“I’d like my colleagues to consider that there is not one right way to do library. There really is no box. It’s not brain surgery. No patient will die if we try something new... our libraries can be spaces where it’s okay to celebrate new ideas and take a few risks–as long as we are helping students and faculty think, create, share and grow.”
--Joyce Kasman Valenza - excerpt from TYSL blog post
Think! Transformation
Library anxiety is real. The phenomenon, which involves feeling intimidated, embarrassed, and overwhelmed by libraries and librarians, was first identified by Constance A. Mellon in 1986. Her paper, "Library Anxiety: A Grounded Theory and Its Development," reported that college students in particular are prone to library anxiety because they believe their research skills are inadequate, which makes them feel ashamed and unwilling to talk to the very librarians who might be able to ease their worries.
Consider the following questions as you read this article and post reflections to the Comments section below.
- Is library anxiety something only freshman college students experience?
- What specific things have you done to reduce patron (including staff) library anxiety?
The first TL to post answers to both of these questions in the Comment section below, will win a FREE GAFE Summit registration ($229 value).
What to Know @BVSD this Month!
Be sure and bookmark bvsdpl.org for quick access to BVSD’s Professional Learning Department educator resources, help, and information about MyPassport, BVSD’s new online system that gathers staff evaluations and professional development resources in one place.
Ed Tech is excited to offer, Online Collaboration and Connected Learning (OCCL), a new blended learning professional development opportunity for all K-12 classroom teachers. Participants in this blended course will continue to develop expertise in the utilization of digital tools and best 21st century instructional practices for integrating these tools in their classroom, and earn a 1.0 salary credit.
Click here to learn more about the class objective and Educator Effectiveness Standards addressed. Register for this class via MyPassport and search on course code 20554.
Colorado Association of School Libraries (CAL) annual conference will happen October 20-22 in Loveland, CO. Click here to register.
An excellent local opportunity to grow your personal learning network, learn from experts, and get vendor face time. I am particularly excited to hear Nina Simon speak, Day 1 keynote speaker. Simon’s book The Participatory Museum is incredibly enlightening and has got me thinking about ways to leverage her strategies for creating participatory museum experiences to create participatory library experiences.
The 2016 Colorado Summit Featuring Google for Education is BACK in Boulder Valley School District at Monarch High School on November 5th and 6th!
We encourage you to present and share your expertise and ideas with attendees. Click here to submit your presentation idea(s). And yes, attendees want to hear from teacher librarians, you are leaders and have much to share. Remember, presenters attend for FREE.
BVSD Employees can register at anytime to receive the same host rate of $229 - use the special BVSD only promo code!
Like last year, BVSD Ed Tech is offering a buy one (BOGO), get one free registration. If your principal funds one teacher, Ed Tech will pay for an additional teacher from your building! A communication about this offer was sent out to all principals.
TL Workshops & LIBinars
Sign up for Workshops and LIBinars via MyPassport.
MyPassport Code: 16312
- October 10 - TL PD @ SparkFun (more info coming soon)
- HS TLs 8:00-11:30 AM
- Elem TLs 12:30-4 PM
- October 19, Highly Effective School Librarian (HESL) update from Tammy Langeberg, CDE HESL Coordinator
- November 9, Whittier Elementary (yes, not on a Tuesday)
- January 10, Southern Hills Middle
- March 14, Sanchez Elementary
- May 9, Ed Center (End-of-Year Celebration)
Insignia| Tips & Tricks
- Do a Hold Print so you can send barcodes to the Ricoh when you are at your computer, then print them when you are at the printer; no more madly running to the printer to load labels!
- Mackin and Follett Titlewave have run a collection analysis for all school libraries. Please take a moment to review and align your collection development goals for this year.
News| Events | Resources
- BVSD OverDrive Collection Launch | Oct. 1 - available to all BVSD staff (regardless if school is participating in OverDrive) and students at participating OverDrive schools.
- FREE PD opportunities:
- Libraries of the Future Online Mini-Conference | Oct. 6 sponsored by ALA’s Center for the Future of Libraries.
- Share Faire Nation Denver | Oct. 8
- Digital Shift 2016 virtual conference | Oct. 19,10:00 AM - 5:00 PM EDT.
- Colleen Graves, high school librarian and maker guru, CDE webinars are available for on-demand listening and viewing:
- FREE Classic titles:
- Patrons with iPads or iOS devices, iBookstore, via iTunes, offers 19 classics (all public domain titles).
- For all patrons (not device specific) checkout the 457 titles in the Insignia catalog from Project Gutenberg, search under Subject = Project Gutenberg
- Boulder Public Library (BPL) will host a Research Rendezvous, Saturday Dec. 3. If you are supporting teachers involved with National History Day be sure to tell them about Boulder Public Library’s (BPL) Research Rendezvous on Saturday Dec. 3 --click here for details.
Nope, I don't think library anxiety is something only freshman college students experience because I've seen it in the faces of my middle school students. I see it in the way they sheepishly ask questions or even bring a friend to ask the question for them (I always took my college roommate with me to the library because she was so helpful that I didn't need to ask a librarian). I always try to talk to students even when they are not needing help. It's important to build relationships and to be an approachable librarian so they feel more comfortable asking for help when they need it. With staff, I give them my cell phone number and tell them they can call/text me, e-mail me, or come talk any time they need anything. I also attend monthly department meetings to offer help. This is great because they can see how I collaborate & plan with another teacher in their department while I'm there and that helps ease anxiety for them to ask for help too. I've created how-to screencasts for staff as well.
ReplyDeleteRegina, appreciate your thoughtful response. I agree, library anxiety is not limited to college freshman. I saw it all grade levels, Kindy -12. Before I was TL I worked at Waldenbooks and Borders bookstores and I brought my bookseller mentality to my PreK-8 library--meet, greet, and listen was my way of letting patrons know that I was there for them and accessible.
ReplyDeleteBY the way--CONGRATULATIONS! You have won a FREE GAFE Summit registration. The GAFE Summit is Nov. 5-6. I will send you a follow up email with more information.
I love the meet, greet, & listen idea. It's an easy thing to remember & will go a long way with building relationships with students.
ReplyDelete