Dec
05
2011

It’s Book Week!

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Book Week is probably the librarians’ favorite week of the school year.  Authors and illustrators visit every classroom.  Watch this blog for announcements of who is appearing each day!

Monday December 5

Lisa Graff – author of Umbrella Summer is visiting Kate and Steve’s 4th grade classroom.

P.D. Eastman – author of Go Dog Go! is visiting Beth and Clare’s 4’s classroom.

Gina Goldmann – contributor to Hands Off Harry is visiting Vonick’s 3rd grade classroom.

Judith Inglese and Dedie King – author and illustrator of I See the Sun in Afghanistan is coming to Rebecca and Nicole’s 1st grade classroom.

 

                                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov
28
2011

We get by with a little help from our friends…

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In the LREI library, we do our best to read everything we can get our hands on in order to advise our recommendations to your children.  We can’t, however, read each of the 30,000 or so children’s titles that are published each year.  So what do we do?

We get some help from our friends.

Children’s Literature blogs are invaluable to librarians in the name of reader’s advisory, finding out what’s new, and exploring the titles that we have some how missed.  Here are some of the blogs that I use on a weekly basis to inform my own reading, and to keep up on the world of publishing.

100 Scope Notes

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian who has been blogging since 2007.  He reviews children’s books, reworks Newbery book covers, talks about happenings in the world of kidlit among other things.  A useful tab can be found on the top of his blog and is entitled “Best New Books”.  Simply click there for a round-up of the latest, greatest titles.

Jen Robinson’s Book Page

Jen is an engineer who just happens to love children’s literature.  She has been blogging about kid’s books for years and she breaks down her reviews, not only by the year in which the book was published, but also by age range, and she also includes links to timely articles about children’s literature as a whole.

Ms. Yingling Reads

I like this blog because Ms. Yingling is a straight shooter.  She will tell you in a quick and concise manner why a book works or why it doesn’t.  She reads a ridiculous number of books, and she has her lens honed on searching for books that will appeal to boys.

Please take some time to check out these blogs.  Nobody has time to read everything; we can all use a little help from our friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nov
21
2011

Overdues!

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Your children will be receiving their first overdue notices of the 2011-2012 school year today.  These serve as a gentle reminder that it is necessary to return their books.

Please note that there are sometimes errors with the system.  If your child has returned their book already, please let one of the librarians know.  If your child has lost a book, speak with one of the librarians.

 

Happy Reading!

Nov
07
2011

The iPads are Here!

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Third and fourth graders are part of a brave new world here in the Lower School.  They are the lucky participants in an iPad pilot program.

Teachers and specialists have been busily spending time finding ways that the iPads make sense as a tool for Lower School students.  While many schools (especially middle and high schools) have jumped in head first, we are taking our time and finding ways to utilize this latest technological tool in a developmentally appropriate way.

Integration is the key.

Third graders took part in an iPad scavenger hunt during library class last week.  Celeste came down, and she and I guided the students through a series of tasks designed to familiarize the students with the iPads.  From simply learning how to  lower the volume or work the case, to finding the best app for the task required, third graders excitedly got down to business.  ( A favorite task was finding their school and their homes in google maps ).

We will keep you updated on how our students are using the iPads in their curriculum!

 

Oct
24
2011

Out and About

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Dina and Hilary's 4th grade

LREI students have been giving the D train a workout, with 3 separate trips to the NYPL’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.

Both fourth grade classes went up to the library to learn about the history of maps, as well as to get some hands on time with all kinds of maps.  Librarian Kate Cordes spoke to our students about the importance and use of maps before letting them explore all sorts of maps ranging from a NYC bicycle route map, to a World War II pilot’s map which was double sided and made of fabric in case of ocean crashes!  Many students were excited about the maps of Greenwich Village from the 1960s (when the number of book stores came in at 26!) and busily looked for their homes and landmarks.  Others were interested in how the shape of the boroughs seemed to change over time, as well as the fact that the naming of places was quite different at the turn of the century than it is now.

Fourth graders then got to tour the Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division proper, and wondered at the globes, the giant atlases as well as the technology in the room.  I encourage you to go back with your child, as the room and the maps are open for public use.

Galen and Alexia’s first grade class took a trip up to the library to take part in a celebration.  LREI is not the only thing turning 90 this year; Winnie the Pooh is as well!  A school in Sosnovy Bor in Russia was eager to connect with a school in NYC to talk about Winnie the Pooh as well as about life for school children here.  Our students got to go behind the scenes in the library (into the non-public spaces) to partake in a video conference with the children from Sosnovy Bor.  We found that we had some common interests (reading, soccer, favorite snacks), and there were some differences in how we live (the children in Sosnovy Bor go to school from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon and spend the afternoon in extra-curricular activities).

Librarian Louise Lareau then took the students into the Centennial Exhibit, where the real Pooh Bear and friends are temporarily housed.  Along the way the students saw lego versions of Patience and Fortitude, and wondered at the architecture of the building.

The Stephen Schwarzman Building of the NYPL is a treasure, and I encourage you and your families to make your way there.  Ever changing exhibits, the Children’s Room plus many ongoing programs make it a family destination.

Sep
29
2011

The Nitty-Gritty

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Here is the short and sweet FAQ for the library at the 6th Avenue campus of LREI!

  • Books are due one week after they are borrowed.  Just slip a book to be returned into the front slot of the reference desk.  If you need more time with your book, a librarian will be happy to renew it for you!
  • During library classes (grades 1-4), students can check out the same number of books as the grade they are in.  You may also check out additional books before or after school.
  • Parents and caregivers can check out books as well.  You might just be one of the grown-ups who likes Children’s Literature, or you can take advantage of our Parent/Teacher and Diversity sections of the library.
  • The library hours are: 8:15-5:30 Monday through Thursday 8:15-5:00 and 8:15-3:45 on Friday.
  • If you lose a book, come and talk to us.  There are no fines on the 6th Avenue campus, and we can easily work out a solution.
  • If you have books to suggest, let a librarian know.
  • Children under 7th grade may not be left unsupervised in the library.
  • If you need personalized recommendations, please come and see a librarian.  We are always happy to help!
Sep
04
2011

Welcome Back!

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Image from The Guardian

We are busily getting the library ready for your return! You will notice some changes in our space, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that your librarians have been reading like crazy this summer and we are ready to get some great books into your hands!

We can’t wait to see you on Thursday!

Jun
06
2011

Statistics

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One of the super cool things about our library software is the ability to run statistics.  The end of the year inventory has all of the librarians considering our collection and the changes that need to be made.  Just for a hoot, I ran a snapshot stat on the top 10 titles that circulated during the 2010/2011 school year in the Sixth Avenue library.

The results may surprise some of you.

Every single one is a graphic novel.

Ok…so let’s branch it out and run the top 50 titles for the school year.  46 of them are graphic novels.

Our graphic novel collection is a small subset of our overall collection but is obviously the go-to section for self selected reading.  It’s hard to imagine, but many libraries are still trying to justify purchasing and keeping graphic novels.  At LREI we are lucky not only to have a great, growing collection of graphic novels, but we are also lucky to have Jesse Karp on our faculty.  In case you are unaware, Jesse is an expert in the graphic novel field.  If you have any questions about the format, or need help finding appropriate graphic novels for your child, please stop on by and ask!

Without further ado, here are the top ten circulating books of the 2010/2011 school year!

10) BABYMOUSE: OUR HERO, by Jennifer and Matt Holm

9) ROBOT DREAMS, by Sara Varon

8 ) BABYMOUSE: SKATER GIRL, by Jennifer and Matt Holm

7) STONE RABBIT: BC MAMBO, by Erik Craddock

6) BABYMOUSE: DRAGONSLAYER, by Jennifer and Matt Holm

5) STONE RABBIT: DEEP SPACE DISCO, by Erik Craddock

4) GRAMPA AND JULIE: SHARK HUNTERS, by Jef Czekaj

3) STONE RABBIT: PIRATE PALOOZA, by Erik Craddock

2) BABYMOUSE: BEACH BABE, by Jennifer and Matt Holm

1) BABYMOUSE: CAMP BABYMOUSE, by Jennifer and Matt Holm

Apr
22
2011

Poetry Fun!

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poetry magnetic pieces

As most of you know, April is National Poetry Month, and in the library we have been having some fun!

Third graders used laptops to create some magnetic poetry!  How can they do that, you ask?  Well, with the help of a super fun site of Magnetic Poetry Games !  Students paired up, negotiated how they would create their poems, and started clicking and dragging.

There’s nothing like the sound of laughter in the library!

Apr
07
2011

Tweet, Tweet!

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twitter-backgrounds-images-themesYesterday there was a rally at City Hall in the name of NYC Libraries Day.  The budget of the city’s public libraries are once again on the table to be slashed.  Many activists turned out to voice their displeasure with the proposed budget cuts to these vital institutions.

Many of us, including 4th graders,  could not attend the rally, and took to twitter instead.

I asked students if they knew what Twitter was, and if they knew why people use Twitter.  Roughly half of the class of 4th graders had heard of it, but most thought it was used primarily by celebrities and people who need to “talk to fans”.  We talked about the fact that both LREI as an institution and the LREI libraries have twitter feeds, and while these feeds may be used to talk with our fans, they are also used as sources of information dissemination and a place where people and places can make political statements.

Using the hashtag #savelibraries, the 4th graders composed tweets to show why they think libraries are important.  Before the writing began they were made aware of the 125 character limit (to account for the hashtag), as well as the fact that positivity may be more effective than simply bashing politicians.  Some of their tweets read as follows:

People need libraries for quiet places to read or to do homework. People need computer access. #savelibraries

Kids need safe places to focus. #savelibraries

Imagine if you couldn’t afford to buy books, & the only other way to read was a library and then there were none. Imagine. #savelibraries

Imagine if we didn’t have libraries. We wouldn’t be able to read books. #imagine #savelibraries

Some students even came up with matching campaigns.  The “imagine” campaign, as well as figuring out that they could call themselves SFL (Students For Libraries).  This was a very empowering exercise that demonstrated that you can have a voice and be part of a cultural conversation regardless of age.

Follow us on twitter @lrei_lib