I got a wide variety of comments highlighting just how diverse our
libraries are, and some excellent ideas. It’s one of the things I
love about this list! In case I missed anyone individually, many
thanks again for sharing.
To avoid making this any longer, I tried not to include the responses
that were sent to the list as a whole, concentrating more on the ones
that came to me individually.
LM_Netters responded:
Specific Answers/Specific Questions
I know that, ideally, school media folk are working in
collaboration with their teachers. Do most of you discuss the issue
of kindergarden checkout with your kindergarden teachers?
· Well, I did twice--once with each of the two Kindergarten
teachers I worked with in our small district. Actually, we did add a
second teacher this year so we have all-day everyday K, but as the
newbie she'll just have to go along with what has been done. I
basically said that I was planning on having the K start with library
time the first week of school and planned to do a story, an
introduction to the library and have each child check out one book.
I would provide a letter to be sent home with the children. I asked
if that was all right and both times the teacher thought it was
great. One was a teacher with 30+ years of experience when I started
in this district, and the second was a young man with only 1 or 2
years of experience when he replaced the retiring veteran teacher.
· Kinder starts checking out when their teachers say they are
ready. It varies from year to year, this year most started checking
out books the second week of school. We have a district wide Prek
program and each year the children enter our kindergarten more and
more prepared for "school" and "school routines" I have one class
that hasn't checked out a book yet but it's the class with the most
"hidebound" teacher. They started coming to the library the first
week of school.
· I do talk with my Kindergarten teachers about check out and
we decide together when each class is ready (generally 2 or 3
weeks.) Sometimes we let them check out a book the 2nd week but they
keep it at school for the week and show the teacher how responsible
they are....then they take them home the next week. I agree with you
that it all boils down to how you present it. Is it a punishment
that they can't check out, or just how it is....and they accept it.
Re collaboration: What are some of the best ways you've found to
get to know your teachers and for them to get to know the library
policies? Do you ask for teacher input about your library policies?
· Again, being in a small district, much of this is done
informally. This year was a big turnover in our staff---2 new
teachers!! Clearly after working with many of these people for
nearly 20 years, we know each other and the various curricula,
policies etc. quite well. However I do actively seek input in
policies, ideas, purchases etc. from many of the staff. If there is
going to be a change that may affect other staff members, it is
proposed to them first with an explanation of why I think this needs
to change.
What are tricks of the trade you use to get to know your students
names in the first few weeks, especially when you haven't gotten your
correct roster yet?
· Our K teachers send the kids in the first few weeks with name
tags. That helps us know everyone.
· The best way I've found to learn names is to have them share
a quick thing with me every week for the first few visits. They tell
me their name, and favorite color....or something like that. I also
make sure I'm the one checking them out. It helps me to see the face
and the name. I always use their names as much as I can early on so
I can learn them quicker. I've always used library cards for my
little ones, but I'm leaning towards making one roster sheet of
patron barcodes for each class and see how that goes. I'm also
having a disc made when pictures are taken so I can import them into
Athena. I've never done it before....so we'll see how effective it
is. I figure it can't hurt....and should help so if we happen to get
a wrong name or number typed it, it might be caught quicker.
· In elementary, each student decorates his/her own shelf
marker. These are handed out by me at each library class, so this
helps me learn the children. Each shelf marker has the child's
barcode on a label on it as well.
· Years ago I copied one of Judy Freeman's marvelous ideas and
created a "No David" basket that I use to teach book care. I am sure
there is a description of it in the archives. It's a bit rowdy but
the kids love it.
· The first time I turn them loose with shelf markers we hold
them to one range of shelves. However once they get comfortable they
get pretty much free reign of the place - the boys love the non
fiction books. The library is arranged in such a way that it is
pretty easy to keep them out of the fiction area. They start out by
checking out one book but graduate to 2 or 3 as the year progresses.
Again, this does vary by teacher. Some really encourage free
exploration but one is much stricter. That's my hidebound one and I
don't tussle with her!
· I changed schools two years ago after being in one school
for 16 years and knowing all the students. Having to learn the names
of over 200 students was a real challenge. I ended up taking photos
of the grade 4 class that I see twice a week for teacher's prep
coverage and I also took photos of the Kindergarten students. I just
printed them on regular paper and had four students in each photo. I
keep the pages with me during story time and have them beside the
computer when I'm signing out the books. It's really helped me learn
their names.
· I cut colored tagboard 4"x11" (gives us 14 from a 22x28
sheet). Each class has a different color--with a larger school you'd
probably have to repeat colors. A label with the student's barcode
goes across one end. The students print their name in big letters
and then draw a picture, design border etc. I laminate the markers
and the students use them all year. I reinforce the idea that the
shelf marker goes on the shelf before a book comes off. Then when
the student is ready to check out, I can just "beep" the student
barcode, the book barcodes and check them out. Some of the students
will get their shelf marker and book barcodes all lined up so I can
really fly through them. The shelf markers are stored in a can by
class so they are ready for the next class visit. When the student
comes without the entire class, s/he can just quickly rifle through
the stack in the class can to find his/hers. The cans are covered
with construction paper to match the color of the shelf markers. I
keep the cans in a line on top of a set of shelves.
· For K and gr. 1 I or my aide write the names on the shelf
markers so that we can read them!!! Since I preselect groupings of
books for the pK students to choose from, I use a shorter version of
the markers for them--4"x5 1/2". I write the student's names of
these as well, and have the barcode label also. When it is time to
choose books I go through the stack of markers and hold each up for
the students to see. This helps with name recognition for the
students as well, helping to reinforce concepts being taught in the
classroom. Another way I use the shelf markers is to let me and the
students know who can check out how many books. Ordinarily a student
can check out up to 3 books at a visit with a max. of 6 out at a
time. If the student has an overdue book, that decreases the number
s/he can check out at that visit. So, I take the stack of shelf
markers for the class, quickly scan each barcode and sort into piles--
can get 3 books, can get 2 books, can get 1 book, no books. I clip
them together with a snap clothespin with a magic marker color code.
One more "shelf marker" thing--at the end of the year, as each
student returns all of his books, he gets to take his shelf marker
home. Of course there are some pitfalls--no sword fighting etc. I
have to caution students to decorate with appropriate drawings etc.
No violence etc. I tell them that dragons are fine, the dragon can
breathe fire, but the dragon cannot roast any living thing
(marshmallows and hotdogs are fine though). With lamination the
markers do last the entire year. Occasionally one gets lost or ends
up in the classroom by mistake, but most find their way back. I had
one missing for several weeks and showed up caught under the
circulation desk. Last year I had one student who was switched from
one class to another due to some personality conflicts. I offered
him the opportunity to redo his shelf marker so it would match his
new class--though he did not choose to do that.
Do you use "library cards" for all your elementary students, none, or
maybe just K and 1st? Why?
· See above--we just use the shelf markers.
· I use library cards for everyone - I used to use old catalog
cards but I finally ran out - only took me 15 years!!!. Being able
to recognize and read one's name is a required skill in Kinder and
the library is a great place to practice it.
Do any of you use the "identify by photograph" option in Athena or
whatever circ system you're using? Does it work well for you?
· No, we don't use it---seems like more effort to put
pictures in than it is worth.
General
· My library is automated. I have to input 200 new patrons and
update 400 others before anyone borrows a book. I do not get the
class lists until the first day of school. And, due to the population
of my school, I send home a permission slip that must be signed and
returned before any books go home. I have found it really cuts down
on the number of lost/damaged I've had in the past.
· “Just a thought-- there is A LOT more to library than
circulation...even in Kindergarten. All of my students wait til at
least the 2nd visit to the library--homerooms change, people leave,
and there is much to be learned in that first week. Depending on days
off, number of new students and teachers-- this year upwards of 150,
this "library dragon" will showcase many other aspects of libraries.
Since I am totally automated, and my students don't have to write
their names, I will be working on getting ALL students to SAY their
last names.”
· (RE permission slips required prior to check-out) I have had
too many parents say "I didn't know" when I ask for replacement fees
for lost or damaged books. Most kids bring the slip back, a few have
parents who say no to the books, but we let them take them to the
classroom, just not home. During conferences the teachers get on the
parents of the kids who did not return the slip.
Ronda Y. Foust
School Media Specialist in Training, UTK
rstansb2@utk.edu
Oak Ridge, TN
http://thebookdragon.blogspot.com/
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