Week One and Done

The first full week of school has come and gone and we in the land of the library have survived.  Those of you not familiar with what happens in a school library at the beginning of the school year might be thinking, "How hard is it to check out some books?"  The days of the library as a book warehouse are long gone.  Don't get me wrong; we checked out books.  In fact, every English Language Arts class came to the library this week and every student had the chance to check out books.

But wait, there's more.  Every student in 7th and 8th grade must have a username and password set up on the school network and must have a compute usage agreement signed and on file before their computer account can be enabled.  Guess where they go for that task...the awesome library learning commons.

So, for those of you keeping track, every student visited with us in the library this week; that's 269 7th graders and 278 8th graders.  They learned about changes to library policies for this year (ALL books are now a 2 week checkout instead of a month for most books and 2 weeks for Truman nominees), reviewed the rules and consequences of computer usage at school (FYI there are 9 rules), reset their password so that they are now able to use computers here at school, and checked out books.

Our next project got a jump start on Friday; Infinite Campus training for all students.  We started with Mr. Cruzado's 8th grade social studies classes.  Ms. Duggan's classes are next, set for this Wednesday, and we'll finish up with our 7th grade social studies classes (Mrs. Crocker and Mrs. Fete) on September 9th and 10th.  Our students are entering the age of accountability.  They will have the tools available to them to check assignments and grades as they happen in real time: No more surprises and no more excuses.  It's great to see them learn the skills they will use and need as they move on to high school and beyond.

I love it when the library is a busy place.  The school day flies by and we get to see and interact with so many students and staff members which often times leads to great conversations and learning experiences.  By the end of the day Friday I was looking for the truck that had left me in it's dust...and I wouldn't change a thing.  Bring on week two!

Welcome Back!

It's that time of year again.  Summer is fading into the sunset as a new school year is dawning.  Our building has newly waxed, shiny floors, an amazing new trophy case, and a few new faces.  Our library is kind of new, too.

We are transforming from a library media center to a library learning commons.  Our goal, as it has always been, is to work with our teachers and students on accessing the most accurate and relevant information to assist them in their educational journey.  And while sometimes that information is found in print format, more often than not we are accessing information out there in that wonderful world called the Web.

We have some new reading initiatives in the works, too.  Reading and lifelong learning go hand in hand.  As Mark Twain so eloquently stated, "The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read."  You can explore the world and beyond in the pages of a good book.  Let's get ready for a great adventure.