Update

We keep getting compliments on the facility. The rooms have been transformed from a disorganized space with lots of outdated books to a space that is organzied and inviting to students, teachers, and parents. I think as far as the room goes we have almost uneartherd all the nooks and crannies of books and stuff. The teaching consultant is still working at uncovering everything in her office that needs to be cataloged, but other than that I think we have gotten almost everything on the shelf. The primary room books have all been scanned and any books that were not in the system have been entered.

We have developed a great system for getting our new books out in a timely fashion. Thanks to an indivdual at the University Library, the books are coming back regularly. We receive anywhere from 50 to 60 new books a week.

I have fallen behind in reading professional journals, but plan to tackle those soon. Most of our selection has been from student and teacher requests.

After the Christmas break I can start focusing on more professional tasks and less clerical tasks. I am looking forward to that. The 3rd grade does an Ocean Unit and I am going to collaborate with them in the labs and in the library. I hope this model of the librarian working along beside the researchers catches on. That is what I was used to in my previous school library.

Overall we have come a long way in the weeks that we have been here. After Christmas the library is supposed to receive 10 laptops and a data projector – that will be fantastic!!!

Recovering from the happy dance!

Since the last of the book jackets were covered, we have tackled yet another large project – relabeling the books in the primary room. Several books had old labels that were hard to read. This project was started last year and we working on completing it. Still the major part of my job is tending to clerical tasks.

I did get to collaborate on an internet project. I facilited a lesson on evaluating websites with a Civil War unit. It felt good to be in the lab working with students researching. I do miss that and hope that once all the clerical stuff is in order I can focus on that part of my job.

Next week is the ISLMA conference. I am looking forward to all the great sessions and talking shop with a variety of librarians.

This past week I visited an elementary library in our area and I was completely impressed with the program they have in place. The library that services K-5 grade students has a lab within it and also a story area that has a smartboard that enages students with literature connections. Overall a great room and program.

We are doing the happy dance!

Thanks to one awesome teacher, one UTA, and one teaching consultant the 16 shelves of primary books are now covered and ready for students to check out. My goal for completion of this task was winter break, but thanks to some very determined, hard working people they are done.

 Next happy dance will occur when all the books are online.

The Dog Poop Initiative

If you have not heard of this book – it is worth checking out. The author Kirk Weisler was the guest speaker for the day at Metcalf. What a wonderful motivational speaker. He gave us many things to think about and ways to make an organization work. We chuckled many times during his presentation. He talked about the “the big but” and “flipping your butt”. Remembering to use positive language rather than negative. Also the thought that to be a great teacher you have to be a great student. Overall the day was a great way to start the year.

Students come on Monday – I have to get the schedule finialized in my mind. Also I want to split the responsibilities of the library between myself and the teaching consultant. By looking at the job descriptions, I think I will focus on information literacy and technology skills and the teaching consultant will focus on incorporating literature into the curriculum.  Each of us will be reading advocates in the library. My first goal is to meet with the middle school academic teams and then with the intermediate grade levels and then the primary grade levels. I want to share what a librarian does and see how it fits into what they already do.

We still need to get the student barcodes in class order and then I am still battling the receipt printer. I plan on calling the company this week. I am waiting for posters to come in. I also would like to place a book order but know the turn around time of getting them back from Milner library will take some getting used to. In the public school setting I had an assistant that would process books in a very timely manner. But I have been told to expect 20 books a week. Currently Milner is trying to catch up with what books were taken there at the end of last school year.

Trying to finalize things

I made several phone calls today and did not seem to get much done. Either many people were out of their office today or else everyone was very busy. I did place an order with ALA for posters and supplies. The room is looking better. Chris, the technology guy, came by today and got my print receipt printer set up. He noticed the difference in the room. He said it was nice to see someone who cared for the room and also someone who is interested in technology. Other than that it is very quiet at my end of the building. Somewhat of an adjustment from my other job where the library was the center of the building. It will take some getting used to not being in the center of all the activity.

I covered 1 shelf of books of the 16 shelves that need book jackets.

I am waiting on return calls from Milner about the Circulation Station – I am still getting the Offline message.