ALA Youth Media Awards – not there this year.

I’m watching the ALA Youth Media Awards via streaming video this year…I’ve been there LIVE! IN PERSON! for the past 2 (3?) years and it was a lovely experience. It’s so exciting and then sometimes, when an author or illustrator whom I’ve met wins, I feel like a friend has won (especially authors who have visited my school). For example, Charles R. Smith won the CSK Illustrator of the Year this year – yay! He spent a whole day at my school a few years ago. Happy for him

Going to go watch the rest – Happy MLK Day! It’s a day on and not a day off – go volunteer or do something nice for someone else. Open your heart and mind a little wider today in honor of MLK.

VBF

How you doin’?

World,

I’ve been feeling a little burned out. BUT! Something is brewing. I’m feeling like I either need some time away and then BAM! I’ll be back. Or, maybe what I’m feeling is that I’ve HAD my time away and that I’m coming back? Whatever…here’s what I’m thinking about -

I want to read this entire blog from start to now: http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/

I want to redesign my library site to this sort of look (don’t know how easy that will be since we use edline in my district, but I think I can make it work, because I can cut and paste code): http://springfieldlibrary.wikispaces.com/KidSearch

My Spring SLIS 220 (Using Information Resources) class starts tonight and I am looking forward to it and I want to be proud of it. I must say, it’s dry material, but my students last semester were different than students I’ve had in this course in the past and that makes me very excited about the students I will have this semester. I will meet them tonight, so time will tell!  

I start teaching SLIS 325 (Children’s Materials – YAY!) in the Fall and ideas are already bouncing around.

Eh…I don’t know if I’ve actally said anything in this blog post, but those are  just things going through my head.

Love,

Me

This winter break and Christmas / New Year has been fantastic. Here’s a quick run down -

*I have spent LOTS of time with my family, Marty’s family, and possibly your family.

*I have spent LOTS of time with the dogs = love it!

*I have spent no time organizing or lesson planning or anything else of that sort that I thought I would do during the break. I still have 2 days – who knows what will happen?!

*I got lots of goodies for Christmas…highlights? ipod touch, money/gift cards, Beatles box set.

*Made an awesome lasagna last night. Here’s a similar recipe (only difference is, mine had roasted butternut squash in it too) – http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/vegetable_lasagna.html

*Resolutions? I have some – continue working out and attending WW meetings. Try new recipes and maybe turn this modpodge blog into a food blog of sorts? Be thoughtful. Be present. Have  a little more fun.

Happy New Year!

VBF

Hey there

First day of Winter AND first day of Winter Break = GREAT day!

Up regular time because of the dogs. I really think they thought I was oversleeping and were nervous – Marty isn’t here this morning (Boy’s Weekend in Charlotte), so I’m thinking that’s what I’m doing up and moving so early on a day I do not have to go to work – thanks, pups!

The agenda today is to meet Mary for coffee and then run errands like a mad woman. After today, I really, really will be done with Christmas shopping. I may even pick up a few things for myself.

I don’t have much going on professionally or personally right now, so this is a boring blog post – sorry. At least I’m updating now, right? Right.

VBF

It’s December, yo!

December is here – tree is up, house is decorated inside and out. Lots of shopping has been done (but not all).

Here’s what I know:

*I really enjoy teaching at USC, however, I must say that I am happy this semester is over. This is the first time that I am teaching 2 semesters, back to back, so I’m looking forward to some reflection time and then getting started again.

*I don’t understand Googlewave. I’m trying.

*My calendar is filling up so fast for December. In 2010, I really want to try to spend more time with friends and family throughout the year so that we don’t all feel like we have to see each other in the month of December. It’s getting a little crazy! I love them though and and I want to see them. It’s just hard. AND, I’m trying to watch what I eat and drink and going out to eat and going to parties just isn’t helping me do that.

*My childhood friend, Jackie, is ENGAGED! So happy and I gotta say I wasn’t sure this guy would come through but he did and the ring is blingin and I know that they are both going to be very happy. I look forward to getting to know him more in the upcoming years. Also, I get a little excited thinking that maybe our children will get to grow up together…not that she (or I) are preggers, just we will be one day and it will be fun to do that together.

*Speaking of being preggers, that show, “I didn’t know I was Pregnant” really freaks me out.

I think that’s all for now.

VBF

So caught up

Life is BUSY! I always wonder when it is going to slow down and it never does…I’m thinking it never will.

To catch you up -

BOOK FAIR

Book Fair is great when it gets here but I like it even better when it’s gone. I do Scholastic…I like the way it looks, the ease of setting up, and I like what they send me. I put no “junk” out…yes they send it, but you don’t have to put out everything they send, you know? No posters either. We sold over $11,000 in books, so I’m happy. Book Fair makes for a crazy week because it seems like there is always SOMEONE in the library and you have to stay later and come earlier and it just wears you out.

THANKSGIVING

A couple of months ago, my mom suggested that I start hosting the Thanksgiving dinner. That way, instead of Marty and I traveling around to multiple dinners, people will come to us. I like it! So, I hosted my first Thanksgiving dinner last week. I started to get a little nervous on Wednesday thinking about how I was going to time everything out, but it turned out just fine. Here’s what I made: Mac and Cheese, bread, stuffing, mashed potato, pumpkin pie. Here’s what I bought: sweet potato souffle, pecan pie, turkey, ham (I’m not going to cook meat, people! I did buy a pre-cooked ham and turkey from Publix and reheated…it was delish, I hear). Here’s what others brought: more bread, more pies, and green bean cassorole. Marty’s brother, my sister-in-law, our niece and nephew, my parents, Marty’s mom, and a cousin came and a good time was had by all! Can’t wait for next year!

TEACHING

I’ve had lots of lessons going on, which is a good thing, but it’s a very busy thing – 5th grade country research, South Carolina Book Award Nominees, 4th grade book club – I like it, but I feel like I’m never “caught up.” I also feel like I want to spend more time with true collaborations with some of these lessons…I keep reminding myself it will come. I’ve been at this school 2 years; my previous school we had many true collaborations going, but I was there for 7 years. It takes time, my loves.

I guess that’s it for now…just feeling very busy. Glad I’m taking a personal day on Friday. Thursday is the last day for the USC class I teach, so thing are wrapping up and looking good.

Till next time,

Valerie

In which I write about nothing library related…

I have a lab, Lucky. She is the LOVE of my life and my husband’s life. We often say horrible things like, “what is going to happen to us if something ever happens to Lucky?!” I already fear the day she gets very sick and old. She just celebrated her 2nd birthday, so if all goes well, she has many years to be around, however, growing up Italian, I always think the worst. ANYWAY, the reason I am saying all of that is because she was taken to the vet today with a swollen face and eyes; obviously bit by something she is allergic to. All I gotta say is Marty and I are going to be crazy protective parents to a 2 legged child. This 4 legged child thing is bad enough.

Marty just called from the vet and our vet thinks Lucky was bitten by a wasp (which I saw chillin’ on the porch just 15 mins or so ago). She had a cortizone shot and needs benadyl every 6 hours.

What a day!

Back home!

Well, of course I did not blog the next day, but the rest of conference went like this:
Went to another great SC media specialist session…this one was with Micheal Hope Brandon and Ashley Paddock from Richland 2 – 2 fab people. They talked about some of the projects they’ve done with students and highlighted some great online resources such as Glogster, Photostory, and others…good stuff!

Went to IKEA. Spent a lot of money.

Went to closing celebration at ImaginOn. Wine + Librarians = Crazy dancing. I like to not drink and just watch. Good for laughs   Highlight of the evening was convincing the charter bus guy to let me and Lena pretend like we were driving the bus for pictures. We’re easily amused, I guess.

Back home on Sunday and it seems like since then, I have not stopped moving. I’m very busy. A good busy, but a kind of busy where it would be nice to have time to lock myself in my office just to get some things done. Do you ever just feel like you are so behind on emails and the “stuff” you have to do that you are nervous you won’t catch up? That’s how I feel right now, however, I know that I can stay at school late tomorrow and I don’t have much planned for Saturday, so I can get some work done then too. It is going to be okay, right?

Book Fair is here. Tastefully Simple party on Sunday – want to come?

Love,

VBF

AASL Conference in a Nutshell

The AASL Conference is coming to a close…I have one more session to attend and the closing event this evening…then, back home tomorrow. It’s been a great conference and I’m leaving here with ideas that I plan to use when I get back to school…if you care, here’s what it would have been like if you were here with me -

Thursday – Woke up like a normal school day and got ready for the trip to Charlotte. Ended up not leaving for Charlotte until 1:30pm – was able to plan for next week’s SLIS 220 (undergraduate USC course I teach on Thursdays) and spend time with the pups who have been parent-less since Thursday (their grandfather is hanging out with them though).When we got to Charlotte on Thursday, first thing was to register and check out the Exhibit Hall. The Exhibit Hall is always a little overwhelming for me the first time I visit. I like to walk around once and then go back when I have more time. The opening is always full of people being a little grabby, which gets on my nerves. So, once we were done pushing and shoving a little, Kristen (my D5 pal/travel partner) and I headed to dinner and bed. We are old.

Friday – Woke up, worked out on a wobbley eliptical and headed to the first session of the day -

A Year with Fours and Fives I LOVED this session! It was presented by a library media specialist at a private primary school in OK. She basically went through an entire year of programming and highlighted books, songs, activities, and programming to do with four and five year olds. I plan to use a lot of it with my kindergarten and 1st graders as well as my Lion Cubs (Lion Cubs are younger siblings of New Providence students. I host a storytime for them once a month. Basically, it is a public library-type storytime with a story, fingerplays, a craft, etc. Not all that instructional or standards based, but lots of fun and that’s what reading is!).

2.0 Learning Tools Smackdown This was Joyce Valenza’s session, so I knew it was going to be good! I was also volunteering at this one, which meant I was SUPPOSED to close the door and not allow anyone else in when the room was full, however, librarians tend to just do whatever they need to get what they want, so I was not very tough about not letting people in. I’m a softy. This one has a wiki with all of the great information that was shared…if you have something to share – do it! Smackdown Wiki Some of my favorite tools are in Reading Promotion.

Start Your Student’s Engines with SMART Boards in the Media Center! This was South Carolina’s own Julia Davis presenting about how to use a SMART Board in the library. I wanted to go because I finally have a SB in my media center (a year and a half in the making!), and because I had only started really using the SMART Board at my old school and then didn’t have once at my new school, I had gotten out of practice, so I needed this session for some ideas and places to go for lessons. My right away, take away was a story spinner for kids to spin after I read a story to them. They spin it and tell me the beginning, middle, end, or their favorite part of a story. Made one during the session and will use it next week! Yay Julia, and THANKS!

After that, Lena (other pal/travel partner), Kristen, and I went to Concord Mills Mall during 5pm Charlotte Friday traffic. After shopping a little and eating, we went back to the room where I was able to get them to watch King of the Crown . I’m sure they loved it and will now be just as addicted to it as I am.

Saturday

Prada Promotion on a Dollar Store Budget This was a program geared towards middle and high school students, but I loved it. Again, lots of cute ideas to take back and use in my library. A couple I hope to implement – question of the day (I might do a “question of the week”) and a super cute “Library Avenger” video that highlights library programming and databases/resources. LOVE it! Here’s the link  for more information about some of the things these folks are doing .

After that was a bit of SCASL work with Amanda LeBlanc. Finally walking through Exhibit Hall and now blogging. After the next session, we are headed to IKEA and then tonight is the closing “party” at ImaginOn, which is quite possibily, the coolest place ever.

More tomorrow (maybe!)

VBF

 

 

Move along BOOKS!

Heading to Charlotte this afternoon, so I am at home, catching up on professional reading (or actually, links and stuff in my email inbox that I don’t delete “for later”…there’s quite a bit of Martha Stewart emails in there too…), anyway, what I just read was this article:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-10-26-kindle-school-library_N.htm

From USA Today, about a private boarding school that has purchased Kindles and is upgrading their library to be mostly digital. They’ve also added a coffee shop and seem to be trying to create a “hip” place for the students to go. They state that the library wasn’t being used at all and that hardly any books were ever being circulated. So, the headmaster has taken out book shelves and put in cubicles for laptops and other digital toys and a coffee shop. I like that all of that was added…he even hired MORE librarians to help students decide what information from the internet is reliable and to teach them how to find the good stuff and how to download the digital media to their toys. But, why doesn’t he ask these librarians to give book talks, purchase popular fiction, ask students what BOOKS they want to see in the library? Why didn’t he start there? Why not have 5 (or 50) print copies of Twilight and then some on digital media as well?

And, the fact that they have Kindles leads me to my next thought: I have a Kindle for my library. Just one, purchased with book fair funds to play (principal said “go for it!” when I was jealous that he had one). So, how can I use this in my library? Haven’t figured it out yet…I’m in an elementary school, so I don’t know about checking it out??? What do you think? About everything I said?
VBF