Visiting our members is one of the highlights of being at CMLE! One of our main purposes is to connect our members to each other, and to build community. When we visit members, the write ups are always popular, because everyone likes to see the neat things going on in libraries across our community of good libraries!
Check out this really nice book recommendation system! Each staffer can slide a book cover image in here, and students can get some ideas for potentially good books – and they know the staff are real people who are book fans. What a great idea!
I am always a sucker for fun stuff in a library! Libraries should be fun, interesting, welcoming places. And it’s great to see libraries really embracing their role in making things fun. So, for all of you who fondly remember your days of working with Mr. Potatohead – just make one of your own!
You can always put up a display of new books! Displays are a great way to draw attention different books, and to encourage patrons to take a few home!
Have you tried this in your library?I was VERY excited! The Turning Tumble book is a very cool graphic novel, filled with challenges and tasks for students to work their way through as they build their programming skills. I did manage to drag myself away from it without playing for hours, but it was tough.
Another easy, and fun, display idea! The words are selected by students, and other students then get experience in alphabetizing and using dictionaries. Sure, online dictionaries are good and have lots of nice information and links. And in addition to that, knowing how to use paper dictionaries is a useful skill.
Does your school issue passes to come to the library? This school has a very good system. Students can get one of those maker space passes, to let them come to the library and try out an assortment of the maker space tools. They can work in small groups, or individually, and have more individual time from teachers and from library staff. Or, if they need to just have a quick trip to the library they are issued a ten minute pass. They sign on the clipboard, and grab a timer. Library staff get to know names of students, and they get a chance to explore materials.
Thanks so much to Lori Yerbich for showing me around! And I got to drop off VR kits here, so I’m hoping to hear all about some great projects to come!