Thursday, November 17, 2011

Is this what is going to happen to your library?


Sad times...students are losers.

New library 'without a librarian'



I received this update because I registered..... You, too, can register to receive the updates.

"Share with others
We’re really enjoying the lead up to the National Year of Reading and we hope you are too. Please feel free to share this email with other organisations and encourage them to register with the National Year of Reading and get involved http://www.love2read.org.au/registration.cfm


Thank you for registering with the National Year of Reading and helping us spread the word about the importance of literacy. This is just a short email to give you some information that may assist you with your promotion of the National Year of Reading. Please let me know if you would like any further information on any of the below items or any other areas.

love2read2012

Wiki
Did you know that we have a wiki full of resources and information for reading professionals? We’ve included resources on the wiki that we think will help you to get the most out of 2012. www.love2read2012.wikispaces.com
These resources include:
·         National Year of Reading - Key messages – www.love2read2012.wikispaces.com/file/view/KeymessagesOctober2011.pdf
·         National Year of Reading literacy factsheet
·         Information about merchandise
·         Logos, logo information (such as PMS colours) and logo use ideas such as the A3 pull up banner available from Office Works (costing around $25-$30)
·         Ideas for events
·         Funding application templates – to assist you with any applying for grants with government and other organisations
·         Media information and resources
·         Collateral such as flyers and posters
·         Information and resources for all of our national programs (these will be available as we launch each program. At this stage, collateral and information is available for Our Story only)

Media clippings and Newsletter stories
Have you or your organisation appeared in your local or state media (newspapers, newsletters, magazines, websites etc)? If so, can you send me a copy of the clipping torobyn@thelibraryagency.org.au and we’ll include it in our reports back to government. We’re also writing a monthly e-newsletter and would love to have stories to include. Our latest newsletter is available at http://www.love2read.org.au/library/files/NYRNewsletter%2018October2011.pdf. If you haven’t had a chance, you can subscribe to our newsletters at  www.love2read.org.au (on the right hand side)

Entertainment Store characters
The Entertainment Store is giving libraries a fabulous 50% discount on their characters (see attached form). Imagine having Mr Bump or Angelina Ballerina at one of your events next year!
Good Reading Magazine – content and advertising
Good Reading Magazine is offering a fabulous discount to advertise for all libraries, bookstores and not for profits for the months of Feb and Aug 2012 – their 2 special National Year of Reading issues. 
·         Quarter Page - $415 (standard $1660)
·         Third Page - $656 (standard $1875)
·         Half Page - $920 (standard $2300)
·         Full Page – 1300 (standard $3265)
Contact Tatyana Kovalyov,  National Advertising Manager 

Good Reading Magazine is also seeking stories for their magazine. Do you have any interesting things happening at your organisation for the 2012 National Year of Reading? Let Good Reading know about them and your organisation or story might be featured in Good Reading magazine during 2012!
Just email your story, no longer than 400 words, with any images to Rowena Cseh at editor@goodreadingmagazine.com.au (images need to be high resolution print quality - a minimum of 300 dpi resolution). Or feel free to email Rowena about any big ideas you might have.                                          
            
                               


Syba Signs
Syba Signs is excited to be involved in the National Year of Reading 2012 and is offering a new range of promotional resources to help you support the National Year of Reading campaign. As well as the banner series, we are releasing a range of window stickers and graphics, promotional and informational posters, bookmarks and library mats. Whether you are holding a National Year of Reading event, encouraging reading in your library or simply believe in reading for pleasure, brighten up your space today with this range of products. Let us help you discover and rediscover the joy of reading! See attached flyer or visit www.sybasigns.com.au/NYR2012.html"
 from:
Robyn Ellard – Project Director
The Library Agency
GPO Box 1551, Melbourne VIC 3001
M: 0412 659 919 E: robyn@thelibraryagency.org.au
T: 1300 313 443, F: 1300 323 448, W: www.thelibraryagency.org.auhttp://www.angelinaballerina.com/au/news-events.asp

Sunday, November 13, 2011

2012-Year of Reading -so close


Bookstores and Libraries - Register soon!


Announced on September 30, 2011-so time is RUNNING OUT!!
There are some great benefits to be had by registering your library or bookstore with the National Year of Reading! 
Registered outlets will hear about promotions, free, downloadable materials, and advance information about national events. 
All you have to do is complete the registration form by 15 November 2011!
Check out the news feed for more ways to be involved and informed.
You could also join them on twitter @love2read2012

Help promote the National Year of Reading by including the image below in your email signature:


Spreading the word.....

Looking for the bestselling kids ebooks?

Visit this website:


ARCHIVED KIDS' E-BOOK 
BESTSELLER LISTS



TOP TEN BESTSELLING KIDS' E-BOOKSBY STORE 


Have fun exploring!! 

Friday, November 4, 2011

Join the celebrations -2011 Lady Cutler Award

THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. 
The Children’s Book Council of Australia NSW Branch will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of The Lady Cutler Award on 15 November. This prestigious award commemorates the contribution to the CBCA NSW Branch by Lady Helen Cutler, wife of Sir Roden Cutler, Governor of NSW. She was Patron for many years and even after Sir Roden’s retirement, she continued until her death in 1990.

The Lady Cutler Award is presented annually for Distinguished Service to Children’s Literature in New South Wales and is sponsored by Peribo.


The 2011 Award will honour children’s author Margaret Wild – ‘for her dedication to her craft and to her audience and for the important place she has in the history and development of Australian children’s picture books’.

Bookings are open for the dinner at the Menzies Hotel, Sydney: $75 for CBCA members/$85 for non-members. Phone: 02 98183858 or email: cbcansw@bigpond.com<mailto:cbcansw@bigpond.com>

Booking forms available here: http://nsw.cbca.org.au/userfiles/file/NSW/2011/Lady%20Cutler%20flyer.pdf

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Researcher needs a little of your time...

Tricia Kuon
Assistant Professor, Library Science needs your help


"I am doing some research on administrators' perceptions of the role of
the librarian and the impact of the librarian on student achievement. I am
surveying librarians and administrators to see what beliefs
administrators have about the importance of the librarian's position
in the school and I am surveying librarians to get an accurate report
about the many essential tasks they complete that are "secret" in
that they must be completed but they are unknown to students,
teachers, and administration. I have two separate links for two
surveys.

The administrator survey link is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JVGZKKH

The librarian survey link is: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JVVLYLS

Please feel free to share these links with anyone in these positions
who might be willing to participate.

Thank you so much for your time,

Tricia Kuon
Assistant Professor, Library Science

College of Education
Sam Houston State University"

School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come


FREE  ebook download now 

School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come

Cover for 'School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come' A crowdsourced collection of over 100 essays from around the world about trends in school libraries written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors.
 Edited by Kristin Fontichiaro and Buffy Hamilton.
 Foreword by R. David Lankes.
 Photographs by Diane Cordell. 


Listed below  are some other articles I had bookmarked on the future of school libraries for those interested.

DesignShare: Imagining the Future of the School Library


The Changing Role of the Teacher-Librarian in the Twenty-first Century


Should We Shrink Wrap Our School Libraries? | Powerful Learning Practice

Shelf Consumed: What does a 21st century school library look like?

My iCentre presentation at SLAV’s Future School Library Scenarios conference |

Doug Johnson Website - dougwri - Are Libraries Heading Toward Extinction?

Hybrid synergy – more on the future of school libraries « HeyJude



Teacher Librarian- Teacher of the Year Award!!

Wonderful to read that Mark Ray is the 2012 Washington State Teacher of the Year. He is a teacher librarian and instructional technology facilitator at Skyview High School in Vancouver. Ray has led his school in piloting an initiative called BYOD or "bring your own device," which helps students and teachers make educational use of any kind of gadget they bring from home, including cellphones and game systems.


"Getting to the truth has never been harder than it is today. The loss of libraries, teacher librarians and the ascendance of truthiness fundamentally hurts our nation. We are losing the expertise, resources and skills necessary to be informed voters and citizens. This is not about politics. All corners of the political and cultural debate contribute to our factually impaired fog. This is about fundamentally preparing our young people to be successful in work, college and life." Read more of his comments.



Considering the comments below and the fact that there are very few TLs in this State...Could it be that by innovating and evolving has kept him in his job?

"He reinvented himself and his job at the same time." said Skyview Principal Kym Tyelyn-Carlson.
 "So proud to finally see one of my fellow teacher librarians honored in such a way. Perhaps this will bring awareness to the ways in which teacher librarians prepare students by teaching Information Literacy Skills -- evaluating websites for accuracy and currency, recognizing bias in both print and digital media, accessing information for multiple sources and and making sense of it, respecting copyright and intellectual property rights; the list goes on and on. Only with these skills in their "tool kit" can students become productive members of a democratic society and not sheep following blindly the ranting of FauxNews and their ilk."  Information Sorceress October 4


"My God! We haven't laid off the last librarian yet? Surprising news." soy_bobo October 4


"Fantastic. Congratulations to a colleague, who teachers, manages a budget, orders when there is a budget, reads constantly, teaches students and teachers, keeps up to date on technology. We librarians are information brokers and ESSENTIAL to the successes, both in college and career, of our students. We touch every single student in our schools. We are irreplaceable. Now, state of Washington, restore our funding! Kathryn H. October 4

Comments: Vancouver teacher librarian named 2012 Washington Teacher of the Year


Vancouver high school librarian WA teacher of year


Wouldn't it be fabulous if Mark Ray went on to win the National Teacher of the Year Award? With his opportunities to create a greater awareness for the importance of the role would there be a chance that there would be a restoration of funding? I would love to believe so... What do you think?


I wonder how many other educators have introduced BYOD programs, or similar, into their schools and learning institutions. Have you? Maybe the article below may help you see some of the benefits of introducing them. Click on the link to read it.

Mobile phones and authentic learning tasks

"Dr Jan Herrington, explores the use of mobile phones as powerful ‘cognitive tools', where students’ phones can be used to research, produce and publish polished products of learning. Jan is Professor of Education at Murdoch University, and she discusses here some strategies for the design of innovative learning activities and tasks for mobile devices, using authentic learning principles, where whole units of study or projects can be designed around complex and engaging tasks."  from edtalks.org

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Sad sign of the times? or What the * ?

An advertisement for a manager for a Queensland school library- with NO BOOKS!! 

The school is looking for someone to open a digital library- expertise in digital systems, resources, learning and ICT. 



Would you want your children to go to such a school? 




A brief letter to the editor of the Courier Mail at http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/opinion/editorials/letters-form may help bring attention to this backward step.

(Letters must be short and may be edited. All letters to be considered for publication must have a name, street address and phone number so their authenticity can be checked.)

Another copy to the Principal of Tambourine Mountain College could make even more of an impact!!principal@tmc.qld.edu.au 



Saturday, September 24, 2011

Teacher librarians need your help to step up campaign.


Are you looking for a strong future as a TL ?

 Please take a few minutes to help get action from the Inquiry recommendations. The Hub has plenty of suggestions of ways you can help support your chosen profession. Your time is up Peter Garrett.. . .It has now been over three months since the report on the federal Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians has been tabled in parliament.

 _Let the Government know you care about school libraries and the education of future students!!_Visit The Hub Bookmarks for Garrett


Advocates fear that a parliamentary inquiry report into teacher librarians will be passed over in a busy parliament.
The report from the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment was tabled in May but has yet to be debated. Read more at: Teacher Librarians step up campaign-Education Review

What a difference a school library makes


The Australian Library and Information Association and Australian School Library Association have created this wiki to enable parents, students, teachers, and everyone else who is concerned about the state of school libraries, to find out more information about this highly topical issue and to join in the discussion.
logo-aslaalia.GIF 

NEW!! THE BOOKMARK CAMPAIGN


"There is an urgency to ‘make this noise’ as we only have a three week window of opportunity. The sending of the bookmark, which takes no more than 15 minutes to complete, needs to be undertaken by Monday 10 October 2011. Please encourage everyone you know, from any place in Australia, to send this bookmark. Everyone’s single act, together, will create the postal avalanche that is needed." stated Anne Girolami, on behalf of ALIA Schools



THE BOOKMARK CAMPAIGN - CLICK HERE
ACT NOW DEADLINE 10 OCTOBER 2011


Bookmark templates are available at the ASLA/ALIA 

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Reading Lists Galore


If you are ever looking for lists of books on any topic....
Check out ATN Reading Lists.
ATN Reading Lists was started in 1996 as part of a librarian collaborative project, All Together Now, begun by Dale Copps
 Book Lists has grown significantly since its birth in 1996 and now there are approximately 1,400 lists on the site!  AMAZING!
Their "original goal of a librarian collaborative is finally a reality. By using Wikispaces, the lists can be updated, added to, deleted from, corrected, etc., by librarians all over the world. How exciting is that!!"                
It includes pages such as:
Authors 
Focused Reading Skills
Genre
Online Videos
Professional Reading
Read Alikes
Read Alouds
Readership Targeted Lists
School Subjects
Themes
Values

Thanks to Steph Westwood on Maang for alerting me to this terrific resource.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Future Ready?? Is your library?

Yale 2011
View more presentations from Stephen Abram
"Stephen Abram is ably capable of providing tips and techniques for strategic thinking and innovation in libraries. He has visited hundreds of libraries in many different countries and is uniquely positioned to spark ideas and insights to the listeners of this blog."

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Have you visited or used the resources from the NSW Teachers Federation Library


NSW TEACHERS FEDERATION LIBRARY

23-33 Mary St, Surry Hills 2010 Locked Bag 3010 Darlinghurst NSW 1300
Ph 02 9217 2113 
Fax 02 9217 2481 
Email library@nswtf.org.au


Web             
OPENING HOURS
Mon - Fri   9 am - 5 pm
Council Saturday 10 am - 1.30 pm

Have you started incorporating e-books into your library yet?


Dianne McKenzie, a teacher librarian in Hong Kong, shares in her blog post: 

E-Books - the decision has been made

"Wheelers is catering to the school library market, which means their product is affordable, they supply records through SCIS and the platform can be accessed through the library OPAC AND the website - hoorah! We can also add other documents to the platform such as student work, Gutenberg texts and other ebooks we purchase through non excrypted means (not amazon purchases). If we decide we do not want to use their platform any more, we still own the books, but we need to transfer them to another DRM platform to retain access. Wheelers has everything I was looking for in an ebook platform at an affordable price."  



Wheelers ePlatform

The ePlatform is an eBook library lending platform that facilitates the secure lending of eBook titles purchased by a library.
Once your ePlatform is established, login to the Wheelers website using your account details and purchase titles in the usual way. Following purchase the titles will appear instantly in your library’s ePlatform – ready for lending.....Wheelers uses DRM. DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. DRM is encryption technology used to protect the copyright of titles lent to library members. The DRM stops a title from being shared, copied, printed and is required by the publishers who provide the titles.


Sounds great to me. 
What about you and your library? Are you ready to expand your services to include e-books? Have you chosen a different provider? 

Friday, August 26, 2011

Are you looking for answers?


Marion Silk from ASLA shares: Over the past few months. there have been questions &amp; discussions on this listserv about e-books, digital literacy, Clickview &amp; alternatives, the future of print resources, student research needs - to name but a few.

You can get ANSWERS, TALK to representatives &amp; see DEMONSTRATIONS of many programs and solutions at the Trade Exhibition at ASLA XXII Conference....ALL IN THE ONE PLACE!!
      

Here is a brief selection of what will be available:

Q.  Will you launch into e-books and how can you manage a growing digital collection ?
n  Access-It:  Web-based management of e-books and digital material; which integrates seamlessly with SCIS; ClickView; Active Directory and LDAP; Single Sign On; automated emailing; texting, and many others
n  Softlink :  A suite of advanced library and information management including Integrated Library Management Solutions, reference and research tools used by thousands of schools across Australia, U.S., NZ  &amp; UK.
n  Readcloud: The World’s first social eReading software platform designed for educators, We provide education institutions with a digital distribution mechanism for eBooks.
n  Wheelers: a comprehensive library supplier with an active database of over 10 million books. Experience the first eBook platform that has been developed, and priced, specifically for school libraries.

Q. Which delivery platform for digital resources would best suit your school?
n  Clickview: combines innovative digital video software and a digital video library and it allows any number of students to view digital video, at any time, at their own pace, using a school's existing computer and network infrastructure
n   DVC: DVC technology backbone provides educators and students with access to the ultimate in multimedia educational experiences, along with the ability to integrate with and utilise other learning platforms such as on-line learning management systems.  In addition to providing a vast library of content, including over 10,000 educational videos, study guides etc pre-loaded on the DVC system, DVC gives you the tools to continue to grow and manage your library, often for free.

Q. Where can you go for quality print books to support the new curriculum?
n  Macmillan: one of the leading educational publishers in Australia, with a vigorous publishing program catering to the needs of Primary and Secondary schools by producing a quality range of Library, Literacy, Digital, Text and Teacher Resource Books.
n  The Booklegger: Supporting school librarians with curriculum related library books for over 30 years.

Q. Which packages will  best support your students’ research needs?
n  Britannica Digital Learning: Through each of the age-appropriate resources, Britannica provides instructional and research content that will fit the needs of every user from one simple access point.
n  EBSCO Publishing: Through a collection of tens of thousands of magazines, books, newspapers and various other publication types from renowned publishers, EBSCO Publishing serves the content needs of all school students and staff.
n  Library Webs: Online educational research service providing an Internet Library of approximately 80,000 carefully selected links. Students using LW have immediate access to authoritative Internet resources and are able to stay focused on their learning outcomes
n  World Book Forward Learning: Schools and libraries around the world consider World Book products to be a vital resource, providing valuable, accurate and up-to-date reference information in all communication mediums: print and online.

Q. What is happening with reading, literacy &amp; children’s literature?
n  National Year of Reading 2012: linking together all the great things that are already happening around books, reading and literacy, and giving them an extra boost, with inspirational programs and events taking place across the country. Find out what is happening…..
n  AUSTLIT/QUT: AustLit is a collaboration between the National Library of Australia and a network of Australian Universities, including Queensland University of Technology (QUT)

Get ANSWERS
at the Trade Exhibition
ASLA XXII Conference
2-5 October, 2011