Ok, I admit it. I read teen books (so do a lot of other adults).

I'm a high school librarian. And I like to read teen lit. Ok, I will say there are some popular vampire series books that make me wonder...where are the parents of these characters? They have no siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents? They can come and go any old time they want?! And my favorite: someone was killed/disappeared, and no one noticed they were missing? That's just sad.

Anyway, our department assignment was to read this article by Karin Perry Do You Read Books? First thing that comes to mind is: everyone thinks that's all I do all day (well, not really, but it would be dangerous to say otherwise). And I wish I could read books, read reviews, library articles all day long, what a wonderful job!! But so far, I'm troubleshooting computer problems/putting in repair requests, helping students with their MS Office skills, doing inventory, registering parents with online grade access and trying to finish reports (which are overdue, much to the dismay of one).

But I do, have, and always will like YA lit. Without it, there'd be no Hunger Games, Twilight, To Kill a Mockingbird, Outsiders, Delirium, Go Ask Alice, even The Pigman!

So try YA lit some time! And share...

Bell rang, school's out...time to READ some teen lit!! And oops, forgot to get my last two ILLs out to the kids before school was over for the day.

Our LMS Department Gives Us Books If We Review Them

I wish I could work on my blog and write reviews any time I wanted.
Here's my first on "Goodreads (Kimball HS)."

Before cell phones, before caller-ID, a guy could find a phone number, find out it's the girl next door, call her, hang up, call again, have a conversation with her, and repeat nightly. What happens next? Read "Not Exactly a Love Story" to find out. It's 1977, and 15-year-old Vinnie Gold is about to drop a Valentine into the locker of the girl he's had a crush on for the past two years to find out she's moved without even a goodbye. Next, he goes home and discovers his parents are getting a divorce. All kinds of changes are in store for Vinnie...turns out they're not all bad. 

What did I think? My, how things have changed. No more secret calls at midnight - it's called stalking now. No more secret Valentine cards slipped in lockers - video cameras are everywhere.

Changes are changes. You'll never know what it really was like unless you lived it (It was suspenseful, secretive and fun - most of the time). More innocence, less "Catfish," - times were different then. Better? Worse? It's your call.

Kimball HS Library is Moving Onward...

Kimball HS Library has a Twitter account! Woo! Hoping to keep you updated on the happenings here in our little part of the book world. I'd like to post more about our events, volunteering, class activity of the past couple of years! It's been a little difficult to post while being the sole librarian since Ms. York's illness and passing a few years ago. Missing you, LSY! Getting an opportunity to add a little to the blog today thanks to Ms. Magee. Thank you!!
If you get a chance, help us out in the next entry so we can be entered in the DonorsChoose.org raffle and prize giveaway.
I'd really like to get some authors here since we have so many enthusiastic readers! They are great kids and they really appreciate the opportunities we can provide. Also, a portable stage for library events which we could use outside on those wonderful warm days we have so often (just not today). The thought of having some exciting book events right outside really thrills me!
Thanks for your help!

Donor Choose - Help Me Out on a Book Club or Kimball HS Library Project - We have some real Book and Magazine Lovers here!!

Subject: My students need your help!

 

Hi Friends,

 

This school year, I want to make sure my students have the materials they need to succeed. So I've created a classroom project request on a 501(c)3 charity website called DonorsChoose.org.

November is the Tell-A-Friend Challenge, so I am writing in hopes of any donations for my students! For this month only, your donation of $25 or more to my Teacher Page will not only help fund my projects, but will also earn my classroom a raffle entry to win additional resources and supplies. You can help my students twice with one tax-deductible donation, and you'll hear back from our class about your impact on our learning!

 

To learn more or donate, visit my Teacher Page at http://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/522994

Please feel free to send me any questions you may have, and know that my students and I greatly appreciate your support.

http://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/522994?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=teacher_profile&utm_campaign=copyURL&rf=copyURL_dccontent_2013_11

How many of these have YOU read?

I've been doing a little "fall cleaning" and found these nice reading lists for all you who want to do a little pre-planning:

http://www.listsofbests.com/list/16484-101-great-books-recommended-for-college-bound-readers

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/21804.101_Great_Books_Recommended_for_College_Bound_Readers

http://wcpscollegeandcareer.weebly.com/uploads/7/7/1/1/7711918/college_board_recommended_books.pdf

I'm going to admit I have not read all these titles and challenge myself to complete this list within a year...who will join me??

New Things Are Happening at Kimball HS Library!

You would be surprised to hear all the commotion at the Kimball HS library these days...in May, the library floors were cleared with the help of Joshua B., Jose B., Sandra B. and new carpet was put in!! First time since the 80s!! Before and after photos will soon be posted...in June work started to add more ports and to update the existing connections...wooo! so exciting, but every one knew the computers in library work better than anywhere in the building...except the Web Design classroom...today they are replacing more things in the library.
This fall, ideas will be brought to life, and it will be fun! More reading celebrations, commemorative events, giveaways, and Book Club will still be helping out at reading events around the city.

By the way, a big THANK YOU to Book Club members who have given so much of their free time this year helping out at Dallas Public Library events. They are even being requested BY NAME. NIIIICE. You are all SUPER! And YOU WILL receive extra "thanks" this year!

Free Audio Book Downloads from Sync!

Another Dallas ISD librarian has let us know about Sync (thanks, Ms. Irwin). Have you tried audio books? Sync website has free downloads you can try. It looks like they are going to have a couple of books available every week all summer. You know I'll have to listen to them all...I can't wait!

Find Sync at http://www.audiobooksync.com/

Here's their list:

 

SYNC Titles
Summer 2013

May 30 – June 5, 2013
Of Poseidon by Anna Banks, read by Rebecca Gibel (AudioGO)
The Tempest by William Shakespeare, read by a Full Cast (AudioGO)

June 6 – June 12, 2013
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, Book 1: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood, read by Katherine Kellgren (HarperAudio)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, read by Wanda McCaddon (Tantor Audio)

June 13 – June 19, 2013
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, read by Will Patton (Scholastic Audiobooks)
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya, read by Robert Ramirez (Recorded Books)

June 20 – June 26, 2013
Once by Morris Gleitzman, read by Morris Gleitzman (Bolinda Audio)
Letter From Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr., read by Dion Graham (christianaudio)

June 27 – July 3, 2013
Rotters by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne (Listening Library)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, read by Jim Weiss (Listening Library)

July 4 – July 10, 2013
Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford, read by Nick Podehl (Brilliance Audio)
She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, read by a Full Cast (L.A. Theatre Works)

July 11 – July 17, 2013
The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann, read by Peter Altschuler (HarperAudio)
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, read by Simon Vance (Tantor Audio)

July 18 – July 24, 2013
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers, read by Erin Moon (Recorded Books)
Hamlet by William Shakespeare, read by a Full Cast (L.A. Theatre Works)

July 25 – July 31, 2013
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen, read by Charlie McWade (Scholastic Audiobooks)
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain, read by Steve West (Blackstone Audio)

Aug 1 – Aug 7, 2013
Death Cloud by Andrew Lane, read by Dan Weyman (Macmillan Audio)
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, read by Ralph Cosham (Blackstone Audio)

Aug 8 – Aug 14, 2013
Enchanted by Alethea Kontis, read by Katherine Kellgren (Brilliance Audio)
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, read by Miriam Margolyes (Bolinda Audio)

Aug 15 – Aug 21, 2013
Sold by Patricia McCormick, read by Justine Eyre (Tantor Audio)
Let Me Stand Alone by Rachel Corrie, read by Tavia Gilbert (Blackstone Audio)

Some Stats for You!

Every year, I print out a report of the most circulated titles to determine what my most loyal patrons like to read, and to order similar items. Here is the list of 2012-2013 Top Circulated Titles for Justin F. Kimball HS Library:

Fiction (Top 20)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Riordan, Rick
The Hunger Games, Collins, Suzanne (required reading)
Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury, Ray (required reading)
Mockingjay, Collins, Suzanne
Awakened, Cast, P.C.
Tempted, Cast, P.C.
Marked, Cast, P.C
Hunted, Cast, P.C
Betrayed, Cast, P.C
The Complete Hush, Hush Saga, Fitzpatrick, Becca
Eighth Grade Bites, Brewer, Heather
Crank, Hopkins, Ellen
Things Fall Apart, Achebe, Chinua (required reading)
Burned, , Cast, P.C
The Awakening, Smith, L.J.
Chosen, Cast, P.C
Catching Fire, Collins, Suzanne
The Lost Hero, Riordan, Rick
If I Were Your Boyfriend, Sewell, Earl
Goddess of the Sea, Cast, P.C
Love is Hell, Marr, Melissa, ed.
Blue Moon: The Immortals series, Noel, Alyson
For the Love of Money, Tyree, Omar

Non-Fiction (Top 20)
Pokeman Adventures, Kusaka, Hidenori
One Piece: I Won't Die, Oda, Eiichiro
The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream, Davis, Sampson
A Child Called "It": One Child's Courage to Survive, Pelzer, David
Azul Para La Pesadillas, Stolarz, Laurie
ASVAB for Dummies, Powers, Rod
Everything You Want to Know About Cosmetics, Stabile, Toni
The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook, Baines, Emily
Stan Lee's How to Draw Comics, Lee, Stan
Basketball Top 10, Hareas, John
20 Soccer Superstars, Velazquez de Leon, Mauricio
Tupac: Resurrection, Shakur, Tupac
Back in the Day: My Life and Times with Tupac Shakur, Bastfield, Darrin
The Houseplant Expert, Hessayon, D.G.
Cooking the Vietnamese Way, Nguyen, Chi
Drawing for Beginners, Partington, Peter
Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil, Hillberry, D.
Bleach: No Shaking Throne, Kubo, Tite
Vampire Haiku, Mecum, Ryan
Anne Frank, Muller, Melissa

It's really interesting to see how their interest have changed the past five years, and nice to see the variety. I may have to pull up that list and share it. I want to give some credit to a librarian T.W. Browne Middle School had for two years and the readers she nurtured: Suzanne Sherman, who is now at Conrad High School.

If You Like Alyson Noel's Immortals Series....

Many of our students like the Immortals series. While searching to find the latest book in the series to order, I came upon the Immortals series website http://immortalsseries.com/. If you like Alyson Noel, you should see it! It has book excerpts, audio excerpts, and nice video promos of the books. The music is a great effect. You can see the video for the books at the link above, or on Good Reads at http://www.goodreads.com/videos/2326-evermore. Have a look, it's fun!

Thank you Shanise Kelley and Goodreads for this information!!

Event for P.C. Cast
Date: October 18, 2012    04:00PM  -- October 18, 2012    04:30PM
RSVP by: October 18, 2012    03:45PM
Venue: Goodreads.com
Type: Author appearance
Website: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/video_chat/53

Description

Join Goodreads on Thursday, October 18 at 7pm ET/4pm PT for a live video chat with bestselling author     duo P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. We'll be discussing Hidden, the latest in their popular House of Night series. Don't miss it! 

African-American Heritage Month Activity at Kimball HS Library

Our school celebrated with a multitude of events, from students writing reports about not only famous African-Americans, but also those individuals we are well-acquainted with here in this country who have French or Spanish backgrounds, such as Alex Rodriguez, Soledad O'Brien and Zoe Saldana. Members of our multicultural committee, led by Ms. White and Ms. Gavin-Richardson, planned and executed events throughout the month, including a African-American Heritage Pageant, and a mural painted by our wonderful art teacher, Ms. Julia Smith. The program, "Parade of Stars," included performances by our dance group, band, and choir,  including a sing-along of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the African-American National Anthem. Our guest speaker was Dallas Commissioner John Wiley Price, who spoke about the contributions of several individuals who are commemorated by having schools named after them. The "Parade of Stars" consisted of a panel of students who dressed as, and spoke about famous people, including Diana Ross, Nikki Giovanni, Harriett Tubman, First Lady Michelle Obama, Malcolm X, Cornell West, Maya Angelou, and Al Sharpton.

The library also sponsored an event which featured books written by or about famous African-Americans and tested search skills. Each participant received a list of six book titles from the reference, non-fiction and fiction section. They then were timed to see how fast they could find them. Each participant received a copy of the Texas Historical Commission's "African Americans in Texas: A Lasting Legacy," available free from www.africanamericansintexas.com, but we received ours courtesy of Jokae's African American Books, located at 3223 W. Camp Wisdom Road in Dallas. Thank you so much for the booklets! We had teachers, staff and students participate. Congratulations to the fastest participant was Joshua Morrow, who collected all six books in 2 minutes, 36 seconds.

News from the Library

Started and finished "The Hunger Games" last night. It was very exciting and it seemed to "flow" so easily - I found this quality in "Twilight." We also have "The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook" here in Kimball library. It's fun, with recipes ranging from breakfast to desserts, vegetarian to one with "optional wild dog."

Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy, edited by Caroline Kennedy | Booklist Online

This is a book I definitely want to read...

Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy, edited by Caroline Kennedy | Booklist Online

Reading Incentive Program for 2010

This year, Justin F. Kimball will once again participate in the Million Word Challenge. We will promote it through the book club, and the members will participate in promotion throughout the year with, I'm sure, creative and innovative ways to increase participation in this event.

Source: North Dallas HS webpage //northdallaslibrary.weebly.com/million-word-challenge.html

I'm hoping to use the same guidelines posted on North Dallas High School Library's webpage. Every book read between August and May will be logged in a notebook at the front desk. Students may have the ability to submit their information through the library's website. In a date before seniors have their last day, we will have a celebratory pizza party for everyone who read over a million words! Million Word participants will also be recognized in front of their classmates at their Awards Assemblies in May. All million word readers will receive a certificate of achievement and will have their names announced. The top two readers will receive prizes. The top teacher and the top staff member will receive an award. All students, teachers, and staff members will be encouraged to participate. The goal will be to challenge Kimball Knights to increase their reading skills, including vocabulary and comprehension. And have fun!

Thank you, Courtney Flynt, for the ideas. I especially like the way the students can fill in their Million Word book information on their library's webpage.

Molina High School also has a fantastic Million Word challenge every year, unfortunately, I wasn't able to find anything on the web about their great work. Hopefully, they will post a comment on where to find their information.

Book Review: "We Were Here" by Matt de la Pena

Sentenced to a year in juvenile detention, Miguel is ordered by the judge to keep a journal. At a group home, he meets unpredictably dangerous Mong and his mentally-challenged roommate Rondell, who possesses a surprising talent. When Mong decides to escape, Miguel  plots and steals $750 from the home's petty-cash box. Rondell also decides to leave the home along with them.Their misadventures take them along the California coast to unexpected destinations, events, and revelations of self-discovery. Secrets are kept and revealed; funny, shocking, and tragic, in a book which will appeal to many teens. A 2010 ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, a 2010 ALA-YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers.








This was started by a class as part of a Grant for Innovative Teaching project; replaced by the participating teacher because of the language the characters use. However, much of the class looked captivated, and it was requested many times by class members for check out.

What I Will Do to Advocate for My Library This Year

Week 2 Assignment is to create a Voki describing personalized plans for advocating for your library. I hope students like using it.

http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=4162961&height=400&width=300

Seven Things - Web 2.0 What does it mean to advocate for your library?

We've been asked to blog about what advocating for our school library means. After reading a few articles, my answer would have to be to develop awareness of the great services school librarians provide, or, can, should, will, must provide to students, faculty, staff, and community members at our schools. We need to become more vocal at the local, state and federal level, before we are leveled!

According to an article by the School Library Journal staff, some of the common questions heard are: "Why do school libraries need money for books when everything is online? Why do we need a library when students can do their research online? Why do we need librarians if all they do all day is check out books?" Karl Harvey, an elementary school librarian in Indiana, believes in involving the entire school, including parents and central office, through  e-mails, web page, blog, Facebook page, and newsletter to inform and connect everything to his program, whether it's an author visit or a special schoolwide event. He collaborates with his teaching colleagues, using web 2.0 tools for professional development lessons. He emphasizes developing a good relationship with his administrator, who can "determine the library's success or failure."

Connie Williams, a high school librarian from California adds, "...everyone needs to see and participate in what you do," from the book carts you supply to classrooms to the vast resources you provide, "The invisibility factor for libraries is high," she warns. "So you need to remind people that you are here. It needs to be continual because they will forget you." The article adds, "...Williams likes to send what she calls a "Wow Letter" to her teaching colleagues, which includes all the wonderful instruction and resources her library provides, including tips on cyber safety. "They'll come up to me and say, 'Wow, I didn't know you did that.'"
Williams also stresses it's important to, "...make your presence known. That means sitting on committees, attending district and county office meetings, and showing up for school board and PTA gatherings. When you do, never go empty handed; show them how you make a difference...Be active participants."

Emily Ford's article defined advocacy as follows:“'Public support for a course of action or way of doing things.' (Longman Dictionary)." Following this defintion, she states, "Library advocacy is therefore interpreted and practiced in a variety of ways. Numerous initiatives in the library would use the word advocacy to describe what they are doing and trying to accomplish. At our recently convened ALA Annual Conference, I saw a poster session by Emerging Leader groups that focused on teen services advocacy with local communities and Libraries Build Communities. Another example includes ALA President Molly Raphael’s advocacy initiative focused on empowering communities, and the list goes on. Legislative advocacy demonstrates our library/librarian values to lawmakers. This kind of advocacy usually includes communicating with elected officials via phone calls, in person visits, e-mails, and online action forms."

A useful PDF file, "Speaking Up for Library Services for Teens: A Guide for Advocacy," can help you determine what course to take. Staistics for school libraries are shown on pp. 26-27, "Advocacy Resouces," on pp. 29-33, and an "Action Plan," on pp. 20-25. Find it at:  http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/advocacy_final.pdf.  The YALSA wiki "Advocating for Teen Services in Libraries," also useful, can be found at: http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Advocating_for_Teen_Services_in_Libraries
 
None of this information should be new to us. We should all be aware of the things that need to be done, not only at this time, but all the time. Your choices are only limited by your creativity and desire. Some pretty great things have been accomplished by DISD librarians. Post and tell everyone the great ideas you have done so far.

Sources: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/890038-312/webcast_advocating_for_your_library.html.csp
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/advocacy_final.pdf
http://wikis.ala.org/yalsa/index.php/Advocating_for_Teen_Services_in_Libraries

Seven Things - Web 2.0

Here is my first entry for Seven Things - Web 2.0. This class can be taken as part of staff development requirements. When enrolled in the fall, there just didn't seem to be enough hours in the school calendar weekend to do it and also my part-time job as a working violinist, so it was dropped. 

I get so caught up during the year it's really difficult to tear myself away from school daily; I was starting to leave later and later. After school is also the only time I can get things done without being interrupted dozens of times. Which I do not mind at all and for which I am grateful, because I have a job. However,it also takes days to do something that used to take hours with a second librarian at Kimball HS. As a book rep told me, there are schools in California that do the same job without a second librarian or a media assistant with triple the enrollment!

So hopefully, I'll have some more time to do what is required as well as play around more with the Web 2.0 Tools since I've had time to look at them more.
I do have a question for everyone, though: has anyone in this class monetized their blog, and has it been beneficial?
                                                  
I tried to have red background and a blue text but it only came out as red lines. So this is red text with a blue background.  Also the first paragraph is Georgia, the second is Verdana and the third is  Trebuche.  The first paragraph is Normal text size, the second large, and the third largest.

This is my Avatar

This is how I looked
when I first got to DISD
(Five years ago)

7 Things Online Class

Wow! What a busy year, so busy I haven't had time to add to the blog. Creating a school newspaper from scratch is not easy, I found out, but managed to teach myself InDesign and publish fall, winter and spring issues. I administered a Innovative Teaching Grant from Junior League this past year, and I may be adding some video or photos about that. I also taught Kimball's STEM Summer Camp which was held the first two weeks following the end of school. For the summer camp, I taught students Web 2.0 Tools which may be useful (and fun) to use for school, including Glogster, Blabberize, Study Blue, Evernote, and Museum Box, as well as some speed reading strategies, and reading part of a book my principal intern got at the Reading Conference in San Francisco last April. The STEM camp teachers were also part of a committee which will present at staff development this August on the book the district has chosen for study, "Teaching With Poverty in Mind," so each teacher was assigned a chapter to create PowerPoint slides on the key points. I think I created 16 slides.

I'm hoping to practice more on the Web 2.0 Tools which were presented at the TCEA conferences the two years I got to go (2011 and 2007) as well as the 21st Century Teacher Conferences for the past two years.

I'm also sorry to report there hasn't been a second librarian at Kimball since Linda York retired in October 2009. We had  subs the rest of that school year, but administration did not fill the position with a librarian.This past year has been very busy without Linda's help. It was also a blow to hear of her passing this April. I've missed her kindness and support.

Knight Life Returning - Any Volunteers Accepted

Are you a student at Kimball HS or an alum or other individual with high school newspaper experience? We need your assistance in getting our newspaper started. Librarian with no newspaper experience recruited, but still motivated! Send an e-mail to kimballhslibrary@gmail.com or leave a post.