"I don't have time to read, Mrs. Cooper."

Is there anything better than a shipment of new books? I feel like it is Christmas every time I receive a shipment of books that are hot off the press. I eagerly run to my students with all the new titles and expect them to mob me in the hallway trying to get them. In reality...no, that does not happen.  I hear the phrase, "I don't have time to read, Mrs. Cooper."  My heart breaks, as students rush to their next class, and I am left holding my precious treasures.

Well,  fighting back my disappoint, I decided something needed to be done. I am all too aware that students have tight schedules and finding time for pleasure reading takes a backseat more often than not.  So, when are students free?  The answer is lunch time.  The cafeteria is full of students in a relaxed social setting. I thought to myself, "What a great time to go connect with the students!"  

Loading up a book cart of full new titles and magazines,  I start off on my quest.  At first the students look at me oddly. They wonder, what is the librarian doing?  I stop at every table and show off the books and magazines.  Using my trusty iPad, I check out my first book!  Wow, I feel elated. To get one book into a student's hand has made the whole trip worthwhile.  Soon coming to the cafeteria is a weekly event for me.  The students stop me in the hallway and ask, "Are you coming to see us today, Mrs. Cooper?"  Absolutely! The student library assistants begin dressing me in colorful costumes, from Duck Dynasty to a giant box of Valentine's Day candy.  They don't want anyone to miss seeing me!  

Then, something amazing begins to happen.  I begin to build relationships with the students.  Not just, "Hi! How are you?"  I am referring to real authentic relationships. Students wait to see me on Fridays to catch me up on how their week went. They share their accomplishments, disappoints, hopes, dreams, and aspirations with me...the librarian.  Yes, I check out books, many books, but that is not the point. The blessing has become mine. All these amazing young people are sharing their stories with me.  They inspire me, motivate me, and remind me how fortunate I am to have the best job in the world.  

I will share one student's tale. Every week I would approach a table of young men who loved the outdoors, riding recreational vehicles, fishing and hunting.  These young men would look at me with my pile of books and politely tell me, "Mrs. Cooper, we don't read books." Well, I kept coming by every week to chat with them.  As we started getting to know each other, one of the young men asked if I had any Duck Dynasty books.  Well, no I did not have any, but I would be happy to order them.  As soon as the books came in, I rushed to the cafeteria to find the same young man.  Later that day he came by to see me.  He was on page twenty-one.  He kept coming by to inform me what was happening in each chapter. As he finished each book, he shared the stories with me, his English teacher, and his friends.  Later,  I found out this young man had not read one book the entire time he had been in high school up to this point. I felt so humbled that he trusted me enough to ask for a book.  

Now, I look for every possible opportunity to connect with students. Mostly, I listen to their stories. Our young people are just waiting for us to ask them for their ideas, opinions, and dreams. Go ask, today!

New School Year? Find New Adventures @Your Library!

          Are you ready for a new school year? I am more excited about this school year than any other in my sixteen year career. After spending my time, up to this point, at high school,  I moved to our middle school campus last spring.  It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  The students are excited, creative and ready to participate in all the adventures their new librarian can think up!  I decided that I would do things differently this time around.  I listened to the students first. I asked the students what they wanted to see in their library.  After spending a couple of months listening, I found the students love technology, but they did not always know the best ways to use their devices at school.  Our students were practically born with technology in their hands.  Some call them "digital natives."  Yes, they are "digital natives," but they need proper guidance and training.  I feel this is an area library media specialists can help; therefore, I created a tech club.  We explore digital citizenship, cool tech tools, coding, apps and much, much more. We meet during grade level lunches once a week. I was amazed at the response from our students.  Over one hundred students from sixth, seventh and eighth grades joined the club. I could hardly contain my excitement!
          In addition, students expressed an interest in starting a book club.  So, we formed a club that started off pretty small, but continues to grow.  This year, thanks to a Donors Choose grant, every book club member will receive their own book!  Last April,  I met author Chris Grabenstein at a Random House dinner at the Texas Library Association Conference.  Wow! He is funny, creative and intelligent. I knew right away our students would love his book, Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library.  So, I wrote a Donors Choose grant for seventy-five copies of his book.  I am honored to say that Mr. Lemoncello, himself, was our first donor (courtesy of Mr. Grabenstein). The students and I are looking forward to our author Skype with Mr. Grabenstein this fall.  Go book club!!!
         

          What else is new at the HMS Library? I am so glad you asked. Our newest club is all about robotics! While presenting at ISTE 2014 last summer, I met some talented educators who have a robotics club at their middle school.  I brought the idea back to our school and found a ton of support for the program.  I am looking forward to getting started, and I will keep you posted on our progress.

         
         Are you looking for ways to get students excited about learning? You may want to try starting a library club at your school. Library clubs are a wonderful way to help get students involved and trying new adventures.  

Ready for #Nerdlution?

Thanks to Colby Sharp I am re-evaluating my priorities. How can I challenge myself to be better? How can I better help my students?  What could really make a difference in mine and their lives? I have decided to do at least one good deed a day for fifty days. I will go out of my way to do something special everyday for someone- it could be a teacher, administrator or a student.  The best part??? I am going to do it anonymously! Let's see how creative I can be disguising my good deeds! Have any suggestions? Just let me know!  

#AASL13

American Association of School Librarians Conference 2013

Fun at #AASL13 with Sue Levine, Nikki Robertson, Michelle Cooper & Elissa Malespina!

     Recently, I had the opportunity to attend my first national conference. My road to the American Association of School Librarians Conference started in June 2013 with a simple tweet.  Shawna Ford tweeted that she needed a roommate for #AASL13.  Wow! I wanted to go and tweeted her immediately!  Did it matter that I only knew her from Twitter? No!  She was a librarian, and that meant she would be fabulous.  (Although, Shawna's family & friends were concerned I might be a homicidal maniac!) With the support of my awesome principal, I soon had plans to attend my first national conference. Then Carolyn Foote asked if I would like to present in the eLearning Commons.  Would I? Try and stop me!  I was so excited about AASL would it ever live up to my expectations?

                                                     Presenting in the eLearning Commons

Without a doubt the highlight of AASL was meeting the librarians I admire and respect. I have collaborated with some for years, but have never actually met them in person.  The TL News Night team is fabulous, and I finally had the chance to meet all my colleagues.  Yes, they were just as nice in person as I thought they would be!  The live TL News Night show from the eLearning Commons was a great experience. Usually we only see each other on a Google Hangout, and it was fun to experience the excitement first hand.

There was even an unconference organized by Joyce Valenza that rocked into the night with everyone learning, collaborating and having their voice heard.  The eLearning Commons was a huge success thanks to all the hard work of Carolyn Foote.  A big thank you to everyone involved in organizing the American Association of School Librarians Conference held in Hartford, Connecticut.

The Digital Shift 2013

The Community Joins In:  Library Makerspaces

I had a wonderful experience presenting for The Digital Shift 2013! My fabulous co-presenters were Justin Hoenke from the Chattanooga Public Library and Amy Koester from St. Charles City County Library District. You can read about my co-presenters at The Digital Shift and view our slides below.

The Community Joins In: Library Makerspaces from Justin Hoenke

Teamwork: Lion Style

Showing your School Spirit

This past week was homecoming at Henderson High School, and everyone showed their lion spirit!  The week was filled with fun dress up days and special events.  This week I was adopted by the science department. We transformed ourselves into "lions" to cheer on our favorite lions--our students. We even made a special guest appearance at the pep rally.  What I learned most this week is how blessed I am to work at HHS.  We truly love our students and fellow teachers.  I am honored to be a part of the Magnificent Seven.

Being a Connected Librarian Rocks!

On Saturday, I was fortunate enough to join connected librarians Elissa Malespina, Gwyneth Jones, Nikki Robertson and Tiffany Whitehead on a panel for the New Jersey Association of School Librarians.  

I had a blast and the following tweet sums it up nicely.

We discussed great resources for connecting with colleagues in our profession.  Twitter was at the top of the list for sharing, collaborating, and making connections.  Are you using Twitter yet? If not, what are you waiting for? Twitter offers the best professional development 24/7 for FREE.  Did I mention free?   Aside from making connections, Twitter provides a forum for numerous professional chats.  A few of my favorites include:

               #TLchat 2nd Tuesday at 8:00 pm EST

               #Edchat Every Tuesday at 7:00 pm EST

               #TXEDchat Every Wednsday at 8:30 pm CST

               #TXLchat 2nd & 4th Tuesdays at 8:00 pm CST

For more educational chats, hashtags and Twitter resources for educators, visit Jerry Blumengarten's Cybraryman page.  Happy tweeting! 

Paying It Forward: The Power of a PLN

Paying It Forward: The Power of a PLN

Do you have a professional learning network of educators you can call on for advice, resources and inspiration? Everyone deserves a PLN as amazing as the one I have been fortunate enough to build. My network includes librarians, teachers, tech experts, principals, authors, and many virtual colleagues. They motivate me on a daily basis and challenge me to be a better person--not just for me, but for the students. As a librarian, I sometimes feel isolated. Since I became a connected educator, I know guidance, support, and collaboration are only a click a way.  Educators across the nation share many of the same challenges, concerns and goals.  Our greatest resource is each other.
Please meet a few of my PLN:

Sharon Gullett has been my teacher, mentor and friend for more years than I can remember. When I was just a shy quiet librarian student, she saw potential in me. Potential I did not see in myself at the time. She pushed me out of my comfort zone over and over again because she knew I would rise to the challenge. Today I speak at conferences, lead professional development, and view everyday as a learning opportunity because of Sharon's influence. I cannot ever repay her, but I can pay it forward to the students, teachers and administrators I come into contact with daily.

Scott Floyd is a true change agent and visionary. He works tirelessly to create an environment whereby students and teachers have the technology resources, freedom and leadership to achieve their goals. He inspires me to make a difference and always be forward thinking.

Nikki Robertson is a rock star librarian and friend. She creates innovative library programs and is a leader among school librarians.  One tweet to Nikki, and we have a whole new adventure-TL News Night. We hold a monthly newscast featuring school library news and in depth discussions with a panel of school library leaders.  The all-star panel includes Elissa Malespina, Sue Levine, Tamara Cox and Shannon Miller. I am honored to be a member of TL News Night Crew.

Terry Everitt is my principal, but he is also a man of character our students and teachers admire and respect.  His motto is, "Make Everyday Count." What a simple but powerful statement.  Our students need us every single day. They need us to genuinely care, provide guidance, and be dependable role models. We never know the day our students may need us the most. Can they count on you?

If you have not taken the time to build a personal learning network, now is the time. Join a network of connected educators! As Helen Keller once said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."

Vampires vs. Werewolves vs. Immortals

Fictional Book Character Smackdown

What better time to start a Vampires vs. Werewolves vs. Immortals Book Character Smackdown than October?  My students have worked hard to create brackets for our most popular characters similar to March Madness. 

The students began voting today for their favorite characters using a Google form.  Each week we will announce the winners and get closer to crowning our ultimate victor. We had numerous requests to put Edward and Jacob from Twilight on opposite sides of the bracket. Many of our students are hoping for an Edward and Jacob showdown! Girls and guys both are busy predicting who will win the first round and attempting to persuade their classmates' choices. May the best vampire, werewolf, or immortal win! Stay posted for the results on Halloween.

TL News Night

TL News Night

A few weeks ago my long time mentor and friend, Sharon Gullett, expressed that she would like to see me create a video podcast for school librarians. What a great idea!  I knew just who to call.  My talented friend, Nikki Robertson, would be the perfect person to help start this new adventure. In a few days we had a title and direction for the show, an awesome team of librarians, and guests for the first broadcast.  This little dream had become a reality-FAST. 

Monday night was the inaugural broadcast.  We welcomed guests from the New York Association of School Librarians.  Hearing their story of cutbacks, lost positions, and massive budget cuts rang all too true. Librarians across our great nation are losing their place in our libraries. Now is the time for us to become leaders in our libraries, schools and communities. I admire school librarians because I know the love and dedication we have for our students. We do make a difference!

Our next broadcast is October 21, 2013. Please join us as we highlight the Texas Library Association and discuss librarians as leaders in our changing world.

Cool Tech Tool: Blendspace

Blendspace

You may have previously heard of Edcanvas. Now it has a new name Blendspace.  This cool tech tool allows you to add content from YouTube, Google, Vimeo, Dropbox, GoogleDocs, files from your computer, and much more onto one page with one link to share.  Teachers can create easy to access lessons and tutorials for their students. Quizzes and documents can be added seamlessly.  Teachers can create classes in Blendspace and have their students create accounts.  Those students can then be added to the correct class. Once finished creating the lesson, you can play it, and share it with others. Blendspace lessons can be shared on Edmodo, Facebook, email, embed code, QR code, or you can share the link with anyone.  A searchable gallery of lessons is also available on Blendspace. If the author allows, you can copy the lesson and edit it. Play the video above for a quick tutorial. Create something awesome!

If you give a student...

     

     I have always loved the book series If You Give a Mouse a Cookie written by Laura Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond.  Once my son came along, it warmed my heart to see him fall in love with this book series too. His personal favorite is If You Give a Moose a Muffin. Reflecting on the magic of these books, helped me realize the whole journey begins with If.  What a magical word.  Anything is possible with If.
     Students walk through our doors everyday ready for If.  What if this is the day I succeed,  create a masterpiece, go on a real life adventure, or learn something wonderful?  What could our young people accomplish if we, as educators, gave them...RESPECT, SUPPORT, HONESTY, FREEDOM,  and SAFETY . What Ifs could they dream and accomplish?
     I always want my students to know I value them, and they have great worth in my book. Above all, they matter to me.   Respect is an amazing trait to model for young people.  If you respect them consistently, they reciprocate, and they pass that gift along to their friends and family.
     Students arrive at our school every morning. Some are ready for a new day, and some are not.  Our students have diverse backgrounds, and no one student's circumstances are the same as another.  What I can give is my unwavering support. I am never too busy that I cannot stop and help a student.  Support can come in many forms.  As a classroom teacher I sent postcards to students' parents.  I would describe something great their child accomplished in class, a good deed the student performed, or how much I enjoyed teaching that young person.  I never really thought twice about it. I just sent them out and forgot about them.  Years later, a student came up  to me and thanked me. The student said his family still had that postcard hanging on the wall of their house. Wow! Now that student is all grown up and works in my school district. It is his turn to pay it forward.
     One of the best gifts educators can give and receive is the opportunity to get connected with students. Our young people are amazingly talented, humorous, creative, and gifted with no preconceived notions about what can be accomplished in life. Students want educators to be 'real' with them. They want our honesty. Students deal with tough issues in this day and time. I hope all my students know they can come to me when they are in need. I cannot always help them myself, but I can always get them help.  School counselors are an amazing resource, and they are trained to deal with tough issues.  When students know you truly care, they will share their accomplishments, disappointments, goals, and dreams.
     When possible, I always allow students to make their own choices about learning.  Who does not like freedom? Students will take ownership and invest in the learning process when they feel empowered. Student choice also creates a more authentic learning environment.  Students learn in many ways, and I admire those who respect that fact. Not everyone learns like me, and I never want to force my learning style on others.
     As I focus on giving young people respect, support, honesty and freedom, I remind myself that student safety is paramount. If I do not provide a safe and secure environment, then no learning takes place. Safety is a basic necessity and must be established first.  Once students know they are secure, respected, and supported, our young people can begin to dream. As I start a new week,  I am focusing on a small, magical word...If 

If you give a student RESPECT, SUPPORT, HONESTY, FREEDOM, AND SAFETY, they will rise, and rise, and rise.....How far?  As far as he or she chooses.  

Ready to Collaborate? Join the AASL Conference Ning!

 ning.aasl.org

As school librarians, one of our greatest resources is our ability to collaborate with fellow professionals in our field.   The American Association of School Librarians is helping to facilitate collaboration by asking all school librarians to join the AASL Conference Ning.  Even if you are unable to attend the AASL Conference, join the Ning to share ideas, resources, and develop professional relationships with fellow librarians.  As Helen Keller once stated, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Please take a few minutes to visit the AASL Ning and join today! http://ning.aasl.org/

#TXLchat is Back!

Welcome back to a great new school year!  The new season of #TXLchat starts at 8:00 p.m. (CST) on Tuesday, September 10, 2014.  We will discuss back to school ideas, resources and more.  #TXLchat is expanding to an hour long chat this year on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month.  We have an expert group of librarians serving as moderators who are professionals in the field of library science.  

                                               Sharon Gullett      @sharongullett

                                               Marsha Edney      @EdneyLib

                                               Naomi Bates        @yabooksandmore

                                               Sue Fitzgerald      @sue_fitz

                                               Sandra Carswell   @ sandracarswell

                                               Sonja Schulz        @sonjaschulz

                                               Michelle Cooper   @_michellecooper

Join us for library resources, great ideas, special guests, and more to help you and your library this year!

Got E-Books?

     Are you a Destiny user? Do you have Follett Shelf? Well, there is an app to help your students find the books they want!  With Destiny Quest students can log into Destiny to access their personal account. From the app students can search your online catalog, view books, check out and return e-books on the Follett Shelf, and manage their bookshelf.  

     I am spending the next week visiting all our high school English classes to show students and teachers how to use the Destiny Quest app.  I love the search feature in Quest.  Students can search my entire catalog of books, print and digital.  Students wanting a print book can put a hold on the book immediately. Students can view resource lists that teachers prepare and digital resource links to databases.  The account setting allows students to see any books they currently have checked out, titles on hold, and any fines the students may have. The bookshelf feature shows students what they are currently reading, books they want to read, and books they have already read. A new arrivals feature allows students to see the latest books hitting the library shelves.  Students I have already shown the app to love the top ten section. This is a list of the top ten most circulated books in the library. 

     I am a strong believer of books in any format for our students. Many of our students still love the book they can hold in their hand, but a new group of young people is emerging who expect digital content. I want our library to be ready for book lovers of any format.

  

What is your big dream this school year?

For me the start of a new school year is almost magical. New students, new teachers, new hopes, new dreams....the list goes on and on. Anything is possible in a fresh new year. The most important part of a new school year is your dream. What is your big dream this year?  I am asking students, teachers, administrators, and all school staff to share their dreams for the coming school year. Students are beginning to jot their dreams down on post it notes and stick them to our dream board. Soon, I hope, it will be covered with dreams.  If you are like me, you have too many dreams to put on the board. I had to narrow mine down to a small list.

• I want to help every student be successful in school and in life.
• I want every student to know how important and vital they are to this world. 
• I want to find every student the "right" book for him or her.
• I want EVERY student to know that I CARE and they matter!

So...what is your big dream this year?

     

Treasures from Library Summit 2013

Recently I had the opportunity to present at and attend the Dallas ISD and Region 10 Library Summit. What an amazing opportunity to connect and share with other professionals who are committed to making a difference in education. The fabulous Joyce Valenza was the keynote speaker. Her presentation was inspirational and provided a wealth of resources focusing on collaboration with students and educators. It is always a pleasure to hear her speak. Many talented librarians presented at the summit, but one stood out as a Google maven. Marsha Edney, from Marshall ISD, presented  "Get Stuff Done with Google Forms" and shared a variety of creative ways to make forms work for you. 

Below are just a few of the ideas Marsha shared.

Library Sign In forms- Have students sign in to the library on a Google form that time stamps their arrival and departure.

Calendar for Library and Computer Labs, Mobile Labs-  Teachers can view and reserve library space.

Parking Permit Database- Create a searchable list of student and faculty parking permits for increased campus safety. 

Class Research  Topics- Allow students to choose  topics easily on a form.

Pre or Post Tests

Freshmen Orientation Survey

Campus Surveys-Parent Surveys during Orientation or Open House

Book Requests Form

Student Elections- Marsha conducts all student elections through forms.

     You can follow Marsha on Twitter @EdneyLib for more great ideas!

Have you checked out SymbalooEdu lately?

SymbalooEdu is an interactive collection of all your favorite web tools, YouTube videos, Animoto videos, lesson plans, RSS Feeds, and much, much more.  

Create links to research tools, lib guides, e-books, and cool sites like EasyBib.  Having all the links in one place makes researching easier for students and teachers. Symbaloo easily embeds in library homepages such as Destiny.  Students love using the webmix with icons. Before using Symbaloo, I had a list of links to important resources on my library homepage. This frustrated students who were looking to find links quickly.  The colorful icons help students find resources easily.  Symbaloo is a great tool for student projects. Let students create webmixes on any topic and share them.  Students can also create e-portfolios and have a professional body of work for the 21st century. The possibilities are endless! Check out www.SymbalooEdu.com today!

TALL TEXANS 2013

Being selected to be a part of the Tall Texan Leadership Development Class of 2013 has been one the highlights of my career.  I am thankful for the Texas Library Association’s commitment to create an institute that prepares leaders to excel in the field of librarianship.  Jack Siggins, Director of the George Washington University Gelman Library, and Maureen Sullivan, Past President of the American Library Association, were the institute’s facilitators.  Along with an amazing group of mentors, Jack and Maureen shared insights from their own careers and leadership theories to help us become successful leaders.   

Jack Siggins & Maureen Sullivan

With an emphasis on collaboration, we learned how to lead groups of professionals, utilize risk taking strategies, and develop interpersonal relationships and skills. 

Ted Wanner is the project coordinator for Tall Texans and does a wonderful job organizing the institute. The Montserrat Jesuit Retreat Center, a beautiful facility overlooking a lake, provided the accommodations for the institute.  

I would like to express my thanks to everyone who helped to create a wonderful Tall Texan experience: Texas Library Association, Jack Siggins and Maureen Sullivan, Ted Wanner, Sharon Amastae, Donald Dyal, Oralia Garza de Cortes, Carlyn Gray, Deborah Halsted, Ling Hwey Jeng, TASL, YART, and all the participants of the Tall Texan Class of 2013. A special thanks to my longtime mentor and friend Sharon Gullett, my amazing superintendent, Keith Boles, for supporting me, and Stacey Sullivan who has always believed in me.

Our Amazing Mentors

“Why not?”

Lessons Library Lady Learned from the Seniors of 2013

 

     The seniors of 2013 have taught me some pretty important lessons this year. The most powerful of all is, “Why Not?”  I started this school year pretty much the same as I always have for fifteen years.   I planned with teachers, prepared the library for another year, and thought I was on the right track.  I have always loved my profession, but at times I did feel I could do more. I just wasn’t sure what it was; then, walked in a group of amazing young men and women who turned my world upside down. 

     Cleverly disguised as library assistants, these young sages challenged all my traditional thinking.  We sat in my office and brainstormed ideas—not just occasionally, but most every day.  What could we do to promote reading, help teachers, and push ourselves to grow? We came up with crazy ideas and really simple ones too.  I am proud to say we implemented most of them and changed the way students and teachers feel about the library at our school. 

     Our mantra this year became, “Why not?”  As we thought of ideas that were too farfetched, we tossed them aside, only to resurrect them later as we thought, “Why not?”  When you really think about it, what would stop you from doing something great--fear, worry, lack of confidence?  Well, I had all of those and so did my students, but together we knew we could accomplish anything. To quote Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”   From dressing up as Library Lady in outrageous costumes and checking out books in the cafeteria to creating forensic crime scenes, I feel we have accomplished so much more than we dreamed possible.  We have created a library that is viable, relevant, and no longer invisible. Now we are the first place teachers and students come for research help, tech tools, great books, and a place to socialize. Do you want to know the best part? This is only the start--the sky is the limit.  Imagine what we can do next year! 

     As the year draws to a close, my wonderful seniors are graduating and going off to change the world while they will always leave a lasting impression on me.  Seniors, please remember the road that lays before you is filled with joys and hardships, opportunities and challenges, but most of all your future is what you make it.  So why not make it as awesome as you are???