Day 10

Today is the half-way point!  I have learned so many little things and grown in confidence in just ten short days.  Today we assisted students in finding those just right books.  I was able to do some "shelf talks" with individual students about books they might be interested in.  The little moments are so powerful, I think.  The idea of helping nearly 500 students find the perfect books can be quite daunting, but you have to take opportunities when they arise.  The more individualized reader's advisory helps me get to know a student's needs much more clearly than just through book talking with a whole class.
A good portion of time today was spent on teacher's websites.  My mentor compiled a list of teachers who needed to work on their websites and asked if I could help.  We visited with teachers during their planning times and helped them get their sites up and running.  What we found was that several teachers had created a new Google site, and all we had to do was get the new URL linked up to the school directory.  We were able to check off several teachers in a short amount of time.  Next week, we plan to continue this work and assist teachers who need more work on their sites.  I am also looking forward to having students vote for their favorite SC Book Award nominees.

Day 9

Today was another busy day in the library!  We worked with 5th grade students, and I was able to practice another booktalk.  Today I talked Brown Girl Dreaming by Jaqueline Woodson.  This was one of those books that I chose from a required list.  I would never have chosen it for myself because it is written in verse, but I loved this book!  I have discovered that booktalks are easy when you talk about a book you have read and love.  The words just tumble out.  I also feel that often a script is not really necessary...maybe just a few main points to cover on a sticky note.  Every time I have done a book talk, someone has selected that book.  It really shows the opportunity that we have to encourage students to read and to read new things.  Having overcome my anxiety about booktalks with encouragement from my mentor, I now see that they really are one of our most powerful tool for helping kids develop a love for reading.  I plan to schedule more times with teachers in my school to stop by and just talk about a few titles.

We also discussed budget planning and worked on a newsletter published bi-monthly to highlight things we are doing in our media centers.  These behind-the-scenes tasks are often just as important as the work we do with students.  Having a mentor to share my personal questions with and to get feedback on ideas and concerns is proving invaluable.  I wish I would have had someone like this last year as a new media specialist.

Day 8

Today in the library I did my first booktalk.  I was super nervous about booktalks for some reason.  In our library classes, they seemed so complicated with scripts and practice.  I had myself so worked up about this!  It is on my list of personal growth opportunities.  Thankfully, my mentor is a common sense type of person.  She told me that I do booktalks all the time and don't even realize it.  We decided that I should choose a few books that I really like to share with a kindergarten class.  I chose a couple of South Carolina Picture Book Award nominees and Green Eggs and Ham, one of the first books I learned to read all by myself.  It went perfectly!  I "sold" all of the books I talked about during that one class time.  Honestly, I don't know why I was so concerned.  The lesson I learned today was:  Don't over think it...and stick to books that you enjoy.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to have a mentor who helps me work through my weaker areas as I strive to improve.

Day 7

What an exciting day!  After weeks of planning, today we held the LCSD Read-In.  students from every single school in our district come together to share activities and discussion on a common book.  Each year, media specialist select ten students with a passion for reading to participate in a book club of sorts.  Books are always selected from the South Carolina Book Award nominees list for that year.  This year, the elementary school selected El Deafo by Cece Bell.  After reading and discussing the book, students chose a famous person with a disability to research.  Information was displayed on a project board and brought to the Read-In event for a scavenger hunt.  Students also participated in an obstacle course with a blindfold to show what it is like to have a disability.  To end our sessions, a teacher from the South Carolina School for Deaf and Blind shared with us about hearing disabilities and how the school helps.  She also shared great tips for students on how to treat people with any type of disability.  Even though some of our plans fell through, we were able to monitor and adjust to make the day perfect for students.  I think this was the most important lesson I learned today.  Going forward, when planning next year's event, I think we will need to select our book sooner and begin planning sooner.  I also feel that it would help if certain people were assigned to certain jobs rather than everyone wondering who is taking care of this and that.

Day 6

Today in the library,  I was able to work on some behind-the-scenes things that all librarians must do.  One was the budget.  In my district we are allotted funds for supplies, technology, periodicals, and books.  I usually check in with the book keeper for updates on how much I have left.  I have also had trouble knowing what can be purchased from a particular account.  Thank goodness for a mentor!  She showed me her method of keeping organized with folders.  Each account has a folder.  She keeps receipts inside and writes a running total on the outside.  So simple, yet so effective.  She also shared a list of what things can be purchased with each account.

Another thing we worked on today was a book order.  Having put so much emphasis on nonfiction last year, I really want to focus on improving and updating our fiction selection.  One thing we discussed was books in a series.  Our students love them and will often stick with this type of book because it is easy to find and familiar.  This year, however, I want to add stand-alone fiction as well.  In addition, I have noticed that book purchased from certain vendors are beginning to fall apart, so I want to choose carefully to ensure long life for the books.  My mentor shared with me her selection process using School Library Journal's top books of 2016 as well as ALA's various lists for notable books.  We also used Follett's Titlewise to access various recommended book lists and to read reviews.  The great thing about Titlewise is that they show you books you already own.  Overall is was a very productive day.