Calling Public Librarians to Action! FCC’s Digital Literacy Corps Proposal

After reading my last post, my friend Jennifer Tazerouti (who can be reached through the Auntie Librarian blog and through her Twitter handle @AuntieLibrarian) suggested I should expand my call to action to public libraries.  When you are right, you are right.  Thanks, Jennifer!

The FCC proposes to send its digital literacy corps into schools, libraries, and community organizations. The difference between the organizations and schools/libraries is that the latter already have digital literacy gurus in place.  This seriously undermines our authority and the public’s perception of librarians.

Evidently the old stereotype of librarians is still hanging on.  We all must do a better job to dispel it.

Connect 2 Compete

Jennifer’s suggestion and introspection on my part motivated me to discover more about the FCC’s proposed digital literacy corps.  What I found was both reassuring AND upsetting. The proposed digital literacy corps is NOT something new, but it is new to me (upsetting). How have I missed something so threatening to my profession?

Perhaps it is because it is part of the Connect 2 Compete initiative that is limited to a small fraction of public schools.  Information on it needs to be shared with families whose children who attend these schools (any child attending one of these schools who receives free lunch is eligible to participate in this program that offers inexpensive refurbished computers and $9.95 a month hi-speed Internet access).

Many companies support training our citizens in digital literacy (reassuring) including Best Buy, Microsoft, CareerBuilder.com, Monster.com, and Metrix Learning. (Check out all the Connect 2 Compete partners here.) I am pleased to notice that Discovery Education is on board – but it is bittersweet pleasure.  As a Discovery Education DEN STAR educator, I know that DE is well aware of the school librarians’ role in our schools today.  I would hope that they have voiced a concern that a treasure trove of experts is being overlooked in this initiative.

Public Librarians

I am extremely fortunate to live in a county with a strong public library.  The Spartanburg County Public Library System consists of one main branch and nine other branches spread throughout the county.  One look at their events calendar will convince you that they are a vital part of our community, reaching out to all age levels. The dedicated staff responds to community needs and would gladly (I am sure) include digital literacy training for families meeting the requirements of the FCC’s digital literacy corps.

I’m sure my public library system is not an anomaly; public libraries throughout the country make it their mission to improve the lives of those in their communities. The FCC needs to use the sense of community each library’s staff has created and provide them with the funds to train their patrons in digital literacy.

Please email Chairman Julius Genachowski (Julius.Genachowski@fcc.gov) to share your concerns about his plans for a digital literacy corps.

Calling School Librarians to Action! Another Attempt to Undermine Our Jobs

My blood is boiling.  I read this article online today after it was shared on Twitter by Rebecca Oxley (@LibrariansFTW).  This excerpt is what got my dander up.  And that is a dangerous thing to do with a Southern gal:

“The new divide is such a cause of concern for the Federal Communications Commission that it is considering a proposal to spend $200 million to create a digital literacy corps. This group of hundreds, even thousands, of trainers would fan out to schools and libraries to teach productive uses of computers for parents, students and job seekers.”

Looks like the FCC has no idea that our schools have a ready-made “digital literacy corps” in place.

Chairman Julius Genachowski was quoted in the article.  He recognizes the importance of digital literacy, but he is ill-informed. He does not know that there are already trained professionals in many schools who work, against great odds at times, to train our students and who volunteer to teach parents these skills.

Let’s not let him claim ignorance before spending this money.

Send him an email( Julius.Genachowski@fcc.gov) informing him that WE ARE THE DIGITAL LITERACY CORPS (feel free to copy or adapt the following):

I just read the NY Times May 30, 2012 article entitled “Wasting Time is New Digital Divide in Digital Era.”  As an educator, I realize the importance of information and digital literacy.  As a school librarian, I have been trained to teach information literacy skills.  I collaborate with classroom teachers to teach lessons in which I incorporate these skills.

However, the recession has had an enormous impact on school libraries.  Many programs have been completely cut; others are being run by volunteers rather than a certified school librarian; and other programs have lost their assistants, whose job of handling routine procedures freed the school librarian to plan with teachers.

I noticed that the FCC is considering “a proposal to spend $200 million to create a digital literacy corps. This group of hundreds, even thousands, of trainers would fan out to schools and libraries to teach productive uses of computers for parents, students and job seekers.”

Although I applaud the intent of teaching digital literacy skills to our students, I question the expenditure of these funds.  Why not instead funnel these funds into school library programs to allow trained, certified professionals to teach the skills?

I look forward to hearing from you on this vital issue.

Will you contact the FCC?

Image used through a CC license:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/smemon/5683575389/

Professional Development Round-up

As part of my school’s end-of-the-year check out procedure, teachers must turn in a Professional Development form that indicates sessions/conferences attended and courses taken.  If I were as brilliant as Tamara Cox, I would include this info in my monthly report.

Instead I must backtrack and list the workshops/webinars/conferences that impacted my teaching this year.  (I wish I could list individual blog posts on the school’s form – sometimes those influence my work as much as, if not more, than some workshops I attend.)

I am sure I have overlooked some awesome webinars that I attended, but this is what I remember of formal professional development for this school year:

• “What’s Your Vision?,” June 14-15, 2011: Upstate Technology Conference
• “Think.Create.Share.Grow,” June 21, 2011: SCASL Summer Institute
• “Back to School Special,” Sept. 12, 2011: Presented by Gwyneth Jones and Tiff Whitehead for Teacher-Librarian Cafe
• “The New World of Reading: Digital, Networked, Transliterate,” Sept. 22-23, 2011: School Library Journal’s Leadership Summit
• “PD with a Twist,” Oct. 3, 2011: Presented by Tamara Cox and Tiff Whitehead for Teacher-Librarian Virtual Cafe
• “Rock Star Advocacy: Proving Your Worth in Tough Times,” Nov. 7, 2011: Presented by Jennifer LaGarde and moderated by Tiff Whitehead for Teacher-Librarian Virtual Cafe
• “Library World Smackdown: Open Mic Night,” Dec. 5, 2011: Presented by Joyce Valenza and moderated by Gwyneth Jones for Teacher-Librarian Virtual Cafe
• “Passion for Our Profession,” Feb. 6, 2012:  Presented by Joquetta Johnson and moderated by Matthew C. Winner for Teacher-Librarian Virtual Cafe
• “Advocacy Starts with You@your library,” March 14-16, 2012:  SCASL Annual Conference
• “What to Expect,” National Library Legislative Day webinar
• National Library Legislative Day, April 23-24, 2012: American Library Association
• “Two Libraries, One Voice: Collaborating and Co-teaching 338 Miles Apart,” May 7, 2012:  Presented by Shannon Miller and John Schumacher for the Teacher-Librarian Virtual Cafe

Informal Learning

My finances don’t allow me to attend many conferences, but when you have a PLN, you can attend conferences vicariously. This allows me to still grow from these conferences (while sometimes sipping coffee in my pj’s!).  A few conferences I attended through Twitter:

• American Library Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition, June 23-28, 2011
• “Unlocking Potential,” June 26-29, 2011: ISTE’s Annual Conference
• “Turning the Page,” Oct. 27-30, 2011:  AASL’s Conference

What conferences/webinars/classes helped develop you professionally this year?

Image used through a Creative Commons license:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/comedynose/4783448281/

Infographic: Monthly Library Report

“Hello.  My name is Fran, and I am an overachiever.”

What else explains why I never seem to be satisfied?  I have been on a quest to improve my monthly library reports since 2010 as discussed here, here, and here.  I had been using Word to create my reports but changed to PowerPoint this year.  I have found that I can create and edit charts so much easier with PowerPoint.  And I have been fairly pleased with my monthly reports. However…

I am a fan of infographics, so this morning when I saw this tweet from Sassy Librarian, I had to play:

Piktochart

Pikochart provides both free and upgraded accounts; as always, I opt for free.  Once I had registered for an account, I was presented with three infographic templates.  Because I wanted to present our monthly stats, I chose the Web 2.0 B template.

Once you choose a template, you can change the mood (Colour Scheme, Fonts, and Background Styles) and then begin editing. Your editing toolbox comes equipped with Tools (you can add images and charts), Shapes, Graphics, Text Editor, and Theme Graphics.

Not too bad for a first try, but since I am an overachiever…..

#HoldShelf – Late to the Party

Sigh…..seems I have good intentions, but my follow through is not up to par.  I saw the invitation to share a picture of our library’s hold shelf and thought, “Wow!  What a fantabulous idea!”  Our hold shelf is not pretty – and books don’t sit on it for long, so I was waiting for it to fill up a bit before I took a photo.

When a book that has been put on hold comes home to us, we complete a Hold Notice to send to the main office.  At the end of the morning’s and afternoon’s announcements, students with items in the front office are called to pick them up.  So, often within a couple of hours of sending the notice to the office, an excited student rushes into the library to pick up his/her book.  (Doesn’t it just make your heart melt when a student comes in to check out a book he has been dying to read? I feel like I have just sold the winning Lotto ticket cause I know the treasure that’s within the covers of that book.)

Anyhoo, we never had more than two books on our hold shelf at any one time in the last couple of weeks so I decided to take Cathy Nelson‘s idea and use a screenshot of the holds report in Destiny to share our requested titles.

Yep, The Hunger Games  is there, just as you would expect with the media frenzy surrounding the movie’s release.  But I’m pleased to see that Thirteen Reasons Why is there (twice); Ms. Gray’s classes completed their Literature Circles a couple of weeks ago and those who had read that novel have talked it up to their friends!  (Love it when they do that!  Just blesses my heart.)  Unwind and Shattering Glass were also titles in those Literature Circles.

What books are your students requesting now?

What Speed Do You Read?

Source: Staples eReader Department

Click on the image above to take this simple reading test to determine your reading speed and how it compares to the national average.

(Be warned:  read for comprehension!)

SCASL Conference Reflections: Day Three

The third day of conference is a half day.  There are three morning sessions and the grand finale of our conference is always the Author Celebration Luncheon.

“Meet the Author”  Chris Crutcher

I have long been a fan of Chris Crutcher and looked forward to his session.   His characters ring true with compelling, heartbreaking stories.  Chris shared some of his life experiences that have inspired his fictional characters and situations.  He had us alternately laughing and crying, but always wanting to read (or reread) the stories inspired by the children who had touched his heart.

“Unwritten Research Paper:  Projects for Busy Teachers and Bored Students”  Cathy Nelson

Cathy Nelson lives and breathes instructional technology!  Never one to be satisfied with the status quo, she is always in search of ways to enrich her students’ educational experiences – often with technology.

One of her pet peeves is the “KMN” PowerPoint presentation.  We have all suffered through them:  slides with too much text that the presenter just reads to his/her audience.  You know, those presentations where you think “Kill Me Now!” (KMN) rather than see another slide with several bullet points.

Her session offered suggestions on improving those PowerPoint presentations – information that MUST be shared with our teachers and students.  Then she shared her recent collaborative experiences where students were allowed to choose a means to share what they learned through their research (no three page papers here).

Cathy has shared both her PowerPoint on improving PowerPoints (!) and her ideas for the unwritten research paper on her wiki.

Side note:  This is NOT how Cathy appeared when she was presenting at the 2012 SCASL Conference.  But it is a favorite picture of mine that captures Cathy’s spontaneity and willingness to try new experiences.

“eEk and eCstacy:  Incorporating eReaders and eBooks into Your Curriculum”  Jen Chesney

This was the second session I attended focusing on eReaders.  Jen Chesney, media specialist at Powdersville High School, shared her experiences with eBooks and eReaders  as she opened a new library last year.

Her nonfiction eBooks haven’t been as successful as she would like.  Students want instant access;  having to visit different sites to reach the library’s Infobase and Marshall Cavendish eBooks is off-putting for them.  Publishers are still exploring the new frontier of eBooks.  Until there is a “one size fits all” solution,  nonfiction eBooks are not going to be our students’ first choice for information.

Jen chose to go with Nooks for her fiction eBook collection.  She purchased enough Nooks to take advantage of the Barnes and Noble management program and devised a way to keep track of titles on each device.  Because students check out the devices rather than the books, she has no way of tracking which titles are being read on each device other than to ask students when they return the Nook.

The Nooks have been extremely popular.  One of the “eCstasies” that Jen has discovered:  no more having to wait days or weeks after publication of the newest book in a series!  If you purchase these on eReaders, the books will be there the day they are released.

Although earlier in the school year I had decided to wait a bit longer until the dust settled (and prices on devices are bound to drop), Jen’s success has me wondering whether I should purchase a few Nooks and see how successful they would be in my library program.

Final Thoughts

In this and my past two posts, I have attempted to share some of what I learned at the 2012 SCASL Conference.  Our keynote speakers were topnotch this year and the talent of my fellow South Carolina school librarians never ceases to amaze me.

I am never able to attend all of the sessions I would like to; two or three will be going on simultaneously and I must make a choice.  However, thanks to the generosity of this year’s presenters, I can at least get a taste for sessions I was unable to experience in person.  Their presentations/handouts/materials can be found on the Conference page of scasl.net.

 

SCASL Conference Reflections: Day Two

“Ereader Duel:  Nook vs. Kindle”  Tamara Cox and Carla Nash

Tamara and Carla sponsored a showdown between Nooks (both Simple Touch and Nook Color) and Kindles (both Kindle and Kindle Fire).  It was a lighthearted “duel” that ended in a tie.  Both Tamara and Carla have had great success with their eReaders and admit that the choice boils down to preference based on our community’s needs.

After their presentation, they passed out both Nooks and Kindles to give attendees an opportunity to get a feel for each.

Their presentation provides a clear overview of both the pros and cons of each device.

How to prevent students from purchasing ebooks on your devices:

Carla inherited Nooks when she took over the program at West Pelzer Elementary.  Although Barnes and Noble offers a management service if you have a minimum number of Nooks (now 25), Carla manages her own eReaders.  She uses gift cards to purchase eBooks for the readers and pointed out that a zero balance does NOT mean that you can’t purchase any more titles on a device.  Because you must register the device and your account with a credit card number, if purchases are made once the gift card zeroes out, purchases are then put on the credit card associated with the device.  Yikes!

To prevent students from purchasing any more books, Carla sets the Nooks on “demo mode.”  Students are still able to make some changes to the content on a Nook, but none that will be charged to the credit card.

I personally own (and love) a Kindle with keyboard but left from the conference on Friday and stopped by my local Barnes and Noble to begin a discussion on purchasing and using Nook Simple Touches for my library program.

Image attribution:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/scasl/6989720469/in/set-72157629585399085

“Change or Start Looking for a New Job”  Bob Berkowitz (keynote)

What would really happen if your library program were cut?  Berkowitz challenged us to consider the possibilities and then to realize the importance of showing our library program’s impact on student achievement.

What does it take to have a vibrant school library program?

Berkowitz suggested strong programs

• have high expectations of their students
• have a rigorous content
• engage students in learning
• use assessment to evaluate the success of instructional strategies
• ensure students see a connection between what they learn in the library and their lives
• have environments that support learning
• are super strategic

He gave us several questions to use as we consider our current programs:

• Whose program is it?
• Whose library is it?
• Whose virtual space is it?

What can we do to improve upon our programs and change with the times?

Berkowitz suggested:

• form an advisory team
• rethink sacred cows
• be recognized as someone who solves problems
• develop a district-wide plan
• marketing
• branding

We are the CIOs (Chief Information Officer) of our schools.  As such, we need to develop a curriculum and put the world in our students’ hands.

Image attribution:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/scasl/6982689629/in/set-72157629604521493/

SCASL Learning Commons

My afternoon was divided between the Learning Commons and my own presentation “Ramp Up Reading with Technology.”

Cathy Nelson kicked off the Learning Commons by sharing how she teaches “Web Evaluation” to her students at Dorman High School. She has a knack for relating well to teens and keeps her lessons interesting.

I love the informality of the Learning Commons!  Even though only a handful of folks listened to my presentation on “Jazzing Up Monthly Reports,” the smallness of the group lead to open discussions that might not have occurred in a larger session.

I thoroughly enjoyed Tamara Cox‘s session on “Nontraditional Shelving” as it challenged my thinking about nonfiction arrangement in my library.  I’m not ready to give up Dewey, but I think that signage to indicate special sections of high interest would help my nonfiction circulation.

Julianne Kaye shared how her elementary students used Blabberize to demonstrate what they had learned through research about famous South Carolinians.

Susan Myers shared several strategies she uses to keep her community informed about what’s happening in her library in her “How to Be Loquacious: Constant Talk about Your Library Impact.”

And Susan Dicey shared “Injecting Life (and 21st Century Skills) into Book Reports with Book Trailers.”  She uploads these student created trailers into her library catalog for all students to enjoy.

Because I was presenting from 3:15-4:15, I missed some excellent sessions in the Learning Commons, but thankfully, most of those presenters have been gracious enough to share their materials through the conference handouts link on scasl.net.

SCASL Conference Reflections: Day One

Who doesn’t love learning?  Certainly not anyone reading this post!  Conferences offer opportunities to expand your knowledge, connect with friends rarely seen, and make new friends.

The 37th annual South Carolina Association of School Librarians’ Conference was held March 14-16th at the T.D. Convention Center in Greenville, SC.  The theme this year was “Advocacy Starts with You @your library.”  Approximately 500 professionals gathered to learn from, and network with, each other.

Our organization is always seeking ways to improve our conference, and this year was no exception.  Hats off to Heather Loy, SCASL Pres Elect, and Patty Bynum, Local Arrangements Chair, for one of the best conferences ever!  Many others helped make the conference the success it was, and I appreciate all the hard work and efforts of each person involved.

Two additions to our conference this year were located in the Exhibit Hall: the SCASL Committee Showcase and the Learning Commons.  SCASL committees created inviting displays to inform our members of the work we are doing and to encourage them to volunteer to serve on a committee next year.

The Learning Commons was sponsored by the SCASL IT Committee.  Members were encouraged to sign up and share a lesson, idea, program, etc. I loved the informal nature of the Learning Commons and look forward to it again next year.

I’ll share some snippets of information I gleaned from each of the sessions I attended.  Many presenters have provided links to their presentations/handouts which can be found on http://scasl.net.

“Big 6 by the Month:  Comprehensive and Essential Information Programs Now!” Bob Berkowitz (pre-conference session)

Bob encouraged us to use the Big 6 not only as a research/problem-solving model, but also as an instructional model.  He stressed that problem solving is not linear, and although there are 6 components of the Big 6, they do not have to be followed in any particular order.

Because our ultimate purpose in teaching is to prepare students for success in the world after high school (whether secondary training or the world of work), we need to focus on problem solving.  To illustrate how the Big 6 works in everyday life tasks, he asked one attendee to share her recent experience with buying a car.

Planning Your Year

“Information literacy is too important to be partial or arbitrary.”  (Berkowitz)

Just as other teachers must create long range plans, we need to create a yearly plan with a focus for each month.  We need a comprehensive plan that can be defined, is predictable, can be measured, and the results can be reported.

You might begin the school year with an overview of the Big 6.  Then in September, you might focus on Task Definition.  Continue to plan your year in this manner.

Our plan needs to be predictable, meaning we will follow certain planning procedures.  What role will the teacher-librarian play?  What role will the classroom teacher play?  How is the plan related to our district and school schedule? How will our plan address the standards?  Create an annual grade level or subject plan.

As we plan our program, we must include the evidence we will use to determine our students’ success.  Will we use portfolios?  Worksheets? Tests? Observations? Self-assessments?  Then we need to determine the criteria we will use to determine how well students met each objective.

“Track It!  Documenting Instructional Impact”  Donna Shannon, Gerry Solomon, Elizabeth Miller

I was anticipating this session from the moment I first read about it.  If I had to name just one area in which my library program needs to improve, it would have to be documenting the learning that takes place as a result of our instruction and resources.

The presenters created a wiki that provides both background information on why documenting student learning in our library programs is essential and links to resources to assist us as we incorporate documentation into our programs.

The presenters shared a variety of documents and ideas (all on their wiki) including collaborative planning logs, learning logs, rubrics, project based learning checklists (I really like these!), and more.

Please take some time to explore the resources they have gathered.

Exhibit Hall Grand Opening

As always, the first day of conference ended with the opening of the Exhibit Hall.  Attendees were treated to refreshments as they browsed vendor booths, checked out the SCASL Store, and visited SCASL Committee displays.  Attendees left with their appetite whetted for the sessions planned for the second day of conference.

Snapshot: A Day in the Life of SC School Libraries 2012

As SCASL Advocacy Committee Chair, I am pleased to announce Snapshot: A Day in the Life of SC School Libraries 2012.  Details about the program will be mailed to SC public school librarians within the next two weeks; however, because many of you would like to start planning now for your own Snapshot Day, I thought I would post information both here and on our SCASL blog about the initiative.

Introduction

You and your library program play an enormous role in the lives of your students.  All around the country, school librarians have been losing jobs as budgets are slashed.  In our own state, school librarians are being asked to do more, often with less help and money.

Never before has advocacy been more vital!  SCASL has been hard at work advocating for our state’s school library programs. One of our priorities has been to inform those with budget decision-making authority about the role that school librarians play in educating South Carolina’s students.  Two mailings have been sent to your superintendents, principals, and state and national legislators:

• In August they received the Media Center Messenger whose lead article was “Why You Need School Librarians and School Libraries:  An Open Letter to South Carolina Principals and Superintendents.”
• In February they received the brochure created by the Advocacy Committee reminding them of the role we play and inviting them to schedule a visit to a school library to witness our work first hand.

However, nothing is more powerful than each of us advocating for our own library programs by demonstrating the impact we have on our students’ education.

The SCASL Advocacy Committee is again sponsoring Snapshot: A Day in the Life of SC School Libraries.  Your participation will focus your school community’s attention on the work you do and provide SCASL with data to use in future advocacy efforts.

Last year, approximately 38% of our public school libraries participated in Snapshot Day.  South Carolina school librarians are dedicated to enriching the lives of our students.  If we expect our legislators and administrators to support us, then we must be willing to demonstrate our dedication to our students through strong school library programs.  Participating in Snapshot Day is an excellent way to demonstrate your dedication and provide you with data you can use to advocate for your own program.

Snapshot Day Resource Wiki

To support you as you plan your Snapshot Day, the SCASL Advocacy Committee has created a wiki full of resources.  The wiki details the data you are being asked to collect as well as ideas and downloadable documents to assist you as you plan, market, and sponsor your library’s Snapshot Day.  You’ll even find a page dedicated to using the data you gather to promote your own program!  Please visit the wiki at

http://snapshotday2012.wikispaces.com/

Let’s celebrate the successes of our library programs and provide our administrators and legislators with proof that we are making a difference!