Thanks to everyone who responded to my inquiry about how to get kids =
interested in books. LM_Net has been a wonderful resource for me and to =
all who are new, post the Hits you receive, give back!
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=20
Book talks are very effective in getting students interested. I found =
that when I held up the book and gave just a VERY brief summarization of =
the plot line and a personal comment about how the book appealed (or did =
not) to me that the books were invariably checked out and sometimes a =
waiting list formed. I try to include books that do not appeal to me =
but might appeal to special interests of certain groups of students. =
I'm honest with them and always stress that what is a "good" book =
depends on the reader's personal interests.
=20
Book displays are also good ways to promote reading. Make sure students =
know they can check out anything that is in the display, and replace =
checked out items promptly.
=20
Keep book jackets on the books...even when the book has an illustrated =
cover. Students will scan the blurb and often select a book just on =
that basis.
=20
Getting them to come into the library with the "I'm going to check out a =
book (voluntarily)" mindset is another matter. Taking your booktalks to =
the classroom may be one way. You could also try "What's new at your =
library" newsletters, book reviews written by students, or a daily book =
review or book talk during morning announcements if your school still =
does those over an intercom.
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I've just finished my first year in a Middle School library and loved =
it! MS students read! We had great success. Some of the keys are: =
have good books, display them every way you can. I had a section by my =
magazines that changed monthly: Awesome Author, Kids Choice Awards, For =
Men Only, etc. Had books on top of shelves, had books face front on =
shelves (ala bookstore). I did lots of book talks with some of the =
english/reading teachers. When I check out books, I'd say to kids: "I =
haven't had a chance to read this one, let me know what you think." or =
"I hear this is really great", "One of the girls told me this was the =
best book she ever read." -- the kids all reported back to me because =
they knew I cared about their opinion, would read books they liked, and =
vice versa. I think the overall key is to create a community where =
books matter, where people talk about books, where teachers read as well =
as students. We also participated in Heifer Project International's =
fundraising project called Read To Feed. (check out their website). I =
did a cool bulletin board with teachers reading lists; this quickly =
became Read To Compete as we vied to have the more books on our lists =
than other teachers! The teachers read a lot of YA lit -- and the kids =
loved it. Just some quick ideas for you. The kids know that I love =
books and they pick up on that passion. Enjoy your new career -- I =
still can't believe they pay us for having so much fun! =20
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=20
I have used displays of new books or books on a topic. If I see =
students looking at the books, I walk over and mention some of the =
titles that I have read and enjoyed. Do lots of mini- booktalks. It =
really helps to know the collection. It does take time. =20
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Contests are always popular. Ask students for input
on book selection. Let the person who suggested a
title check it out first. Booktalks, booktalks,
booktalks - especially NF
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Purchase things they're interested in. Don't just focus on the =
curriculum.
Books on cars, dirt bikes, skateboarding, hair braiding, cooking =
(Sleepover
cookbook is a big hit at my school). there's a great book (by McManners)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0789437503/qid=3D1055306361=
/sr=3D1-1/ref=3Dsr_1_1/103-1419289-7727843?v=3Dglance&s=3Dbooks
on surviving in the wilderness that shows how to make a fire without
matches, foraging for food, building an igloo, etc., that is a huge hit =
with
kids who read Hatchet. Paper folding, string games, all those books =
involve
reading and following directions. Sports books!!!
At my old school I had a book on decorating blue jeans. Wish I could
remember the title! It was always checked out. Decorating your =
bedroom.
One of the biggest hits at my present school and at my old school (5-6
grades) is The Baby Name Survey
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0671023853/qid=3D1055306389/sr=3D2=
-1/ref=3Dsr_2_1/103-1419289-7727843
by Lansky. It takes each name, tells its meaning, famous people with =
that
name, what a "Robert" looks and acts like, etc. The kids just LOVE it.
They look up all their friends and giggle at the comparison with the =
book's
description of them. The 6th grade boys loved it just as much as the =
girls.
I have 14 copies of the Baby Name Handbook (it's better than most baby =
name
books!) and they are ALWAYS checked out and we ALWAYS have 3 or 4 kids =
on
the waiting list for it.
In my experience, the best way to get a non-reader to read is through =
bright
and colorful non-fiction on topics they're interested in.
I always have scrap paper in my purse with scribbled titles and ISBNs =
that
I've seen in bookstores, magazines in the dr's waiting room, etc. You =
never
know when you'll come across a suggestion for a great book.
=20
- The boys just love books on WWII, Pearl Harbor, Civil War,
etc. Girls love books on the Holocaust.
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From a previous Hit responses below:
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How is your magazine collection? Sometimes you can bring in reluctant
readers this way. Have you tried to survey your students to see what
they would like to find in the library?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Contests are good. Guess the monthly circulation;
fiction addresses - who lives where; famous first (or
last) lines of books.
_____________________________________________________________________
How about sponsoring some contests. Womens' history, Poetry month, etc.
Ask some questions over the loudspeaker during homeroom and have
students come in to research. Answers can be placed in a big brown
envelope one correct entry can be selected per day. A prize (paperback
book) can be given to the winners.
___________________________________________________________________-__
If you are on a 180 day calendar like we are, then you have 142 students
a day in your facility. With more than 20 a hour. I would guess, you
really are getting more traffic before, lunches and after school. What
does he want? Ask him for a number to shoot for. Then show him you are
over that. Unless, of course he's already seen your numbers and jumps
it out there. I'd still ask for a number he feels is reasonable to
shoot for in your goal planning. Put it on his shoulders!
_____________________________________________________________________
I was just wondering how many students are in your
school? 25,683 in circulations for the year seems
high. Did the principal say what he is looking at
that indicates to him you need to get reluctant
readers into the library? Most of my suggestions you
are probably doing already. I give students an
opportunity to write down books or types of books they
want to see in the library. It's set up like a
suggestion box. Maybe you could do a library survey
and try and find out why some students aren't coming
into the library. I bet someone in LM_NET would share
one with you. Perhaps the English teachers could help
you out by distributing them in class. We have a new
book section; next year I was thinking of buying those
clear plastic picture frames and including summaries
of some of the new books. The graphic novels are a
great idea. Sounds like the principal is looking for
something to complain about. I would take the
suggestions from everyone, include some of them in
your plan, and hope he finds something else to pick on
next year....
_____________________________________________________________________
Since there is much I don't know about your situation I can only tell
you about our situation - We are a high school with just under 1600
students. Our library is open from 7:15 until 5pm. We see a DAILY count
of 1300+ students & teachers. That means in one month we see 26,000
patrons. How do we get them here:
1. We have tons of current magazines & several daily newspapers. (We
have online subscriptions - EBSCO & Infotrac - but what boy wants to
read Sports Illustrated online?) We have a comfortable seating area
where kids read magazines and check out job/car ads in the paper.
2. We have computers in the library - we started with 15. We now have
56. Students can use them for personal use (AUP's are required and use
is
monitored) before and after school. They can use them for academic use
during the day.
3. We don't insist on quiet voices before and after school, BUT respect
is also a big issue and we do not hesitate to ask disruptive kids to
leave.
4. We are welcoming both in our mannerisms and in our activities. Our
activities: We run contests that range from writing book reviews to
trivia contests. Winners may win a parking permit, their picture on a
READ poster, chocolate, movie passes, the such. Near vacations we put
out jigsaw puzzles on a table near the enterance. We change displays
regularly, display student artwork, classwork, and items of local
interest.
Our Mannerisms: we try to address students by name whenever possible.
We comment positively on students - their appearance, sports
involvement, a concert they were in, how they deal with their peers,
etc... We listen when they need an ear. We suggest books constantly.
5. Class use: It in not uncommon to have 5 classes at a time. Scary,
but true.
6. Our school has open campus for juniors and seniors. Somehow they
all find their way to our library dispite the fact that this is not a
lounge and that they will never be allowed to eat or drink in here!
7. Space: While we have been in a new 14,000 sq feet space for 3 years,
we came from a 6,000 sq ft space before and our usage has not changed!
It was the same before, we were just sardines.
8. Staff - this is the biggie. You need to have the staff to handle
all this. We have 1 LMS and 5 assistants. It is the reason we can do
all this. If your principal wants the students to use the library then
he needs to have the staff to deal with the students.
______________________________________________________________________
One thing I did during the time when the Newbery was announced was to
put out all the Newbery books I had on the display counter and then had
a "NewmanBery" Award quiz. I made up a bunch of crossword puzzles (on
puzzlemaker.com) of questions about the Newbery books. The kids were to
find the answers in the books and when they got the puzzle correct,
they'd get a bookmark I'd made up with some shiny paper (provided by the
art teacher with a sticky label saying NewmanBery Award) and a gold seal
on it. A certain element of kid really took to this. I wish I could say
that they took out the books, too...but that was only a few of them. But
it got them into the library and broke the ice (so to speak) about
finding the library as a comfortable place to visit.
I'll attach the input I used for the www.puzzlemaker.com site. You put
in the answer, followed by the question and the software generates (or
used to generate) a crossword puzzle which you could have a title for,
etc.
Gimmicks like this which highlight a part of the collection, always paid
off...I changed my highlighted subjects monthly and the art teacher was
fabulous at helping me make cheery bulletin boards and displays for the
books.
______________________________________________________________________
We have a lending library of vhs tapes. Most bought at garage sales,
leftovers at video stores, etc. for $5-8 bucks. Less than the cost of a
paperback. Of course, I don't buy R. Lots of kids check them out.
_____________________________________________________________________
Have a poetry slam night. Have Book Fairs. Have a design a tee shirt
contest. Have a Poster contest. Set up an area to display student art
work. Have nice soft cushy chairs for students to sit and read in.
Talk to every student you see. Eat lunch in the cafeteria with them
from time to time. Visit their classrooms for quick book talks. Send
out a newsletter. Design a website. Have website trivia contests. (Go
to local companies for
prizes.) Send out a student survey to find out why they're NOT coming
in, and WHAT would make them want to come in.
Sounds like you're already doing a superb job; just what is it with some
principals?
______________________________________________________________________
I guess this would all depend upon the type of kids who are NOT using
the library. Trying to figure out what the interests of those kids are
might take a survey...which is always fun!
This was my first year at my school and I had to do some thinking about
what it would take to get kids back into the library (since the last
librarian had driven everyone away....) Aside from the computers (which
are a big draw---but have caused so many problems that we are now
restricting Internet usage), I've done board games, author
presentations---when the author stays all day and talks with kids as
they visit (and some come by just to hang-out with the author and get
inspiration), food and "coffee" on special occasions--to give it a
bookstore feel, booktalks / book clubs during lunchtime
(books-sandwiched-in), and some holiday events (for Halloween,
Christmas, Thanksgiving). I'd like to do more also but for the first
year, I thought it was pretty well received.
I serve approximately 650 students in grades 5-12 and my circulation
stats went from 9,000 items last year to 19,000 this year. I am just
now finishing my total count for student usage, so I don't have those
stats. The only positive things that I have noticed have been parents
who have stopped by this past week to actually let me know that they
thought I had done a great job this year--their children talk about
using the library and "wished the library would be open during the
summer"---can you say "future summer projects and an increase in salary
for that time?"
I was also inspired by the fourth grade class orientation (two weeks
ago) when the lower school librarian brought them over to meet me and
allow me to give them an introduction to the library. The students went
back to the classroom excited because they would NOW be allowed to check
out video tapes for home! (The lower school librarian doesn't allow it
and she now blames me for corrupting her students! I told her that they
would check out video tapes--as they do at the public library--for about
a month and it would be "out of their system," then they begin to focus
on the other items including the new books! It actually gives all of my
library materials a "good work-out" because each grade focuses on a
specific area it seems--(5th grade--videos; 6th grade--all new YA books;
7th grade--computers and YA books; 8th grade--more of the "adult books /
fiction;" 9th grade--literary criticisms; 10th grade--non-fiction and
reference; 11th grade--world literature and literary criticisms; 12th
grade--college level materials, literary criticisms, computers, and
history.)
I'd be interested in knowing what ideas you might come up with regarding
getting students in the library. (Buying "fun furniture," graphic
novels, and making it a "teen scene" isn't in the administration's
scheme of things right now---we have a "building and grounds committee"
that oversees our "environment." If it doesn't match, it won't be
accepted! --kinda keeps the Harry Potter stuff at a minimum! )
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Melissa Jaffe
LMS (to be)
moonbeem75@hotmail.com
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