LMC Cheat Sheet

We are truly grateful that you have joined our staff (which, in our humble opinion is the greatest staff in the district... or maybe even the world!).

As your friendly neighborhood library staff, Kristina (library clerk) and I (Kim - Library Media Specialist) want to make sure we help you get the things you need. We have some mad library skills, a seriously dedicated determination to help you, and a smile...

So come on down to the library when you need something. We'll be happy to help you!

(Apology in advance -- this newsletter is a bit long... but if you make it all the way to the bottom, there's something in it for you!)

Lots of great resources, plus links to the most useful library tools. Join today!

Access code: 73PPZ-HF39F

Back in the day, I was a 5th grade teacher, and one of my favorite things to do was to connect readers with books. Fast forward 12 years, and it's still one of my joys!

I'm happy to help a kid find a book during checkout, but it's also important for you to know that I support readers in other ways:

• Individual reader's advisory conferences - Do you have a kid who just doesn't seem to know what to read? Is relucant to read? Is a strong reader, needing a challenge, but not finding age-appropriate titles? I can schedule an individual reader's advisory conference with that kid to help them find books that will unlock their reading potential.
• Small group reader's advisory conferences - Same as above, but in a small group setting.
• Book tasting, book exploration, genre overviews - We can schedule lessons to introduce kids to new books to the library, interesting nonfiction, chapter books perfect for your grade level, historical fiction/history nonfiction pairings, or almost any other idea you can conjure up!

Lots of library resources are listed in your curriculum Schoology Groups, but if you find yourself needing something...shoot Kim an email. I know our collection well and can usually find something that works:

• an unlimited access ebook related to a science or history topic
• a set of mentor texts for a readers/writers/math workshop strategy unit
• research materials
• schema building text sets

On that same note, if you're teaching something that has a research component (like the newly embedded information literacy targets in your ELA curriculum), I can be your go-to-girl for that too.

• topic selection
• notetaking/crediting sources
• website evaluation
• online research databases
• reflection
• I can even confer with kids along the way, support the strugglers, or give you ideas on how to push the kids who need that extra bit of challenge!

While our SPE library has almost 20,000 volumes, we are also connected to all the other library sites (and an awesome Resource Library) across the district.

If you want to borrow materials from other sites, here's a handy "how-to" or to borrow from Resource Library, go here.

If your learning style is more "show me and I'll get it" -- just reach out and I'll take 10 minutes (or less - I promise) to coach you through it.

Our library is innovative in so many ways -- we can support you with Makerspace ideas (think critical thinking, team building, think-outside-the-box ideas), Google Expeditions (ever been on an virtual field trip?), or push your kids' problem solving skills with a breakout box.

Want to know more? Ask your team or stop by the library, we'll hook you up!

The library workroom (a.k.a. Kim's Office) also has a coffee bar/chocolate survival station. It's community driven (i.e. We all contribute to it), but it's yours to enjoy (even if you haven't contributed).

When it's been a particularly rough day, or even just an ordinary Monday... come on down!

Come by the library and tell Kim/Kristina the secret word: Expelliarmus! (Any Harry Potter fans out there?!?)

We have a little something as a thank you!