This year, the CPS Department of Libraries has updated SOAR to make it easier than ever for primary students to use the library catalog to find books of interest. It has been redesigned with a new, kid-friendly interface that allows picture-based browsing. Students can search by category, book series, or using the search bar. Easy-to-read screens show what titles the library owns, whether they are available, and where to find them. For example, if you clicked on the Magic Tree House series picture, you would see scrollable results like this: Students will have a chance to use this tool in the library throughout the year to help them be more self-sufficient in choosing and finding books.
By participating in Tech Tac Toe, a professional development series offered through the CPS Department of Libraries, I earned $2,295 in digital resources for Clinton! This includes $1,500 worth of eBooks from Mackin Educational Resources, which I will be able to select next school year to support different instructional areas, as well as six months of access next year to seven different Fact Cite databases, including: Biography for Beginners; American and World Biography Online; Lincoln Library of American History Online; Lincoln Library of Essential Information Online; Lincoln Library of Greek & Roman Mythology Online; Lincoln Library of Shapers of Society Online; and Lincoln Library of Sports Champions Online. Ever notice other kids with pictures as their email backgrounds and wish you knew how to do that? Here's a short video tutorial that will show you how: Still have questions? Stop by to ask or email me at [email protected].
For classes fourth grade and up, one of the most popular library activities during book checkout time is placing holds for popular, must-read items. Now you don't have to wait two weeks for library time - you can place a hold anytime, anywhere! All you need is an Internet connection and your CPS email username and password. Just follow the steps outlined in the document below (click the image to view or download). See Ms. Mernick with questions.
Did you know CPS offers more than 8,000 free eBooks to students and teachers? Accessing them through the CPS Virtual Library is easy. Just follow the step-by-step instructions in the document below (click the image to view or download). Contact Ms. Mernick for password information.
From now through next spring, our school has FREE access to Capstone myON, an online library of more than 4,000 fiction and nonfiction e-books on a wide range of subjects and reading levels. I won a trial subscription (an $8,500 value!) through the CPS Department of Libraries and just received training last week. It's easy to use, and set up is simple. The first time kids log on, they'll be asked to take an interest inventory that gauges how interested they are in reading different types of books, like graphic novels, scary books, nonfiction, and more. Then, they'll take a short quiz to determine their reading level range. These two components will allow the site to make targeted book recommendations that match each student's unique interests and reading needs. I'll be walking my library classes through it in the coming weeks, but if anyone else wants to check it out, stop by the library or send me an email at [email protected]. Thanks to a program offered through the CPS Department of Libraries, Clinton library is now the happy home to an Elmo document camera and a projector. With these two new pieces of equipment, I will be able to move instruction throughout the library space rather than being tied to a specific area. The equipment was part of a hardware prize offered to the top 25 finishers among the librarians who participated in PLUS Tech, a 10-session professional learning course that gave me insight into several instructional technologies that I can incorporate into the library program. I consider this a win-win situation, since I will be able to integrate new forms of technology into the projects I plan, all while providing instruction on my new equipment. I already have some great ideas for how to use them with my classes, and I can't wait to get started! |
AuthorHello, I'm Ms. Mernick, the library media teacher at Clinton. I look forward to using this site to share information and updates with my students, their families, other teachers, and our community members. Contact me with questions at [email protected]. Archives
September 2014
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