Lois Petersen Becomes Life - Alaska Library Association

Coordinator’s Corner
Something
is something ported by Jensen above. We cer- Have you thought about how
we take for granted, yet some tainly need to help teachers who students can respond meaning-
days in the crush of school want to identify books at a parfully to what they read as they
events, dealing with students, ticular grade or lexile level. use your library? This is where
teachers, and parents, keeping Teachers have always wanted to posting students comments
the printers in paper and toner, help struggling readers learn to about books, arranging book
and trying to help everyone be- read proficiently, but now they buddy programs, and all sorts
come skilled at using the catalog are under a great deal of pres- of programs that allow stu-
or learning research skills, we sure to show results in the form dents to respond to reading
may inadvertently short-change of adequate yearly progress. and gain feedback from teach-
our literacy mission in the While we work with teachers to ers, parents, and fellow stu-
school.
identify readable text for their dents brings the school librar-
students, we need to consider ian right in line with literacy
We may not deliver formal read- carefully the pressure in some effort of the school. What do
ing instruction, but as school schools to create libraries (or you do to foster this interactive
librarians we certainly have a alternative “book rooms”), which feedback in your school? There
strong role to play. With reading are arranged solely on grade, are probably a number of
achievement one of the corner- lexile, or AR level. It is impor- ways— from displaying art
stones of federal and state protant for students, especially the projects that are responses to
grams now and with the threats struggling readers, to be success- literature to sponsoring poetry
to professional and paraprofesful in reading so creating book slams, book discussion groups,
sional library positions in many lists, labels, or catalog record Battle of the Books teams,
school district’s budgets this indications of reading levels can Young Readers Choice elec-
spring, we need to communicate be ways that we can help teachtions and many more. These
to ourselves and others how we ers in this effort.
activities need to be promoted,
can be school leaders in the lit-
not as “extras,” but as our solid
eracy effort.
At the same time, we need to contribution to reading
think carefully about not creating achievement in our schools.
While our teaching staff becomes libraries that are simply an in- These activities (and there can’t
increasingly involved in building ventory by reading level. Con- be just one if you are meeting
“leveled” collections and we trolled vocabulary is very impor- the needs of all your students)
learn more and more through tant in the early stages of read- are the ones that we need to
standardized testing about the ing, but standard reading in- highlight to our principals and
varied reading levels of our secstruction is meant to give stu- our communities.
ondary students, school librardents strategies for confronting
ians must also remember Will- more challenging material and In these uncertain budget
iam Greenough’s findings re- new vocabulary. We need to be times, we need to be communi-
working one-on-one with our cating more than ever to every-
students to make sure that they one who might help us keep
Sue Sherif, Alaska State Libary
not only find their comfort lev- library programs in schools.
School Library/Youth Services Coordinator els, but their challenge levels in Sure, we ARE the people who
p. 4 sue_sherif@eed.state.ak.us
our libraries. The Puffin, Spring keep books 2006 flowing v25, #3in
and out
of the libraries. (Those who
As for the second precept de- propose the false economy of
their students and the other de- Another request was for more classes
“Endless mands to experiments really examine have and been begin done on like both the one animals Deb and I humans taught. Much to determine
what to use conditions the resources predictably that the and State precisely as I would build a love better to brain. travel the William whole Greenough,
from
who of Alaska has studied provides the for effects all students. of enriching state environments providing professional for over 20 years, develop- says two
things are particularly important in growing ment opportunities a better brain. for The each critical and ev- ingredients in
• any We purposeful at the Alaska program State Library to enrich are the learner’s ery school brain and are youth that services first the librar- learning must
Sue...
be more challenging, aware than with ever new that information it is not or ian experiences. in the state and Often as determined novelty will as do it, but it
must enough be challenging. to just provide Second, the elec- there must I am be to some offer way my services to learn whenever from the experience
through tronic resources interactive that feedback.” are available
they are requested, I know that there
to all Alaskans but must more ac- is only one of me and many of you
tively promote them to make sure (not to mention how many students
that students, their parents, and and teachers in rural school districts
Recently Deb Mole of UAA and I their teachers take advantage of who do not have the services of a
taught a class at the UAA Consor- this statewide resource.
library media specialist at all)! Theretium
Library on using the resources
fore, I am very pleased that some
available through
Teaching classes and pre- enterprising Anchorage school li-
SLED (http://sled. If our children senting workshops on brarians--some graduates of a similar
alaska.edu). We had
resources like the Alaska class in June, 2005—have proposed
a great group of and teens are go- Digital Archives, Novel- an interlibrary cooperation grant to
Anchorage School
ist K-8, the new Facts for
District teachers
create online tutorials for some of the
and ing to learn to Learning and Facts.com databases. If the proposal is funded,
librarians as stu- do research with from Facts on File, and librarians or students will still have
dents for this two-
the new student interfaces to take the time to take the tutorial,
evening and all-day resources beyond (Kid’s Search and Student but at least they won’t have to wait
Saturday class.
Research Center) from
Google and Ask.
until they can attend a conference
Ebsco is something that session, workshop, or formal class to
As I introduced com . . . we need we all should be doing for have some introduction to the state-
each database or
students and the general wide databases.
resource, I asked for to make these public, but we at the State
a show of hands of
Library and AkASL need
how many students gems known.
I’ll keep you posted on the progress
to help our overworked of this proposal and also of any work
had used that par-
colleagues obtain con- to make the database home page
ticular resource in the past and how centrated periods of professional
many
more user friendly. In the meantime,
had not. The students were development so that they, too, have if you have any suggestions about
very
honest. There were no tentative the luxury of sitting down and learn- how you have shared these resources
hands partially raised that I someing the features and foibles of each of with your students or teachers,
times
see amongst those in the affir- these resources.
please send them to me. I’ll share
mative response that mean “I know
them with others through my news-
that I should have used this database One of the things we heard in the reletter and whatever other means I
and I have heard of it, but I am too cent class is that the page that comes can. If our children and teens are
embarrassed to say that I have not up when one chooses “Magazines, going to learn to do research with
used it.” When people, a majority in Newspapers, and More” at the top of resources beyond Google and Ask.
most cases, had not had the opportu- the SLED menu is way too long and com (formerly Ask Jeeves), we need
nity to use or to teach the databases, cumbersome. This is something I can to make these gems known.
they simply raised their hands in the work on with my coworkers at the
“No, I haven’t used it” contingent. State Library in Juneau, who produce
that page.
Their honesty meant two things:
Alaska State Sue Sherif -
• In this class, as in a similar one last
1-800-776-6566
summer, librarians and teachers
Library
School Library/ (outside of
had the luxury of time away from
344 West Third Youth Services Anchorage)
Avenue Suite 125 Coordinator 269-6569
Anchorage, AK sue_sherif@eed. (Anchorage)
99501
state.ak.us