HIT: ELEM LMC Handbook Ideas

[Bob & Wendy <rlgustin@EMAIL.MSN.COM>]

A big thank you to everyone who responded to my post regarding handbook
ideas!  You are truly wonderful!  I did have more people request me to post
a hit, rather than offer information!  It seems that there are a lot of us
that need assistance in this area!

I have never posted a hit before, so here goes:

1.  One person highly recommeded ordering the book "Power Tools:  100+
Essential Formas and Presentation for your School Library Information
Program" by Joyce Kasman Valenza.  1998 copyright by ALA.

2.  Someone suggested checking out the website
http://www.dese.state.mo.us/divinstr/curriculum/library/ for ideas.

3.  Barbara Jinkins gave me permission to post her elementary media center
website:

http://www.katy.isd.tenet.edu/fe/Instructionalsupport/fielderlibrary/fielder
library.html
     There is a parent guide located there that she makes as a tri-fold to
distribute to parents at the beginning of the year.  I think this is a
wonderful example of what an elementary media center website should look
like!

4.  Someone suggested using photos of kids in the library in the parent
brochure as well as a list of books for parents to enjoy reading with their
children.  It would also include library staff, library hours, library goals
for their children, library polices, library program and information about
the Parent Resource Library.

5.  Other suggestions for a teacher handbook included putting in your
philosophy of school media centers, scheduling information, internet
addresses, library services available such as interlibrary loan, serial
duplication, multiple copy availability, lists of videos and software,
current technology training offerings, and circulation policies.

6.  Finally, Joanne Ladewig suggested doing a Power Point presentation at a
staff meeting instead of doing a handbook, where it might not get read.  She
gave me permission to post her ideas:  "The presentation was all about the
library's reference collection and teacher resources.  I pulled them all
from the shelves and grouped them by (Dewey) category and grade levels on
the tables.  I put the chairs around the perimeters of the tables in a big
circle so all could see.

Then I draped the tables with colorful tablecloths OVER the books.  I talked
about one group at a time, and pulled off one tablecloth at a time. (Kept
the suspense level up!)  Sometimtes I opened up a book and gave suggestions
about using special books or sets.

When I got to the teacher resource shelf, I held up the books individually
and gave a one sentence synopsis, then passed the books to the teachers who
glanced at them and if they wanted to check them out, they put a hellow
Post-it with their name on the cover of the book, then passed it on.  By the
end of the demo, quite a few books had one or more Post-its on them, and I
used the post-its to keep track of who needed what.  The hands-on approach
works best, in my opinion."

Again, thank you to everyone who offered information!

Signing off until September,

Wendy Gustin                        email:  rlgustin@msn.com
Elementary Media Specialist
Sterling Heights, MI

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
 To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
   listserv@listserv.syr.edu          In the message write EITHER:
    1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
 4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv
 For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=