Join the nation’s many school librarians and educators planning to dive into projects, programs, and day-long activities tomorrow in celebration of the second annual Digital Learning Day.
School Library Thrives After Ditching Print Collection
By on January 8, 2013
Minneapolis’ Benilde-St. Margaret’s school library remains a vital educational space where students still research, investigate and—above all—learn, even after high school principal Sue Skinner donated or re-purposed nearly all the books in its print collection in 2011.
High School Students Use Cell Phones in Class—but not for Schoolwork, Says Study
By on January 7, 2013
Just as many high school teachers are becoming comfortable with incorporating smartphones and other digital devices into classrooms to aid with learning, a new study finds that a majority of high school students are already using cell phones in class—to text, to send emails, and to browse social media sites.
Home-Schooled Florida Teen Creates ‘Jurassic’ App
By on December 27, 2012
Most kids who are obsessed with Tyrannosaurus Rex end up playing with figurines or poring over dinosaur-themed books. Not Evan Frost. Instead, the 13-year-old from Palm Beach Gardens, FL, turned his interest into an app he developed for Android phones.
Cleveland Public Library Hires Buffy Hamilton, the Unquiet Librarian
By on November 14, 2012
Buffy Hamilton, best known as the Unquiet Librarian, will soon be joining the Cleveland Public Library. Starting next year, Hamilton will become CPL’s Learning Specialist and will work to engage Cleveland’s patrons, from students to the greater public, through “library-supported communities of participatory learning.”
Common Core Will Stress Already Inadequate E-rate Funding
By on November 5, 2012
The E-Rate program, which is responsible for the funds dedicated to connecting schools and libraries to the Internet, is unable to keep up with high demand., and schools’ needs are only becoming more urgent with the advent of the Common Core Standards.
The League of Extraordinary Librarians: SLJ’s latest tech survey shows that media specialists are leading the way
By on November 4, 2012
Meet the latest tech superheroes: school librarians. According to School Library Journal’s 2012 School Technology Survey, media specialists are leading the charge to bring new media, mobile devices, social apps, and web-based technologies into our nation’s classrooms.
Mix It Up Day Draws Protests from Christian Group
By on October 25, 2012 1 Comment
A Christian group’s protests has spurred some schools to pull their involvement from next week’s Mix it Up at Lunch Day—an 11-year-old program meant to reduce prejudice among students that’s sponsored by the Teaching Tolerance project, part of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
Is Amazon Whispercast Enough?: Doubts Remain on Kindle’s Adoption by Schools
By on October 23, 2012
Amazon’s newest service, Whispercast, attempts to make Kindles more tempting to librarians by letting them control multiple Kindles from a single access account. However, many librarians have doubts, and there are remaining unanswered questions.
Tweet What You Write
By on October 18, 2012 1 Comment
To expand how learners think about writing, national literacy and educational groups are asking teachers, librarians, writers, children and creators of all kinds to share what they write on Twitter on Friday, October 19, using the hashtag #whatiwrite.
Cyber Students Get Cyber Library
By on October 18, 2012
Pennsylvania’s cyber students now have a school library to call their own. Opening its virtual doors on September 4, the library serves the 10,500 K-12 children who attend the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber). Students can check out ebooks, conduct research through free databases for school assignments, and get print materials snail-mailed to their home with a click of the button.
The Imperative for Change: Pam Moran and Ira Socol lay it on the line for librarians at SLJ’s Summit
By on October 16, 2012
When it comes to libraries, educators Ira Socol and Pam Moran are very clear—it’s imperative that these institutions evolve in today’s technologically-driven world or risk fading into irrelevancy. Socol and Moran are set to deliver the “unkeynote” at School Library Journal’s Leadership Summit, October 26-27, in Philadelphia.
DC Parents Demand School Librarians Be Restored
By on October 15, 2012 1 Comment
Parents in Washington, DC, are taking to the streets, advocating for more funding for their school libraries and librarians. The Capitol Hill Public Schools Parent Organization (CHPSPO) has spent the past seven months pushing for Washington, DC, to open its coffers to school libraries to replenish shelves, upgrade library spaces and hire more librarians for K–12 students.
New COPPA Proposals Raise Privacy Concerns
By on October 11, 2012 5 Comments
New rules proposed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) designed to protect minors in the digital age are leaving some concerned that its intentions could do more harm than good.
Colorado Media Specialist Takes Library Fight To The Road
By on September 28, 2012 Leave a Comment
When it comes to advocacy, school librarian Mike McQueen plays it big—wrapping his RV with stickers and signs to encourage his community of Jefferson County, CO, to vote in favor of two bond measures and save school libraries.
Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator, Children’s Rep, and Library Supporter
By on September 20, 2012 Leave a Comment
Librarians now have another ally—psychic investigator Gilda Joyce has taken up their cause. The pint-sized protagonist in Jennifer Allison’s mystery novels was up in arms this week about the Chicago teacher’s strike, pointing out that, like educators, children need an advocate—and appointed herself Children’s Union Representative, while also stressing the importance of school librarians.
Study: U.K. Kids Reading Less, But Digital Formats Pick Up
By on September 17, 2012
Although kids today say they enjoy reading just as much as their peers did in 2005, they’re actually reading far less each day because they’re busy doing other things, says a new study by the National Literacy Trust, a UK-based literacy charity.
Assess Your School’s Connectivity on the Nonprofit Site Education SuperHighway
By on September 11, 2012
All the tech programming in the world means nothing without the adequate infrastructure to support it. Now anyone—from teachers, administrators and librarians to students—can log on to the site Education Superhighway and have their school’s connection speed analyzed within minutes.
Editor Marks Banned Books Week by Being Locked Up at Vonnegut Memorial Library
By on September 5, 2012
The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library is expecting an unusual window display starting September 30—writer and editor Corey Michael Dalton plans to mark Banned Books Week by camping out there to demonstrate the value of our freedom to read.
NY’s Queens Library Brings In Youth Services Champion to New Post
By on August 29, 2012
If one theme runs through Tracie D. Hall’s career, it’s the passion she feels for young people and
Tracie D. Hall
ensuring they have the resources to succeed. As Queens Library’s newest director of strategy and organizational development, she’s involved in the library’s customer service priorities—but she’ll also ensure that youth services remains a priority.
“I’m always in awe of the raw potential in young people,” says Hall, who came aboard on July 16. “Institutions can either squash that and try to [...]
