What I Like Reading (Handout)

Last year, I created a resource for Teacher Librarians that could have two uses:

What I Like Reading

It can be used for either (or both):

1. Finding out reading preferences of students.
2. Genrefication of library fiction collections

I ended up using the handout for both reasons. 

Firstly, I needed to know what they enjoyed reading so I could help each student select suitable books to read given that the students I worked with had experienced difficulty locating books that they enjoyed reading. It helped me make more informed recommendations to students during their wide reading sessions. This provides a diagnostic assessment of student reading preferences. I scanned student responses and emailed each English Teacher a copy for their records. As we start the year, this will be a good resource to use in wide reading sessions. 

Secondly it helped me to plan and advise the school on how the fiction collection could be genreified. I tallied the results for each wide reading/English class and provided me with a broader indication of what the student body at the school enjoyed reading. You may notice that I mostly used genre labels from RAECO in the handout as I was proposing to utilise their labels when genreifying the collection. However, labels (custom made or accquired from any supplier) can be used. 

There was an additional benefit in that it better informed me on resources to be accquired for the library. For instance a number of students indicated that they enjoyed reading sports fiction and the library had very few books catering for their interest in this genre. In response, I had to order additional books encompassing sport. I also needed to expand our collection of humour novels/stories as it was identified as one of the most popular genres by the student body and some series e.g. Diary of a Wimpy Kid was in very high demand. 

If you would like a word.doc of this resource, please email me at either fabian.amuso@syd.catholic.edu.au or famuso.teachlib@gmail.com. 

Book Request Paper Forms Vs Book Request Online Forms

I have for the past few months managed an online form (made via Google Forms) that encourages students and staff to suggest new books for the school library. I've over 80 requests from students and staff though I have made a few contributions so I don't forget to get the books

This week, I decided to make paper forms with the idea focusing on "Book Wishes" where students can "wish" for a book. With this approach, I keep it more simple. 

They then place their paper slip in a box. I noticed that a dozen requests were received within a day.

So will paper win or will the online form win?

I can see advantages both ways. The paper form is much simplier while online forms do require a little extra information to be provided. However the online form can be filled from anywhere and being done from a computer can make the request appear less visible to others. Mind you, only library staff can view the spreadsheet with book requests.

If you do book requests, do you still go for paper or do you go online or do you do both approaches.

The benefits of OLIVER

In the current issue of Scan (Volume 35, Issue 1), Sonya Engelen outlines some benefits that OLIVER has bought to the students at Thirroul Public School.

OLIVER has become the standard for library catalogues in schools in NSW. Not only is it used in Department of Education Schools, but also through schools managed by the Catholic Education Office, Sydney and independent schools.

I have used or being exposed to other systems over the years and OLIVER is by far the best. Sonya has raised those benefits well like the Web 2.0 interface and ability to create lists containing resources for a topic. It simplifies the work in locating and selecting resources. As a teacher, I actually like creating and maintaining resource lists because it guide me in which resources to use in the classroom but also share it with students, so that they can actively use resources. This can be easily updated and changed as resources come and go.

Also the students can take ownership through providing book reviews, particularly if one is struggling to pick a book of their choice. This can also be tied into library feature reports in school newsletters

She does point one challenge in terms of educating students in how to login and access the catalogue, which is one challenge I'll have to set myself to do. At  Waverley College, I introduced students to the basics of OLIVER, like how to do a search, locate lists and identify the format of resources, but need to focus on the more advanced features like accessing the lists, advanced search features and even how to actually reserve a book without one having to go to the information desk.