A report issued by The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop concluded that though children under 13 are involved in social media, there isn’t enough data on their social networking habits.
“Kids Online” Report: Young Children’s Social Networking Habits Harder to Track than Teens’
By on November 15, 2012
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.”
Digital Research Technologies Offer More Information, More Distraction for High School Students, According to Pew Report
By on November 13, 2012 3 Comments
Though a recent report by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project has found that in general, digital research tools impact students’ work positively, the study also reported that teachers believe that access to technology is also making students much more easily distracted.
An 81-year-old Startup Entrepreneur, Seymour Simon, Sees a Bright Future in Digital Publishing
By on November 8, 2012
Author Seymour Simon talks to kids via Skype. The renowned science writer turned Web entrepreneur has launched StarWalk Kids Seymour Simon is not your typical start-up hopeful. At 81, he’s already had a long and prolific career as an award-winning author of science books for children. But like the researchers and explorers that he’s written [...]
Discovery Game for Libraries Kickstarted by Booklamp.org
By on November 6, 2012
The developers behind the Book Genome Project and Booklamp.org have launched a Kickstarter campaign for “The Game of Books,” a new digital card and role-playing game designed to reward young adults for reading. Funding raised by the campaign would be used to design, produce, and distribute 4,000 Game of Books starter kits to U.S. libraries. Founded in 2003, the Book Genome Project works with publishers to solve challenges in book discovery by using computer analysis of the language, theme, and characters in books.
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.
SLJ Summit 2012: Chris Lehmann Calls for a “Citizenry Model” for Today’s Schools
By on November 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
Chris Lehmann, the founding principal of Philadelphia’s Science Leadership Academy, isn’t surprised most teens think, “school stinks.” This innovative educator is out to change their opinion.
Cool Tools: The Best Free Web Applications for Reaching Out to Parents
By on October 29, 2012
From maintaining a blog to texting updates from the classroom, free web apps can help educators foster those important school-home connections.
SLJ Summit 2012: Of Leadership and ‘Blended-Learning Baristas’
By on October 27, 2012 2 Comments
“I love the library, and I firmly believe in it,” says Mark Ray, a former teacher librarian and Washington’s 2011 Teacher of the Year. “But what I also think is that we can redefine perceptions on the part of administrators and decision makers by not necessarily wearing the library on our sleeves.”
SLJ Cover Sneak Peek: November 2012
By on October 26, 2012
Hot off the presses: School Library Journal’s cover. This month we’re featuring the findings from our recent technology survey.
INFOdocket: Top Resources for K–12
By on October 23, 2012
Looking for new, timely online resources for your K–12 students? Gary Price, an industry analyst librarian and editor of LJ’s INFOdocket, has selected the following recent posts for school librarians. Topics range from current and past presidential debates to German Jewish history. Price is also co-founder and editor of FullTextReports.com.
Libraries, Ebooks, and Beyond: Tablets in the Classroom
By on October 23, 2012
Ereaders and iPads are becoming integral parts of the school library because they foster creativity and encourage flexibility in learning. But are students using this technology effectively? Panelists from SLJ’s session, “Tablets in the Classroom: New Strategies, New Solutions,” discussed how to ensure that students are relying on these devices to truly make the most of their educational experiences.
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.
A Video Hosting Solution for Schools
By on October 21, 2012
Under Common Core, students will be writing scripts, reviewing books, making public service announcements, and creating other content, all using video. For schools, this presents a technical challenge: Where to host all this video? SLJ columnist Christopher Harris has found a solution.
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.
Libraries, Ebooks and Beyond: Library “Makers” Share How It’s Done
By on October 18, 2012
Searching for some great ways to get kids hooked on creating digital content? Attendees at the October 17 Digital Shift event got some great tips from Wes Fryer, Melissa Techman, Liz Castro and Erin Daly, all participants in a panel on “Makers in the Library.”
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.
New Streaming Ebook Platform StarWalk Kids Goes Live
By on October 10, 2012
Starwalk Kids, a digital streaming service available by subscription, launched October 10 with a curated collection emphasizing nonfiction. “We think this is the future of digital media for schools because it’s device neutral and offers simultaneous access,” says StarWalk co-founder Liz Nealon.
Joyce Valenza Shares a Secret Search Tool
By on October 8, 2012
“When it comes to search, your favorite search engine and your favorite databases may not necessarily be the right places to launch inquiry,” writes Joyce Valenza. Recently she’s tried an overlooked feature of one of her favorite resources, LibGuides, to access the best resources via the expert hive.
