Collection Development
This year for my collection development I really focused on bridging the gap between easy picture books and chapter books. I believe that it is a critical age when the student has mastered reading and comprehending easy pictures and it is time to branch out into more challenging chapter books. I tried to fill my collection with funny series such as, Lunch Lady, Squish, and Dragonbreath. I could not keep these books on the shelf. The students enjoyed the colorful illustrations and funny content. I believe these series help build comprehension levels with the students and help them grow as life-long readers.
For my non-fiction collection I really focused on what the teachers requested in 2012-2013 that I needed to request from other library’s collections. I found a great series of books to teach about language art written by Trisha Speed Shaskan. Some of the titles include If you were a Compound Word, If you were an Idiom, and If you were a Capital Letter. Teachers really liked these books and used them often.
Strategies for smoother circulation included me using my laptop to scan books out for students. That meant they as soon as they selected their two library books, they went right to their tables. This meant that they did not have to wait in lines, which usually lead to fights. They went straight to their tables and straight to silent reading time.
To clear a lot of library fines I had students help clean or organize the library with me. I train a few 4th graders in shelving books, which helped a lot considering I was without a para this year. If a student constantly forgot library books, I had them select from a discarded library shelf of books that were either very old or torn up. This usually always motivated the student to find and return overdue books.
1. Next year I would like to invite the preschoolers in the building to come visit the library. I think if I start with them young, it will be an easier transition into kindergarten library. It would be nice if I could introduce them to the library and show them how to care for books.
2. Next year I need to show students good and bad examples of work before I give them the assignment. I think this is a great tool for students because it shows them exactly what I am looking for in their work. I know I enjoy this as a student, so I know it would help them.
3. Next year I really want to get involved with read to succeed. I want to hold a lunch club where students and I can talk about the books and win the competition!
4. Next year I would like to encourage students to use the public library closest to their home. I think it is important that students visit and get use to other libraries. This fosters a life-long reader and user of information.
5. I know this year I did a lot with Golden Sower nominees, but I would like to branch out next year and expose students to other book awards and explain what other awards signify and mean.
The resources that I used a lot this year included pebblego.com, Library Catalog, Google Earth, and Britannica School Edition. Each of these resources added a great deal to my lessons. I expect student to be able to log in and navigate pebblego.com by themselves. Grades 2nd to 4th grade should be able to do this with little to no help from me. Grades K to 1st grade still need my help with pebblego.
I still need to work with all students on using the Library Catalog independently. The biggest problem I saw with search for books was misspelling titles or authors’ names. This would confuse students a lot and they would call on me for help right away, instead of problem solving on their own.
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).