Blog Posts

May 2016: Josiah Quincy Elementary School Library, Boston

5/2/2016

School Librarian: Heidi Boulogne
Josiah Quincy Elementary School Library Website
Josiah Quincy Elementary School Website

Happy readers!

Here are our favorite books!

The Josiah Quincy Elementary School is a vibrant public school located in the Chinatown neighborhood in downtown Boston. Chinatown does not have a public library branch, so for many of our 800 plus students, the school library is it! With the increase of free digital content available to our students, we have begun transforming our library into a learning commons environment. To achieve this, the library has been very successful in securing funding for our technology projects through DonorsChoose.

Our school's community has begun to channel energy into making our school and its curriculum more universally accessible to our diverse student population. We enhanced our school library with a media lab, a white board with a projector, and a mobile microphone system.

Independent reading time.

Media Lab:
We have a twenty-two station media lab with a mounted large screen TV. The lab includes five touch screen monitors with jumbo size keyboards and voice-to-text features. Digital lesson materials are visually interesting and allow for multiple ways of learning language and comprehension. We are able to accommodate our students with visual impairments, attention deficits, and other disabilities with voice-text features, touch screen monitors, and large keyboards. In this way, we engage all our students with exciting lessons and improve learning by keeping students stimulated and interested. Our entire school community has benefited greatly from this interactive library lab!

Working on interactive lessons.

Students in the Media Lab.

Classes involved in digital learning.

Engaged students demonstrate comprehension.

Using the mobile microphone!

Mobile Microphone System:
Understanding the urgent need for interactive technologies in our school, we purchased a mobile microphone system. For our shy children with small voices, the mobile microphone has encouraged students to share their school projects. We can observe their growing confidence, lessened anxiety, and happy faces as a result. Classmates engage their peers with their exciting presentations. Students will use the system to present their projects at our annual STEAM science fair, where our school community gets very excited to show off their hard work!

using technology to become 21st century learners

Exciting presentations!

Peer-to-peer learning.

These new technologies in our library are bringing us closer to achieving our mission that all our children are 21st century learners!

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April 2016: Westborough High School Library

4/3/2016

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Library Teacher: Anita Cellucci, M.Ed. LMS

MBLC LSTA Grant Recipient 2015-2016
Mental Health: Collaborating, Raising Awareness and Breaking Stigma

Westborough High School Library Website

MSLA Web Seal of Excellence 2016
MSLA President 2015-2016

Westborough High School Library was awarded a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant for $5000 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) for the 2015-2016 school year.

Get your “flow on” in the library - mandalas available for coloring during lunch, break and after school.

The project includes collaboration with town departments such as the Public Library and Youth and Family Services. The grant will help bring mental health and wellness resources to the forefront for freshman Health classes, as well as senior Psychology in Literature seminars. Students are participating in programs such as yoga, mindfulness, a writing marathon and author visit with Laura Harrington, and Slam poetry - through a day Poet-In-Residence. The culmination of the poetry event will be the creation of a wall to “Raise our Voice” and “Break the Silence” around mental illness. Students and teachers have also had presentations/training from the National Alliance of Mental Illness. Two programs were brought in. NAMI In Our Own Voice (IOOV) and ETE (Educating the Educators).

This project was born from watching students struggle with balance with their personal lives and academic lives. It is so powerful if we can offer an avenue for self reflection and positive ways to deal with challenges. For me, it’s all about empowering students to utilize resources ... not only academically, but for personal growth and awareness. It’s also about creating community – empathy for each other – helping students realize that they have a voice and they have it within themselves to help each other. .As early treatment offers the best results for recovery, it is imperative to provide educational programming that will bring knowledge, awareness, and empathy to the issue.

IOOV (In Our Own Voice).

NAMI In Our Own Voice (IOOV) :
In a program of the National Alliance of Mental Illness, two young adult presenters will tell their personal recovery stories from mental illness, through the framework of 5 stages of recovery:

Dark days
Acceptance
Treatment
Coping Skills
Successes, hopes and dreams

The purpose of the program is to fight stigma and discrimination of people with mental illness and educate the public that people can recover from mental illness and lead productive hopeful lives. NAMI In Our Own Voice (IOOV) unmasks mental illness, using speaker stories to illustrate the individual realities of living with mental illness. Attendees gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with mental illness and stay in recovery. NAMI In Our Own Voice can change attitudes, preconceived notions and stereotypes regarding mental illness.

Trauma-Sensitive Yoga:
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga is an opportunity to feel your body, allow you to make choices for yourself based on what you feel.Key theoretical underpinnings include: Neuroscience, Complex Trauma Theory, Attachment Theory & Developmental Trauma. Resources and recent publications by David Emerson and Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk highlight the scientific significance of yoga-related trauma treatment. Goals: Engage the interoceptive pathways in the brain; Empowerment; Rebuilding and/or strengthening our relationships with ourselves and others.

Mental Health Awareness Week Banner Signing Event.

Library Legislation Day at State House.

Educating the Educator:
Part I - Physician Perspective “ The Biological Nature of Mental Illness:
Part II - Family Perspective: “Walk in My Shoes”
Part III - Teacher Perspective: “Where Do We Go From Here”
Resources, Empathy Building, Understanding: “Strong School mental health programs can attend to the health and behavioral concerns of students, reduce unnecessary pain and suffering and help ensure academic achievement.”

Writing Marathon:
Local veterans are invited to participate in a Writing Marathon sponsored by Westborough Reads Together and Westborough High School Library on Thursday April 7. Laura Harrington, author of award winning book, Alice Bliss, will co-facilitate the marathon with WHS educators. Small group discussion, a few 10 minute writing sessions and whole group sharing.

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March 2016: Canton High School Library

2/29/2016

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Librarian: Joanne Teliszewski

MSLA President’s Award 2012
MSLA Web Seal of Excellence 2015

Library Assistant: Nancy Keyo
Canton High School Library Website

In six years, the Canton High School Library has undergone dramatic changes. Physically, the spacious library (previously the gymnasium before the school renovation in 2004), was weeded of nearly 6,000 print books and five large bookcases.

Layout of the CHS Library.

Library signage and art work.

Inspired by Dartmouth High School’s Hybrid Dewey organization, the CHS library just completed its reorganization by subject area (examples include European History, Psychology, STEM, Sports and Memoirs). In addition, we have “genrefied” all of our Fiction books. As a result of our efforts, students are more successful in finding a book that meets their academic or personal needs. The circulation of our books, along with a renewed school emphasis on independent reading, has nearly doubled!

Librarian-Teacher collaboration has also significantly increased. Students are given mini informational literacy lessons when classroom teachers come to the library and last fall a new “Library Bootcamp” class was taught to freshmen. The CHS Library has become the district’s center for Professional Development as we regularly host faculty, curriculum and mentor meetings and our space is frequently used by community groups and clubs in the evening.

Building a tree sculpture.

Playing chess.

Poetry aloud.

Our flexible space and furniture has enabled the library to be transformed into Ellis Island for a US History class and a crime scene for a Forensics class. We host classroom debates, poetry aloud events and listening lunches where our chorus, jazz and music technology classes perform for faculty and students. Last year we created a dedicated “makerspace” area and have chess, puzzles and coloring available to students and will be adding more makerspace activities in the future. Last year during World Languages Week, we hosted an African Drumming class and this year we will have Salsa Dancing!

Lastly, we have developed a wonderful, collaborative relationship with our Art Department. Our walls and space are adorned with CHS student art work. Drawings, sculpture, photography and coffee and end tables have been created by our talented students and can be seen throughout the space.

Even though we have not formally changed our name to “Learning Commons”, the Canton High School Library has transformed itself to a learning commons environment that can be used and enjoyed by the entire school community.

Listening lunch.

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February 2016: Billerica Memorial High School Learning Commons

1/31/2016

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Library Media Specialist: Rachel Bouhanda
Credit Recovery Coordinator/ Library Assistant: Jeff Bernoth
Library Clerk: Joni Mitza
Virtual Learning Commons Website

In the last year Billerica Memorial High School Library has been in transition to a Learning Commons with a few amazing projects.

Rachel Bouhanda and Jermaine "Wiggy" Wiggins at a Fuel 60 Event to celebrate the Innovation Cafe and Healthy Eating.

We were able to update an old computer lab into what is now the Innovation Center. This area houses a very successful Innovation Café open for breakfast, lunch, afterschool snack and dinner for the night school program. The main area of the Innovation Center holds the student tech support team and state of the art technology used in teaching classes, most recently for an intro to iMovie for the media literacy class as they begin their documentary project. In addition the space is used for professional development opportunities for school staff.

The library shelves have been condensed on the floor to create an open space and more seating for students and staff to work. New books are showcased at the front of the Learning Commons in addition to rotating displays, which are maintained by the school’s community service class students.

Learning Commons during Midterm Break.

Studio B, our TV studio, received an update from donated equipment from BATV and we continue to upgrade with an additional year long Television Production class added to our curriculum this past fall. Students in the AV Club produce a news announcement segment Tuesday to Friday during our advisory block.

Innovation Center, home to the Student Tech Support Team.

One of the Library’s storage areas has been re-invented to create a video editing lab with six MAC computers to use iMovie. A few classes have already started using the space, but it is still in the beginning stages.

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January 2016: Weston High School Library

1/4/2016

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Library Media Specialist: Alida Hanson
Library Website

The annual "Hour of Code" event of fun coding challenges.

3D Printing Center!

Students recommend books via the Weston Book Review.

Last year, the Weston High School library had 46,238 student visits, 16,548 database searches, and 15,070 website visits. Directed by Library Media Specialist Alida Hanson and supported by paraprofessionals Pat Koval and Marylou Rees, the library includes a huge new collection of ebooks for research and pleasure reading, a new website that gives students constant access to our databases, ebooks, and topic guides, a 3D printing center, and an environment that encourages student collaboration. Students can:

Research projects via the website without stepping foot in the library.

Work in a friendly space where they can choose silent study, talk with friends, or relax in a comfortable chair.
Take a break, relax, and learn something new. The library recently hosted the annual “Hour of Code” where Comp Sci students helped their peers complete fun coding challenges. Students also work on jigsaw puzzles, color, and get inspired to do different things like install a computer font of your own handwriting and create 3D paper snowflakes.
Get quick help with Bring Your Own Technology needs. Borrow chargers, headphones, charge phones, and troubleshoot tech issues.
All 9th graders take the Research and Technology course. Alida Hanson also works with teachers, collaborating with them on classroom instruction and providing professional development to them on technology.
Stay engaged with library programs through Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, and The Weston Book Review.

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December 2015: Florence Sawyer School Library Media Center, Bolton

11/30/2015

Open space.

The result is a more open and flexible space, a more welcoming environment, and increased patron use. The story rug area is no longer solely for read-alouds, book trucks now cart Chromebooks, and our growing collection of digital resources rivals our updated print collection.

Book trucks, now Chrome Carts.

Librarians: Michael Caligiuri and Amy Ricciuti
Link to Library Media Center Website

Our K-8 library has gone through many changes over the last five years. We’ve weeded nearly half the collection, rearranged shelving, and replaced space invading desktops with Chromebooks.

Story rug.

We’re lucky in our support from administration and parent groups and take full advantage of that support to make our library the ‘hub of the school’.

October/November 2015: Blanchard Middle School, Westford

10/1/2015

We used a 'stone soup' type of collaborative effort to transform our traditional library into a learning commons with virtually no budget. With help from a cadre of community volunteers, we

Weeded out 2/3 of the old print collection (the previous average age: 1994, new average age: 2002)
Rebuilt the old shelving into an easy-to-browse fiction area, nonfiction shelves on wheels, a tech storage and charging area, and storage for makerspace/art supplies
Painted the walls and installed new carpeting (this was budgeted; Hadn't been done in 22 years)
Installed cork strips for displaying student art/projects
Switched from 50 desktop computers to 75 chromebooks (funded by 6 year technology replacement plan) and 25 ipads (Grant money)
Purchased 17 Bean Bag chairs (Parent Organization)

Library Media Specialist: Ellen Brandt
Learning Commons Website
Learning Commons Blog

Collage of Learning Commons in action.

We are still operating with 23-year old furniture, but now that we have more open space, it gets moved around and repurposed as needed. We encourage this! With a flexible, adaptable set-up, 100 mobile devices, 2 green screen studios and student display space, we have become a hive of activity! Sometimes as many as four different classes are here at once. Book checkout has tripled, many new projects have been developed and old ones enhanced, and collaboration between the librarian and ITS and subject area teachers has increased significantly.

September 2015: Marguerite E. Small School Library, West Yarmouth

9/1/2015

Library Media Specialist:
Kim Keith
Grades K/1 Symbaloo Page

Marguerite E. Small Elementary School is a PreK-3 elementary school in West Yarmouth. We are part of the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District. The library is a dedicated space that houses our growing collection of both fiction and non-fiction books. Adjacent to the library is a computer lab with 25 desktop computers. I am the library media specialist and teach both library and computer to grades K-3.

Marguerite E. Small School Library, West Yarmouth

Kim Keith meets Mo Willems at the 2015 MSLA Conference.

A welcoming space awaits students and teachers.

Collaborative Project.

One of my most important tasks is collaboration with the staff in the building. A first grade teacher, the literacy coach and myself implemented two collaborative projects this past year. One was on nocturnal animals and the other was using the book Perfect Pairs, Using Fiction & Nonfiction Picture Books to Teach Life Science, K-2 by Melissa Stewart and Nancy Chesley supported by a grant through the Dennis Yarmouth educational foundation. I use Symbaloo in my computer classes to make sure my lessons are targeted and the students are using the proper websites. I have the link on my teacher page on the school’s website so the students can access it from home. The staff in the building works hard to create a school wide culture of reading.

Summer 2015: Auburn High School Library

7/1/2015

Auburn High Library: Faculty workshops in their hobbies are quite popular

Faculty workshops of their hobbies are quite popular.

Library Website
Media Specialist: Bethany Dunton

Showcasing finished projects.

Gathering in the library.

This year, as part of an initiative to get more students in the library at Auburn High School, I asked faculty members to consider sharing a personal interest or hobby with our students. My hope was to give students an opportunity to participate in some activities that are not usually offered at the high school setting. With the enthusiastic response I received from the faculty, I was able to offer a different workshop each month for the entire school year. The workshop topics varied, but included the following: bee keeping, cake decorating, scrap booking, line dancing, crocheting, stress relief/Tapping, Japanese embroidery, Fantasy Football, and a mini concert with African drums, bass, and guitar. So many wonderful experiences came from these workshops! The teacher who offered crocheting is now crocheting with students every Wednesday after school. The teacher who offered the stress relief seminar is now meeting with students regularly, as well. The faculty, through their generosity, enabled students to see them in a different light and share a passion that is so dear to them. The students had the opportunity to learn something new to them and maybe take up a new hobby. What fun!!

June 2015: Methuen High School Media Center

6/1/2015

Come ask us a question!

Reading room.

Entrance to the newly renovated Media Center.

Media Center Website Co-Librarians: Paula Cross and Kristin T.J. Foti

Methuen High School, a Comprehensive High School of approximately 1800 students, has just completed a 3 year renovation that transformed the Media Center from a dated, open concept space to a bright, accessible, and accommodating learning environment. The mission of the media center is to empower students to be critical thinkers, seekers of ideas, ethical users of information, lifelong learners and readers through instruction, collaboration, and programming. 2014-2015 has been a busy year in the Media Center. In addition to approximately 70 classes and 3600 students visiting the Media Center per month, 30,000 print materials were re-shelved and interfiled in the newly opened space, we redesigned our Freshman orientation program, began to administer pre and post assessments of Works Cited pages, started utilizing the new space for co-curricular displays; developed a school-wide reading program called “What Am I Reading?” (a competition between faculty members to advertise their reading and promote reading throughout the school); continued an extensive web site redevelopment; created space for the Early Childhood Development students to observe the librarians reading to the pre-school students; advised a 40+ student Books and Bagels reading club that participated in 8 monthly book discussions, fundraising, and a field trip; collaborated on grant funded initiatives; our relationship with the Nevins Memorial Library staff has continues to amaze and their support to our students and faculty is unparalleled. As the year winds down, we are wrapping up our instruction and research projects. While we look forward to the end of the year, there is still work to be done to prepare for the summer reading program and reopening in the Fall to another year of exciting initiatives and student development.

May 2015: Brookwood School Library, Manchester

5/1/2015

Cozy spot for reading.

Story time!

Busy students exploring books.

Library Website
Librarian: Sheila Geraty (also a 2015 MSLA Super Librarian!) Associate Librarian: Becky Keller

Brookwood School is a Pre-K – Grade 8 independent school in Manchester, MA. The library is a comfortable, open, light-filled space with the adjacent Shlopak Library housing lower school print, audio, and DVD collections. In the last three years, the library began using LibGuides to develop targeted web resources designed to enrich and support specific curriculum. Dedicated parent volunteers are integral to the success and the vibrancy of the Brookwood Library as well. Each spring, Upper School students are engaged with in-depth social studies research that requires print materials, databases, and web resources. Students share their work with teachers using GoogleDocs, EasyBib, and NoodleTools for organization and citation. During this time of year, the students are immersed in poetry as they prepare for the Harold W. Wise Declamation, one of the few formal traditions at Brookwood. Poet Douglas Florian regaled students and teachers during his visit in April, inspiring many to dig deeper into the poetic form. But, most importantly, the library seeks to inspire readers by creating a school-wide culture of reading. Programs like, One School, One Book, Upper School Book Club, Mystery Book of the Month films, Faculty book reading programs, and author visits generate enthusiasm.

April 2015 : Jeremiah E. Burke High School Library, Dorchester

4/1/2015

Researching, typing, revising.

Students gathering in the library.

Library Website Librarian: Reba Tierney (who is also a 2015 MSLA Super Librarian!)

Here at Burke High School we are blessed with a beautiful physical library space. There is plenty of light and openness, creating a visually pleasing but highly functional space for class visits as well as oasis for students who come in to study or work independently. Spring is a very busy season for us! Several teachers utilize our space and resources for a variety of projects. Senior Research Papers are always a big collaborative effort. Students spend several weeks researching, revising and typing their papers. Another recent collaborations is with Ms. Rodny’s Studio Art Class. Her students have begun their research papers which will culminate in each student teaching a class in the style of the artist they have chosen to study. They are using the PBS sponsored website www.art21.org to research and choose an artist. Our student Book Club is alive and well and continues to meet during lunches to have general and directed book discussions. Our library is located directly above The Grove Hall Branch of the BPL, so the Young Adult librarian will come up and participate in Book Club. This connection builds and fosters relationships with the Public Library, and exposes our students to the wider world of resources available through the Boston Public Library.

March 2015: Dracut High School Learning Commons

3/1/2015

150 attendees for Poetry Out Loud.

Librarian: Christin Monaghan
Website
Twitter: @DHSLC1

AP Literature having a Socratic discussion.

The Dracut High School Learning Commons has been a renovation of space, attitude, and culture. The renovation of Dracut High School was completed in September 2014. We are now in what was the old gymnasium with high ceilings and a gorgeous wall of windows overlooking the athletic fields. In late August, 14 senior interns and I began going through boxes of books and weeding materials before shelving. New materials arrived. In particular, lots of new fiction that was recommended by our students to freshen up the collection. Thanks to lots of input from lots of MSLA members at the UNconference, we now have a website that is user-friendly and provides access to databases and our new catalog, Follett Destiny! The last few months have been very busy with so many big changes. Most importantly our students and staff are thrilled to use the space for events like Poetry Out Loud, class discussions, and career seminars. Our computers are used all the time, couches and comfy chairs are moved for collaboration, laptops are brought in, books are being checked out, and lots of productivity is happening!

February 2015: Hadley Elementary School Library, Swampscott

2/1/2015

Swampscott Hadley Elementary School Library

Book return mailbox!

Swampscott Hadley Elementary School Library, newly opened

Parent volunteers organized and cataloged 7,000 books.

Swampscott Hadley Elementary School Library - a victory for the PTA advocacy

White boards encourage participation.

This month we’re championing the work done by a group of PTA volunteers to reinstate a library program in the Commonwealth! Last year, parents responded quickly to proposed library budget cuts by the Swampscott School District. Their hard work, along with advocacy from MSLA Executive Board members, led to a recent Grand Opening Celebration at the Hadley Elementary School… and the promise of a professional librarian at the middle school next year and elementary the year after.

“We have come a long way!” says Melissa DeFilippi, PTA co-president. Today they have 7,000 books logged in a new e-catalog at Hadley, all done by hand by parent volunteers. The e-catalog is installed at all schools in the district. According to DeFilippi, “We could not have lit the fire without MSLA support. There is library buzz at Hadley. The parents are excited, the teachers are excited, and best of all, the children are excited."

Swampscott is well on their way toward having professional library staffing throughout the district. Congratulations again to Melissa DeFilippi and all the Swampscott parent volunteers on being selected for a 2015 MSLA School Library Advocate Award. Read more about the 2015 Award Winners and join us in celebrating everyone at the MSLA Conference in March!

January 2015: Lenox Memorial Middle & High School Library

1/1/2015

Collaborative Project:
Compañeros De Leer / Reading Buddies

Librarian:
Alexis Brown Kennedy
Spanish Teacher:
Señora Ann-Marie Rodriguez
Library Website

Lenox Middle & High School Library: Reading Buddies

9th grade students practicing their Spanish skills by reading to 6th graders.

Ninth grade Spanish III students have chosen a holiday theme of interest to use as a basis for writing a children's storybook. After investigating chosen themes, students were required to write drafts of their stories, which were submitted and assessed on content and developing grammatical skills. Each student was provided with feedback that was incorporated into a final copy of the storybook, complete with illustrations, dedication page, and information about the author. Once completed, 6th grade students were invited to the library to enjoy special reading time together with our school's newest authors. As each 9th grade student read their story to their 6th grade 'compañero', a conversation ensued that allowed each reading buddy the opportunity to share new knowledge and information about the story, the illustrations, the Spanish vocabulary, or just to make connections with a new friend!

Señora Rodriguez deserves much credit, as she is the force behind this collaboration. We are a small middle/high school, and I was thrilled to see such engagement among middle and high school students, with the high school students acting as true mentors. In a combined school such as ours, the library becomes the veritable center of the school. Excluding the hallways, it is the only space where middle and high school students mingle on a daily basis. As all libraries, it serves its users in many ways, offering quiet space to study, comfortable space to lounge and decompress, and classroom use for instruction. Servings users ranging in age from 11-18+ can be tricky; this moment created by Señora Rodriguez highlights what powerful connections a school library can foster.

December 2014: Sarah W. Gibbons Middle School, Westborough

12/1/2014

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Westborough Middle School: Promoting reading:

Promoting reading: "Currently Reading Project"

Library
website

Librarian:
Linda Kimball

Whiteboards with staff current reading projects are great conversation starters.

Linda Kimball adapted ideas from Donalyn Miller. These boards posted around the school are great conversation starters.

Several years ago, I read Donalyn Miller’s book The Book Whisperer and was inspired to try some of her ideas. Well, time got away from me, and nothing happened. This year when I heard Donalyn was speaking at MSLA I re-read the book, plus her new book Reading in the Wild. I also read the recent MSLA Twitter chat transcript about Donalyn’s book. Happy to share that we now have a “Currently Reading Project!”

I asked my six ELA and two reading teachers to use an 8 x 11 inch white board (only $3.19 each from Office Depot from the library budget) to post what they are currently reading (it did not have to be a YA book). Well three re-orders later and nearly 40 boards posted around my school, it is has been successful beyond my dreams. Teachers are coming asking if they can have one. It has been a great conversation starter with students about reading. There is also ELA teacher looking to start the project at our high school.

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November 2014: Sharon High School

11/1/2014

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Sharon High School Library gets a makeover.

Library website

Librarian: Cathy Collins
(also a 2014
Web Seal of Excellence winner!)

To align the high school library program with larger school and district-wide strategic goals, librarian Cathy Collins collaborated with principals at the middle school and high school to create a Student Mentors/Transition Team program. Student leader/facilitators are trained in the library to guide 8th grade and 9th grade students with the transition from middle school to high school. Participants assist in activities such as student orientation, "Step Up Day," and "Upstander Day," and hold regular sessions on study skills, time management, academic choices and club/sports opportunities. The library is undergoing a transition as well, from a traditional library to a revitalized "Learning Commons." Ipads, cafe style seating and collaborative study spaces are being made available to students and staff. A global resources study center, a career and college resource area, and even a fishtank are part of the grand plan.

Sharon High School Learning Commons: collaborative learning spaces

The Learning Commons features collaborative learning spaces.

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October 2014: Taunton High School

10/1/2014

Wheaton College Ispeak team demonstrate a poetry slam at the Taunton High School Library.

THS Library website
Librarian: Sharon Dorian
(also a 2014 MSLA President’s Award Winner!)

Poetry Slam at Taunton High School Library

Over 70 students and faculty listening and participating in a poetry slam.

Last year as a way to get our students excited about poetry and to recruit students for the Poetry Out Loud contest, the English Curriculum Supervisor and I held a Poetry Slam in the library. Not feeling especially versed in poetry, I decided to call in some experts… students from Wheaton College’s Ispeak team. Wheaton College in Norton is located just north of Taunton and I felt the students would connect better with students of college age than an older more established poet. The reaction from the students was phenomenal! Over 70 students and faculty stayed after school on a Friday to listen and participate. Tyrek and Jillian, the reps from Wheaton, were just perfect. Both from urban school high schools, they told their stories about how they got interested in the spoken word and performed slam poems that really spoke to our students. For the remainder of last year our students kept asking “when are the Wheaton students coming back?” and “Can we have our own slam club?” I am happy to say we will be holding another slam on November 7th with our Wheaton friends and a small but enthusiastic and talented group of students has been meeting regularly to share their poetry. It is our hope to eventually have our students share with the middle schools in the same way. You never know where an idea will take you, but I’m really proud of this one.

September 2014: Carlisle School Library

9/1/2014

Link to Carlisle School Library
Librarian: Maya Bery

One of the benefits of working in a small town is that the public library is right down the path from the school parking lot and it's easy to get involved. This past year, my first in Carlisle, I began collaborating with the teen services librarian, Tahleen Shamlian, on an open-mic night event for middle school students, which was a big hit. I've also worked with both Tahleen and the children's librarian, Marty Seneta on creating summer reading suggestions for 1st-8th grade, and was invited by library director Katie Huffman to serve in a focus group for the library's new long-term plan. Tahleen and Marty also came up to the school to promote their summer reading program. My hope is that the next year will bring even more successful collaborations between the the school and public library, whether that be through programming, resource sharing, or collaboration.

Middle school students at the open-mic night.

Summer 2014: Pingree School Learning Commons, South Hamilton

7/1/2014

The Hub is a collaborative, dynamic learning space.

The Quiet Library promotes independent work.

Learning Commons website
Library Resources website
Learning Commons Director:
Meg O’Neill

Why a Learning Commons? For us at Pingree, the learning commons model is a team-based, student-centered design. The library, technology department, writing center, and educational resource center collaborate to provide the best resources and academic supports to our community. We have several student-led services such as the Peer Leader Tutoring program, a Peer Writing Feedback program, and a NerdHerd which provides level one technology support to students and faculty. All of this happens in a multi-purpose, multi-room facility with designated group areas and a quiet room to address the variety of learning styles of our students. This summer, our quiet room is actually undergoing a significant renovation, thanks to an E.E. Ford Foundation grant that we received to continue the work we’re doing to encourage innovative teaching and learning. Our main circulation/reference desk will become a more inviting, rounded shape. We will also be adding a new group room that will also serve as a production room, complete with green screen technology.

May 2014: Holyoke High School Library

5/1/2014

After School Program.

Reading Area.

Holyoke High School Library Website: Librarian: Ellen Stein

The library at Holyoke High School was renovated during the summer of 2011. The lighting, ceiling, and air conditioning were updated as well as the circulation desk, which was made handicap accessible.
The library is open after school two days a week until 4:00 p.m. to provide students the time to work on projects or obtain assistance with writing or research. A monthly newsletter which lists new resources or events related to books are distributed to staff and posted on the library's website for parents to read.

May/June 2014: MacArthur Elementary School, Waltham

5/1/2014

Waltham, MacArthur Elementary School Library

Keeping students and families informed with our new Twitter feed.

Twitter Feed Link Library Website Link
Library Teacher: Stephanie South

What we are doing: We created a Twitter account for the MacArthur Library (@MacALibrary) and embedded it on our school homepage on May 8, our official launch date. Every school day I post a tweet and picture about something that has happened in the library that day. I do not identify students, nor do I include those on our do-not-photograph list. I retweet posts from our science room, which has its own Twitter account (@MacAScience), and hope to add tweets from other teachers and from the office. The goal is to provide information from different sources in one feed, avoiding a cluttered homepage. Families can follow us on Twitter if they have their own account or check the feed.
Why we are doing it: The idea is to keep our students’ families in the loop in a timely and efficient way. The library has had its own website for a while, but it is cumbersome to update (I do not find Google sites very user-friendly), takes more time to keep current than I have, and requires families to navigate from the school homepage to a separate, albeit linked site. This way we have one-stop information shopping, and I can easily manage to write one or two sentences each day. I take pictures with my phone and post directly to Twitter from there.

March/April 2014: Oakdale Elementary School, Dedham

3/1/2014

Link to Skype Visits and
Padlets
on the
Oakdale Book Club Libguide

Librarian: Meghan Nels
(who is also a 2014 MSLA President’s Award Winner!)

Oakdale Library Book Club.

Every Thursday from 3:00-3:30pm, about a dozen 4th and 5th grade readers (the Oakdale Library Book Club) gather in the library. This group of avid readers prepares for Skype visits with authors by typing questions on Padlet, an online, interactive, bulletin board and then participates in Skype visits with authors. This year the club has Skyped with three authors. There are three more visits scheduled, and a few more sessions are in the works.

Additionally, these readers prepare book talks to be read on the Friday morning announcements, complete first reader book reviews, and suggest books to each other. The club has a special stack of Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) in the library that I have received but haven’t had a chance to read. Most of these ARCs have received rave reviews, but I like to read middle grade novels before I add them to the library shelves. They read the books, review them, and let me know if they should be added to the library or not. They love getting their hands on books that haven’t even been released yet!

February 2014: Dartmouth High School Library Media Center

2/1/2014

New color-coded labels for a Dewey-Hybrid classification system.

Link to Blog Post about
New Dewey-Hybrid System

Library Media Specialist:
Halley Zanconato
Library Assistant:
Pam King

The Dartmouth High School Library Media Center is proud to announce the rollout of their new Dewey-Hybrid nonfiction classification system, modeled on the school’s curriculum. During this eight-month project, the call numbers of all nonfiction titles were converted to a plain-word prefix before the traditional Dewey number and color-coded by subject. Students no longer have to know that 811 is Poetry; a book of Frost’s poetry now says “English – Poetry 811 FRO” on the spine! Topics that have become fragmented over the years by the Dewey system are now reunited, reference materials and nonfiction multimedia are interfiled by topic, and biographies have been split to reflect the arena of accomplishment (Presidents in “Social Studies” and Athletes in “Sports”). Faster browsing, more intuitive and independent searching, and increased circulation are just some of the awesome results at DHS!

January 2014: Arlington High School Media Center

1/1/2014

Arlington High School Library: Before and after pics

Before the library renovation... and after!

Library Teacher: Stacy Kitsis
Library Assistant: Barbara Slade

Arlington High School Media Center Website
Link to more before/after pics

This fall concludes a major renovation to the Arlington High School Media Center that began with fresh paint and new carpeting after a flood of the facility in the spring of 2011, but became much more. Funded in honor of retiring principal Charles Skidmore and inspired by the learning commons movement, changes focused on flexibility, collaboration, accessibility, and student empowerment. The floor plan was redesigned and existing shelving was refinished and retrofitted in order to increase light, improve sight lines, and open up multiple use spaces; new presentation technology was installed; and comfortable seating was updated to make the library more welcoming. Afternoon hours and electronic resources were added to serve students beyond the school day. Ultimately, this was a total community effort with the support (and pizza-fueled volunteer hours) of countless students, parents, staff, and community members.

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Spotlight Editor:Maya Bery

Spotlight Editor:
Maya Bery