Let’s Get Graphic: Kids’ Comics in Classrooms and Libraries (A Webinar)

Yesterday I attended a free webinar through Booklist Online called “Let’s Get Graphic:  Kids’ Comics in Classrooms and Libraries.”  I have to admit I initially registered for this webinar because it was free.  And you know how much librarians like free stuff!  But I also wanted to find out a little something about graphic novels because in my head the only thing I could picture was a comic book. And, yes, I’m one of those snobby people who considered comics low brow.  Honestly, I had no idea that graphic novels can be so involved or that they require the skill and research that is so obviously involved in creating them.

Even though the webinar started with the assumption that people know what graphic novels are, I’m happy that the presenters went into nice descriptions of what they are and how they can be used in classrooms and libraries.  For those who don’t know, graphic novels are similar to comic books but (to me anyway) they seem to be a little more involved.  There is the familiar paneling that you see with comics and the speech bubbles but the length of a graphic novel seems to be a little bit longer than that of a comic book (I could be wrong, but I was looking at samples on slides).

One of the interesting tips that I picked up was the use of graphic novels to teach little people how to read.  By using a graphic novel in much the same way that we’d use a board books or picture books.  Not only does using graphic novels encourage young children but it encourages them to become lifelong learners because there are graphic novels for each stage of child’s reading level (with advanced graphic novels geared towards the tween, teen and adult set).  Who knew?  I sure didn’t.  I love that some of the sponsors have their graphic novels divided by reading level ~ an incredibly useful tool for those who are in charge of collection development (or parents who are looking to find age appropriate books for their children).

The links to webinar resources:

List of books discussed

Powerpoints

You can check out upcoming webinars here.

Disclosure:  I did not receive any compensation for this post.  The webinar was sponsored by First Second, Rosen Publishing, Scholastic Graphix and TOON Books.

 

Back in the Class

Last Thursday was the first class of the second semester and, boy, was I a nervous wreck.  Seriously, I sat up all night refining my lesson plans and lecture notes…  I’m not sure why I’m so nervous before each class, especially since I’ve taught this same history course several times.  Maybe it’s because each section is different ~ the students, the discussions, the learning process, etc. 

The course is a seven week long evening class that meets once per week for four hours per session.  That may seem like a long time but it really goes by pretty quickly. I have seven students, most of whom are nursing students who are fulfilling a history requirement.  I began the class by introducing myself and giving the students a little bit of information about my classroom philosophy.  I don’t believe in dumping a bunch of useless facts into my students’ heads.  To me, that serves no purpose.  People already come to my class with an aversion to history so I try to make it interesting and relevant to their lives.  I provide the foundation for discussions by putting events within a historical context and then I ask them to talk about something that is happening in the world today that relates to the chapter we are studying.  I’ve found that by making the lessons relevant to the individual, they get more out of the class (sort of a “the personal is political” approach to history).  Furthermore, this method encourages my students to pay attention to current events (they have to watch the news or read a newspaper to participate in the discussions) and, hopefully, it makes them more aware of the world around them.

So, we’ll see in six weeks or so when the student evaluations are submitted whether my methods are helpful.  So far, I’ve received positive reviews from my students.  A few have come to me and told me that they enjoy the discussions and that they’ve become more confident in other classes during discussion because they feel like they have something to contribute…I really don’t think I could ask for more.

 

Guess Who’s Coming to Class?

I am!  Yup, I will be back in the classroom this Thursday!  I’ll be teaching American History to 1865.  I am so incredibly nervous but I’m also incredibly happy.  This will be a 7 week course that meets one night per week for four hours.  Right now I’m in the process of finalizing the syllabus ~ I know, I know…I’m kind of working on a tight schedule, especially since class starts in two days! 

This semester I’m doing things a little differently.  Usually, in this type of format I do a lot of lecturing with a heavy reliance on the textbook.  Generally, these are adult students who are coming to class after a long day at work and they’re exhausted.  So I’ve been putting more of the pressure on myself instead of them.  Funny how you re-evaluate things when you have nothing else to do.  Anyway,  I get tired of listening to myself talk, so I’ve decided to take an active learning approach and make the students do more of the work. 

Instead of focusing on my lectures and the text, I want the students to look at primary sources and evaluate them.  I’ll introduce the time period and the significant events but then I’ll have the students look at documents, pictures, maps, etc to see how they relate to the event.  I’ve set up discussion questions for each primary source and provided relevant links.  I’ve also set up basic discussion questions to offset the lectures and directed the students to do their own research outside the class so they can bring “something” to the table.  These are adults (as opposed to younger students who tend to not be quite as talkative – during class) so I’m expecting a lot from them.  As further incentive, I’ve noted that class participation is a must.

Finally, I’ve assigned a final project which will consist of a formal paper and an in class presentation.  The paper has to be 5 to 7 pages long, not including the works cited page.  They also have to use a minimum of 2 primary sources.  Then, for the grand finale, they have to do an in class presentation of 10 to 15 minutes.  Now to take some of the pressure off the students, their classmates have to not only pay attention but they have to ask them questions at the end of the presentation.  No, this is not some form of educational torture.  I just want to be sure my students are learning something.  Hopefully, this will be fun, interesting and educational.

We’ll see…

 

I Am Library 101, Are You?

After months of hardwork and contributions from librarians all over the world, the Library 101 Project made it’s debut at Internet Librarian to much fanfare. Twitter is all abuzz with excitement over Library 101. After viewing the video, all I can say is Michael Porter and David Lee King did a fabulous job and my heart is full of g33k love for them right now. They totally rawk!

I’m posting the video here, but please, take the time to check out the complete Library 101 website. The website has not only the video but essays from librarians and a very prominent supporter of libraries. There is also a list of 101 Resources & Things to Know. You can also view additional Library 101 videos on YouTube and check out the pictures on flickr.

 

Library 101 Project: Pre-Launch Website is Up!

I’ve stated before that I am hopelessly addicted to my BlackBerry.  It’s a problem, I admit it, moving on.  I’m equally addicted to Twitter and I check it obsessively (I’m nosy and always think I’m going to miss something).  So last night, I checked Twitter for like the twentieth time in as many minutes and I saw a tweet from David Lee King announcing that the Library 101 Project: Pre-Launch Website is up.  *squee*

No, I don’t work in a library any longer but I’m still incredibly excited by new and exciting projects in Library Land.  Furthermore this project is the brainchild of David and a friend of mine (shout out to Michael Porter) with contributions from some of the best librarians in the world (they know who they are – I heart you guys!).   According to Michael, the Library 101 Project will go live on Wednesday, 28 October at 2 PM PST.  The page will host three main pages which will include the song, video and nearly twenty essays from thinkers across the library field.  The purpose of the Library 101 Project is to keep those working in the library field abreast of new and exciting changes in technology and librarianship.

 

Some of My Favorite People are Librarians

I Love My Librarian

How about yours?  Do you know a librarian who deserves recogntion for running a reading program for preschoolers?  Or a librarian who recommends the best books evar?  Or, perhaps, your librarian greets you with a smile when you walk through the door.  Whatever the reason, you can nominate your favorite librarian for the Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award!

Up to ten librarians will be recognized with $5000 at an awards ceremony hosted by the New York Times.

I met my favorite librarian when I was attending junior high school at Aviano Air Base, Italy.  His name was Mr. Wolford and I though he had the most incredible job in the world.  During the day, I would wander into the library and help Mr. Wolford shelve books and, in return, he would set aside books for me that he thought I’d enjoy reading.  Not that there were a ton of people beatind down the doors to the library – I was such a nerd!  During my ninth grade year, Mr. Wolford left Aviano to become a librarian in Bahrain (I suspect this is when my abandonment issues began).  After that I lost track of Mr. Wolford but I never lost the one thing that Mr. Wolford nurtured in me – a love for books.

If you know a librarian who has touched your life in some way, please take the time to show your appreciation by nominating him or her.  The deadline for nominations is 9 October 2009.  Winners will be announced in early November.

If you’d like to know more about what librarians do, check out Bobbi’s wiki,  “Library Day in the Life.”  This wiki started as a few librarians who took up Bobbi’s challenge to document a day in their life, it has now become an annual event supported by a diverse group of people working in and around libraries.  Check it out, it’s ver interesting and fun reading.

 

LSW Raising Money to Help the Louisville Free Public Library

Damage at the Louisville Free Public Library

Last night, I followed the tweets and pics of my friend, Greg Schwartz, as he described the destruction that had befallen his library due to heavy rains.  Damages are estimated at roughly $1 million for books, servers, computers, etc.

We all know the importance of libraries to the communities they serve and how important they are to maintaining a sense of normalcy during times of upheaval.  In an effort to assist the Louisville community and let them know that we are there for them, Steve Lawson and Library Society of the World have started a project to raise money for the Louisville Free Public Library.  The goal is to raise $5000.

Here’s the official announcement from Steve’s blog:

I have set up the email LSW.LFPL@google.com and linked it to my PayPal account. I intend to collect money at that address until September 1, at which point I’ll send a check in the name of the Library Society of the World to the LFPL Foundation. You can just send money to that email address using PayPal, or use the button below:

If you’d rather send a check, send it to the Library Society of the World Clubhouse, PO Box 7893, Colorado Springs CO 80933. Make the check payable to Steve Lawson.

Don’t worry about how much you can afford to donate. My own contribution will be small-ish, between $20 and $50.

But there are about 300 members of the LSW room on FriendFeed. There are close to 1,000 members of the LSW group on Linkedin. I would like to think we can raise at least $5,000 for LFPL by September 1. That’s only $17 per FriendFeed member, or $5 per Linkedin member.

For this to work, you have to trust me. I promise that every dime that comes through PayPal or check will go to LFPL. (PayPal takes a small cut if your donation is charged to your credit card (rather than your bank account) and if you don’t choose the option to pay those fees yourself, so it’s possible that I won’t get the full amount of your donation. I’ll only be able to donate the money I actually receive after PayPal fees.)

On September 1, I’ll total up what we have raised and send it to the library. If you would rather give money yourself instead of sending it to me, here is the address and phone number given in the Louisville Courier-Journal:

The Library Foundation
Attn: Flood
301 York St.
Louisville, KY 40203
(502) 574-1709

Five thousand dollars or more for Louisville Free Public Library by September 1. Think we can do it? I’ll keep you posted.*

*Reprinted thanks to Creative Commons

 

Post Library Day in the Life: Day 1 – Finding My Niche

You thought I was going to hide in the stacks, didn’t ya?  Nope, you can’t get rid of me that easily.  I’ll be taking a little hiatus from this blog until I figure out what I want to do career wise.  However, I will be blogging over here while I try to find my niche.

 

Library Day in the Life: Day 2 – Walking Away

Walk Away

So this is it.  My last day.  Thirty days goes by very quickly.  Four weeks ago I gave notice that I would be leaving my position as Archivist and Reference Librarian (aka Queen of the Histolibrarianivists).

I’m usually pretty open about my professional life but I have been purposefully hush hush on this issue.  Not because I have anything to hide but because I haven’t a clue as to where things are going from here.  My husband was offered an opportunity to move forward in his job and I am following him to new adventures.

So it is with a mix of sadness and excitement that I offer the last installment of library day in the life.  Just like yesterday, I have documented my day in the life of a librarian in pictures.  This has been a fun project for me and I’ve enjoyed sharing my professional life with all of you.

Now that my career as a professional histolibrarianivist is on a temporary hiatus, I will probably be sharing more of my life as a wife and mom.  Who knows?

As for my library life, I’m a geek at heart and I’ll find my way back into the stacks.  Until then, enjoy the pics and continue reading about the lives of librarians.

 

Library Day in the Life: Day 1 – Looking Back…

Today is bittersweet for me, it’s the day before my last day of work.  I haven’t blogged about my departure because I haven’t really been quite sure what to say.  I’m so good with “hellos” but “good-byes” tear me to shreds.  Especially when it comes to leaving Misericordia University.

I have such a long and wonderful history with this University.  I came here as a young married mother of four small children with a full course load and a whole lot of dreams and I’m leaving here as an *ahem* older married mother of four nearly grown children with two Master’s degrees and a wealth of memories.  In my time here, I have survived cancer, taught over four history courses, driven through mad crazy snow storms, endured giggle fits that have left me nearly helpless, killed two plants and met some of the most interesting people who will never fully understand the impact they have had on me.  I never thought I would ever leave….

I remember graduation day, as I walked across the stage to receive my Bachelor’s degree, I looked at my professor, Dr. Donald Fries, and told him that I’d be back.  As I walked off the stage, Dr. Michael MacDowell (University President) pulled me back and said: “You will be back.”  What we didn’t know was that it would take nearly five years but I did come back and it felt like coming home.

In an effort to do what I do best – preservation and documentation – I have decided to mark my final two days here in pictures.