Really enjoyed having November Learning in the library!! Alan was, as usual, a wealth of information! It was great for my staff to hear and learn things from him that I have known about and haven't really known how to communicate to them.  This was the third time that I've heard him speak and even though the information he taught was still similar to what I had heard the past two times, it is still relevant.  Let's face it, we all need to hear things more than once sometimes and for me what he was teaching was just reinforcement.

Most of the tech tools and information he shared with us you can find in the webmix Symbaloo on the Online Databases & Reference tab. The orange ones on the right are what we discussed. As well as what is listed in the "Authority Check".

It is just so important to be helping our children learn how to navigate the internet and to know that just because information is online does NOT make it true!! Kind of like that old adage that just because it's in print (usually newspapers) doesn't mean it's true! One of my biggest take-aways from him is that he said, "Google does not read English." HOLY COW! Duh! We forget that tho -- and then we forget that kids are so literal or still in the concrete stage that when we ask them to do a search they will type in EXACTLY what you tell them to look for. For example, "what are British students learning about the American Revolution." They expect Google to read this and understand what they are looking for. This is not the case and this is why we need to practice research skills in our learning.

Oh on another completely unrelated note...I'm going to hashtag our library with #harrystonelibrary :)

Generally, I like to give kids until the end of September to try to find/return/pay for items that were lost at the end of school last year.  I feel that a grace period is appropriate and I let them check out for the month of September, even if their account is outstanding. 

This also applies to things they lost last semester (the spring semester) and have found over the summer.  I will refund monies up until September 30th. (This is my own PERSONAL policy. I cannot speak for other librarians in DISD.)

However, in October it is time to take care of this matter. Children can either pay for the item, come to the library and work it off, and various other choices that I give them on a paper which requires parent signature and the choice they want their child to follow to take care of their outstanding library account.

Also, there are some district policies in place where books are forgiven at certain grade levels, for instance from 2nd grade to 3rd grade, if you had a fine and had not taken care of it you are given a clean start.

It is a fine line between wanting students reading, no matter what, and yet also wanting them to be responsible and accountable for things that they borrow....this is a life skill. Please converse with your child (if you haven't already) about being considerate for things that you borrow from other people or places.  The library is an excellent source to further that conversation and build that life skill in your child. :0)

I am happy to announce that the library is "cleaned up!!" We weeded out the old, out-of-date information books and it looks so much cleaner now! I'm always surprised by how much better and fresher the shelves look when you take out those items.

Cleaning out like this gave us room to expand the Young Adult fiction section to double the size it was before! The shelves were getting very cramped and now there is some breathing room for new exciting YA literature to come in and better serve our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade readers. :0)

We are also working on a reading nook/cubby...when it is decorated then I'll post some pics.

Classes are being scheduled for orientations starting next week! Can't wait to see everyone!

~Mrs. Worsham

Welcome back to school at Harry Stone! The library will open up for student check-out September 8th. Until then we are working on finishing weeding out the non-fiction section, getting new books ready for check out, planning class schedules and collaborating on lesson plans with teachers. Thanks for your patience while we get ready!

Also, awesome job to all of our readers who participated in the Mayor's Summer Reading Challenge, we will be posting those participants soon...

Thanks,
Mrs. W

The following information is also located on the homepage and is being sent home via a flyer.

Registering for Mayor’s Summer Reading Club

Dallas Public Library Website                Direct link to reading club:
http://www.dallaslibrary2.org                      http://dallaslibrary2.org/childrensCenter/summerReadingProgram/

To Register: 

·         Choose the “Child or Teen” tab; if you want to sign up too then choose the “Adult” tab.

·         Click on “Sign Me Up”

·         Fill in your child’s information.

A * is required information. Winners of the grand prizes will be notified by phone, so be sure to enter a working number.

If you have questions about how to log reading time check online for information at the above websites or see your Dallas Public Librarian. Also, if you don’t have computer access, go to the library and they can enter your reading time for you.

Reading, Prizes, & Library Events

1.     Read;  Ages 0-6 read 3 hours a week      Ages 7-18 read 5 hours a week

2.    Log your total time spent reading books, magazines, comics, listening to audiobooks, or being read to.

3.    Go to a Dallas Public Library branch and collect your weekly prize.

4.    Participate at least 6 of the 8 weeks to be entered into the grand prize drawing.

Weekly Prizes

Week 1-Book and Auntie Anne’s Pretzel coupon

Week 2-Dallas Children’s Theater ticket and Mesquite Rodeo ticket

Week 3-Pick 2 of 3: Ringling Bros. Circus ticket (12 & under), Ear buds, MSRC tote bag

Week 4-Nonfiction book and Benihana kid’s meal (12 & under) OR SMU Meadows Museum (12 & up)

Week 5-Texas Ranger’s ticket, Chipotle coupon, & Nasher voucher

Week 6-Zoo ticket and mood pencil

Week 7-FC Dallas ticket, Legoland voucher, and a sticker

Week 8-Book and certificate of completion

Adults
In 2013, adults were added to the club. Adults modeling good reading habits is a sure way to encourage children to become lifelong readers! Participating adult club members will log the books they have read by entering the title and author (or publication) online or at their local branch along with a brief review about what they've read. Two prize drawings for adults will be held during the eight week program. Adults may select which prizes they would like their entries to go toward.

MSRC Kick-off Party @ every DPL Branch June 7th

Weekly Events and Programs @ every DPL Branch: www.dallaslibrary2.org

All library books are due back to the library today! If you forgot please get them to us by next week so we can get items shelved, returned to home campuses, repaired, and accounted for.

Please note, if you are late with your items and they go overdue. They will be declared lost until their return to the library.

Thanks!

Mrs. W

Non-Fiction inventory is due by the end of the month. We will be closing to accomplish this goal. Thank you for your patience!

Nice review on the link below of the Best Book List wikispace put together by my mom, myself, and Ester Eash.

http://misdlibraryinfo.blogspot.com/2014/02/finding-treasure.html

This has been cancelled for the spring due to a missed deadline. :(