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Summer Project: Kill Dewey
This summer, a legend will fall. But one library will rise from the ashes, reborn under a new classification system. Kristie Miller, the K–12 librarian for Alexander Central Schools in western New...
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We Could Be Heroes: Research plus tech skills are a hot commodity
Librarians are masters of information. Finding it, storing it, organizing it, retrieving it—you name it. We excel at a wide range of skills. And in today’s world, that’s the name of the game. Case in...
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A Video Hosting Solution for Schools
Podcasting was all the rage a few years ago, but these days, video reigns supreme. In New York’s recently released Common Core (CC) exemplar modules for English Language Arts, about half of the tasks...
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A Call for Fair Ebook Pricing: Site-based pricing has small schools overcharged
Over the past few months, the American Library Association (ALA) and its president, Maureen Sullivan, have taken a hard stance with major publishers on the issue of ebooks in libraries. ALA’s...
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A Call for ‘Blended Funding’: Schools must pool money to support Common Core
Frankenstorm Sandy wasn’t the only perfect storm scenario that was discussed at SLJ’s recent Leadership Summit in Philadelphia. School librarians from around the country were also talking about the...
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Ebooks 2013: New leasing models, cheaper devices, more content
It was a bit of a roller coaster for libraries and ebooks in 2012. Penguin was out—terminating its contract with OverDrive, the main supplier of ebooks to libraries, in February—and then the publisher...
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Webooks: A novel plan for cooperative ebook purchasing | The Next Big Thing
Buying ebooks cooperatively in a large district or consortium makes the most of every dollar, but it’s not easy to ensure that everyone feels invested and involved in the selection process. To solve...
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In Light of Common Core, Seeking Ways to Circumvent Dewey
One of the hottest sessions at the American Library Association’s most recent Midwinter meeting was “Dewey vs. Genre.” The Dewey Decimal System—that sacred cow of library organization—was trotted out...
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Self-Published Ebooks not a Solution for K-12 Schools
Ebooks—it’s been a tough time. The bestselling fiction titles that users want are simply unavailable to libraries under terms that are friendly to our institutions. We’re left with business models in...
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Give Students a Break: Four Strategies to Combat Information Overload
Welcome to Resources Anonymous, the support group for librarians addicted to information overload and teachers trying to stay up to speed on the Common Core Curriculum. One dirty secret of...
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‘Here Be Fiction’ Launches: New site features ebook fiction available to...
A few months ago, Marie D’Onofrio, one of the school librarians I work with, told me she was going to buy some fiction ebooks. D’Onofrio, who works at Livonia (NY) High School, purchased four ebooks...
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ConnectED Will Bring Faster Connections to Schools and Libraries | The Next...
What could your library do with gigabit broadband? If you don’t have a list of innovative ways to use an Internet connection 10 or 100 times faster than the current norm, start making it now. The new...
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Board Games to Support the Common Core
The past three years of my life have been consumed by ebooks. I’m involved in the American Library Association’s Digital Content in Libraries Working Group and ALA’s initial Equitable Access to...
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Love Whispersync, Hate the Terms: How can schools legally work with Kindle...
For the past few years, I’ve recommended against using Kindle hardware and Kindle Store content in school libraries, while acknowledging the high quality of Kindle products. The problem? Confusing and...
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Germany’s Unperfekthaus: Is this the Library of the Future?
Photo by HDValentin (www.flickr.com/photos/vbachem). Improving perceptions about the need for school libraries can be an uphill journey, though many of us attempt it daily. Perceptions are hard to...
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Tablets in Schools—What’s Ahead in 2014
One year ago, I predicted that 2013 would be a turning point for mobile hardware in schools and libraries. That’s held true. My forecast of sub-$100 tablets from top brands came close as well....
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“Cultural Competence” Is Essential to Serve Teens
Much has been said about the recent Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) report, The Future of Library Services for and with Teens. The more subtle aspects of YALSA’s call to action deserve...
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Make the STEM connection | The Next Big Thing
Sometimes I think that we forget that library science is itself a science. There’s no reason then why STEM shouldn’t be a natural part of our collections and our instruction. But where to get started?...
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To Tackle Major Issues Affecting Kids, ALA Divisions Must Collaborate | The...
That distant rumble? It’s just me, tearing down the silos that plague the library world. Pick up a sledgehammer and help. As current chair of the American Library Association (ALA) Office for...
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Gaming the Common Core: Many board games align with the standards
When the library profession gathers in Las Vegas this month for the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference (June 26 –July 1), how can we not focus on gaming in libraries? Play-based...
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