ImageChef Word Mosaic Application

Every so often, check out cool tools you discovered a year or so ago and see what they've added. For example, here is an ImageChef word mosaic application.


You can fill symbols or letters with words. If your school starts with an "A", you can fill a letter "A" with words in your school colors. Or, each month you can fill the first letter of the month with words. Have fun. Remember to advocate for strong school libraries, strong students, and such!

AASL Exec Director elected as vice chair of P21

Good news. From American Libraries Direct:

"CHICAGO – Julie Walker, executive director of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has been elected to serve as vice chair of the Strategic Council of The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21).

Prior to serving as executive director of AASL, Walker held the post of director of library and media services for the Round Rock (Texas) Independent School District. During her tenure at AASL, her association was responsible for publishing new learning standards and guidelines for school library media specialists, including the most recent "Standards for the 21st-Century Learner" and "Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs." She will also be directing the completion of AASL's strategic plan, with the goal of achieving universal recognition of school library media specialists as indispensable educational leaders. Her association has also been a strong advocate for funding for school libraries and staffing them with certified school library media specialists.

Walker works extensively in promoting information literacy - the ability to find and use information - as an essential skill for lifelong learning. She currently serves on the National Education Advisory Board of Cable in the Classroom and the Advisory Committee for the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries. Walker is also a past-Chair of the Alliance for Curriculum Reform, a group of organizations committed to improving curriculum, instruction and assessment in P-12 schools.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a national advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st Century skills into education. It brings together the business community, education leaders and policymakers to define a powerful vision for 21st century education to ensure every child’s success as citizens and workers in the 21st century. It also encourages schools, districts, and states to advocate for the infusion of 21st century skills into education and provides tools and resources to help facilitate and drive change."

Library LIVE! -- from the Orange County Department of Education

On Wed, 6/24/09, Glen Warren, Coordinator of Media Resources for Orange County Department of Education announced a test broadcast of a new monthly half-hour broadcast called Library LIVE! The show will feature the latest news in Library Media issues and trends. Here is Glen's announcement:

Library LIVE! will be providing a live test broadcast for school librarians through the California K12 High Speed Network on Thursday, June 25th, from 3:00pm to 3:30pm. (Pacific) This will be the prototype of the live monthly, half hour, broadcast for the 2009-2010 school year.

Thursday's Library LIVE! line up will include:
1. The Winner Twins (award winning, authors who are 13 years old)
2. Digital Literacy News
3. Your Ideas for the 2009-2010 School Year

There are two ways to connect to the broadcast. One through live web streaming and the other through a video conferencing unit (like polycom or Tandberg).
We are most interested in testing the live video streaming chat feature. This allows for live interactive chat through most district firewalls.

Here is the link for the live video streaming connection:
http://www.k12hsn.org/conferencing/scheduler/system/conference.php/6707/stream/live <http://www.k12hsn.org/conferencing/scheduler/system/conference.php/6707/stream/live>

Please use the link a few minutes before the broadcast time to make sure you have the proper plugins.

If you have videoconferencing equipment, feel free to connect using the IP address or the CalREN number:
IP Address: 207.166.4.2
CalREN Number: 534 000 4097

Please contact Glen Warren at the Orange County Department of Education with feedback of any technical challenges encountered directly at gwarren@ocde.us after the broadcast.

Glen Warren
Coordinator of Media Resources
Orange County Department of Education
200 Kalmus Drive
Site Location:
3001 Red Hill
Costa Mesa, California 92626

Phone: 714-966-4208

If your school already has a videoconferencing unit like Polycom or Tandberg, be sure to register your equipment's IP address with Glen. This is an excellent use of your existing technology. Hopefully, you have the unit in your library already. Glen will be showcasing Library LIVE! and uses of interactive videoconferencing at the CSLA annual conference this Fall. He has invited Tandberg to exhibit and demonstrate their videoconferencing equipment at the conference, so come prepared to learn what is new and cool.

Advocating for Stimulus Dollars - 4/30 webcast by Capstone

On on Thursday, April 30, Capstone Press hosted a 1/2 hour webcast on "5 Steps to Advocate for Stimulus Dollars for Your Library". The program is archived and handouts are on their website and other websites including the ALA "Know Your Stimulus" site that they referenced. This post has some highlights and links. Kudos to Capstone Press for offering the webcast and supporting material.

5-Step Program:
1- Become informed. Become informed about the stimulus package and what funding and visibility opportunities are available. Think BIG. Money is going to school superintendents. You need a LOUD VOICE. Here are some pots of money:

• $53.5 BILLION in state stabilization funding. This can be used for school libraries, such as materials budget and positions. NOTE: The state of Illinois chose to use 100% of their share for education.
• $13 BILLION for Title I schools. Over two years.
  
• $650 Million for NCLB EETT (Education Technology) grants for Fall 2009. This is primarily for middle schools.

2- Determine your target. You must show positive impact on student achievement. Identify your school's top priorities or "hot spots" and describe how the school library addresses the priorities.

• Title I -- learn the estimated allocation for your district. Learn how much is for schoolwide vs specific students. focus on library resources to support these students, implement research-based programs, and include parent involvement.
• IDEA programs. Identify decision makers (principals, district library and curriculum directors) and influencers (superintendents, school board members). Be proactive -- how can your library goals meet the goals of decision makers?

3- Gather Your Facts. PROVE that strong school libraries increase student achievement by citing data-driven facts. For example about 20 state studies show that more reading, more access, more books increases student achievement. Also USE LOCAL INFORMATION. Back up a statement like "Every dollar invested in the school library pays off in higher student achievement."

4- Make a Plan. Your plan must demonstrate value and have no reoccurring costs. (Caution: funding staff is a reoccurring cost, so focus on other costs.)

• Set a goal. Be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely). Use budget estimates such as $20/book average. Reinforce the statement that your proposal has a positive impact on student achievement.
  
• Make your Pitch. Practice. Set up a specific appointment with your principal. Consider leave-behinds. Be positive. Follow-up.
  

5- Be LOUD.

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NOW is the time to ACT. You need to act LOCALLY. Read up on the stimulus dollars and the guidelines from ALA, Capstone Press, and others. You need to create a proposal for your specific school or districtwide library program. No one else will do this for you (unless you have or create a library or Friends of the Library team).

Go for it! - Jackie Siminitus