Library Lines

Can't Get to a College Visit? Visit Virtually!

2012-01-13T09:58:00.001-05:00

Google Street View now has a collection of university campuses! Though only a few are listed at present, I would imagine that this is a collection which will grow.
You can also explore some of their other cool collections such as world landmarks....and even ski slopes!

Click here for an interactive demo on Google maps.

Grading the Digital School: Khan Academy Blends Its YouTube Approach With Classrooms

2011-12-06T08:26:00.000-05:00

Grading the Digital School: Khan Academy Blends Its YouTube Approach With Classrooms: At least 36 schools nationwide are combining teacher-led lessons with computer-based lectures and exercises using a software program based on Salman Khan’s popular YouTube lessons.

16 New Library Tech Stories You May Have Missed

2011-12-03T14:07:00.000-05:00

16 New Library Tech Stories You May Have Missed:

This past month has seen a lot of new library technology articles and blog posts. Here are 16 of them that you won’t want to miss. Please list any other recent library tech stories in the comments!!

E-Books

A Guide to Ebook Purchasing – American Libraries

Libraries Ramp Up e-Book Lending- USA Today

The Amazon Lending Library is NOT the Library Apocalypse – Agnostic, Maybe

5 e-Book Collections with Over 100,000 Free e-Books – iLibrarian

Amazon, Overdrive, and Other Reasons to Be Pissed – Agnostic, Maybe

Mobile

20 iPad Apps Librarians Should Download – Part 1 – iLibrarian

20 iPad Apps Librarians Should Download – Part 2 – iLibrarian

9 Resources for Marketing on Mobile Social Networks – iLibrarian

Technology Trends

October Library Conference Roundup: 25 Stellar Presentations – iLibrarian

Open Access Publishing with Drupal – Code4Lib

The Future of School Libraries E-Book – Kristin Fontichiaro and Buffy Hamilton

5 Amazing Free Data Visualization Tools – iLibrarian

Cloud Computing

21 Useful Cloud Computing Resources for Librarians – iLibrarian

Digitization & Archives

Create a Catalog for Your Personal Digital Assets – iLibrarian

National Archives Digitization Tools Now on GitHub – NARAtions

9 Sources for Historical Images, Documents, Videos, and Audio – Free Technology for Teachers

100 Notable Books of 2011 - NYTimes.com

2011-12-02T17:46:00.000-05:00

100 Notable Books of 2011 - NYTimes.com

STUDENTS RISE TO OCCASSION

2011-12-02T11:36:00.000-05:00

Unphased by the fact that Representative Bernie O’Neill was unable to visit our library as was scheduled yesterday, our high school students went on with the show and dazzled administrators, Board members and ME with the amazing ways they use technology and digital resources. O’Neill was invited as part of the Legislator @ Your Library Campaign to bring awareness to the importance of school libraries and to advocate for more financial support and state requirements for school libraries and staffing. Due to a last minute emergency however, he cancelled just moments before his scheduled visit. But that didn’t stop Mr. Giorgi’s Journalism students from putting on a fantastic presentation beginning with a video they created about the library and then giving participants an opportunity to visit with the students to see how they are utilizing Google apps in their classes as well as the online tools available on the library website. Some students were also on hand to show-off our beautifully renovated courtyard as well our use of QR codes with book displays.

Followed by the session with Journalism students, our administrators and Board members had an opportunity to see our START mentors work with their adult students. START – Students Teaching Adults Resources and Technology is a collaborative project with the public library which allows older adults to learn basic computer skills. This was the second session in which the adults were learning how to set-up a Gmail account and learn the basics of email. The adults are so excited to be learning from these young people, but it goes much beyond the teaching of technology. It’s an opportunity for young and old to form a special relationship and to learn about each other. One of the adults emailed her mentor a picture of her new granddaughter, while another emailed a picture of himself in his younger years as an actor in New Hope.

At the end of yesterday’s session, one of the adults approached me, earnestly grabbing my arm and said “This means the world to me…you have no idea”. And just as I was composing this post, one of the high school students came to me to tell me that she’d like to set-up some additional sessions with her adult student because he needs some extra help and that she was only too happy to oblige. Nothing could convince me more that this is the start of a beautiful thing!

The Best Kindle Fire Apps: A Starter Kit

2011-12-01T08:10:00.000-05:00

The Best Kindle Fire Apps: A Starter Kit:

Jill Duffy at PC World puts together a list of The Best Kindle Fire Apps: A Starter Kit. These are 16 well-reviewed applications which will get you up and running with your new Kindle Fire.

LIBRARY COMMUNITY EVENT

2011-11-30T10:16:00.002-05:00

On November 17th, adult patrons from the Free Library of New Hope and Solebury Public Library visited the New Hope-Solebury High School to learn how to set-up a Gmail account. New Hope-Solebury School district recently adopted Google Apps for Education and students are using the various apps throughout their classes and their academic life.

START - Students Teaching Adults Resources and Technology - was initiated by the public library and high school library in efforts to bring the community and school students together, while also providing a needed service to the community. Future sessions will include Google search, Google Docs and exploring online library resources.

A COUPLE OF FUN THINGS IN GOOGLE

2011-05-07T13:11:00.004-04:00

In checking my Google Reader today, I came upon 3 new Google tools (at least they're new to me!) which I feel are worth sharing:

1. Google Search Globe allows you to see a visualization of Google searches each day from around the world. Each color represents a different language and the higher the bar, the more searches for that area. Note that the beta site requires WebGL enabled browser such as Chrome.

2. Thanks to Lisa Thumann for pointing me towards Google Cloud Print. From a computer, iPhone2, Android or Chrome Notebook you can print your Gmail or Google Doc to a printer hooked up to your Mac or PC. You do need Chrome, but no other software is necessary. Just follow these directions to set-up your Cloud Printer. I just tried it with my Android phone using Docs mobile and it worked perfectly!

So what are the possible benefits to such an app? Well, I'm still thinking that over. I suppose the main advantage is time saving: if you want something to be sitting on your printer when you get home (or have someone at home pick it up off the printer), you can send it through your mobile device.

Any other ideas?

3. My personal favorite.....A Google a Day! This is a daily trivia question in which it is OKAY to search for the answer on Google...but requires a little imagination. As explained on the Google Blog,

As the world of information continues to explode, we hope A Google a Day triggers your imagination and helps you discover all the types of questions you can ask Google—and get an answer.

What a great, fun way for students to practice their skills with keyword searches! Answers are printed weekdays in The New York Times and, just like the crossword puzzles, the questions get harder as the week progresses.

YouTube Copyright Center

2011-04-28T09:52:00.002-04:00

If you're like many other people, you have many questions concerning copyright and fair use. Can I use my favorite CD track as a background to a video I created for history? When do I need to get permission from the artist or producer? How do I get permission?

YouTube Copyright Center aims to help you with those questions by providing FAQ's and further resources to explore. As the site rightly points out:

YouTube cannot advise whether or not your video will ultimately qualify as fair use; this is something that can only be decided by a court.It is your responsibility to know the laws in your country, and to understand fair use before you decide to make a video incorporating copyrighted content without permission.

New Tools - LibGuides at Springfield Township High School

2011-03-22T06:58:00.003-04:00

Joyce Valenza, Library Media Specialist, and Kristen Swanson, Director of Technology, have created a wonderful new library guide of New Tools for students and teachers. As Joyce's student teacher accurately describes it, it's a "graphic organizer for the stuff we need most". Filled with links to resources, presentations and videos, this is the ultimate go-to for everything Web 2.0.

Books Everyone Should Read

2011-03-20T10:48:00.002-04:00

Based on numerous book awards, polls and reader surveys, the above wordle shows which books get the most votes. This information is thanks to David McCandless of Information is Beautiful. See the complete data here.

More Possibilities for Collaboration in Google Docs

2011-03-18T07:01:00.002-04:00

With the added features in Google Docs discussion, you can now easily add people to join your document discussion and you can also follow the discussion thread from your email, rather than opening the document.

Publishers and Libraries Struggle over Terms of E-Books - NYTimes.com

2011-03-18T06:52:00.001-04:00

Libraries are not happy about HarperCollins annoucement that they will limit ebooks to 26 loans max. Read about it here, from the New York Times.

Publishers and Libraries Struggle over Terms of E-Books - NYTimes.com

I'm Reading a Book!

2011-03-17T18:29:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Jerome Berg of Google Lit Trips for posting this entertaining video!

Bucks County Public Libraries In Search of Volunteers!

2011-02-07T10:44:00.000-05:00

Bucks County Public Libraries

QR CODES COME TO THE LIBRARY!

2011-02-07T08:05:00.003-05:00

"WHAT IS A QR CODE?" A QR code is a 2-dimensional code which, when scanned by a barcode reader, brings the user to a document, webpage, email, text or phone number. One of the beauties of a QR code is that users don't have to enter in long url's to access a webpage or contact info, they just scan the barcode.

Come check-out out our books on display which have QR codes linking to book trailers. Just scan the barcode with your smartphone and the book trailer will atuomatically open on YouTube!

One of the books we have on display is Winter's Bone of which the movie version is nominated for the 2011 Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress. We have a QR code which links to the movie trailer.

STUDENTS WIN A SWEET PRIZE

2011-01-28T13:16:00.003-05:00

Jacob Goodman and Michaela Glover enjoy their donuts

Mr. Finley's homeroom won the contest for have the least amount of overdue libray books during the second marking period. They were treated to a breakfast of Dunkin Donuts.

Literary Characters for Library Courtyard Mural

2010-11-30T12:02:00.002-05:00

NH-S students! You have an exciting opportunity to have YOUR IMAGE painted on the library courtyard mural! The design concept for the mural is to include literary characters from well-known books. YOU are invited to come to school dressed as a character which you believe should be included on the mural. If your character is selected, YOUR digital image will be used as a model for the painting of that character.
Come dressed as that character on TUESDAY, DECEMEBER 7th. Your picture will be taken and your photo will be submitted to a panel of teachers and students who will make the final selections.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Library News!

2010-11-03T12:00:00.002-04:00

CUBAN AMERICAN AUTHOR VISITS STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY

2010-10-15T09:55:00.004-04:00

Tim Vaughan-Ogunlusi, Marisa Lewis, Margarita Engle, Patrick Carvalho, Ariel Ozbeki

On October 13, Cuban American poet and novelist, Margarita Engle, honored New Hope-Solebury with two presentations; one for students during the school day, and another in the evening for the community. The author’s visit was part of the NH-S Read the World program and was provided through a grant from the NH-S Education Fund. This year’s Read the World program focuses on Latin American countries, featuring two of Engle’s works, The Poet Slave: Juan Francisco Manzano and The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom.

Ms. Engle spoke to NH-S high school Spanish and English classes about her Cuban background and about her inspiration for her young adult books. The Spanish students have been reading The Poet Slave and have been learning about Cuba in their classes and the English students have been reading The Surrender Tree. Both books explore Cuba’s history through a collection of poetic verses, and both have won numerous literary awards. Ms. Engle spoke again in the evening, allowing the community an opportunity to learn about Cuban culture and history and to hear about Ms. Engle’s writing process.

The Read the World program is a collaboration of the New Hope-Solebury High School, the Free Library of New Hope and Solebury and the New Hope-Solebury Education Fund. The goup’s mission is “one community exploring cultural diversity one book at a time.” Two additional presentations have been scheduled which celebrate the cultural diversity of other Latin American countries. On October 25th at 7:00 pm, photographer, Bob Krist, will present his professional photographs of various Latin American countries such as Mexico, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, Peru, Buenos Aires and Easter Island.The presentation will be held in the Stephen J Buck Auditorium at New Hope-Solebury High School. On October 28th at 7:00 pm, there will be a Mexican Fiesta Dancing demonstration via a live video feed. A professional dancer will be demonstrating Day of the Dead dances in the New Hope-Solebury High School Cafeteria.

Further information can be found at http://www.nhs-read-the-world.com/ or by contacting Mary Schwander, NH-S High School librarian, at mschwander@nhsd.org or 215-862-2028.Donation information for the NH-S Education Fund can be found at http://www.nhsedfund.org/.

Reflecting on the Google Experience

2010-06-01T20:09:00.006-04:00

This past December, I was pleased to attend the Google Teacher Academy in Washington DC. I was quite honored that my district's assistant superintendent, tech director and my principal contacted me to suggest that I apply. I was honored even more to have been selected among a truly terrific and respectful group of educators.

My GTA Application Video:

The day and a half with Google gurus was quite unbelievable. My head was spinning with all the applications I was learning about and all the ideas I had about using those applications. On my home, I thought of all the ways which I could use Google tools as a library media specialist, and became excited about what I wanted to share with my teachers, and with other librarians in my professional learning network.

It didn't take me long to start making some changes in how I was running my library. I changed my library website from iWeb to Google Sites, used Google Docs to switch from a paper system to an online schedule, and used Google Forms for things like book recommendations and to keep track of books read by students for a reading competition.

I took advantage of the many Google search tools by adding custom search engines and embedded Google Books to my library pathfinders. I instructed students how to create their own search engines and how to customize their searches with Google Alert and Google Custom News. I also created a Google Earth trip for a lesson our 9th graders did on Shakespeare.

I encouraged students to using advanced Google Image searches for finding copyright free photos and Google Books to help in their research.

Of course, I couldn't keep all this good Google stuff to myself and was eager to share it with teachers and other librarians. I presented to teachers at department meetings in my school and my district and to librarians at the Pennsylvania School Library Association conference. The librarians seem to appreciate the Google information and, in fact, one of the librarians along with her tech director are visiting me at my school next week to learn more about Google. Another librarian plans to visit this summer.

My attempt at a fun Google Search Story for librarians:

This summer, I am looking forward to presenting two full-day workshops on Google tools for my district teachers. I also look forward to creating a Google Lit Trip for our Read the World program on Latin American literature.

What is most exciting to me is the fact that virtually everyday there is something new in the world of Google! I know that this summer I will be exploring some new tool which Google has unveiled, or improved upon a previous tool. I am now pursuing certification for a Instructional Technology Specialist and I am sure that Google will be helping me and inspiring me along the way.

Exciting News for Chanda's Secrets

2010-05-22T16:38:00.002-04:00

I was so happy to get an email from Allan Stratton today with a link to a TIME magazine article about the movie, Life, Above All. The movie, which is based on Allan's book, Chanda's Secrets, is an Un Certain Regard selection for the Cannes Film Festival. The award ceremony will be held tomorrow night.

I was equally excited to see the movie trailer on YouTube. Looks like the movie does nice justice to the novel.

Student Reports on "Read the World"

2010-04-09T12:51:00.004-04:00

New Hope-Solebury High School senior, Wade Millward, reports on our Read the World program on KYW News Studios.

http://67.72.16.166/kyw/2279878.mp3

New Addition to Library Courtyard!

2010-04-07T19:54:00.004-04:00

Thanks to a generous donation by the Steve Buck/Hardy Bush Foundation, the library received two new, beautiful benches for the courtyard! This was a needed addition to the previous improvements that were made to the library courtyard - that thanks to a grant by the NH-S Education Fund.
Just hours after the benches were delivered, Mrs. Reeder's English class took advantage by gathering there to collaborate on a project.

New Material from the Krist Family

2010-03-28T17:00:00.005-04:00

Just a few days ago, I was excited to have received this newly published book from Peggy Krist who lives here in New Hope with her husband, Bob. Though I haven't had a chance to read it yet, a quick glance through the book affirms that this will be a must-read for many. This is what Peggy had to say about her book in an email to me:

I recently wrote a tribute to Jonny, On His Way Home, to help me cope with his death. The book is my road map from grief to generosity and how we came to start a foundation in his name. It is a story about giving back the future our son lost. You can order the book online. Paperback is $20, Hardcover $25. All proceeds benefit the foundation.

Jonny graduated from our high school in 2005 and his death just a year later devastated many in our community. On His Way Home is available for purchase here, or can be borrowed from our library. Information about the Jonathan Krist Foundation can be found on their website.

Bob, Peggy's husband and world-renown photographer, also has something of interest for the community of New Hope - a new collection of photographs: "New Hope: In Character". According to an article in today's Intelligencer, the collection will be featured in the New Hope Arts Center on Stockton Avenue and, among many other super New Hope people, will include our very own math teachers, Brian Loving, Brian Rutledge and Mike Bongiovanni as well as the popular musicians of Ween. You can get insight about the inspiration for the project on Bob's blog and in the video below.

A Terrifying Yet Wonderful Read

2010-02-26T10:08:00.003-05:00

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Thriller and Horror are certainly not genres which I tend to read, but was intrigued by the reviews and awards which this book has received. I was not disappointed!
In the year of 1888, 12-year-old Will Henry witnesses an intrusion of terrifying, carnivorous monsters and captures every gruesome detail in his journal. Over one hundred years later, that journal reaches the hands of Rick Yancey who then turns the journal into this book...or so the story goes. The story of this young boy, who is a dutiful assistant to a monstrumologist in New England, is absolutely horrifying and has the potential of causing many a reader's nightmares. Yet, with a captivating story-line and exquisite writing, a literary gem lies beyond the bloodcurdling prose. Look for a sequel in September!

Visit Rick Yancey's website for more information on The Monstrumologist, including a captivating book trailer and a discussion guide.

Marcelo in the Real World

2010-02-18T10:52:00.002-05:00

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
When his father insists that seventeen-year-old Marcelo work at his law firm for the summer, Marcelo feels nervous and reluctant. Having a condition similar to autism, he has trouble interacting with people and would be much more comfortable working on the horse farm as he has every other summer. However, once Marcelo is in the "real world", he surprises himself and others with his capacity for love and compassion and his strong sense of morality. Readers will appreciate the honest and innocent voice of Marcelo as well as the sincere characters who help inspire him.

Into the Beautiful North is a Beautiful Read!

2010-02-11T17:13:00.004-05:00

Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea

An epiphany comes to Nayeli and her two girlfriends when they see The Magnificent Seven at their local theater in their small Mexican town. Following the plot of this American movie, they decide to head north to the United States to find seven worthy men to protect their village and to replenish their weakened male population. With their whole town rooting for them, and accompanied by Nayeli's gay employer, Tacho, they lead a mission filled with adventure, despair and plenty of laughter. Highly recommended!

"Catching Fire" Catches Interest

2010-02-08T08:10:00.004-05:00

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Readers who were riveted by The Hunger Games and left yearning for more will not be disappointed in this exciting sequel by Suzanne Collins. Six months after Katniss and Peeta return from the Hunger Games as victors, they find themselves trapped by the menacing President Snow in a story of deceit. As the Capitol prepares for a grand wedding between Katniss and Peeta, Katniss finds herself struggling with hard decisions. Should her devotion be towards Peeta or her life-time, dear friend, Gale? Should she lead a rebellion against the Capitol, or would that be putting her mother, sister and the residents of District 12 in terrible danger? Catching Fire has plenty of twists and excitement to keep readers turning the pages and longing for the next sequel.

Google Books adds Features to Library

2010-02-06T11:06:00.004-05:00

In Google Books, you can now create bookshelves similar to personal online libraries such as Shelfari, GoodReads and LibraryThing.

"You can create a personalized library on Google Books which allows you to organize, review, rate, and search a customized selection of books. These collections live online, and are accessible anywhere you can log in to your Google account. Bookshelves that are set to 'public' (with the icon showing two people) are publicly visible to friends who know the URL of your collection, so once you've built a collection, you can share it with them by sending them a link to your library in Google Books."

What's the next step for GoogleBooks? How about creating code to embed these bookshelves on our blogs and websites?

Sad Day for Pennsylvania Libraries

2010-01-28T19:35:00.003-05:00

It was announced this week that EBSCO host will no longer be available through POWER Library. Because of drastic cuts in the budget by PA Department of Education, this comprehensive database consisting of articles and multimedia sources will no longer be available as of February 1, 2010. At this point, it remains to be seen what databases will replace the offerings of EBSCO, but certainly it will not be nearly the extent of what POWER Library has offered in the past.
Thankfully, our students and staff have access to a number of databases to which our library subscribes. Please visit our Database website for links to each one, as well as a Google Custom Search for several online newspaper and periodical sites.

Tips for Google Reader

2010-01-25T07:28:00.002-05:00

I just saw these tips for keyboard shortcuts in Google Reader and thought they were worth sharing:

Use j/k to navigate through a feed's items, t to tag an item, / (slash) to search, or press ? to get the list of all the keyboard shortcuts Reader supports.Press Escape to make the shortcut list disappear.

BlogThis Toool

2010-01-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

What is BlogThis! ? "BlogThis! is an easy way to make a blog post without visiting blogger.com. Once you add the BlogThis! link to your browser's toolbar, blogging will be a snap. Or rather, a click. Clicking BlogThis! creates a mini-interface to Blogger prepopulated with a link to the web page you are visiting, as well as any text you have highlighted on that page. Add additional text if you wish and then publish or post from within BlogThis!"

And yes - I used BlogThis to create this post!

Discovering eBooks for my iPod Touch

2010-01-12T08:34:00.006-05:00

This weekend I discovered that there are many FREE ebooks available for my iTouch through iPhone apps. Previously, I had not really been very interested in exploring ebooks for my small iTouch screen since I imagined that the print would be too difficult for me to read, much like the text when browsing through websites. However, not only was I surprised by how clear the print is, but I was pleased to see that the Kindle app offers quite a few titles for free. As might be expected, many free titles are classics such as Pride and Prejudice and Dracula, but I was pleased to find quite a few new releases such as Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson (which was my first pick!). I also learned from a Tweet from @DoremiGirl that Stanza and Classics are two other great apps for ebooks and also offer many free titles.

The text preferences within these ebook apps can be adjusted to make your reading more clear and legible. Not only can you choose different font sizes, but you can choose between a day-time or night-time screen (as pictured) and there are various features for bookmarking, adding notes, or searching within a book.

While I'm not anywhere ready to purchase an ebook reader for myself for a couple of hundred dollars, I certainly am pleased to find I now have a couple of ebook options for my iTouch, and that many of the titles are free, or at a very low cost!

Book Review: Liar

2010-01-12T08:24:00.002-05:00

Though Micah is a self-proclaimed liar, she begins the book with a promise: "I will tell you my story and I will tell it straight. No lies, no omissions. That's my promise. This time I truly mean it." Or does she? Throughout the novel, readers are taken on such a roller-coaster of self-admitted lies that nothing can be believed or taken for granted. Was she born a girl, a boy...or something completely different? What kind of relationship did she really have with Zach, a fellow high school student who was murdered? What does she know about the murder...was she involved? The ambiguous ending will leave readers intrigued with an urge to discuss the novel with others.

Larbalestier, Justine. Liar. New York: Bloomsbury, 2009. 978-1-59990-305-7. 376p.

Book Review: Sorta Like a Rock Star

2010-01-05T15:00:00.010-05:00

I just finished reading Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick which is due to be released in May 2010. It's one of those very special reads which I didn't want to put down, and which I will be recommending to many. It most certainly will be one of my top ten for the PSLA Top Forty Book Review Committee!

Amber Appleton is one of The Five - a group of misfit, "freak" students who have been friends since they were put together for counseling in the fifth grade. After school, you can find Amber drinking green tea with a Vietnam vet who is fond of writing haiku's, tutoring Korean women in English by leading them in Motown songs, or visiting a retirement home where she and Joan of Old entertain residents with their optimism vs pessimism battles. At night, Amber sleeps (often alone) on the Hello Yellow bus which her mom drives for a living. Her mom is often "out fishing" at bars, looking for her next Prince Charming. Readers will smile with delight at the positive, vivacious attitude of Amber as she spreads hope among her various, eccentric friends. However, when she struggles to come to terms with a tragic, life-changing event, we find that Amber is not as capable of receiving help as she is at giving it. This is a truly delightful book which will have readers both laughing and crying throughout. Highly recommended!

We were privileged to have Matthew Quick visit our school last Spring to discuss his first novel, The Silver Linings Playbook. The students not only loved this book but were fascinating by his personal story of becoming a writer. Let's hope he has many more novels to come!

Yes, Benjamin. A Google Robot Really Does Exist

2009-12-27T14:18:00.014-05:00

In a recent New York Times article, it was reported that children often are frustrated with their search results on the Internet. The article, Helping Children Find What They Need on the Internet, cited a recent study sponsored by Google, University of Maryland and the Joan Ganz Cooney Center. It tells us of 11-year-old Benjamin and his struggles in the use of the Internet to answer the question, "Which day would the vice president’s birthday fall on the next year?" Benjamin later realizes that finding information on the Internet is a multi-step process. But at the time he was fully expecting Google to give him the information immediately.

"...Google has long known that it can be difficult for users to formulate the right keywords to call up their desired results. But that task can be even more challenging for children, given that they do not always have the right context for thinking about a new subject".

As librarians, we are all-too aware of this fact. How many times do we see our students frustrated with their searches simply because they don't know where to begin with search terms, or because they expect the information to appear immediately with very little higher-order thinking on their end. Google's answer to this dilemma is to continue to make the search process more transparent for children and adults alike. Apps such as the Wonder Wheel, make the search more graphical and help the user to narrow-down the results. Google, like other search engines, is also making it easier for searchers to use questions and statements to find answers to questions. Simply enter a sentence with an * where the sought information is, and Google will find your answer.

For example: Albert Einstein was born on *

It seems to me that Google is aiming to do exactly what librarians have been doing all along: helping patrons in their search for answers and information. Of course, we librarians add a very important component: rather than to serve the information on a silver platter for our students, we rather guide them so that they can become better gatherers...better evaluators...and better synthesizers of information. After all, could there by a more important life-long skill than to know how to find valuable information?

That student, Benjamin (who has now learned a thing or two about Internet searching), has an idea about how Google could help students with their searches:

“I think there should be a program where Google asks kids questions about what they’re searching for,” he said, “like a Google robot.”

Hmm...that Google Robot sounds an awful like a librarian to me. And, guess what, Benjamin. One of those librarians is available 24/7 just like Google.

Google Custom Search + Pathfinders = Great Resource

2009-12-23T07:28:00.012-05:00

Pathfinders are great resource tools which librarians, such as myself, create for student research projects. They are customized lists of specific sources on a particular unit or subject, consisting of both print and online media. Google Custom Search allows users to pick & choose which websites will be utilized when performing a search. Then, with just one search performance, all sites can be searched at one time. Put the two together, and librarians can provide students with an invaluable, customized research tool.

Recently, I created a Google Customized Search for Literary Criticism and embedded it on my Literary Criticism pathfinder. Now, students who are looking for critical reviews, not only have a list of resources to explore, but they can quickly search through the best, most relevant websites with one, easy search.

Google Books

2009-12-18T09:51:00.011-05:00

You probably are familiar with Google Books, but perhaps don't know about all of the terrific tools which Google continues to add.

Did you know:

When you perform a general Google search, you can click on "Show options" and you will be given an option to see all the Google Books search results.
Many Google Books are available in FULL PREVIEW which means you can look through the entire book, page by page, or by selecting pages from the Table of Contents.
You can search for words or terms throughout a Google Book and it will take you to the page with that keyword.
In the Preview section, you can embed the book into your website.

You or your students can submit a book review into Google Books for others to see.

In the Overview section, Google Books provides a Wordle which shows the most commonly used words and phrases in the book.

If any geographical places are mentioned in a book, pinpoints are shown on a Google map with reference to where in the book the place is mentioned.

You can see where there are references to the book from both Google Books and from Google Scholar.
Books which are available to preview can be added to your own library - your library can be shared, searched or followed with an RSS feed.
Hyperlinked subjects of books allow you to find similar books to the one you are viewing.

For complete information on Google Book searches, check out Lucy Gray's presentation which she shared at the Google Teacher Academy in Washington D.C.

Without a doubt, Google Books is something which will continue to be developed, as well as debated. Just today, MSNBC reported that Google was being sued in Paris for copyright violation. Here in the United States, a fairness hearing is scheduled for February 18 for an amended settlement to a lawsuit from the Author's Guild and publishers.

What Should I Read Next?

2009-12-13T13:57:00.002-05:00

What Should I Read Next?
Enter a book you like and the site will analyse our database of real readers' favourite books (over 65,000 and growing) to suggest what you could read next.
tags: books, book club, reading

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

2009-12-13T09:30:00.013-05:00

Google has been improving their search options almost daily and the improvements are exciting! I experienced Google's new Flight Tracker for myself when I needed to check on my husband's flight yesterday. All I needed to do is enter the airline abbreviation and the flight number, and there were all the details I needed: I didn't even need to hit return!

Need to check the weather for a certain city? Simple enter weather: "name of city". Without even hitting return, you will have a list of weather options with the weather outlook at the bottom of the search options.

Have a question? Type in the beginning of a statement followed by an asterisk.

Want the latest score of your hometown team? Type in the team name for the latest game info and a link for more details.

And the list of info goes on: stocks, conversions, zip codes, and more. Visit Explore Google Search for a complete list of searching options.

Google Teacher Academy -Washington DC

2009-12-11T07:29:00.005-05:00

I've just returned from the Google Teacher Academy where I learned an amazing amount of information. I was honored to be among 50 accepted educators out of 340 applicants from all across the country. Sharing what I learned in one blog post would be impossible: I learned so much that my head is still spinning with ideas and action plans. To be sure, I will be blogging more on each individual application.

Going into the academy, I was most expecting to learn about all the cool, new apps such as Google Wave. What surprised me is the extent of information which I learned about apps which I knew well (or, should I say I thought I knew well)!

Such as:

Google spreadsheets has Magic Fill - automatically completes a list by filling in related items you enter. "Strawberries", "bananas", "peaches"... think quick! 20 more fruits!"
With the feature "View Together", Google Presentation allows a back channel of information during the slideshow presentation.
Using Google Books, you can embed certain ebooks onto your website.
Google Docs not only displays word count, but reading level

One of the highlights of my Google experience was listening to Jerome Burg talk about his Google Lit Trips. Once again, I thought this was a tool which I knew well and needed no further instruction. However, hearing Jerome's passion and his philosophy on motivating students was so inspirational! And when I told him about my idea of using Google Lit Trips for our Read the World even next year on Latin America, he said he would love to be involved! How awesome.

So -as I mentioned, more blogging to come on the wonderful world of Google!

Book Review: Have a Little Faith

2009-11-30T14:25:00.002-05:00

When Mitch Albom’s Rabbi asks him to write his eulogy, he feels both humbled and uneasy about honoring a “man of God” who has touched and inspired so many people. Although Albom has known “the Reb” since he was a child, he wants to be sure he captures the true character of the Rabbi, Albert Lewis. Thus begins the treasured relationship which Albom has with Rabbi Lewis for eight years. As he interviews and spends time with him, Albom realizes that the Rabbi is an incredibly giving and forgiving person who has a tremendous amount of love for people and life. Paralleling his visits with Rabbi Lewis, Albom befriends Henry Convington, a Detroit pastor who is a former drug addict and criminal. As Albom witnesses Convington’s unselfishness and devotion to helping the homeless and needy, Albom clearly sees that faith can be found in all religions. This is a wonderfully inspiring true story which stresses the importance of community and of the power of tolerance.

Mitch Albom speaks with Katie Couric about "Have a Little Faith":

Watch CBS News Videos Online

New MacBooks Have Arrived!

2009-11-22T10:37:00.002-05:00

Great news! On Friday we had 30 new MacBooks delivered to our library! Are you a "PC" kind of person? No worries: these are dual-boot which means that you can boot-up in either the Windows or Mac platform with the click of your touchpad.

Since there has been some confusion about how to save to the network on a Mac, I've provided a mini-tutorial below which guides you through the steps. You can also find this tutorial on our library website.Saving On Macs

View more presentations from mschwander.

Review: Picking Cotton

2009-11-13T14:21:00.003-05:00

Picking Cotton is the true story of Ronald Cotton, a black man accused of raping a white, college-aged woman in the 1980’s. The victim, Jennifer Thompson, picks Cotton out of a line-up and has no question in her mind that this was the man who broke into her apartment and raped her as she lay in bed. Eleven years after Cotton is sentenced to life in prison, new DNA evidence proves that, without a doubt, Cotton could not have been the man who committed the crime.

The book is jointly written by Cotton and Thompson, with the help of writer, Erin Torneo. In alternating chapters, we hear about both Thompson’s mental anguish and Cotton’s denial to freedom. The reader can easily sympathize with both “victims” and can’t help but feel that the system has failed them both. The positive side of the story is that after Cotton is released from prison, Thompson gets in touch with Cotton, and they both form an alliance towards changing the way in which suspects are identified. In fact, you may have seen the two of them on TV as they spread their message across the nation. (See the 60 minutes clip below).
The website for Picking Cotton has a lot of interesting information as well, including the actual case files, a book trailer, and an eye-witness test to see how well you do at identifying suspects (I failed miserably!) Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson have a compelling story which everyone must hear!

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Follow Authors on Twitter

2009-11-02T09:48:00.003-05:00

I've been using Twitter for a few years now to extend my PLN and to stay updated on news and events related to education and technology. In many ways, it has replaced my RSS subscriptions since my "peeps" tweet about the latest article, new novel release or Web 2.0 tool that I may want to know about. At the beginning of the school year, I created a Twitter account for my library, LibraryLines, so that I could broadcast any library news to all of my followers. True, I don't have many followers to LibraryLines yet, but I sincerely believe that Twitter's popularity will grow and that eventually students and parents will realize its many benefits. Twitter is not all about "what are you doing?" as it has advertised in the past, but more about "what can you share?"

And now, with newly released Twitter lists, Twitter has even more to share! Over the weekend I busily created lists of librarians and lists of authors whom I follow. Now I can quickly sort my tweets by category and , even better, share my lists with others.
So here, my friends, is my small but growing list of authors on Twitter. Find out where writers are touring, what books they are working on, what they are blogging, or simply what their passions are. It's truly a wonderful look into to the lives of authors.

By the way, the highlight of my weekend was when I saw that Ishmael Beah reciprocated my follow by also following me. Pretty cool stuff!

An Inspiring Day with Allan Stratton

2009-10-28T10:51:00.015-04:00

Yesterday was the final day in our Read the World series and it certainly was a perfect way to end the community reading program. Allan Stratton, author of Chanda's Secrets, was here at our high school all day and made a powerful impression on our students. In the morning, Allan met with a Creative Writing class and a Dramatic Writing class. After reading an excerpt from Chanda's Secrets, he answered questions from students which varied from handling writer's block, his inspiration for the characters in Chanda's Secrets and Chanda's Wars, and the time and perseverance necessary in writing a novel.

In the afternoon, Allan presented to all of our 9th grade students who are reading the novel with their English classes. I knew that his novel had made a powerful impression on the kids when I saw hands shooting up all over the auditorium - each student hoping that Allan would have time to address their question. Afterwards, many students approached him to ask him a question, sign a book, or simply to shake his hand and thank him for coming.

Later that night, he presented to a small audience which consisted of a few students, parents and community members who had read Chanda's Secrets as part of the Read the World program. Although the attendance was light, those there were very engaged and most lingered afterwards to chat with Allan and have him sign their books.

This is the first year of our community reading initiative which partners with the Free Library of New Hope and Solebury and the New Hope-Solebury Education Fund. The mission of the program is “one community, exploring cultural diversity, one book at a time.” This year we focused on the Sub-Saharan African region and four books were selected as recommended reads: Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton, What is the What by Dave Eggers, A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah and Brothers in Hope by Mary Williams.

In effort to educate our students and the community, each week in October we offered an event which focused on a cultural aspect of Sub-Sarahan Africa: an evening of Sudanese food, an African art sampler from the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Anthropology and Archeology, a percussion and a cappella workshop by Voices of Africa, a multi-media tour of Africa by National Geographic photographer, Bob Krist and, lastly, Allan Stratton's visit.

I am so very grateful to our New-Hope Solebury Education Fund committee for making Allan Stratton's visit possible and for supporting the Read the World program. I've heard so many positive remarks from students, teachers, parents, administrators and community members about the impact that Chanda's Secrets has had upon them, and about how the program, in general, has helped them to better understand this African region. One of the best comments came from a parent who told me that after her son saw Bob Krist's photographs of gorillas in Congo and heard about their threatened extinction, he went home and surfed the Internet to learn more about the illegal poaching of them. He also was so inspired by Chanda's Secrets that he went out on his own to purchase the sequel, Chanda's Wars. Another touching moment was to see a student walk up to Allan Stratton, shake his hand, and thank him for coming to our school. This same student came to me in the library this morning and thanked me for making Allan Stratton's visit possible. He, also, is one who went out to purchase his own copy of Chanda's Wars.

Another positive outcome of this whole project is a connection to a school in Namibia. Allan had put me in touch with a teacher there whose students were reading Chanda's Secrets, and who have experienced many of the issues that faced Chanda in the novel. This teacher is sending us videos of her students talking about the novel and describing their day-to-day life in their village. In turn, our students are donating their favorite books with a written inscription so that the Namibia school has some books in their fairly sparse library.

Hopefully we will get funding for Read the World next year, so that we can continue to focus on various cultural regions and offer some great presentations!

Bob Krist Presents Photos of Africa

2009-10-23T10:42:00.001-04:00

On October 20, professional photographer, Bob Krist, took the New Hope-Solebury community on a multi-media tour of Africa. Krist has taken photos for many travel publications, including National Geographic Traveler and Smithsonian. The presentation, held at the New Hope-Solebury Upper Elementary School, was hosted by Read the World. Read the World is a community reading initiative promoted by New Hope-Solebury High School, the Free Library of New Hope and Solebury and the New Hope-Solebury Education Fund. The mission of the program is “one community, exploring cultural diversity, one book at a time” and this year’s focus is Sub-Saharan Africa.

Krist presented photographs and videos from regions throughout Africa, and entertained the audience with interesting stories about each of the regions. He also spoke about Playpumps which provide clean drinking water to people living in Sub-Saran Africa. He and his wife, Peggy, have raised enough money to install a Playpump in Malawi through the Jonathan D. Krist Foundation. The foundation was established to honor the memory and charitable deeds of their son, Jonathan.

This presentation was the fourth in a series of Read the World events. The final event, on October 27th, will feature the author of Chanda’s Secrets, Allan Stratton. More information about Read the World can be found at http://www.nhs-read-the-world.com/.

Voices of Africa

2009-10-15T11:18:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday evening, Read the World hosted Voices of Africa - an internationally acclaimed all-women's a cappella and percussion ensemble. It was a terrifically fun night for students of all ages as well as many parents and community members. Nana, the leader of the group, involved everyone in the audience in the performance. Every single participant was either singing, drumming and ringing bells to make beautiful, African music.

Schmoop! (There it is)

2009-10-12T10:43:00.004-04:00

Shmoop has now introduced a new subject - Music! Shmoop has already been a great resource for Literature and History. Written by university professors and by teachers, Shmoop aims to make "writing and learning more fun and relevant for students in this digital age".

Though the music database is just beginning to evolve and therefore has limited songs, the information is extensive, entertaining and enlightening. For each lyrical line, the Shmoop editors give a "quick thought" and "deep thought". In fact, you can listen to the song as the editorial notes pop-up at the appropriate place in the song.

Incidentally, I knew that Paper Planes by MIA was a violent song, but Shmoop provided some real eye-opening information about the meaning and the artist's biography.

African Art Sampler

2009-10-11T19:59:00.003-04:00

On October 6, the New Hope-Solebury community program, Read the World, hosted An African Sampler at the Free Public Library of New Hope and Solebury . Dr. Jill Furst of the University of Pennsylvania Museum and the Commonwealth Outreach lecture program gave a fascinating introduction to the richness of African visual arts. She spoke at length about the culture of Nigerians and answered various questions from the audience.

Next on tap for our Read the World program: Voices of Africa on Oct. 13, 7pm in the HS Gym. Join us for a wonderful evening with this internationally acclaimed all-women's a cappella & percussion ensemble.

"Read the World" Enjoys an Evening of Sudanese Food

2009-10-02T14:41:00.002-04:00

On October 1, the New Hope-Solebury community program, Read the World, hosted an evening of Sudanese food in the New Hope-Solebury High School Library. High school instructional assistant and Sudanese native, Sawsan Ahmed, presented Mulah Bamia, a popular Sudanese dish of okra and meat. People were invited to sample this and other dishes, and spoke to Ms. Ahmed about her background and culture.

Other upcoming events are
· Voices of Africa: An internationally acclaimed all-women's a cappella and percussion ensemble on Tuesday, October 13, 7:00pm in the High School Auditorium
· Bob Krist of National Geographic takes us on tour of Africa through his wonderful photographs on Tuesday, October 20, 7:00pm in the High School Auditorium
· Allan Stratton, author of Chanda’s Secrets, discusses his experiences in Africa on Tuesday, October 27, 7:00pm in the High School Auditorium

Read the World is a community reading initiative promoted by New Hope-Solebury High School, the Free Library of New Hope and Solebury and the New Hope-Solebury Education Fund. The mission of the program is “one community, exploring cultural diversity, one book at a time.” This year the focused region is Sub-Saharan Africa and four books have been selected as recommended reads: Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton, What is the What by Dave Eggers, A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah and Brothers in Hope by Mary Williams. More details can be found at www.nhs-read-the-world.com.

Play Monopoly With Real World Streets - Monopoly City Streets, Google Maps Style

2009-09-16T16:44:00.002-04:00

Play Monopoly With Real World Streets - Monopoly City Streets, Google Maps Style
Remember playing the Monopoly Board Game when you were a child? Now you can play with real streets using Google Maps.
tags: games

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Read the World Blog

2009-09-14T11:50:00.003-04:00

We now have a Read the World blog for folks to respond to the selected books! Some suggested questions are listed for each book, but feel free to make any comments you wish.

We have a FABULOUS line-up of Read the World events in October. Our first presentation will be An Evening of Sudanese Food on October 1 at 7:00pm in the High School Library. Our teacher assistant, Sawsan Ahmed, will be presenting a traditional Sudanese dish and discuss the Sudanese culture.

Read the World

2009-08-12T10:33:00.002-04:00

Thanks to funding from the NHS Education Fund, author Allan Stratton will be visiting our high school and community to discuss his book, Chanda’s Secrets, on October 27. The book, which is set in Sub-Saharan Africa, will be read this fall in ninth-grade English classes and the region will be studied in World Cultures classes. As a derivative of this event, the high school library has partnered with the Free Library of New Hope and Solebury and the NHS Education Fund to create a community reading program called Read the World. Read the World provides a list of book suggestions as well as various community presentations offered in October which explore African cultures.

For a list of books, events and further resources, please visit nhsreadtheworld.wikispaces.com

More Economic Woes @ Your Library

2009-07-01T10:53:00.006-04:00

I'm sorry to say that our high school library is certainly not immune to the financial situation in our country. Due to cutbacks in state and district spending, within just one week I've heard of three losses to our library services:

NetTrekker: This educational search engine was provided through state funding and is no longer available as of today, July 1. This was not only a valuable tool to our students, but a wonderful professional development tool for myself and other teachers looking for quality, educational resources.
POWER Library Databases: Also effective today, POWER Library has lost four, extremely valuable databases:

Consumer Health Complete (including Salud en Espanol and Lexi-PALS Drug Guide)
History Reference Center
Book Source: Non-fiction
Professional Development Collection
Pearl's Picks

I've used Professional Development Collection many times to find some great resources for my principal, our teachers and for my own professional development. I often recommended History Reference Center and Book Source to students as an option for finding quality, print sources for their research. And Consumer Health Complete was an awesome resource for our health and science classes.

3. Support Staff: At last week's school board meeting, members voted to cut all support staff's to 7 hours. This is most unfortunate news since it will mean that our library assistant, Mrs. McLaughlin will now be working until 4:00pm, forcing us to close the library a half hour earlier than our usual closing time of 4:30pm. Many students will be quite disappointed since our library was often used right up until Mrs. McLaughlin closed the doors at 4:30.

My worry is that, with our state budget still under negotiation, more cuts may still be coming. It's vital for legislators and voters to know the impact that these cuts will have on our students. Our students are becoming very savvy researchers and are coming to realize the importance of using authentic, quality resources in contrast to something they may find by Googling it. Can we really afford to cut something so vital in our students' 21st century education?

Heard enough to convince you that this is a real issue for our students? Then please contact your legislators TODAY and let them know that we need these valuable library resources. Our Bucks County Library system makes this very easy for their residents. They have set up a survey through Survey Monkey which allows you to voice your opinion. Within just 2 minutes, your voice can be heard. PLEASE DO IT NOW!

The Bucks County Library website also has this interesting video clip of NBC's TODAY show on the value of public libraries. Although the focus is on public libraries, the same issues can be said for our high school library: most every morning before school has begun, as well as in the afternoon when school is over, the library is absolutely full of students using the services which they might not have available at home. As Matt Lauer so effectively concludes, Libraries are an important part of our lives!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Silver Linings Playbook

2009-06-26T09:09:00.005-04:00

Last night I finished a book which many of our students enjoyed, The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. AP Literature teacher, Drew Giorgi, arranged for Quick's visit back in May. I was most impressed with what Quick had to say, and blogged about it soon afterwards.

Straight out of a mental institution, 35 year-old Pat Peoples has a lot of baggage to overcome. While dealing with the fact that he can't remember for how long and why he was hospitalized, he wants nothing more than to be reunited with his wife, Niki. He realizes that "apart time" is something which they had agreed upon, but is determined that someday their marriage will be back to normal, as will his mental stability. Now living with his parents, he has a supportive and loving mother who is trying her best to help Pat get better. But his father has no patience for Pat's insecurities and has volatile mood swings which coincide with the Philadelphia Eagles winning record. Readers will like Pat for his honesty, tenderness and positive attitude and will be routing for him to find that silver lining in his life.Philadelphia fans will recognize the passion for the Eagles and all there is to love about the Philadelphia area. E-A-G-L-E-S...EAGLES!

New Moon Poster Released

2009-06-14T07:35:00.002-04:00

Fans of the Twilight series will be happy to see this newly released poster for the movie, New Moon. I know many students in our school are counting down the days until November 20.

48 Hour Book Challenge Complete

2009-06-07T18:54:00.005-04:00

Although I barely got in 12 hours this weekend with the 48 Hour Book Challenge, it is a success in my mind since a) I did get a lot of good reading done and b) I saw a lot of great blogs and connected with some terrific people. I also rediscovered why I like audio books so much. Just today I cut the grass, got a lot of weeding done, did a load of wash or two AND got nearly 4 hours of a book "read".

Though I'm only 1/4 of the way into Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, I already have some boys at school who I'll be recommending it to. The YA novel is about a boy who finds himself under the careful scrutiny of the government after a terrorist attack on San Francisco. Their suspicions stem from his extensive knowledge and use of computer hacking, but their actions are over-the-top and quite alarming. This book would be a great one to start a discussion about the Patriot act.

Paper Towns Completed (Regrettably)

2009-06-07T09:53:00.004-04:00

Paper Towns is one of those books you just don't want to end. I've discovered that John Green knows exactly how to write about young adults in a fresh, honest and humorous way. (Shame on me for not yet reading Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines yet! No worries...I have this summer.)

Quentin is the sensible, like-able, "good" guy with parents who are both therapists and, therefore, are constantly providing loving support in everything he does. In fact, they even like it when he curses in front of them since that only proves that he feels the utmost comfort with them. Margo is Quentin's next-door neighbor whom he was friends with when they were young. However, now in their senior year, Margo's among the popular crowd and Quentin (although he is not in Band) is happy with his group of Band friends whom are very knowingly not part of the popular crowd. When Margo decides that she needs more from her life than the imagined "paper girl" which she feels she has become, Quentin finds himself following her trail and discovers himself along the way. Green does wonderful things with metaphors which gives this coming-of-age story style and poignancy.

Green's inclusion of the paper town of Agloe, NY is interesting. The term "paper town" refers to something cartographers started doing in the early 20th century to deter copyright infringement. They included the fictional town of Agloe so that they could track any other cartographer's attempt to copy their map: if another map included Agloe, they would know that it was copied from their own map. Interestingly, an Algoe General Store was even built to acknowledge this fictitious place, thus turning fiction into reality. Green's use of the paper town works well in his novel since Margo has grown up fantasizing that she was someone she wasn't among an imagined place with imagined friends.

Sunday update thus far: 1.5 hours reading, 1 hour blogging and networking.

I'm off to start The Silver Linings Playbook by Quick, but am thinking I may also start the audiobook of Little Brother by Doctorow so I can get chores done in-between hammock rests. :-)

48 Hour Book Challenge - Sunday Update

2009-06-07T07:57:00.006-04:00

Progress Update:

Hours reading = 9

Hours networking = 2

Well, I'm certainly not going to be a winner in this challenge, but I'm having fun and my PLN is growing in wonderful ways nonetheless. The plan today is to finish listening to Paper Towns and then crack open The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. Matt Quick came to visit our school this week and I was so impressed by his own story and very intrigued about his first novel.

It's a beautiful day here in New Hope, PA and I plan to take full advantage of it. Reading in the hammock followed by a bike ride with my husband to the Stockton Day Fair. Somewhere in between I'll get the wash done and do some yard work!

Paper Towns Update

2009-06-06T13:45:00.003-04:00

Taking a break from listening to Paper Towns to go for a run. While I did debate listening to it while running, I really need my music to keep me motivated for runs. I have a bout 2 hours left of audio book and I'm anxious to see if Q and the gang eventually find Margo in the paper town in NY.

48 HBC Progress Update

2009-06-06T10:44:00.002-04:00

Friday 5:00 - 10:00: Finished reading Hunger Games (with breaks in between)

Saturday 7:00 -7:30: Blogged and caught-up on fellow 48HBC partcipants (and discovered many too add to my PLN!)

Saturday 8:00-10:30: Listening to audio book of Paper Towns while grocery shopping, ironing, and doing all the stuff that needs to get done (is that cheating?)

Saturday 10:30 - 10:50: Blogging and tweeting update

Hours reading (or listening!) = approx. 6

Hours blogging/tweeting = .75

Not looking to win any prizes, just enjoying an excuse to read and to network with a lot of great fellow readers!

Book 1 Done: The Hunger Games

2009-06-06T07:10:00.004-04:00

So, I began the 48 Hour Book Challenge last night at 5:00pm by continuing a book I had already started: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. With just a little cat-nap or two, I finished the book at 10:30. The Hunger Games is a dystopian novel which had me turning the pages from the very first chapter. Sixteen-year-old Katniss takes the spot of her little sister in an annual, national game which pits young people against each other for a fight for survival. Katniss is tough and her hunting skills help her immensely throughout the Game, but she quickly learns that the Game also requires learning who to trust and how to "play" among human relationships. The book guarantees a sequel and I'll be the first in line!

After doing some catching up with what my fellow challengers are reading, I'm on to the next book: Paper Towns by John Green.

The 48 Hour Book Challenge Begins

2009-06-05T16:48:00.005-04:00

Okay, so I just learned about the 48-Hour Book Challenge thanks to a tweet from @SLJournal and how can I resist? Gotta love a challenge when books are involved. So - count me in! Game on!

Matt Quick has a Strong Message

2009-06-04T14:04:00.005-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, NHS was fortunate to have author, Matthew Quick, visit Drew Giorgi's AP Literature class. Giorgi had assigned the students to reading The Silver Linings Playbook and thus arranged for Quick's visit.

At the time, I had not started the book but was intrigued by the story-line and interested to hear more about it. The novel revolves around a young man who is released from a neural health facility and his coming to terms with his life as he regains his memory while living with his parents in New Jersey. My students tell me they really enjoyed the book for its wittiness, truthfulness and for the fact that Pat Peoples, the main character, is a very like-able guy.

What I found from the author is that he, himself, is indeed a very like-able guy. He's down-to-earth, funny, approachable, and has a life history that is interesting and endearing.

Growing up, Matt Quick was one of those kids who just didn't fit into school. He didn't like classes and it basically reflected in his grades. He had a strong passion for writing, but that passion was squashed by his father who felt that writing would not bring him success. So, Matt ended up going to college and eventually became an English teacher.

Fast forward about seven or eight years later when Matt suddenly takes inventory of his life and wonders how he ended up in the state he was - working in a profession which brought him little reward and in a near state of depression. Thanks to a wonderfully supportive wife who recognized Matt's unhappiness, he ended up quiting his job, moving in with his in-laws, and writing with passion in his in-law's basement. A couple of years later, and many rejections later, The Silver Linings Playbook was published in 2008 and he has a young adult novel, Sorta Like a Rock Star, forthcoming in 2010.

The lesson of his own story hit a chord in mine. As Matt spoke about his father's disapproval, I thought of my own son and his love of the arts and his struggle with academics. It is so, so important that I'm supportive of his creative passion. I guess, in fact, I always knew that. But hearing Matt talk about his own struggles and then his eventual success as a writer, the message hit home. Follow your heart and happiness will follow. What defines success more than that?

Hot off the Press: PSLA Top Forty Reviews

2009-05-26T18:11:00.002-04:00

The Top Forty Pennsylvania School Library Association 2009 book reviews are now online! Want to know what books should be on your "TO READ" list this summer? This is a great place to start. In fact, the two books which I am presently reading: Paper Towns by John Green and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins caught my attention because of my colleagues intriguing reviews.

My Sister's Keeper: The Movie

2009-05-19T20:57:00.002-04:00

On June 26th, the movie version of My Sister's Keeper will be released in movies throughout the US. With good reason, this novel by award-winning author Jodi Picoult has been one of the most popular in our school library. Though it's been a few years since I read the book, I have to admit that the movie trailer doesn't quite match what I remember. And Picoult admits that the ending is not the same as in her novel, but she also adds "you're still going to like it" and that kleenex is necessary. I suppose we'll have to wait until June 26th to decide for ourselves.

New search engines aspire to supplement Google - CNN.com

2009-05-17T16:23:00.002-04:00

New search engines aspire to supplement Google - CNN.com

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Reading Olympics 2010 List is Released

2009-05-13T21:38:00.003-04:00

Okay, Reading Olympics members...it's countdown to Reading Olympics 2010!

And check-out this reading list! There are some great new titles including two favs of the year: Hunger Games and The Adventures of Johnny Bunko.

Time to get reading, RO members!

Countdowngreat free widgetsWidgetbox

How To Get Through A Semester With Your iPhone : iSmashPhone

2009-05-08T17:36:00.002-04:00

How To Get Through A Semester With Your iPhone : iSmashPhone
Great iphone apps to help students with studying and homework.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Validate Your Resources!

2009-05-08T09:27:00.004-04:00

Attention Wikipedia users: Dilbert reminds us that it is crucial to validate your resources!

Jog The Web for Copyright Friendly Images

2009-05-03T17:22:00.002-04:00

Jog The Web - a web tour I've created to help students and teachers find images which are free to use
tags: copyrightfree, images, photos

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Blog posts 05/03/2009

2009-05-02T23:29:00.002-04:00

compfight + a flickr™ search tool
Flickr image finder
tags: images, copyrightfree
drop.io
Simple private real-time sharing and collaboration
tags: file, sharing
One True Media - How to make amazing slideshows and video montages for MySpace or any website - even share to TiVo!
Somebody's going to look like a creative genius in a few minutes (hint: it's you). It's just so simple to mix your video and photos with our fresh, stylish effects to create wow-worthy Video Montages.
tags: video, videos, DigitalStorytelling, photos, digital, media
Chapter 7. Linking the Information Commons to Learning | EDUCAUSE
EDUCAUSE is a nonprofit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. Information Commons is a suggested term for renovated library spaces.
tags: informationliteracy, information_literacy, libraries, Library2.0, 21stcenturylearning

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Duck Duck Go

2009-05-02T11:49:00.001-04:00

Duck Duck Go
A new search engine with less garbage and better results. With less clicking forward and back between results, it is for anyone who wants to get information faster. You can click on an icon to easily search through sites such as Twitter and New York Times.
tags: searchengine, search

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

PSLA Top Forty Cooks-up Some Good Reviews

2009-05-02T10:55:00.004-04:00

I was so glad to be a part of another fun-filled night at this year's PSLA Top Forty presentation. Lead by our Top Chef, Joyce Valenza, we "stirred-up" the audience with some "tasty morsels" and "gourmet selections" of this year's best YA books. Look for our list , soon to be posted on the Top Forty website.

My own "favorite dishes" were Over and Under by Todd Tucker (simply superb!), The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti, Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris and Graceling by Kristn Cashore.

The Inspiration of The Soloist

2009-04-20T21:06:00.003-04:00

I just finished reading the The Soloist - the fascinating true story of a mentally ill, homeless man whose talent on the strings inspires an LA journalist, and now readers like me. In anticipation of our school book club and a trip to see the movie (which is to be released on April 24), I've been finding some interesting resources on the web which delve into this spirited and compelling story.

Interview with Journalist and author, Steve Lopez on NPR

The Soloist Official Movie Site

Penguin Publishers Reading Guide

Philadelphia One Book - The Soloist

Resources for Teachers

Economic Woes @ Your Library

2009-04-02T18:13:00.007-04:00

It seems that in these difficult economics times, free entertainment isn't the only reason people are frequenting their public library. Add job hunting and stress-release to the list of items to tackle when visiting the library, according to an article in today's New York Times.

And speaking of the economy (who isn't?), another New York Times link shows that pictures say a thousand words in describing how this recession has effected our nation's culture.

Xtranormal Fun

2009-03-25T19:56:00.005-04:00

As the site claims, "if you can type you can make movies". Xtranormal is easy and fun!

Cultures Connecting Through One Book

2009-03-24T20:25:00.006-04:00

Often people connect in the most unexpected and impromptu times and it's truly a beautiful thing. Even better is when two cultures find a connection when they're not even trying. But best of all (at least in the eyes of this librarian), is when the cultural connection is made possible through a book.

Back in the summer, I contacted author Allan Stratton about the possibility of visiting our school to discuss his book, Chanda's Secrets. I was struck by the story of this young girl's struggle to survive amongst the AIDS epidemic in her African village, and believed it could make a great impact on our students studying World Cultures. As I spoke to Allan on the phone to propose his visit, it became immediately apparent that he had many stories to tell which need to be heard. He is not only a prolific storyteller, but someone who cares about the real people of whom he writes. He shared with me his time spent in Africa and how touched he was with their human spirit.

Recently, Allan shared with me an email describing the impact that Chanda's Secrets had on one particular boy in Namibia. A young woman, Aly Martin, in the Peace Corps and teaching in Namibia gave the book to a troubled, orphaned boy and it made a very obvious impact on his life. The book spoke of the pain which this boy knew only too well. With the help of Allan and this woman's mother, Tracie, Aly and I are now corresponding about a collaborative effort between our students so that they may appreciate each other's culture. In the fall, as our students begin to read Chanda's Secrets, our school will be conducting a fundraiser for the many obvious needs of these Namibia students.

Indeed, books can make the greatest of impacts in people's lives. Thank you, Allan Stratton, for writing an important story. Thank you, Aly Martin, for making a difference in the real children about which Allan wrote. And thank you, Tracie Martin, for making sure the everyone hears these important stories - both fictional and real.

New Spring Books!

2009-03-21T10:37:00.002-04:00

What's better than soaking in the spring sun with a good, new book? Come visit the library to see what new-releases may entice you. On March 25 before school, we will have them all on display along with some refreshments. Hope to see you there!

Click here for a sample of some good ones to whet your appetite.

Got iPhone? Get Apps!

2009-03-05T19:45:00.004-05:00

For those of you with an iPhone or an iTouch, check out this link of many great educational apps you can download - many for free! This was tweeted to me from Mac Apple educator, Dave Marra

Some Exciting Changes for Newsbank

2009-02-20T08:37:00.003-05:00

I was very pleased to get a phone call from Newsbank yesterday telling me of new updates for our Newsbank subscription. They have added many new features that will make research projects much easier! For social studies, there are now many more categories available such as easy access to International News (searchable through a world map), a World Economics category, Conflict and Terrorism Around the World, America’s Historical Newspapers (from 1690!). And for science and health they now have Science Source Collection, World Health section, as well as Science and Health in the News.

But that's not all! We also now have access to Newsbank articles through EBSCO (go to POWER Library from school). When you do a search in EBSCO, you will now see a link to Newsbank in the lower left-hand side.

Give it a try. It's pretty impressive!

Telling a Story at PETE & C

2009-02-11T07:01:00.007-05:00

My seven days at PETE & C allowed me to see a lot of fabulous tools which our students can be utilizing in the classroom. Brilliant podcasts; terrific music compositions; professional-looking movies, cool virtual spaces for learning… Most of the technology, perhaps all, I had already used or had explored at some point prior to this conference. But then again, learning how to use a new piece of technology is not necessarily what this conference is all about.

The biggest thing I took away was a continuing theme I heard throughout my days there. I heard it from all three of the keynote speakers as well as from many of the session presenters: the importance of giving students the ability, tools and confidence to tell a story.

As keynote speaker, Jason Ohler pointed out, stories help us to organize information, remember a place and express the emotion of an event. Everyone has a story; he or she may just need help in finding how to tell it. Keynote speaker, Daniel Pink, described design, story, symphony, empathy, play and meaning as the six aptitudes of the right-side of the brain which are so crucial to our students’ success. Similarly, Rafe Esquith brilliantly and emotionally demonstrated the importance of creativity, innovation and empathy in a child’s learning experience. The videos he shared of his students' learning celebrations clearly verified that these components matter - really matter - in a child’s learning experience.

Ken Rodoff’s session on Improving Student Presentations reminded us that students need some guidance in telling a story: they need to find the story's “hook” and they need to realize that they are entertaining an audience, not simply completing a class assignment. Mercyhurst College's session on Imagining in Second Life had a very creative way to tell a story – using Second Life islands as a stage for Abraham Lincoln revisions or a gallery for art work.

Students deserve to have all the tools and opportunities they need to tell their story. Technology holds a mother-load of them. As Ohler points out, a big amplifier won’t make a bad guitar sound good – the story has to be good in order to sound good. But whether it’s a movie, a song, a play or a podcast – it’s another chance that a good story will be heard and shared.

New Books - No Cost

2009-02-09T19:59:00.003-05:00

CBS recently reported that libraries are booming because of the free services offered in this struggling economy. People visit the library for the free Internet services and, of course, to borrow a good read at no cost. So, of course it seems ironic (and unfair!) that libraries are being targeted in cities and communities looking to cut spending.
That being said - please do take advantage of our wonderful high school collection. In fact, we just received a new shipment of books in to help you get through the winter blues. A sequel to Wicked, a new Wally Lamb book, and a variety of vampire reads are just a sampling of the gems. For the full list, click here. Or, better yet....stop by the library and see them on display!

"Three Cups of Tea" and the Value of Education

2009-02-01T18:55:00.001-05:00

Today I finished reading “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and find myself amazingly inspired. It is a book which every American should read, most especially teachers. Mortenson, along with his comrades in Pakistan and Afghanistan appreciate the value of an education and the power it holds for change.
Recently, Gen. Petraeus reportedly sent Mortenson an email with three key-points which he gleaned from the book. The keypoints for me come from three Himalayan’s which were noted in the book:

A quote from the Bhutan king – “true measure of a nation’s success is not gross national product but ‘gross national happiness’” pg. 120

Speaking of his village, Haji Ali, the illiterate, elder leader of Korphe claimed “I’ll pay any price so they have the education they deserve”. Mortenson reflected , “Here was this illiterate man who’d hardly ever left his little village in the Karakoram. Yet he was the wisest man I’ve ever met.” Pg. 153

Pakistani general, Bashir Baz – “The enemy is ignorance. The only way to defeat it is to build relationships with these people, to draw them into the modern world with education and business.” Pg. 310

Whitehouse.gov Gets a Face Lift

2009-01-21T07:14:00.002-05:00

America not only got a new president yesterday, but a new Whitehouse website complete with slideshows, a blog and facts about American presidencies. The blog explains the three main priorities of the website as Communication, Transparency and Participation. This is an open invitation for citizens to voice their opinion and ideas to President Obama and his cabinet.
Be sure to check-out Whitehouse 101 which includes some fun trivia about our presidents.

Students Voice Their Opinion about the Inauguration

2009-01-20T10:14:00.003-05:00

Visit VoiceThread and search for "inauguration09". You will find some VoiceThreads which have been created by students allowing them to share their discussions about Obama's inauguration. For those of you who are new to VoiceThread, this is an online, digital story-teller with the ability of adding voice, text and "doodles". The best feature of VoiceThread is it's ability to share and collaborate with users around the world. I can think of no better use of VoiceThread than this opportunity for students to share their thoughts with the world!

Inauguration Word Clouds

2009-01-19T16:57:00.002-05:00

The New York Times has a very clever interactive time line of all American presidents' inauguration speeches. The most-used words appear as the largest. The largest of all are highlighted. Click on a word to see it in context in the president's speech. It's quite interesting to see what words stood out for each president.
Any predictions for Obama's big words? I'm putting my money on HOPE, CHANGE, WE and YOU.

Classrooms for the Future comes to New Hope

2009-01-17T17:09:00.002-05:00

It's been quite awhile since I've posted in my blog...but for good reason! As the CFF coach for our high school, my time is now split between library media specialist and the CFF position. As our school gets ready to roll out 2 MacBook labs, I've been busy gathering resources, attending professional development workshops and preparing teachers for what is to come. On January 15, we had our first "Out-of-the Box" Apple training with Paul Tarantiles. Paul truly got us excited about how we can use this technology! Social networking, multimedia creations, immediate access to educational tools - soon our kids will be using all these great things in their classrooms.
Of course, many of these tools may be new to us, but are certainly not new to our students. A recent MacArthur study found that "learning today is becoming increasingly peer-based and networked, and this is important to consider as we begin to re-imagine education in the 21st century". It found that although students are very adept at socializing and navigating online and with digital tools, they have not successfully used all those tools in their learning. That's where we educators come in. We can learn from them so that they can better learn from us.

NHS Education Fund Makes Dreams Come True

2008-10-20T17:39:00.003-04:00

From inside or out, our library courtyard is truly a beautiful site! Thanks to funding from the New Hope-Solebury Education Fund, our first phase of beautifying the library courtyard has been completed. Lance Landscaping did a superb job of arranging lovely plants and regrading and seeding the area. Next, they will be refurbishing our patio.

It won't be long that students will be enjoying their time out there - reading, studying and appreciating the serene environment. Thank you to NHS Education Fund president, Bill Scandone, for making it happen!

Breakfast with Books a Success!

2008-09-18T09:05:00.002-04:00

Our Breakfast with Books openhouse was a huge success! The library was brimming with students before school who enjoyed a light breakfast as they browsed our new books. And the best news is ... 94 books were checked-out within 1/2 hour!

This was also the first day of our school-wide Inpendent Reading period which was also a great success. Our principal reports that "you could have heard a pin drop"!

Breakfast with Books!

2008-09-15T15:05:00.000-04:00

Breakfast with Books Open House - On Sept. 17th, come join us before school in the library for a light breakfast and a display of new book arrivals! Just in time to kick-off our first Independent Reading session!

"I can hear the insects buzz..."

2008-09-01T15:05:00.003-04:00

walk across the courtyard, towards the library.
i can hear the insects buzz and the leaves 'neath my feet...

ramble up the stairwell, into the hall of books...
since we got the interweb these hardly get used.

I heard the new song, Librarian, by My Morning Jacket this weekend on the WXPN. The above opening lyrics seem so appropriate as we continue to make plans for our new courtyard. The top soil has been delivered and seed will go down soon. Vic Lance took me around Feeney's Nursery on Friday and showed me various plants which we can consider throughout the area. Soon we will draw up the plans for the first landscape installment.
If all goes as planned, we will have plants in bloom outside our library by this coming Spring as well as patio seating.

New for 2008-2009

2008-08-19T17:00:00.003-04:00

As hard as it is to say good-bye to summer, many great things are lined-up for our 2008-2009 school year. I just posted a list of events and and new items on my library wiki. Of the many things to look forward to, one of the events I'm most looking forward to is a lunch-time book club, giving students and staff an opportunity to share what we're reading. Have you done much reading this summer? Hope you all managed to read some good books in addition to your required reading.
Here are the books I enjoyed this summer:

Before I Die by Jenny Dowham: a real tear-jerker, but none-the-less entertaining (it's one of this year's Reading Olympics books)
In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez: Wow - what a powerful book! My first Julia Alvarez book and definitely not my last! (also a Reading Olympics book)
The Lost Painting by Jonathan Harr - a true story about the missing Caravaggio painting, The Taking of Christ; quite interesting stuff
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - another tear-jerker, but a book with a message of the self-fulfilling prophecy: life is what you make of it!
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer - An apocalyptic book which will get you thinking about how fragile our little plant really is (also a Reading Olympics book)
American Born Chinese by Gene Yang - a graphic novel which looks at Asian cultures as well as the desire to fit in (yet another Reading Olympics book!)
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum - a heart-wrenching, mesmerizing novel about a young German woman during World War II. We've read much about the awful, unimaginable suffering of Jews. What were German citizens thinking and doing while these innocent people were being tortured and murdered? This book is not for the soft-hearted! It's a difficult, painful read, but beautifully told.
And Then You Die by Iris Johansen - because every summer deserves one light book which requires little from your mind. :-)

Enjoy the last weeks! See you in September!

Countdown to Twilight

2008-08-03T14:39:00.002-04:00

I'm looking forward to picking up the fourth and final novel in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, Breaking Dawn. Anyone out there who went to the midnight release Friday?

Something else to look forward to is our school book discussions which lead up to the release of the movie, Twilight on December 12. We will be having after school book discussions on 10/28, 11/18, and 12/9.

2008-07-30T11:08:00.002-04:00

I recently came across Sunday's New York Times article, Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading? Actually, it is the beginning of a series of articles on the " Internet and other technological and social forces are changing the way people read". This first article discusses the differences between reading a book and reading online. Of course, each has its merits and downfalls. Reading a book, to me, feels much like visiting a friend for a few days - I get the opportunity to really get to know them, learn from them, and am often sorry to say goodbye. Whereas when I read online, I feel like I'm in a room full of people with all different interests and viewpoints. I find myself drawn into one interesting conversation, but then am distracted by something else being discussed that also piques my interest. So, although I am offered a plethora of information and ideas, mingling through all this information takes patience and time...and it takes much effort to stay focused!

When you think about it, Web 2.0 tools are also kind of like being in that room of people: there are so many worthwhile, valuable ideas out there, but keeping your undivided attention on one for any length of time isn't easy. As our students are offered more and more online learning opportunities, they are placed in the same scenario. Does that mean that we keep closing the door to that room so that our students stay focused on just books and classroom learning? Of course not. Actually, our jobs as librarians have taken a very important shift: it's vital that we guide our students through all this information and show them how to get the most value from it all.

Y.A. is Definitely O.K.!

2008-07-21T11:32:00.004-04:00

It was interesting to read Margo Rabb's article in yesterday's New York Times Book Review, I'm Y.A., and I'm O.K. She describes the disappointment that many writers experience when their novel, intended for an adult audience, is marketed towards the young adult audience. So I say, what is so bad about that? Mind you, this is a reaction of a high school librarian who enjoys so many young adult novels - often more so than some of the "adult" titles. As Rabb contends, the crossover from YA to Adult can be fairly transparent and perhaps the answer is to ease-up on categorizing them as such.
Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, Before I Die by Jenny Dowham and Tamar by Mal Peet are just a few of the recent " YA" titles which I've read, and which I would certainly recommend to adult friends. Likewise, just take a glance at this year's Alex Awards and you will find a wonderful selection of "adult" books which are very appropriate reads for high school students.

Courtyard Update

2008-07-06T11:26:00.002-04:00

So...last week I met with local landscaper, Vic Lance and our Operations Director, Dave Hansel. A plan is in progress! Vic will begin to clean out the area of over growth and pruning the two existing trees. Top soil will be brought in and seeding will be done in late summer. Vic will also take care of resurfacing and staining the patio once a shade has been selected. Of course, I have all the fun jobs such as choosing the patio stain and selecting patio and garden seating. Luckily, I'll be getting some great assistance from project mentor, Rosanne Hansel of the Education Fund Committee.
As far as plants and flowers - why not ask the community to donate plants from their own gardens? What a great way to involve the New Hope community and make them a part of our little garden haven.

I was very surprised to stumble across a WikiREADia article on How to Create a Reading Garden-an initiative from the 2008 National Year of Reading. Should be a very helpful resource for us!

Good things to Come!

2008-06-12T10:42:00.006-04:00

A picture of our courtyard as it looks now.

Students will soon have a relaxing, quiet place to read, reflect and gather together in the high school library courtyard! Thanks to the NHS Education Fund, a proposal has been accepted to have this area majorly spruced-up. Renovations will include patio restorations, flowers, plants and shrubs, garden décor, and comfortable patio seating. Student artwork will adorn the park-like setting in the form of wall murals, mosaics and sculptures. The new courtyard will provide a perfect setting for getting lost in a good book, creating “en plein air” art or hosting small class discussions.

But that's not all! The Education Fund has also accepted a proposal for hosting diverse, inspiring speakers to our school next year. We are so, so fortunate to have this committee of community members working to improve and enhance our students' education!