12 Apps for School Librarians

May 21, 2023

12 Apps for School Librarians

As a school librarian… I’ve realized that a lot of us have trouble resisting shiny, new objects. (Case in point…ME! I just signed up for an “educator’s digital photography class” to be held during the FIRST weekend in JUNE! Am I nuts?? Yes, probably. I’m worn out after a busy year … but still… oddly excited about this class. Go figure.)

The thing is…as the school year takes off — and starts alternately crawling and flying by — school librarians often HEAR about all of these cool apps that we’d LOVE to try. Unfortunately, there’s not much time from bell to bell to actually dig into the apps and find out if they might work for our library programs.

So, this pre-summer blog post describes twelve apps that were helpful to me as a school librarian. Once your teacher brain has rested and starts thinking school thoughts again, carve out a sliver of summer and use it to find a fun, new gizmo for your librarian tool box.

This PDF holds links for websites, blogs, YouTube videos, and social media sites as jumpstart fodder to learn the basics of each app. If you see one or two choices here that really spark a genuine interest… jump in and start clicking away. (All links were tested and working as of May 2023.) Enjoy a little exploration and hopefully… begin to re-kindle some of that educator joy.

BUT…(and it’s a big but…) IF you’re not ready…please just bookmark this post. It will be right here when your brain starts thinking “back to school” thoughts at the end of summer. This freebie source of professional development is for you when you’re ready… and not a minute before then! Many of these apps provide easy (and FREE) educator training. I am hoping that this training could possibly count as part of your required professional development credit for next year, depending on your school district. BUT… it’s essential for you to get some rest this summer first. My list isn’t going anywhere!

When you do get to it… since we all need an “atta girl” now and then… I think it’s awesome that some of the apps even present you with a digital certification badge upon completion. (Some of them are really cute, too!)

Earning one of these little badges is a total bragging point, in my book. After all, it represents YOUR initiative in acquiring new skills for your school — during. the. summer. Um… toot that horn please! Plus, cute badges can be kind of impressive when trailing along on the bottom of your email signature!) I have a TPT resource for that, if you need help!

I hope that a few of these twelve apps for school librarians will fuel your interest enough to try something new for next year — or better yet – open up an opportunity to have a little fun being creative this summer!

Take care!

Popsicle Trivia Library Game for the End of the Year

May 15, 2023

Popsicle Trivia Library Game for the End of the Year

Have you ever dreamed of being a game show host? Do you need an easy, engaging, end-of-the-year review game for that last K-1 library week? This “popsicle trivia” game is SO much fun to play with littles! First, use my team sorting cards to divide your class up into either “Team Blue Frost Popsicles” or “Team Purple Freeze Popsicles.” Choose one “popsicle spokesperson” for each team. (I always give this honor to one of those kids who hasn’t caused one minute of trouble all year!) 🙂

Tell your teams that they must confer quietly as they try to decide on an answer when it is their turn. Let them know that ONLY the spokesperson can give you their team’s “official answer,” when it is time. (I usually give them 10-20 seconds to answer.) If anyone else on that team blurts out an answer… it doesn’t count. If the opposite team calls out the answer by mistake… the team at play can use that as “a clue,” if they choose to do so. (Telling these rules before the game starts keeps the kids from screaming out answers at you! 🙂

How to Play: Start on the scoreboard slide. Go to the ice chests at the bottom and click the first ice cube. That takes you to the first question and answer pair within the slides.

Each pair of PowerPoint slides has illustrated questions for the “popsicle teams” to try and answer. If a team’s answer is correct, advance to the answer slide. From here, click the “popsicle point” icon at the bottom, It is a hyperlink that takes you over to the scoreboard slide.

When you get to the scoreboard, click the dot on that team’s grid where the next point should land. A popsicle will fly up out of that team’s ice chest and land on the dot! (At this point, allowing applause is optional, of course — but I think that may have been a big part of the fun for my classes!!)

On the other hand… if the first team is incorrect… you CAN let the other team try to answer it and “steal” the popsicle point. Once a new guess has been made, show the next slide and reveal the answer to both teams. Then award the point as described above, if applicable.

To continue play, stay on the scoreboard slide and go back to the “ice chests” at the bottom. Click the next numbered ice cube (they’re hyperlinked, too). This will let you hop back over to the next slide in the question pool. (HINT: The “snapshots sheet” can help you remember which question you’re on. I always print a copy to refer to as we’re playing.)

Just so you know…the “popsicle trivia” questions don’t actually involve popsicles!

Instead they involve K-1 level review questions about:

— opposites

— fact and opinion

— nursery rhymes

— folk tales

— color words

— American coins

— and lots of library facts about fiction/nonfiction, spine labels, etc.

Some are easy… and some are more difficult to add interest!

I formatted this bright and colorful game as a PowerPoint presentation. It includes simple hyperlinks between the slides that make playing a breeze — (and your kids will think you’re magical!)

(NOTE: The transitions and animations just will not transfer over to Google slides properly… I’m so sorry… I tried to make a Google version for you!!)

This resource includes:

– The PowerPoint game with the team questions, answers, and scoreboard hub.

– A page of team sorters for Blue Frost or Purple Freeze (zero fussing!).

– A “snaphots sheet” to reveal the answers as well as to help you keep track of the question that you’ll need to skip over to next. (I kept forgetting which question we were on. You may not need this! HA!)

– Tips and instructions for how I like to run the game.

During my last year in the library, I had to double up two classes on each team during field days for this game, and they LOVED it! (My rotation was their inside restroom break, drink, and then the game. It worked out PERFECTLY — and even with SO MANY KIDS — it was so much fun!) I hope that my “popsicle trivia” library game turns out to be just what you need for some end of the year fun!

Take care,

End-of-the Year Library Book Return Kit

April 28, 2023

End-of-the Year Library Book Return Kit

“Stop “DRAGon” Your Book Around… Turn it in Please!” — The end of the school year usually means that students are asked to return their books, so the library can be inventoried, cleaned, and organized to prepare for the next year. Gathering up several hundered books doesn’t sound like an overwhelming task — if you’re NOT a librarian! However, WE know it always manages to become a bit of a mess! My book return kit was created to hopefully help you face this time of year with a plan in place — and a good sense of humor! Part one is to get organized! My suggestion for part two is to make it a game to see which classes can locate their books and get them returned first — thus earning the coveted “DRAGON MASTER” title!

This is a TPT resource and it includes:

– Bulletin board letters that say, Stop “Dragon” Your Book Around… Turn It In Please! 🙂

– Bulletin Board decorations including…

* 3 adorable dragons holding onto their favorite books — The Library Dragon, The Knight and the Dragon, and Do Not Bring Your Dragon to the Library, of course!

(Note: Some assembly required! 🙂 The dragons are enlarged clipart pieces with add-ons, so each one (top and bottom) takes up two slides. You’ll have to print, trim, line up the pieces on the front, and then tape them together on the back side to make each dragon. I did it this way so little bitty dragons don’t get lost on your bulletin board. Bigger dragons give your board a lot more visual pop!

* Extra decor to help bring that bulletin board to life includes a “library cave,” a few treasures, a nest of colorful dragon eggs, fluffy clouds, and even a mini banner to top it off! (Note: The library cave decoration was also enlarged and joined to other clipart and add-on pieces. So, it also comes on two slides, which makes a bigger scene for your bulletin board. You’ll need to tape the two pieces together to achieve the nice, rugged-looking backdrop for your dragons.)

* A blank due date announcement sign in color and black/white that you can fill in with your own details.

* Headers for a progress board with four levels — starting at “Seriously ‘DRAGON” (meaning 10 books or more are still out) and ending at the top with the coveted DRAGON MASTER status when a class finally has them all turned in! These also come in page-sized sheets that you can print and hang.

* “Gold coins” to put the classroom teachers’ names on the progress board. You can add text boxes to type — or just print and write the names.

* Reward certificates and “Dragon Master” bookmarks for classes who turn ALLLL the books in! (Sending these in color and in black/white for you!).

* A lost book note template… ’cause you know you’re going to be chasing down those last few books! Just add a text box and fill in your student’s information — or print several to have on hand and write them out as needed.

With all the pieces in place to make your library look and feel cheerful (even as you’re filling it back up with stacks of books to be shelved) maybe you’ll enjoy the last few weeks a bit more. If this library book return kit has intrigued you, CLICK THIS LINK to hop over and peek at my preview on TPT!

Take care!

Newsletter for Elementary Librarians

January 29, 2023

Newsletter for Elementary Librarians

Planning engaging library lessons and intriguing programming can be stressful. It can also be time-consuming to come up with fresh decor and book displays each month or season! A group of my friends and I want to help with a newsletter targeted toward elementary librarians. Leigh Collazo (MrsReaderPants) started the newsletter in January 2023. She is our editor and leads our team of five veteran school librarians:

— Julie Olson (That Library Girl)

— Collette Jay (Mrs. J in the Library)

— Laura Trapp (The Trapped Librarian)

— Cari White (Library Learners)

Each month in our elementary library newsletter, you’ll find awesome title recommendations and book talk ideas, freebies, library management tips, and so on. Each of us knows that being a school librarian is a real solo act sometimes, but hopefully, our collaborative effort will help YOU feel like you have a TEAM behind you — cheering you on!

My contributions for the February 2023 newsletter include a blurb about my GroundHUG’s Day and Shadows resource from TpT. (If you love library centers — AND if you need a little, but high-interest, research project for your older kids… go take a look at some February fun!)

I’ve also shared THREE FREEBIES with you:
— Mardi Gras bookmarks — Let the Good Times Roll!
— FEBRUARY 20th bookmarks (Whatdya mean you don’t know what holiday that is??! Go check it out to get the link.) 🙂
— AND… a Book Character Parade Day Planner

Plus, I recommended a few favorite Black History Month picture books, shared some super cute librarian valentines that I found online… and… okay, I forget what else I did… but trust me… you’re gonna want to check this elementary librarian newsletter out ASAP!

I truly hope this helps make February 2023 a lot easier on you! In order for you to find the newsletters quickly, I’m devoting a page on my blog to house them with PDF links. CLICK HERE FOR NEWSLETTERS PAGE. You can also use the navigation tab at the top of my blog. Or, if you’d like to have the newsletters sent directly to you each month, please hop over to the sidebar and join my email list.

Take care,

Book-Themed, Library Conversation Hearts

January 21, 2023

The photo shows valentine tree decor made with a TPT resource by That Library Girl.

This set of book-themed, library conversation hearts was inspired by a childhood memory. My sisters and I loved those little boxes of “Sweethearts” candies when we were kids. I remember sitting on the curb with them, shaking the box just to hear it rattle, and peeking through the tiny cellophane window. Then, taking turns digging candies out one by one, and reading the messages, before letting them melt away in our mouths. Such a sweet memory!

I have one spot in my library that needs something tall. So, I decided to make a valentine tree. First, I came up with 36 book-themed, library conversation heart sentiments. Then, I repurposed some sparkly branches that came from the floral department at Walmart… and were left over from Christmas. I also found a bright blue vase to serve as the base. Next, I tucked in a few sprigs of “early spring” silk flowers to add a little hint of spring!

I printed the library conversation hearts onto white cardstock. Then, one of my precious library volunteers trimmed the hearts for me. She glued them onto some scrapbooking paper odds and ends, and I retrimmed them before running them through the laminator. Finally, we hole-punched each one – and used baker’s twine to tie the hearts onto our little “tree.”

At first, my book-themed, library conservation hearts were only in bright pastels. But, a few years ago, I got a request for muted, “Boho” hues, and I think they turned out great!

Either set provides simple and colorful decor. Plus, it’s oh-so-fun to hear the kids reading the silly, bookish sentiments. (Although I did have to explain what “ISBN Dreaming of You” meant! That one was especially to make you librarians smile!) There’s one or two more in the bunch that will probably only make sense to us, but I couldn’t resist.

You can grab either resource in my TpT store — or over at Made By Teachers! (The sets include bulletin board letters that spell “Let’s Talk about Books” with a couple of book recommendation form choices for your students to fill out.

New for 2023… I’ve added a “SWEET READS” bulletin board… complete with a “Sweethearts” box! Ah… the memories!