Saturday, January 18, 2020

‘Currently reading’ flyers promote reading among school staff

Flyer taped in window that reads, 'Ms. Cynthia is currently reading ...'. A blank space below the text displays a cover image and brief write-up of 'The Wright 3' by Blue Balliett

Along with the book-review “Recommendations” display inside SRCSA library, I’ve created flyers that can showcase a staff-member’s reading. The idea is that our students — many of whom are asked to read a certain number of hours and to complete reading logs — will see these flyers and learn this about school staff: that we read, we value reading, and we make reading a part of our lives. I got the idea from a Twitter-chat among school-library personnel, and I used the Canva graphic-design app to create the flyer. My personal flyer includes my name (being the designer had its perks) but I also created a generic version that other staff who want to, can attach their own names to.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Scholastic Book Fair coming in February

Scholastic Book Fair planning kit on counter-top

Officially on the calendar at Santa Rosa Charter School for the Arts, the Scholastic Book Fair will take place during the last week in February. The planning box arrived this week and I brought it to the library.

Scholastic Book Fair is especially exciting because it’s part of Literacy Week, a week-long celebration of the written word. Appreciation to all of the tireless volunteers who make this event possible.

Workroom shelf for library technical services

White shelf with three levels on a counter-top. Library workroom supplies are arranged on each of the three levels. On the top level, supplies include a wire basket with boxes in it, and a jar and metal cup that hold scissors, pens, pica pole, knitting needles, brushes, and other tools. They sit atop a green cloth that has purple-paisley patterning. The shelf's middle level includes envelopes inside a plastic bag, thick-stroke black markers, a glue stick, date- and address-stamp and ink-pad, and a box that holds due-date slips and sheets of colored dots. The shelf's bottom level contains a row of boxes, each containing book-spine labels to indicate genre or audience: 'Bilingual,' 'Español,' 'Fantasy,' 'Graphic Novel,' 'Historical Fiction,' 'Sports,' and 'Young Adult.'

An old shelf, left by the side of the road, has new purpose in SRCSA library. It’s the perfect size to hold my supplies for processing and repairing books. I’m glad that I happened upon this shelf and that I was able to repurpose it.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

‘The Pants Project’ by Cat Clarke

Middle-school student Liv challenges a uniform policy that requires girls to wear skirts while allowing boys to wear pants. 

 Having to wear a skirt and itchy stockings goes beyond discomfort or inconvenience — because, as Liv relates, “I may seem like a girl, but on the inside, I’m a boy.” 

Part of the plot concerns Liv wrestling with how to disclose his identity to his parents, “Mom” and “Momma.” 

Liv also has to deal with bullying by a mean-girl classmate who behaves with bigoted disgust toward Liv having same-sex parents. 

SRCSA library: Book ‘Recommendations’ display

Book 'Recommendations' wall in SRCSA library. Black-and-white printouts, in 'landscape' orientation, pinned in rows on a wall. Each printout features a book's front-cover on the left of the printout, and a brief review on the right. Each printout is pasted onto colorful cardstock, which serves as a 'frame' around the book review.

Looking for “Recommendations” about books in SRCSA library? Or do you have a book that you’ve checked out from our library, which you’d recommend to others? Check out this display, which features book reviews, and please consider submitting one.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

What I’m reading : Cataloging Correctly for Kids

To enhance my skills in Library Science, I regularly read books like this one : Cataloging Correctly for Kids, An Introduction to the Tools.

I took a course in cataloging when I was going to school -- and, while it offered a good foundation for my going to work in a library, I felt that there would always be more to learn.

Add my wish to learn cataloging practices that are especially helpful to children, and it was clear to me that reading this book was essential to my professional development.

I keep the book handy on my professional shelf, to look up best-practices in cataloging.