SHARE: Seeding the tables

[Pointer <jpointer03@HOTMAIL.COM>]

Hi folks!

SEEDING the tables:
Just thought I'd share a fun and subtle literacy initiative I've been
enjoying lately in our library in between classes.
We all know about weeding, but I've taken to SEEDING: I strategically
seed the empty study tables with deliberately interesting books as yet
another way to engage drop-in traffic.
It puts these books right in front of students, as would a visual
display, or a 'face-out' display shelf, but with even more direct access
and visibility: it is just sitting there on their table itching to be
opened. I suspect I can't have invented the idea since it seems like
such a simple pleasure (but let me know if you've heard the term used
before, I can't recall seeing it anywhere).

It is so much fun watching students dive into books they otherwise
wouldn't pick up (poetry, dance, sports, history timelines, classics,
medieval art, etc etc), particularly when we don't have a class booked
(otherwise the books are TOO interesting, er, distracting for the
class).
I watch the items "travel" across the room, find it on another table at
the end of the day.
Most days I just use large visually appealing reference books.
Other days, I'll pick a topic (poetry books, mysteries, magazines
etc...)
Just leave them out all day to browse.

It does add to the daily prepping, displaying and shelving factor, but
is so rewarding and fun, it is positively gleeful mischief, a highlight
of my day.
Enjoy!



Lisa J. Dempster, Library Specialist
Monarch Park Collegiate
Toronto Ontario Canada
http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/monarch/dept/library/
(this email address jpointer03@hotmail.com is immediate but temporary-
used strictly for listservs to avoid spam & I change it periodically-
but people -not spam-machines-  can always find me through the website!)

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