All posts by Michelle

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

EBook Formats to Consider!

Image by Wishpong some rights reserved
Image by Wishpond some rights reserved

As eBooks (or e-books)  have been growing in popularity over the last several years so has the various formats available on the market. According to TechTerms, an eBook is defined as an electronic book or digital publication that can be read on a computer, e-reader, or other electronic device (“eBooks”).

Format Properties: All major formats support text, images, chapters and page markers. In addition, some may support user annotations, including highlighted text, drawings and notes.

  • Open Format: Can be read on multiple devices.
  • Proprietary Format:  Only view-able on a specific device.
    • Digital Rights Management (DRM):  A collection of systems used to protect the copyrights of electronic media. Commercially available publications often include some kind of  DMR to prevent the content from being viewed on unauthorized devices.

Libraries that strive to meet patron-driven demands for eBooks are working to increase access by building their collections. What are the most prevalent formats on the market? This Spring, Edudemic (2013) identified their top picks for you to consider. Read the full article, The 6 Most Popular eBook Formats To Know About.

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

Hidden Spaces!

Image by Jester100 some rights reserved
Image by Jester100 some rights reserved

There is something alluring about hidden spaces. I am not sure if it is the mystery, sense of adventure, possible mischief or merely the idea of sneaking away somewhere-known only to a select few. For some, this adventure begins and/or ends with a book.  Buzzfeed (April 2013) posted 31 Beautiful Hidden Rooms and Secret Passages, using books as the main attraction/distraction.

Just for Fun: This week take a peek between (or behind) the stacks-to find something unexpected.

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

Educational Trends: Why Edcamp?

1 Comment

EdcampTake control of your learning!

The Edcamp Foundation was formed in December 2011 to assist teachers and other stakeholders in organizing edcamps. The vision of the Edcamp Foundation is to “promote organic, participant-driven professional development for K-12 educators worldwide.”

What is an edcamp?  It is a low-cost/free user-generated conference designed to promote professional development for K-12 educators. Edcamps operate without keynote speakers or vendor booths. Sessions are planned the day of the event, as participants volunteer to be presenters on a topic of their choosing.  This process encourages attendees to join or lead a peer conversation that meets their professional needs and/or interests.  Technology is a common area of interest along with pedagogy and practical examples in instructional use of modern tools. If you would like to learn more about edcamps, Edutopia recently posted an article (April 2013) titled, Why Edcamps? It provides additional information regarding the basic structure outlined in the edcamp model and highlights what makes these events unique to other conferences. Click here to read the full article.

Would you like to participate? Educamp is coming to the Twin Cities on October 12th.  Click here to learn more about this Minnesota event.

If you have participated in one of the more than 250 edcamp events that have occurred over the last 3 years; we would like to hear from you.  Feel free to share your experience with our followers in the comment section below!

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

Free Audiobooks for Young Readers!

1 Comment
Some rights reserved by Bigbadvoo
Some rights reserved by Bigbadvoo

Has your library participated in Sync?

Between May 30th  – August 21st  Sync will be giving away two free audiobook downloads, each week, for listeners 13 years of age or older.  This service began in 2010 to promote literacy among young adults.   As an alternative to listening to music, these downloads are MP3 formats that operate through Over Drive’s Media Console and are compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems.  Once the title is downloaded, it can be listened to at any time. However, they will only be made available, for download, for only 7 days.

How Do I Sign-up? Go to the right column and sign-up to get notifications of when the audiobook downloads are available by text message, email newsletter, or by simply following the SYNC blog.  Please note that signing up for these alerts will not send you the titles.  The alerts will only tell you when and where the title is available to download. Click here for a schedule.

Tip:  If you would like to promote this free service in your library, the Sync site offers a toolkit for Librarians & Educators with a host of resources.