School Librarians Roundtable – South
October 4, 2012
Stratford High School
In Attendance:
Rachel Rice, East Haven HS
Sara Kaluzynski, Stratford High
Sarah Briggs, Law High
Janice Pellegrino, Foran High School
Lucretia Duwel, Stratford Library
Kristie McGarry, Derby High School
Kim Kadeem, Great Oak MS (Oxford)
Leah FarrellCT Library Constortium
Minutes:
Introductions and discussion surrounded the need to collaborate & share ideas. You can’t do this job in a vacuum! It’s beneficial to see other spaces and this roundtable serves as an opportunity to support one another, particularly because most of us do not have library colleagues in our buildings.
Topics:
The start of the year gets easier each year! However, still at issue are the use of devices in school. Cell phones, iPads & E-readers are still prohibited for many of us (Foran is the exception with an open-policy in place). There are variations in use, rules, and enforcement.
Discussion surrounding the challenge of unique role LMS: Who evaluates us? Is it someone who knows libraries? How do we fit in? How can we not be isolated? We talked about finding teachers to collaborate with in any way we can, whether it’s holding the computer sign-out schedule at your desk or finding them at lunch, in the copy room, etc.
Staffing – Many of us are short-staffed, have no paraprofessional or need to close the library during our lunch time.
Class visitations – It can be very beneficial to visit teacher classrooms for lessons, especially for those students who would be less comfortable in the common area of the library. (non-readers, ELLs)
Curriculum - Some libraries have curriculum or are in the process of writing it. Others have no way of reaching all students across a grade level. Ideas: expanded freshmen orientation, reaching grade levels through common work products.
Public Library connections: Lucretia Duwel was a special guest visitor! We shared our connections with public libraries. Create joint advisory group, work together in any way you can. They are a resource!
Summer Reading: Incentives, some districts require specific books, others don’t. Reading projects vary as well (essays, book discussions at public library, Prezi, blogs)
Some schools conducted voter registration (though not a lot of them are 18), also had public library card signups
Book clubs/Discussion Groups: Discussed format, structure, how to recruit members. Shelfari, Good Reads for logging titles, alternative can also be Destiny Quest for Book Reviews.
CLC - Sarah Briggs is a Board Member. Meetings are monthly in Middletown.
CASL/CECA workshop coming Oct 29.
