Breathing Easier

School is out and it's time for some well deserved r & r. It's been a hectic year so far. The Teacher Librarians in our district have been fighting for our jobs since January. That was when the news of the California budget was released. I do not envy the Board Members and the daunting task they had to decide what to cut and what to keep. Last Tuesday, the Board adopted a budget. Well, what a Board Meeting it was. Thankfully our jobs are safe for this year - provided the State approves the budget as is. We have our work cut out for us - why we have to justify our positions is beyond me. We are very fortunate that we have parents & teachers who understand and support our library programs. The 6 Teacher Librarians in our district will work together to promote our programs and make sure that we are visible forces working for the betterment of our students, not just background support.

Tag Cloud Makeovers

One of the advantages of reading other blogs is learning about new web tools. Thanks to Joyce Valenza and her blog NeverEndingSearch, I've discovered Wordies and have made over my del.icio.us tag. The tags don't link to anything, but they are fun to make.

Facebook????

Ok, so I finally developed a facebook page - much to my daughter's dismay. I have found it is a great way to share photos with family and friends. I have posted and shared photos using Flickr.com, but have found facebook easier to use. It's been fun linking up with people I know. I'm not sure how much I'll really use this application and really don't get the allure. In fact, this video found on librarygarden.blogspot.com pretty much sums it up...

Update

It's hard to believe that months have passed since my last post. So much has happened - some good, some not so good. Be that as it may, it's time to catch up and even learn something new in the process. Our district has contracted with a web-development company to host all of the school web-sites. It's been a challenge to fit content into someone else's framework, but I do like the consistency in the teacher sites and the ease with which content can be created and posted. I'm looking forward to summer so I can spend more time on the site and get things really set up for next year. The district has also used tech funds to purchase new circulation software for the libraries, bringing us into the 21st century. After a long, exhaustive search, the 6 Teacher Librarians came to the conclusion that Alexandria best suited our needs. Most of us had it up and running early May. There have been some gliches (like slip printers that work with Spectrum but not Alexandria) but they are a part of the process and learning curve. All in all, I'm happy with the software decision, sorry I didn't listen to Kelly (a TL at one of the other middle schools) and order the bluetooth hand-held scanner, and looking forward to the end of inventory so I can really see what is happening to the collection.

Since my last post, my co-TL, Jane & I were able to coerce one of the TOSA's (teacher on special assignment) to start on Classroom 2.0. She has set up her blog and offered the tutorial throughout our district. Quite a few teachers are taking advantage of the program. Having completed the tutorial, I am now a cheerleader. Being one of the cheerleaders gives me a chance to follow those exploring these tools, read their reactions to the web 2.0 tools and comment on their musings. I have found some of these tools invaluable and use them everyday, other applications need a second look. Isn't that what summer is for.....