Library Management Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Staying Cool in the Library

Sora Tips for Students and Teachers

If you or your colleagues are on the fence about trying out Sora, these Sora Tips for Students and Teachers will give you some confidence!

Tips for Online Student Book Clubs

Our school libraries or Media Centers are re-inventing themselves within the 21st century educational world. One of the ways librarians are incorporating technology in schools is through online student book clubs. Online student book clubs are a great way to encourage students to read! In today’s age of virtual or digital learning, an online student book club is the perfect way for librarians and media specialists to engage students to socialize in addition to losing themselves in a great book. Online book clubs help to promote a love for reading and literature. They also give students a sense of belonging while supporting their social and emotional mindset. Check out these tips for online student book clubs you can use in your library! Let students choose their books Providing choice in what your students are reading can not only encourage them to pick up a book but eventually find themselves

Story Time Videos and Brain Breaks

Asking students to sit still for too long can leave you feeling like you want to pull your hair out! Even as adults, we can struggle to focus on one thing for too long. That’s why it is important to add some variation into your lessons and implement some strategies to help your students get rid of some of their extra energy to be able to focus. One way to do this is utilizing story time videos and brain breaks. Research shows that scheduling breaks into your lessons helps students learn better. Taking a break helps students to refocus and stay engaged. Breaks increase productivity and add a little fun into your day! Whenever you see students starting to get antsy, use one of these breaks to help keep your class on track. It is so important to offer opportunities for physical activity and movement within your lessons, doing so

Virtual Professional Development for School Librarians

Summer is always a chance for educators to relax and re-charge after a long school year. It also is a time to attend professional development conferences and trainings. However most of these have been canceled due to coronavirus (just like everything else in our lives.) So, how do we grow our skills during this summer? Virtual professional development. Just because we can’t have these trainings in-person doesn’t mean you have to miss out. There are so many opportunities you can take advantage of not only this summer but all year long. I know many librarians are worried about losing their positions due to budget cuts and the false perception that we are not needed during distance learning. Attending workshops and learning how to use different educational apps is one way to show your administration how valuable you are. And when we go back to school you may be asked

Engaging Upper Elementary Students

Tackling lesson plans for upper elementary students has been an ongoing challenge in my role as a librarian. The task of keeping them engaged has gotten increasingly difficult. The struggle becomes even more real after the holiday break as the 5th graders return feeling more like middle school students than elementary students. So, I’ve put together a list of ideas and activities for engaging upper elementary students to spice things up and keep the excitement alive for learning in the library. Let’s dive into some ideas that can help you transform your upper elementary students from “too cool for school” to “bring on the books!” This post is collaborative in a sense. You see, over in the Staying Cool in the Library private Facebook group were discussing this very topic. If you are not already a member, come join us! Through this discussion, I quickly realized that this issue

Re-establish Library Rules and Procedures

Everyone enjoys having a break from school, students and educators alike. And while taking that time off is essential and allows us time to re-charge, it can be difficult to get back on track after an extended break. I believe this can be especially tough in the library or other specials classes. Re-establishing library rules and procedures is always part of my after break plans. Below I am sharing some tips, tricks and ideas that I have found useful in helping to get my classes back on track after a holiday break. Re-teach rules and procedures This is a an absolute must in re-establishing routines, remind students of the library rules, expectations and procedures. Act like it’s the first day of school. What did you teach your classes as they came in the library for the first time? This is what you want to re-teach now. You will not