

Summer Reading Program - No Book Left Unread
This program will recognize the most pages read at the elementary level, middle level and high school level (June 1 - August 31). The deadline to register to participate is June 1 and the program is free. A report needs to be sent to Martha Alewine by September 15th. For more information, go to www..

K-12 ICT Scope and Sequence and the Simple Four
Martha shared the K-12 ICT Scope and Sequence along with the steps of the Simple Four. The skills included were identified in the National Standards for the 21st Century Learner by AASL and by ISTE. She asked the group to look at the way the standards are arranged and would like feedback on how some of these could be combined, and where each of these standards should be introduced, reinforced in the classroom, and where students should demonstrate mastery (independent use). She would like to have this ready when school starts back. If you are interested in helping, please send any feedback to Martha.

Office of School Leadership
Online professional development modules are being created for administrators. One of them focuses on the most important things that administrators need to know about school libraries. It is called “Together We Can: Building Partnerships Leading To Student Success”. Once an administrator goes through the modules on the CD, he/she can develop an active plan to support media centers.

Certification Issues
There are many concerns with the SDE certification of media specialists through alternative certification. It was suggested that a position paper should be presented to the office of certification and/or to talk to the SDE and suggest that they identify the core courses that need to be required for certification.

Reading First and 100 Book Challenge
Many books are being purchased through these programs for classrooms baskets or resource rooms. Media specialists need to be able to collaborate with these programs so that quality books are purchased. It was suggested that media specialists set up professional development in their schools or district in order to share titles of good quality books and authors. It was suggested to share the 100 Book Selection from Martha’s list [100 Suggested Titles for Elementary Students, 100 Suggested Titles for Middle School Students, 100 Suggested Titles for High School Students].


ETV/ITV update
ITV has a new blog. http://www.sdeitv.blogspot.com/

Our district will have the new delivery system (IP streaming) in place by June. The DELC will be a valuable service to the district with this system. You will be able to sign-in with a single username and password and have access to the following: Streamline, Know It All, PBS Kids, DISCUS, PBS Teachers, Annenberg Media, and Teacher’s Domain.

2007-2008 LMS Professional Development

This years’ RHSD LMS staff development will center on the development of collection maps that will support each school’s unique curriculum maps. The first session will be held on Thursday, November 29 from 2:00 – 4:00. Martha Alewine, State Media Consultant will be with us to begin this process.

Thanks to Sara Curry and Judy Garner for volunteering the media center at RHHS for the location of this meeting.

You will sign up for this via the PD Planner so that your recertification credit will be posted correctly. I will send out instructions to this later.

Update from the September 2007 SCASL Supervisors Meeting

ADEPT/GBE (Kathy Meeks, state ADEPT coordinator)

• LMS ADEPT standards are different from those of the classroom teacher and will remain in place until 2009 at the earliest. While the classroom teachers’ GBE requirements will change before then, those for LMS will not.
• Remember that your GBE should not take the place of systemic professional development.

News from the State Department (Martha Alewine, SDE Media Consultant)

• Dr. Rex is reorganizing much of the SDE.
• Martha Alewine is no longer located in the office of Technology, but in the Office of Standards and Learning.
• Lexiles will likely become more and more important in the future when PACT is replaced.
  

Instructional Role of the LMS (M. Alewine)

• Becoming more of a conversation at school’s look to everyone to improve instruction
• Must ask where the LMC program is fitting in the school’s direction
• Action Research should guide all LMC programs (one way is to use MAP testing results to open the dialogue)
• “Ten Principles that Guide a Quality Library Media Program” can be found on Martha’s website – should be read by all principals and discussed
• Create collection maps to justify budget proposals and support for the classroom teachers’ initiatives
• Work with Advisory Committee
  

New SC English/LA Standards document (Allison Norwood, SDE)

• Information parallels RHSD “unpacking” and “mapping” instruction
  - focus on the Bloom’s verbs for level of rigor and assessment
• LMS should play a key role in support of the instruction of these standards (as well as the SS literacy elements)

Lexile Framework (David Bell, Horry Co.)

• When PACT is replaced, it is likely the new assessment tool will score in Lexile ranges (as MAP testing does)
• Lexiles are for instructional reading and should NOT be used with recreational reading choices
• Titlewave can be a big help in selecting books with Lexile levels

Core Collection (M. Alewine)

• Should relate to content areas and technology
• Not by grade level or title-specific
• Periodicals available through DISCUS may count up to 50% minimum
• eBooks only count if there is not a bound copy in the collection
• Paperbacks can be counted if they are catalogued
  

LMS Survey (M. Alewine)

• Closes September 30
• $1 million in non-recurring funds will be distributed to participating libraries

Finally A Wiki that I like

I have been trying to find a wiki--any kind of wiki outside of Wikipedia--that serves its users well. I particularly would like to see a class wiki, but I haven't seen many that I liked or that the purpose was obvious. A lot of my friends use Moodle, which is not really a wiki or a blog, but rather a more combined approach. But most who use them have them password protected (for good reasons) since their kids openly post and comment, or edit the site in its wiki sense. (I feel like I'm speaking a foreign language.) Here is a wiki that truly makes me "get it." It gives me something to show at SLI to ensure the principals or other administrators who haven't quite grasped Web 2.0 what it is, what it's capable of, and what its potential is. Check out his wiki from Princeton Public Library.

Thanks

I have decided not to come to the end of the year/Fond Farewell get together at Julia's. I have a ridiculous amount of things to do, and quite honestly I don't feel like answering a lot of questions--there's nothing to report yet anyway. All that those who support me can say is "We don't understand." No worries though because I am happy and relieved. It's just another leap of faith, and I honestly believe I will land on my feet. No, I'm not interested in the NHS job---why try to go where you been declined twice before? I'm no longer interested in being in Rock Hill anymore. And actually, I don't even know what I want, because I withdrew my name from one I had already interviewed for Monday. I guess I'm just being selective now. My five years here have made me a significantly stronger person, and for sure a better teacher librarian. I can attribute some of that growth to working with this group. Thank you. I have a good solid offer, but right now there isn't a job my husband is interested in. And it will require us to move. So I do not know for sure what I will do. But I totally have my family's support. That's a good feeling too.
My principal summed it up nicely at our end of the year get together:

• In August, it will be stated with shocking accuracy that Miss Nelson is Missing
• NS will miss their grant writer, collaborator, and technology with my absence
• In short--everyone will miss her, because of ENN--Everybody needs Nelson (ENN is our in house news show, the Explorers Network News)
  

For Lucy and Susan, we will all miss your enthusiasm and grace. You know we all bring our gifts, and each you have yours. Lucy, I can remember several times my first year calling you to inquire how to do things in Follett--you were the first outside of Liz to offer me assistance. Thanks eternally for helping me adjust. I did have a difficult time making the transition. Susan thank you for being a role model for grace. You have been the most graceful person I have known. You are a great role model, and I only hope to learn to be graceful like you. It is easy to see why your teachers will greatly miss you. I will too.

I will miss the informal get together's too. You are all fun to be around. I got to know some of you better this year than any other year. Karen, check with me at conference time next spring, and maybe you can room with me again.

Please understand and support my decision, folks. And pray that wherever I am and whatever I am doing, that I am successful and happy. I have decided no matter what, its not about the money or respect, and I am not working to be paid well (though that doesn't hurt) or regarded highly for any accomplishments. I just want to feel that I make an impact and kids are better for it.

Thanks to Ebinport and Sullivan

Last week I was in a dilemma over a missing box of books intended for our annual field day book give away. I emailed the group trying to find a book fair so I could purchase enough books to get us through our day. On this day every kid gets to pick put a free book, and I wanted to be sure we had enough since we were missing one whole box (roughly 100 books.) Lisa R. of Ebinport and Betty J. of Sullivan managed to sell me some books at great discounts. From Ebinport I picked out a ton of discount books ($2.00 or less) and from Sullivan we selected a good number that were buy one get one free. Thanks ladies for bailing us out for our ever important annual book give-away on field day!

Update on the missing box: They were delivered Monday, April 16, and signed for--six boxes. We later determined that box number 1 never got in the building. But because we (our office staff) signed for them, it is our loss. The box still has not shown up. My thoughts are the delivery folks would have gotten in trouble if they got back to the warehouse with an undelivered box of books, and so the box was either dumped or busted open and put in an outgoing or incoming book fair. But that's just a guess. We will probably never know, even though we paid for them....Tsk, Tsk.