Category Archives: Special

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Study says keep your picture books!

A Little Casual ReadingFor quite some time we have been hearing that reluctant readers are often encouraged to read when the book is loaded on a device. Why? Because the  “thickness” of the book is disguised, and the reader can enlarge the print if that makes reading more comfortable. It also removes any possible stigma if you are say a sixth grader, reading a fourth grade level book. No one knows exactly what is being read except the reader, which makes perfect sense. As librarians, we want to do everything possible to encourage nonreaders and remove discouragement for struggling readers. The format can be secondary when reluctant readers are involved.

But, what about picture books at the elementary level? How important are the pictures in conjunction with the text? I must admit, I never thought about picture books.

Two-thirds of schools across America are using eBooks, according to School Library Journal, but their use in England is much more sporadic. This produced an opportunity for a handy research study where 800 students in 40 schools used eBooks and shared their feelings. Would you be surprised to learn that boys responded most positively to eBooks? Click here to read the full piece.

Here in CMLE land, we have at least 180 elementary schools. Use the comments to weigh in as to whether your school uses eBooks, and whether you use them for picture books too. Ready, set, go…

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/pejajg3, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Literature Map: Find more authors you like

ReadHmmmmm…..Literature Map is so incredibly easy to use, I am skeptical about how good it is. Suggested for folks who have exhausted their favorite author’s books, and want similar works by others. The Literature-Map is part of Gnod, the Global Network of Discovery. It is based on Gnooks, Gnod’s literature recommendation system. The more people like an author and another author, the closer together these two authors will move on the Literature-Map.

All you do is type the name of your favorite author in the search box, click on search and notice your author is in the middle of your screen. Watch other author names swirl around the screen a bit until some come to rest close to your author’s name. Supposedly, these authors offer similar fare. Try it out and let me know in the comments what you think. I would think your “avid reader” students would love this tool.

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/lw8nkjr, licensed under CC BY 2.0

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Use Canva to promote events

OzoHwGzK_400x400Although this post was written for schools, it is just as applicable to libraries. People seem to love Canva, and it is a great way to share what is going on in your library, lab, or classroom. More pictures, fewer words are what most people enjoy most. According to freetech4teachers.com…”When you’re creating graphics to use in your library Facebook posts, try to limit the text to only the most important information. In the post itself you can link to more information for parents and or students to read.”

I gave it a whirl based on the little tutorial embedded in this blog post. I didn’t do half bad in the 15 minutes I gave it. Let us know what you think or whether you already use Canva in this way! Better yet, send your Canva creations to admin@cmle.org

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

May "Library Reads" Booklist

library_reads_logo_websiteAre you familiar with Library Reads? Quite simply, LibraryReads is a process to involve public librarians in recommending adult books. Then, each month the top ten most loved published adult books are shared in a list for book lovers.

Hot off the press, LibraryReads shares the May 2016 booklist!

If you are interested in participating in the LibraryReads process of nominating titles, getting advanced copies of books, or voting,  see their FAQ page.

 

 

 

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Library directors identify top skills for librarians of the future

Luring for InspirationLibrary Journal reached out to academic and public library directors and other thought leaders to find out what new skills they expect to need in librarians in the next 20 years. Eleven skills emerged as the essentials. Don’t expect fancy new skills, indeed, many of them build on what is already needed in the library community!

It strikes me that our profession seems to attract lots of introverts, when in fact, many of the needed skills may really push introverted librarians outside of their comfort zone. As you review this list, consider how many of these things are areas you are strong in and where you need to grow to stay on top of your craft!

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/q4ce8mw, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0