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 Here is part one of my three summaries of replies I received regarding how
to efficiently match book collections with AR titles. (I have spent a lot of
time summarizing main points from the many good responses, combining
different responses where I could.)
--Part two: Custom Disks from AR to match your collection was highly
recommended.
--Part three: Some comments and suggestions on starting on a small scale.
--Part four: editing MARC records and physcially marking AR books.

Julie Rosenoff
Library Media Specialist
Progress Elementary, Veradale WA
jrosenoff@cvsd.org


  ************************************************************
  ***PART ONE:  Book Guide (CD-ROM) was recommended by many!**
  ************************************************************

==========================
       *****AR Book Guide:*****
   With AR Book Guide you can import your circulation data and the program
will mark which books you have.  It's worth the price of AR Book Guide. It
can interact with automated systems and tell you which books you have that
you also have tests for- but someone has to manually pull them from the
shelves and mark them. but once you get up and running it's a great program-
our kids love it
 You can also go into Book Guide and check off books one at a time if you
want to.
==========================
     *** Possible, but not time-efficient:****
There is a catalog from Perfection Learning that tells what books are on
each test disk, and you can just check them off that way if you didn't want
to spend any money for the CD.
=============================
     *****AR Book Guide:subscription CD-ROM***
   As an old-timer in the AR world, a recent product is the handiest way to
solve all of your problems.  It's the AR Book Guide, (a subscription service
actually) that is on CD-ROM.  It lists all AR book tests AR has available.
You can quickly search by title, author, R.L. Interest Level, number of
pages (!) like-subject, book summaries, AND you can customize... mark the
tests you have and the books you have!!  They even have two fields you can
set up to customize even more. ( Having two libraries, I  have one for the #
of copies in high school  and one for # of copies in elem.)You can also
print out an order form for  tests from this program...
   It's only $89. and you get quarterly updates.    I got it through
Advantage Learning. Call them at 1-800-455-0709.  They are so helpful.  They
also have a  CD that they  give away with their catalog called the AR
Titlefinder that is their  whole catalog of tests that are available.
 =========================
**** Used Book Guide successfully****
  We were able to download all our collection onto 6 disks (we use Winnebago
automation system), then upload this into the AR Book Guide.  This marked on
the Book Guide which books we had.  It missed a few because of misspelled
titles or titles that were not listed exactly the same, but most of them
showed up.

We then checked in the Book Guide which tests we had purchased and printed
out a list that had the books we had tests for.  We also printed out a list
of AR books we had that we did not have the tests for so that we can order
some custom  disks.
=========================
      ****Start Slowly*****
   I would also suggest starting slowly. One or two grade levels. The
problems are having enough books and the books the kids want to read.  I
really like the program but It is extra work for the librarian.
=========================
****Comment:  AR books out-of-print *****
   I have spent over 2 weeks trying to pull  together a $1500 grant. I
originally was ordering the elementary sample kit which had 4 disks.  I
discovered that a great number of the books required were out of print.  AR
agreed to substitute any disk that I chose.  I eventually chose 3 different
ones, but had to sit down with the catalog and go thru title after title
with my on line cataloging at school.  When ordering, I sat with the
Econo-Clad AR catalog and the BTSB catalog and a Follett regular catalog.  I
found the in many cases if Econo Clad didn't have the title, Follett did.
What a mess.  Honestly, the books we did have for AR are the oldest and
least appealing books on our shelves.  It should be interesting to see what
AR does for these elderly books.
=========================
I found this site for accelerated reader:
http://minot.com/~mps/title/arpage.htm
===============================
End of Part 1

>Subject: Target: Accelerate Reader startup question
>Author:  Julie Rosenoff <julier@IEA.COM> at INTERNET-GATEWAY
>Date:    1/27/99 7:58 PM
>
>
>One of my teachers is very interested in trying to start AR on a small
>scale.
>
>Before she starts, she'd like to know if there is an easy way to identify AR
>titles from those we currently have in our automated (Follett-Dos version)
>library as well as books in her school and personal collections.
>
>Any suggestions about how to efficiently identify which AR titles we
>currently have?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Julie Rosenoff
>
>Julie Rosenoff, Library Media Specialist
>Progress Elementary, Veradale WA
>jrosenoff@cvsd.org

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