Do they or don't they have teacher librarians in YOUR county?

CSLA is hoping that CTA and CFT (letters going out to them soon with this request) will join us in asking the state to take a new look at whether or not counties/ districts really do have teacher librarians in place to serve their students, as they are supposed to have. There is some data available but it may be outdated or inaccurate. An equity issue? Stay tuned.

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An interview with Karen Morgenstern, producer of the new CSLA advocacy video

The new CSLA video “Does Your School Have a Teacher Librarian?” has garnered state and national interest (over 3,000 hits in the first two weeks). What’s the backstory behind the video?

Dr. Lesley Farmer, who suggested to CSLA that they should involve Karen Morgenstern in this advocacy video initiative, interviewed this teacher librarian, who works at an independent K-6 school library. Karen had eleven years of film industry experience before starting her school librarianship preparation at CSULB where Dr. Farmer coordinates the program.

When asked how she felt about the video, Karen replied, “It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever experienced. It’s so satisfying to show what I know, to create something to advocate to get more teacher librarians in California.”

Karen continued, “Probably the most startling statistics are the comparisons between California and Texas.” Karen remembers her research days at CSULB. “Information science has certain sets of facts based on research, but in the education world, that data hasn’t hit teacher preparation programs.” She continued, “I remember saying in my class that there needs to be a documentary about what kids are doing with information.” As a teacher librarian in an independent K-6 school, Karen was startled by the difference between the openness of Internet access for her students compared to a CSULB peer’s “closed universe” public high school. “Access to the Internet is not enough; kids need access to teacher librarians.”  

Karen recounts the many connections in the process of making the video. “I heard that several CSLA members were going to do a presentation about the value of teacher librarians at the California School Board Association’s conference in San Diego last December. When I found out that no one was taping the session, I thought that the presentation should be documented for CSLA. I went to the high school Media Academy where my sons learned film making, and I borrowed a high-quality video camera from their former film teacher James Gleason.” Karen’s son videotaped the presentation, which she edited—her first foray into editing.

       

Karen explained to Gleason that documenting this panel presentation was part of a larger process of producing a CSLA advocacy video, and Gleason said he would be interested in shooting and editing it with his former student TerryKhai Ngo. James is very active in an ongoing nonprofit international student film festival always in need of support. The California School Library Foundation approved the funding, using Follett’s donation. “James really believed in the project, even if he didn’t know much about teacher librarians.”

Karen didn’t write a script, but organized the video’s content around interviews she conducted with James and TerryKhai of a variety of teacher librarians and other experts in the field during a CSLA conference. “The narrative would come out of the stories people told.” In one day James and TerryKhai filmed at three school libraries, which showcased the experts’ messages.

Karen said that every interview was valuable. “I have enough raw footage to create several topical videos.” Karen transcribed every interview, and boldfaced important sound bites for James to include in his draft video. Karen also interviewed her own students, prompting them: “Just talk about what I have taught you.” The results were authentic and compelling. “I’d like to compare the statements of legislators’ and superintendents’ own children about school libraries and information literacy with the statements of students who have had school librarians. It would confirm the difference that a teacher librarian makes.”

Then James handed off the video to Terry, who was a wonderful young collaborator. “He anticipated every change I thought should be made, and every problem.” Karen also connected with her school’s music teacher, Lilly Aycud, who is also a composer and performer. She and her husband, Marc Stuart, composed the score for the video, which was their first such effort. “I learned how much music can contribute to the film’s effectiveness. The film and the music came together beautifully.”

When asked what was the most challenging part of making the video, Karen answered: “Confining what we did to ten minutes without having just talking heads. The kids needed to be seen. The school settings needed to be seen. I had to strip the video down to the bare essentials.”  Karen continues, “I would like to include footage showing teacher librarians in action—actually teaching a lesson.”

Karen continues, “I would like to interview college professors and have them talk about the contrast between their students who have had access to teacher librarians with those that haven’t. I would like parents to see that difference. What I see is a disconnect all along the way. Classroom teachers don’t know how to teach information literacy and many don’t know the value of teacher librarians. It’s such a waste of time and energy when students are not using reliable and accurate information. It makes so much sense for all students, including elementary school students, to have teacher librarians.”

Karen concludes, “My message is for California administrators: hire more teacher librarians. And make sure they are full time, utilized to their fullest, and let them provide professional development to other teachers. Karen also says, “I learned so much in making this video—it was a librarian’s dream.”

5 Great Reasons for Attending the CSLA 15 Centennial Celebration Conference in February

The following arguments will help make the case to your administration that attendance at the February CSLA conference will benefit the entire school because:

1.  You will save your school money in times of shrinking budgets.

CSLA workshops and sessions provide time-saving, money-saving and innovative ideas that all teachers and students can use.  There are links to Common Core ideas that will save your school money in selecting the right program for your students, for example, the workshop " I've Got A Digital Tool For That! Tools to Create, Collaborate and Connect" with Shannon McClintock Miller.

• You will learn new ideas from the workshops and sessions, and equally as important, from fellow teacher librarians whose expertise and experience in the field will enhance your ability to serve your teachers and students.  Take a look at the Preview Guide for workshops.

• The many exhibits will give you an opportunity to review products and services that might fit the exact needs of your school. This networking with vendors is invaluable, often providing cost-saving solutions to some of your school’s needs.
• The “Exhibitor Learning Sessions” are an ideal way to see demonstrations of new products and preview new product lines.

• One of your important duties is selecting resources for your library and school, and the CSLA conference includes experts in Young Adult and Children’s literature.  We have four author panels for you to attend, as well as the California Young Reader Medal Banquet, with CYRM winner Lisa McMann presenting.

• If you register before Dec. 19th, you will save even more money – save $50 on full registration.

2.  You will become a more effective teacher librarian or library paraprofessional

• Innovative ideas, strategies, and technology that you learn at sessions and from colleagues will serve your users and help you manage your time more efficiently.  These include many of the latest cloud-based tools and social networks that students enjoy and teachers need to know.

• Your network of library resources will grow from meeting people from all over California at the conference. Some of the benefits from past conferences have included connecting with the California State Library, resources from the University of California including the California Digital Library  and Calisphere educator resources, etc.   All of these are free resources that make you and your teachers more effective and provide additional resources for your students.

• Sometimes very simple ideas can enhance your efficiency as a Teacher Librarian or library paraprofessional – for example, learning from an experienced TL specific techniques to involve your administrators and teachers so that they utilize library resources and services more effectively.

• Learning from experts in the field what has made their program successful can help you implement the new ideas, or adapt them to your own situation.  We may think we cannot or do not have time to do something innovative until we learn how it was done by another.

• You will be more valuable to your school because you will have the tools to teach the Common Core State Standards, Model California School Library Standards, Digital Literacy, Internet Safety, Cyber Safety for students, Copyright and more.

3.  You will learn how to advocate for your library program

• Our advocates in Sacramento share important legislation that affects school library programs.

• The school library consultant to the California Department of Education recommends important ideas and strategies to support site library programs.

• Other TLs often have great ideas on how to make you INDISPENSABLE to your school, and district.

4.  You will bring fresh new innovative ideas to your school that will energize your teachers and students and, most of all, YOURSELF!!

• ‘Leave behind “conference guilt” - the sense that leaving your campus for PD disadvantages students and teachers. A day of PD many inspire months of great ideas.’ Carolyn Foote, School Library Journal, October 2014, p. 20.

5.  You will bring recognition to your school library and enhance its reputation by participating in professional development and showing your commitment to innovation and improving services to all stakeholders.

Promise yourself that when you return you will provide your administrator with a written report and share the information you learned from sessions, workshops, vendors, informal meetings and special events with your school staff.

Join/Renew Membership Incentive

Join/Renew CSLA Membership During November and Receive 2 Workshops for the price of 1 at the Annual Conference ~ Burlingame, February 5th-8th!

During the month of November 2014, in connection with registration for the annual conference, we are offering you a very special bonus membership benefit:

• Join or renew by November 30, 2014, and you can get a 2-for-1 Workshop coupon valued at $55.00.

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To be eligible for this offer, you must join CSLA or renew your CSLA membership by November 30, 2014. This offer applies to CSLA Professional and Paraprofessional memberships only.

You will receive a coupon code for your conference registration discount within one week of submitting your membership/renewal. NOTE: You must redeem your 2-for-1 Workshop coupon with your conference registration by January 30, 2015.

FAQs

What if I am already a current CSLA member, and not yet due to renew?

You can still take advantage of this offer if you renew your CSLA membership in advance by November 30, 2014, extending it an additional 12 months from your current expiration date.

Where do I do this?

Click this link to join or renew: http://bit.ly/1tsX6SO

CSLA featured on TL News Night

California School Library Association will be featured on TL News Night on Monday, November 17, 2014 at 5 PM.  This show takes place live the third Monday of each month in news show format. It reviews what is happening in school libraries across the country. Each month also features guests from a different state library association.

TL  is anchored by a team of super teacher librarians from across the country. They include Nikki D Robertson, lead anchor, and Michelle Cooper, Elissa Malespina, Sherry Gick, Sue Levine, and Shannon Miller.

Our CSLA panel on November 17 will include:

• Liz Dodds, CSLA President
• Beth Oshewsky, CSLA President Elect
• Glen Warren, CSLA VP, Government Relations
• Jane Lofton, CSLA President, 2012-2013

Our panel will be sharing about the upcoming Centennial Conference, our early and recent history as an association, the state of school libraries in California, our new advocacy film and other advocacy efforts led by CSLA and its leadership team. 

The show is broadcast using Google+ Hangouts as the software platform, and viewers can watch the live stream from the site home page at http://tlvirtualcafe.wikispaces.com/TL+News+Night or on their Google+ pages.  

Viewers are encouraged to post questions and comments on Twitter using the #TLChat hashtag, and commentators and guest panelists respond during the show. CSLA's hashtag is #4CSLA.

While viewing the show live is the best option, since you get the chance to submit questions and comments via Twitter, you can also view the show recording at any time. All the show archives are posted at http://tlvirtualcafe.wikispaces.com/TL+News+Night

TL News Night had its first broadcast in September 2013. CSLA will be the 11^th state featured on this informative, lively, and fun program. Please tune in on Monday, November 17 at 5 PM to view the show live.

CSLA State Board

Butter Book Trailer Online Book Discussion Dec. 3

Please join us on December 3 at 3 pm (Pacific) to discuss the book Butter by E. J. Lange. Contact Jane Lofton
(a former CSLA president) to get the Google Hangouts link. Students and
staff are welcome, although we're mainly concentrating on students.
Butter is an overweight boy who decides to eat himself to death on
camera, online. He crowdsources the menu for his last meal. We hope to
have students from Texas, Connecticut, and several places in California.
All are welcome.

CSLA Awards

All state level awards and scholarship deadlines are October 1, 2014, and they will be presented at the Annual Conference in San Francisco in February, 2015.  Application can be found on the Awards section of the CSLA website.

Administrative Leadership Award

The purpose of this award is to honor administrators with direct responsibility for a school or group of schools who have made influential, unique and sustained contributions to effective school library programs, furthering the integral role of the library media programs in elementary and/or secondary schools. Traditionally, administrators have been nominated by teacher librarians working in the same district. 

Advocate for School Libraries Award

Please contact CSLA at info@csla.net if you have a candidate you would like to nominate for outstanding advocacy in support of California school libraries.

Good Ideas!

Newsletter contains compelling ideas for administrators, teachers, the PTA, and the school board. It is published once a year by the Committee for Standards Integration of CSLA, whose mission is to provide leadership to ensure that California educators and students are effective users of ideas and information. Winners receive $50 discount on annual conference registration. 

Honorary Membership Award

The Honorary Membership Award recognizes retired members of the Association who have made outstanding contributions to school library programs and the Association over a sustained period of time. The Honorary Membership Committee publicizes and solicits nominations throughout the year and tries to make the nomination process an easy one. Individual active members may submit nominations. 

Leadership for Diversity Award

The purpose of the CSLA Leadership for Diversity Award, is to recognize an elementary or secondary Teacher Librarian who has facilitated a lesson or project in collaboration with a classroom teacher that promotes multicultural literature or media and emphasizes diversity in any curricular area. The award of $1,000 will be used to purchase materials for the winner’s school library. 

Presidents’ Award Sponsored by Demco

The CSLA Presidents’ Award is a $400 award funded by Demco, Inc. and presented to an outstanding teacher librarian selected by the State, Northern, and Southern section presidents. The award money may be applied to transportation, lodging, conference registration fees, and incidental expenses. Nominations may be made by library peers, administrators, teachers, or by the nominee himself or herself. This is award honors an individual who, through the library program, directly affects students and teachers. 

Technology Award

Showcase how 21st century technology skills are part of effective school library technology integration: We want to hear about strong teacher-librarian use and promotion of technology tools for students, teachers, school, and/or district, as well as ways they are collaborating to combine technology with curriculum to research or present information. Nominations should brag about student and/or broader school community technology use and programs, and incorporate one or more of CSLA’s three core messages of “equitable access,” “school library standards,” and “strong school libraries build strong students". Award candidates must be CSLA members who are credentialed Teacher Librarians working at the site or district level. Applicant may be self -nominated. This award is sponsored by Mackin and includes $1,000 award money for use in the award-winner’s library. 

Is this December or is this September?

I don't know about you- wait- maybe I do... the beginning of the school year seems long ago, doesn't it? We are now deeply into testing and tablet and laptop carts and reconfiguring them and learning MS Office 365 and becoming acquainted with PBS Learning. Most students have now been to the library at least once and the freshmen have heard my refrain- I get to see you and know you for four years and your classroom teacher only gets to know you for one year. In that way we're similar to coaches and office staff, counselors, and administration. But the four years goes fast. One minute they're goofing around (as freshmen are wont to do) and the next they are walking across the stage at graduation. It is such a privilege to be part of that four years.

Banned Books Week at Redlands East Valley High School

by Korrie Krohne

This is my second year as teacher librarian at REVHS. Last year was such a whirlwind of figuring out which end was up that Banned Books Week slipped right by without my being able to draw attention to it at all. This year I really wanted to do student generated Banned Books Trading Cards. Over the summer I began planning and I am really pleased with how it has all come together.

Earlier this year I worked with an art teacher, Tracy Massimiano, who had two advanced art classes. I came into her classroom and gave a lesson on Banned Books Week, freedom to read, and first amendment rights. We then made a list of banned classics available to the students. I showed the students how they could find information about the books online and explained that critical analysis papers and discussion of themes would give them ideas for their artwork.

I showed the art teacher examples of Banned Book Trading Cards from other libraries and she designed a back for the cards. She sent me digital images of the fronts and backs of the students’ cards. I resized them so that 4 cards fit on an 8 ½ x 11 piece of cardstock. I printed the cards double-sided on my color printer. The result is that I have 36 cards that look really terrific! I printed 15 copies of each card and divided the cards up so that I could release several different cards a day.

Over the weekend, my daughter and I went in to set up for Banned Books Week. I found a great use for those 20-year-old “For Dummies” books we are weeding—I pulled pages out and used them for the background of my giant sign hanging across from the front door. We arranged all the banned or challenged books on the tops of low shelving with caution tape and signs that said “Danger: these books contain ideas that might be controversial and may cause you to learn something!” I put up signs explaining the event, along with some great quotes supporting intellectual freedom. I felt ready to go. Before I left the library I sent out an all school announcement and an email to the staff inviting them to come up and get celebrate their freedom to read by getting a banned books trading card.

This morning, I donned my “regalia”—my banned books jewelry and skirt—and headed to work with great excitement. I pinned a little card to my shirt that said, “Ask me about Banned Books Trading Cards!” I carefully laid out today’s sampling of cards on my counter -- The Lord of the Flies, Huckleberry Finn, Alice in Wonderland, Brave New World, and Animal Farm-- and waited for kids to arrive. I couldn’t wait to talk to kids, but technology problems arose, and I didn’t get to talk to as many students as I had wanted -- my TAs did a lot of the talking instead. Students seemed reluctant to take cards, but expressed surprised that these books had been challenged or banned when I explained things to them. After first period, some students came in to ask for cards; turns out an AP Government teacher was giving extra credit for picking one up.

       

So at lunch time when I still had quite a stack of cards, I made a sign (Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read.) and stuck it to my back and took cards outside and “worked the crowd.” My cards were gone within a few minutes! It was delightful.

The interest, which was at first polite because I was a teacher, became genuine when they saw titles that they knew. (My favorite overheard conversation: “Dude, Animal Farm . . . didn’t we see this movie? We just rented it.” . . . Laughter . . .“No way man, that was Animal HOUSE. Now that one would be a banned book!”)

I think that the word is getting out. Teachers have asked for cards; some teachers even said they want to print the whole set to frame and put in their classrooms! My friend in the English department shared her card for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with her classes and later remarked, “They were floored by the kinds of things that can happen and it sparked a great conversation.”

This morning several kids were flipping through today’s releases. I am chatting with a lot of kids who aren’t my “library regulars.”  I am feeling pretty happy about the whole situation and I can’t wait to lay out tomorrow’s cards.

California School Library News Back-to-School Issue

CSLA's VP of Communications, Sue Heraper, has added another tool to your librarian toolbox. It is a brief and colorful newsletter called "California School Library News." It is designed for parents, teachers, the public, anyone who is interested in what is going on in California School Libraries these days. You may want to share the news with your parents or staff. You may want to put a link to it on your library webpage, or embed it. It is a fun and easy way to educate others on all of the marvelous things that go on in a school library.  The latest issue has articles from "Picture books that will help students conquer first-day jitters" to "Voting on the Teens Top Ten." Check it out at

https://www.smore.com/hwjf2-california-school-library-news?ref=got_100_views_email

Fall Workshop in Bakersfield on October 18, 2014

The Southern Region of the California School Library Association (CSLA) invites school library staff and supporters from all segments of the profession, and all parts of the state, both Southern and Northern Regions, to come to our Fall Workshop in Bakersfield on October 18, 2014, from 8am-3:30pm.  This is a great opportunity for networking, social interaction, new ideas, and professional development.

CSLA will celebrate its 100^th anniversary in February 2015, a monumental time, and with the Common Core State Standards, librarians are more important than ever…our time is now.  With the Common Core, all levels, K-16, and all members of CSLA, both professional and paraprofessional, have so much in common…working together to help students reach that common goal of being ready for college and career.

“Our Time is Now!  We Have So Much in Common.”

All of you have wonderful ideas, lessons, and successes to share, and we would love to learn from you!  The CSLA SR Fall Workshop is your opportunity to shine.  Please submit your proposals to present at our upcoming professional development event.

Procedure for submitting a presentation proposal:

1.     Please fill out this Google Form by 11:59pm, Saturday, September 20, 2014.

2.    All submitters will be notified of their proposal status by Saturday, September 27, 2014, in order to give plenty of time for them to prepare their presentation.

CSLA State Board, Northern Region Board, and Southern Region Board

A long time ago, the CSLA state board members met in person. That seems almost quaint now in our times of cost saving virtual meetings. But we still need that face time (e.g., you know how emails can sometimes be misconstrued) to communicate with one another about the direction of our great organization. We meet in person in August (recent past, present, and near future board members) and at our conference in February. The board continues to be a dedicated group of professionals working to create, support, and nurture an organization that represents you, the California school library person!
The other ten months we meet online for a couple of hours on a Saturday. And there is a Northern Region Board and Southern Region Board doing much the same thing.
I'm writing this rather pedestrian post to let all CSLA members know that we welcome all members to run for board positions, and that our work is not mysterious. Our work is invigorating and the people are fun! Contact any of us listed at http://csla.net/ in the "About" section if you're interested in exploring ways to pitch in.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mlibrary/7958966506/in/photostream/

CSLA Southern Region is Offering Scholarships to Members

Are you a CSLA member or future CSLA member enrolled in courses to become a certificated Teacher Librarian or earn a Paraprofessional School Library Technician certificate? Do you know someone who is? Could you use some money to help pay for your courses?

The California School Library Association makes every effort to support all persons working in a school library or working toward earning a position in school library. We understand the importance of making sure that every school in California has a Teacher Librarian and a Paraprofessional, or at least one of those if not both. Therefore, CSLA wants to make it easier for people to gain the education needed to fill those positions.

The Southern Region of CSLA is offering three scholarships at this time. We are offering two  $1,000 scholarships to assist those persons working toward a degree or credential which will qualify them to work as a professional Teacher Librarian. We are also offering one $500 scholarship to assist a school library paraprofessional in completing a school library technician or paraprofessional certificate program, or obtaining a teaching credential with the ultimate goal of pursuing a Teacher Librarian credential.

There is an application process for these scholarships, and applicants must live in the Southern Region of California. 



The applications and information are available at http://cslass.wikispaces.com/Scholarships, our CSLA Southern Region website. The applications and letters of recommendation are due by September 19, 2014. 

Questions? Email Sharlene Paxton, CSLA Southern Region President-Elect, at sharlenerpaxton@gmail.com.

Textbooks and the time capsule of the CSLA 2015 Centennial Celebration

If you're a library person at a school site, you're probably dealing with textbooks right about now. And wondering, how soon will we get e-textbooks? Not soon enough! My district, Fresno Unified, is going to pilot a few e-textbooks this coming year. I hope it goes really well and they decide to jump in with both feet.

http://pixabay.com/en/books-textbooks-library-20167/

One of the features of our CSLA 2015 Centennial Celebration Conference, Feb. 5 - 8, 2015, at SFO Hyatt, is a time capsule. We're going to solicit written contributions as well as suggestions for realia. We're going to ask you to write about what changes you've seen in the school library over the years of your career. I hope one of those changes will be in textbooks. Maybe we can put a textbook in our time capsule, and in another hundred years when they open it up, they'll say, "How quaint. Paper textbooks."

LCFF and LCAP

Tonight I attended an LCAP "Draft" meeting for Fresno Unified on LCFF. I am trying to figure out how/ if this relates to our library resource funding or teacher librarian and library technician position funding. I spoke about how the library is the great equalizer and that Fresno Unified is to be commended for keeping its libraries open, staffed, and resourced. There are some wonderful resources for learning about this funding and addressing it in your district at http://csla.net.

Two Upcoming Spring Webinars for CSLA Members

Cost: free

This is a CSLA member benefit.

Booktalk Webinars for Elementary and Secondary Libraries

presented by Junior Library Guild.  

The program includes time for comments from participants and will end with a brief explanation of JLG book services.

Date: April 29

Time:

5-6 PM for Elementary School

6-7 PM for Middle/High School

There is a limit of 25 people per session.

Registration information was sent to all CSLA members in an email on April 7.

This event is hosted by CSLA Southern Region Section 5

Google Calendar Webinar

Date: May 6 Time: 7 PM.

Google Calendar can help you stay organized and increase communication, collaboration, productivity, and efficiency.  

This webinar will cover:

·         creating calendars

·         creating events and Appointment Slots (repeating or recurring events)

·         sharing calendars

·         publishing and embedding calendars

·         customizing email, SMS, and pop-up notifications and reminders

·         share meeting materials/documents via Google Calendar

You will be sent an email with a  link to join the webinar.

This event is hosted by CSLA Southern Region Section 1

Interest Students in STEM via Sports!

In the Winter 2013 CUE magazine, there is an article about sports and STEM-related careers by Dr. Harry Bloom. Let's start thinking about how we can interest students in STEM via sports! Bloom mentions a terrific website/blog called Sport Techie (http://www.sporttechie.com)
Here's a screenshot of part of the site on 4-8-14 to give you a taste of the breadth of articles. To quote Glen Warren, VP of Government Relations, CSLA, "Let students study what they're interested in." For many students, that would be sports!