InfoLit Skills

Here is a link to the Shambles list of sites dealing with all aspects of information literacy. A wonderful place to go for inspiration.

Wiki

Here's a link to my del.icio.us page for great WIKI information. It includes tips on developing wikis, examples of wikis being used in schools and lots of interesting ideas for wiki projects.

Library Videos

Ya gotta love 'em!
Library Dominoes
Ray of Light
Betty Glover Library Workout Tape

Exploring Flickr

My next project is to get a handle on Flickr and so today I took a picture of some new books in the library, saved it to Flickr and then pasted it in here. I hope to take a number of pictures this summer to use in presentations and web applications. Flickr was very easy to use. I liked the feature it has for changing the size of the picture once you've uploaded it.

Cool!

How did I do this? Check out ImageChef

Reviews

School Library Journal has published "Adult Books for High School Students: Reviews".

Wikis and Podcasts

I have been lured away this week to play with wikis and podcasts. The mike for my computer arrived and I tracked down the perfect student to help with GarageBand, the one who will make a great teacher someday: patient and knows how to dole out information in small doses. I made my first sample book review podcast. When it's refined I will take the next step and learn how to export and publish it before I set out in search of a teacher who is willing to lend me some students to give it a try. I also started a wiki with some colleagues. I'm finding it a much steeper learning curve than getting a blog started and it really helps to know a little HTML. But, I can see the advantages a wiki has over a blog for doing some effective online collaboration. Stay tuned!

Digital Booktalks

I'm hoping to get an iPod with a microphone soon so I can start doing some podcasts of booktalks with students.
Visit my del.icio.us page for some links to great sites with digital storytelling, booktalk how-tos and some great examples.

How I Spent My Summer Holidays

Take a look at School Library Learning 2.0. It's a great way to log some ProD. hours and give you lots of ideas to incorporate into your practice. It was set up by California's School Library association but they welcome anyone to join.

"It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula K. LeGuin

I've been travelling for work lately, which I love, although it imposes time strictures on the other parts of my life. As the year draws to a close there is always so much more I want to do but know I won't have the time for. I hope that the really great ideas will still appeal to me come September. The library is about to be taken over by cataloguers who will transport it from the days of cards and pockets into the 21st century. As with all changes it will bring a sense of progress and empowerment not without its own challenges. The weeding is finished, a task both rewarding and heartbreaking. Plans are in place to replenish the shelves, always a challenge with limited funds. The timing is perfect with minimal impact on classes and students. A new set of skills and vocabulary present themselves. So here's to next year's new system, in a freshly painted space with a new administrator in the school.

Free Comic Book Day

May 5 is Free Comic Book Day. To find a store near you go to Free Comic's click on Where to Get Free Comics and enter your postal code. There's one right here on the North Shore and many others in the Lower Mainland area.

We Live in Interesting Times

The next two months promise to be lively around here. I am in the final stages of weeding to prepare for the arrival of the automation team in July. Hopefully I will be out in a kayak somewhere at that time. The library is also undergoing a facelift which involves painting, replacing the circulation desk, buying new furnishings and equipment. I've lost count of the many meetings to choose colours, design the new desk area, decide on soft furnishings, and arrange for the removal of old furnishings. In addition our school website is switching to a new service so that means trainings and restructuring. Out with the old in with the new. Then we have the usual end of year things: book returns/overdues, inventory, writing the year-end report, tidying up budgets/orders, preparing calendars, handouts and displays for September. They say what doesn't kill you makes you strong!

Streaming video

Visit my del.icio.us post for some bookmarked links to great free online video resources. There's some fabulous stuff out there good for all areas of the curriculum.