All posts by Michelle

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

The Beloved Book Deconstructed

2 Comments
Tired, Dusty and Tattered! Photo by Roger Salz and retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.
Tired, Dusty and Tattered! Photo by Roger Salz and retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.

My mother worked in a library for more 36 years before retiring and then re-entering the workforce to work in yet another library. And, throughout the last ten years, each member of my immediate family, including myself, has worked in a library. So to me the sight and smell of books brings back a host of familial memories. But I never really understood what created the unique scents of a book/book collection. I always suspected it was a concoction consisting of one part ink to two parts paper-lovingly combined with a pinch of dust.  Did you know AbeBooks, a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc., created a short video answering this very question. Click here to listen to their explanation.

In addition, if you are a hardback collector or book enthusiast, here is list of other quick videos you might finding interesting:

  • How to identify a first edition book (link)
  • Book collecting Guide (link) -10 videos

Tip: If you participate in student/class orientations for a library, consider using the video about The Parts of a Book to supplement your presentation.

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

The Power of Reading for Children!

Aiden with his Captain Underpants. Photo by Matt Ryall and retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.
Aiden with his Captain Underpants. Photo by Matt Ryall and retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.

During the summer a child’s day tends to be less structured than during a typical academic year. This may be an ideal time to reinforce the benefits of reading, especially while they have additional time to linger at the library.  Dav Pilkey, best known as the author and illustrator of the Captain Underpants book series, created two fun and quick videos that draw unexpected outcomes that occur when children read.

  1. Reading Gives You Super Powers-link!
  2. Reading Makes Cats Jealous-link!
Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Resources for Aspiring Writers!

Writing is a struggle against silence.  ~Carlos Fuentes

writing.erichhh
Writing! Photo by Eruchhh and retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.

Writing can be filtered by many genres; biography, business, memoir, fantasy, science, etc. Regardless of the form it takes, writing is a powerful tool to convey thoughts, ideas, and concepts. However, writing can also be a solitary and isolating endeavor. In April, Open Educational Database (OEDb) released a list of 150 Useful, Educational, and Inspirational Blogs for Aspiring Writers. This post is intended for authors looking for insight, encouragement or inspiration. It is also for seasoned authors interested in networking or brainstorming with a peer/peer group.  These resources may make the difference between a completed project or a draft, a published book or unpublished manuscript.

Click here to learn more!

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Gamification in Education

2 Comments
Games! Photo by Declan (TM) retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.
Games! Photo by Declan (TM) retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.

With technology seeping into most every aspect of life, it is important to take a step back and evaluate what are the best, most appropriate applications in your professional and personal life. How much technology is too much? Does a game/program enhance how a particular topic is conveyed?  Can games induce excitement about certain content?

In September 2012, Edudemic, in partnership with Knewton, posted an article titled, The 100-Second Guide To Gamification In Education.  Gamification is becoming a growing trend in which games are introduced as a teaching tool to supplement the delivery of core curriculum.  Therefore, the question remains, if over 5 million people play games more 45 hours a week, what elements of gaming can be cultivated for education? As a follow-up to this article, this month Edudemic posted 25 Things Teachers Should Know About Gamification.

Here are three points made in the full article;

#11. Gamification is designed with the assumption that players aren’t initially interested. This means games are exciting and engaging enough to capture the attention of an uninterested student and carry them through to the end.

#16. One goal of Gamification in the school setting is to allow kids to be creators of their own knowledge, allowing the teacher to be an assistant to the child’s learning journey.

#18. Gamification models are being used in other educational settings as well, such as job trainings and seminars.

Academic, Check this out:, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

MDE: Innovative Learning Time Conference!

Clockman! Photo by Sean MacEntee and retrieved from Flickr. Used under a Creative Commons license.
Clockman! Photo by Sean MacEntee Retrieved from Flickr used under Creative Commons license

*Information in this post was submitted by Nancy Walton, State Librarian, Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).

The Minnesota Department of Education and St. Olaf College invite educators, out-of-school time professionals, and all other interested community members to the 2013 It’s About Time! Innovative Learning Time Conference.  This conference will be held 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 21, 2013, at St. Olaf College Buntrock Commons.  The conference aims to help communities collaborate to create richer, more effective learning environments both inside the school day and through out-of-school and summer learning opportunities.  Keynote presentations will include:

  • Dr. Rose Chu, Interim Dean, School of Urban Education, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, on more, deeper learning during the school day;
  • Bob Seidel, Senior Policy Director of the National Summer Learning Association, on stronger, connected learning during out-of-school time;
  • Dr. Eric Jolly, President of the Science Museum of Minnesota, on whatever it takes  to close learning gaps; and
  • Father Tim Manatt, S.J., President of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, Minneapolis, on innovation in college and career partnerships from high school through college graduation.

Breakout sessions and small group discussions will provide participants the opportunity to focus on their particular interests in greater depth.

Registration and payment deadline is Friday, June 14. Cost is $45.  Register online at: http://wp.stolaf.edu/conferences/

Please contact Cindy S. Jackson cindy.s.jackson@state.mn.us with your questions.