PASSIONATE ABOUT SCHOOL LIBRARIES
I love library marketing and branding and think it can be such a powerful thing for our libraries. If you want to follow along with this post series as I explore creating a library marketing plan, check out all the posts here.
When I started to investigate creating a library marketing plan for our school library, I drew upon my marketing and branding knowledge from the business sector and started researching the topic.
I love library marketing. There are so many facets of this. It’s not just promotions or publicity, though they play a part. But it’s also the bigger picture. It’s about how your users view your library. It’s about how the library team work as a team to market the library in a certain way in everything they do, from creating a flyer to promoting an event to each interaction at the circulation desk. And yes, maybe it makes me weird, but the idea of creating a library marketing plan EXCITES me. Continue reading
Have you ever used virtual reality? I have and it’s lots of fun. It’s also a fun way of bringing technology into the school library, connecting history and literature, health, geography or basically any subject and bringing it to life.
Book Week is often one of the biggest events in the school library calendar. Book Week throws into the light the importance of reading, school libraries, children’s literature and Australian literature. It is a chance to celebrate all of that and more.
The theme for Book Week 2022 is Dreaming With Eyes Open… The theme is decided and announced each year by the Children’s Book Council of Australia and they do an amazing job of creating resources that fit the theme and official artwork.
How do we support wellbeing in our school libraries? When I started to put together a webinar and article on the topic I discovered there were far too many aspects of supporting wellbeing, too many resources and tips to be able to fit into a short webinar or article, so here is a collection of links, webinars, podcasts and more on the topic. Have something you want to add? I’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch.
Dr Margaret Merga offers many wonderful insights into the importance of school libraries. Her article How Can School Libraries Support Student Wellbeing? Evidence and Implications for Further Research explores how the school library is a safe space, offers resources to support mental health and wellbeing, and how reading for pleasure can have great effect on wellbeing.
I have been fortunate to have a Cricut machine in each of my past 3 libraries. I love them. I love getting creative, love how these machines can make displays, signage and crafting activities easy. So, I was excited and – let’s be honest – relieved when my new library said they had a Cricut machine.
However, I was a little shocked when the Library team mentioned that they didn’t use it and found it easier to cut things by hand. Seriously? That didn’t make any sense to me. It only took the first time me getting it out to use it to understand where exactly they were coming from and why they were finding it so frustrating. I found it frustrating! It took longer than it should and even making a simple project wasn’t easy. Why? The machine had been given to the team without the proper tools and with no training or instruction. The mats were old and either had left over paper struck to them or had lost their stick altogether. And the team had only ever been told to use it with an iPad rather than on a desktop. It was like trying to use the machine with our hands tied behind our backs. Completely impractical and a waste of time.
Thanks to having used a Cricut before, I knew what it could and should be like. And I knew I could refurbish the machine to make it fun and easy to use. Here’s what I did.
If you’ve decided to purchase a secondhand machine or have inherited an older machine for your library, here’s a few simple steps and tips to get the machine running again smoothly and so you can enjoy using it.
These tips are not going to help a machine that isn’t functioning properly – I leave that to someone with technological and mechanical knowledge, but these should help you get the basics of the machine working well.
Not sure if a Cricut is right for your Library? Check out my post Cutting machines in the Library which goes into the pros and cons.
Well, as I write this, I can hardly believe that Book Week is over. At the same time, I feel so tired it might as well be the end of the year.
I love Book Week. Love the buzz it brings to my school and library. Love the excitement it generates online. Love how it gives libraries, books and reading the spotlight they deserve. Love how my school’s marketing team suddenly want to talk about what’s happening in the Library because the Book Week tag is good for their SEO. But this year, Book Week kind of took a back seat for me.
In previous years, in previous roles, I’d shape my whole planning around Book Week, the theme and the activities I had planned for the year. My new role and the tasks I’ve taken on this year, along with the climate of sudden lockdowns and online learning challenged me to look at Book Week in a different light and to reevaluate my planning and approach to this very special week.
Book Week, one of the biggest literary events in the calendar. The feature of many a Book Week celebration is a book character dress-up parade. But finding a costume, especially at the last minute, isn’t always easy. Book Week, especially the costume parades, can be particularly stressful for parents, students and staff. It seems there is always a last minute rush for costume ideas. It’s a busy time of the year and having a costume you can pull together with things you’ll find around the house is handy.
Here are some simple costume ideas you can make with things around the house.
I love Book Week. Working across a few libraries in the past few years, I have found that despite the different cultures and focus of each library, Book Week remained the highlight of the library calendar. Yet, despite the fun, it does take a lot of work and a lot of planning. Fortunately, there are lots of resources available to help.
The theme for Book Week 2021 is Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds. #OWNWOW
When pulling together a plan for Book Week, it can be a little overwhelming, so I am sharing a few helpful links I’ve come across.
The theme for Book Week 2020 is – Curious Creatures, Wild Minds. Due to COVID-19, the usual date of late August has been changed. Book Week will be celebrated from the 17th to the 23rd of October.
When pulling together a plan for Book Week, it can be a little overwhelming, so I am sharing a few helpful links I’ve come across.
The official Book Week details and updates can be found on the CBCA website. They also share social media images and other free resources. You can also buy official merchandise from the CBCA Store or your state CBCA.
The official artwork for Book Week 2020 has been designed by 2018 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winner Gwyn Perkins. As the author/illustrator of A Walk in the Bush, I think this is the perfect match for theme.
Check out this AWESOME Padlet by teacher librarian Carla Riles https://padlet.com/carlahoward80/27drpkc4638bhifk
Hakea Hustler and Carl Merrison, the team that brought you Black Cockatoo, have created a fantastic teacher guide. Activity ideas, costume ideas, Check it out here. http://hakeahustler.com.au/curious-creatures-wild-minds-cbca-book-week-2020/
Curious Creatures, Wild Minds CBCA Book Week 2020 A Basic Teacher Guide
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