Promotional themes part II

[Katie Bailey 904-676-1421 <BAILEYK@MAIL.FIRN.EDU>]

More promotional themes from the list sent to Katie Bailey
Forgot to add my e-mail address to the last one
baileyk@mail.firn.edu

Katie,
Just read your theme ideas and loved them! Only wish I were as creative!
You wondered if this had been covered lately on LM_NET and, no, it hasn't.
I personally would like to see more things like that and would love to
read more of your ideas (and those of others). So, please post anything of
the sort on the net!
In our school, departments are given a month's worth of display in the
library windows to use as they wish to "show off" what they're doing or
what their program is about.
Janet Bernreuther
Oswego High School
Oswego, NY 13126
(There are so many of us that are new on this thai I thought it would be
ok to repost this message that Nancy sent to me.  AND...at this time of
year we all need ideas! :-)   Katie)))
****************************************************************

Katie, I'm not sure what happened to my message.  My copy was complete; maybe
just the jumpy sentence sequences confused you.  I found the file to send you.
Thanks to all who responded to my question about bulletin boards.  Several
of you asked me to send the responses, so I decided to post them to the net.
Hope you find these suggestions useful.  I certainly did.  Thanks again.
Nancy

ORIGINAL MESSAGE

   I have two really large bulletin board areas in my LMC plus several
smaller spaces, so I'm looking for ways to use these spaces effectively.
Both my aide and I are decidedly non-artistic, so we're considering ordering
one or more of the CREATIVE COPYCAT books by Marian Canoles in the Libraries
Unlimited catalog.  Has anyone used these?  Are they appropriate for upper
graders?  My school is PK through 8.  Would they work well with 7th and 8th
graders as the bulletin board producers?  Does anyone have a better source
of bulletin board patterns and/or ideas?

RESPONSES TO BULLETIN BOARD IDEA REQUEST

1.  From: "Linda H. Wood" <lwood@mwc.vak12ed.edu>

   I am in a large middle school and have had good success finding patterns
in The Good Apple Book of Reproducible Patterns.  The only problem is
keeping it away from the teachers long enough to use it in the library!  I
have also found good ideas in "The Book Report" magazine.

2.  From: Frances Bryant Bradburn frabra@joyner.lib.ecu.edu

   Frankly, while Creative Copycats do tend to run younger than 7 and 8
grade, I don't think they're insulting or anything.  Probably in a PK-8
environment, they'll do nicely.

3.  From: Barbara Jansen <bjansen@tenet.edu>

   I would rather wash windows and conduct school inventory than make
bulletin boards!  I use the bulletin board outside the LMC in the hall to
thank my library volunteers.  I use a banner program such as BannerMania or
SuperPrint (the new Print Shop will have nicer fonts than the old one) and
make a large banner proclaiming: "Live Oak Library Media Center loves its
parent volunteers!"  Then I make a colorful (astrobright paper) one page
sign for each volunteer and spread them in a cheerful pattern around the
banner.  The volunteers really like it, it's easy and you don't have to
change it often.  As your volunteers change, just make additional one page
signs!  Use die-cuts to fill in the spaces. You can change these for each
season if you are so inclined.

4.  From: Joni J Rathbun <jrathbun@EDNET1.OSL.OR.GOV>

   I'm in two schools and have WAY too many bulletin boards to call my
own!!!  Some contain simple news and info. Some are simply book promos -
AVOID EXTINCTION - READ - etc. A couple I try to maintain as truly readable
boards, easier said than done of course. This year, however, my plan seems
to be working pretty well.

   On one board I post photocopies or "close to's" I've created on the
computer - info I've taken from puzzle books (eg Peter Puzzlemaker),
brainteasers, __Weird and Wacky Inventions__, etc. Included on the board is
space for students to respond with solutions or guesses as to answers.  The
other board is a geo board. I found some neat postcards from around our
state - postcards with no logos or slogans - just photos. I post these and
students try to identify the locations. I've written to travel departments
around the US for more postcards, pictures, etc., and eventually plan to do
the same with national landmarks, etc.

5.  From:  carolan@ids.net

   I gave my big bulletin board over to the student council and they have
done a great job with it.  Every once in awhile I'll post a notice I receive
(ex: writing contests).  I'm in a 7 & 8th grade school and have never been
successful in motivating students to keep at something like that.  If you
are, get a group going to do it.

   Have not used the book you mention--kids like to read about themselves.
How 'bout Polaroids or snapshots of library users or book reviews or even
colorful posters from ALA or Wonderstorms (?not sure that's the name of the
"alternative" catalog).  Posters are great because they take up a lot of
space!

6.  From: Shelley Glantz Arlington High <GLANTZS@a1.mec.mass.edu>

   I have used the Creative Copycat books for ideas for bulletin boards for
both junior high and high school. I have adapted them to the grade level by
displaying books on the board appropriate to the interests of the students.

7.  From: Diane Culbertson <DCULB01@UKCC.UKY.EDU>

   We have three display areas in our Media Center (serving 1800 students,
9-12).  We have a kiosk, glass display table and a large window area outside
the library.  Right now we have a surrealistic art exhibit with artwork
provided by our art teacher and books we have in the library to supplement
the display.  We have a display on copyright for both teachers and students
talking about the law and videotapes, books, software, etc.  We have another
display on the women's right to vote.  Let the seasons be your guide.  We
change all three displays every month (usually).  Banned Books week is
coming up.  How about covering your display area all but a small peephole.
Write "Do not look in this hole." over it.  Inside show all of the banned
books.  Boy, will that get their attention!  This is, of course, for high
school on up.  Let's not offend anyone.

   I have little artistic talent, but I steal good ideas all of the time.
My partner is getting ready to do a "Read all about the moo-o-ovies" display
with a stuffed cow and lots of books that have been made into movies.  Use
your imagination.  I've heard that investing in Barbie and Ken dolls is
great in elementary school.  You can use them in hundreds of ways.  Good
luck.

8.  From: Guusje Zimmerman Moore <guusje@tenet.edu>

   My kids love anything with their name/work on it...get your kids to
submit drawings etc. and mount them.  I always take pictures of kids in my
LRC and then mount the pictures...they love to look at pictures of
themselves and their friends.  We do booktrees where kids write their name
on the "leaves" and so on.  The Mail Box magazine often has really good
ideas.  Also, you can usually get nice posters from the publishers...put
those up...great art, no effort (I can't do art either!).

   The gr. 3-6 Mail Box actually has a monthly page for media specialists
and both the primary and the gr 3-6 issue have 4-6 bulletin board ideas
(complete with step by step suggestions for the artistically challenged) in
them...it's great magazine...my teachers que up for it.

9.  From: Pat Heydweiller <PBHEYDWE@SUVM.BITNET>

   Do you subscribe to Mailbox?  Both the elementary issues and the
intermediate ones have bulletin board ideas.  I usually adapt them, but
we've had some very "successful" displays in our school using the ideas from
Mailbox.  I like to have the kids do drawings or cutouts to go with the
books I read and then I use those to do the display.  Another good idea I've
seen in two libraries, and I think someone on here once did it, is to put up
the same word in many languages, and then book jackets or titles involving
that word, for example--snow.    We also use the opaque projector a lot (I
can't draw *anything*, so I make extensive use of the copier, etc.!

10.  From: Connie Williams <cowilli@EIS.CALSTATE.EDU>

   My t.a. just walked in as I was reading this letter.  She suggests that
you have T.A.'s do bulletin boards....actually, my best bulletin boards came
from T.As.   I don't use banner maker nearly as often as I should...thanks
for the ideas!


Lucky Connie, wouldn't it be nice to have t.a.'s around to do bulletin
boards!

Thanks again to all who responded.
Nancy Daniels
danielsa@uwplatt.edu