1. Current award winning books including Primary and Intermediate Golden Sowers--I updated these for next year using both Follet and Scholastic Books.
2. Update 500s and 600s--after weeding through these two sections, I looked at what was light and began ordering what was needed.
3. Update biographies to include current trends--we ordered sport stars for biographies this year (I used my para's advice in who is popular to read about)
4. Replace lost and damaged materials that are still needed--this is always a constant. If a classic book is lost or damaged, we replace it with a new one. At the end of the year, I weed almost all the "Wimpy Kid" books and replace them using Scholastic Dollars from Scholastic Books for fresh ones to be read next year. This is true with other series as well.
Circulation:
My main goal was to increase numbers this school year from last year. There was an increase in check-outs and by 2.51% and renewals by 54%. My paperback section is the the has the highest checkout rate...almost double the category behind it. Paperbacks are number one for both males and females. Males second choices is Non-fiction with Easy close behind. For females, Easy is their second choice and Fiction as third. Males choose Graphic Novels 4 to 1 over females. Both like the Book Series shelves equally.
Boys in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades check out more books than girls. By 4th grade is it even. 5th and 6th grade boys check out less books than girls and they are more in number. Overall, males (12, 316) checked more books out than females (11, 886) for the school year. Kindergarten boys and girls are pretty even.
We have Pre-K in our building but they are not scheduled in the library. Maybe in next year's schedule, we can give them 10-15 minutes for check-out/book talk time.
To increase our numbers, I need to direct book talks and energies to 5th & 6th grade boys and to adding Pre-K to my schedule.
Fines:
If students have lost books I encourage them to look everywhere at home and school before it is deemed lost. I allow them to bring in money or bring in an appropriate book in good condition to replace it. If a child has been in foster care or other difficult situations, I simply waive the book fine. My final Scholastic Book Fair is a BOGO (buy one get one) Fair. Students take advantage of the great deals to buy a book for themselves and get one free for the library if they have lost a book.
1. Thorough Weeding of Books (start with 500 and 600s) using date and condition as the basis of my criteria--this spring I weeded through the entire 500's and 600's looking at condition of books and copyright dates. I was also able to get through the entire Fiction section and most of the paperback section.
2. Change the Video Collection to DVDs—the Media Retrieval System is archaic and the VCRs can no longer be updated---This isn't as easy as it sounds. I want to order DVDs that I know my teachers use, but I know we are to promote PowerMedia Plus. We have a streaming problem in our building that is to be fixed over the summer or early next fall. However, PMP doesn't always have the content my teachers are looking for...
3. Clean out all cupboards and drawers of items that haven’t been used within the last 3 years including worksheets, puppets, posters, bulletin board materials, etc.---I have begun the weeding process of my cupboards and drawers. I have emptied 3 file drawers so far. I will continue this process next year.
4. Provide Card Catalog and On-Line Database Training to the staff early in the school year and a refresher again mid-year--I was able to take a few minutes one staff meeting and show what databases we have available and how to get to them. Many teachers took better advantage of these and used them this school year and asked to have them back next year as well. I hope to get more time and let the teachers actually go in and see what these databases have to offer them instead of me just presenting to all grade levels at once.
5. I will become more familiar with content and standards covered in state tests. I will implement strategies in my lessons to support science, writing, reading and math standards as a way to increase student achievement--I worked more closely with our Instructional Facilitator to use language that students need to help with testing. Instead of describing Fiction as fake, Fiction tells a story; and non-fiction tells information. Also, I incorporated Author's Purpose each time I read a book.
Besides the library budget, I am able to use Scholastic Dollars from Bookfairs plus $300 that Omaha West Rotary donates to Skinner's library in honor of those who speak at their luncheons throughout the year. I spend the $300 at the Bookworm with Ellen's help and advice.
I read for the Elementary Library Review Committee this school year and received 28 books for Skinner's Library through my efforts.
Omaha West Rotary applied for a grant and used personal donations to purchase 5 iPad Airs for the school to use to help students improve their reading skills. The iPad Airs are housed in the library.
Sherwood Funds will be used to replace 20 year old library tables this summer with new Virco Plateau 24 X 60 Tables with casters on 2 legs for easier movement. Skinner's custodians will aide in their delivery to the library and assembly.
Omaha Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, genetic information, citizenship status, or economic status in its programs, activities and employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following individual has been designated to address inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Superintendent of Schools, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (531-299-9822).
Las Escuelas Públicas de Omaha no discriminan basados en la raza, color, origen nacional, religión, sexo, estado civil, orientación sexual, discapacidad , edad, información genética, estado de ciudadanía, o estado económico, en sus programas, actividades y empleo, y provee acceso equitativo a los “Boy Scouts” y a otros grupos juveniles designados. La siguiente persona ha sido designada para atender estas inquietudes referentes a las pólizas de no discriminación: El Superintendente de las Escuelas, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (531-299-9822).