Dynamically Inspired!

If you're interested in all things "high school library", you probably well know Kelsey Bogan's Don't Shush Me!, one of my favorite high school librarian posters. I've been rolling her posts about dynamic shelving in my brain since last Spring. Well, I finally finished a good weed in the fiction section and we're closing up our annual inventory, so we started turning our fiction shelves from boring/static to inviting/dynamic!

Steps, I had genrefied fiction quite a few years ago....so the next step was to make the shelves more appealing. We had dabbled with a bit of face-forward book, but nothing dynamic. I've been working on updated signage all year (thank you Canva) and playing with a Cricut (tons of fun)!

I have both wooden and metal shelving....and surprisingly found the metal stacks to be less stable. As kids walk by, books are falling. Got to do some work here, thinking of adding magnets to the bookend/props. I've also found the bottom shelf may be best face up....easier for kids to see without stooping down. 

Here's an example of before and after:

    

               I'm not going to begin to rewrite the great information Kelsy has already posted (she's got a couple of posts now for this project) but want to say how excited I am to have students come in and browse our new setup. I don't plan to colorize the shelves or backs as I'm more of a minimalist when it comes to decoration (less destraction). The books are colorful enough for me anyway! A new semester starts in a couple of weeks, so we've got a bit more time to transform our shelves before classes start coming in to browse and select books for classroom/personal reading. I. can't. wait!

It's the little things that count... (2022 Update)

 

It's the little things that count... (2022 Update)

Years ago we started using ID cards and a scanner for students to sign in and sign out of the library. Well, things have changed with Google (when do they not?) and I've had some requests to share, so here's an update of posts from way back:  2015 Original and 2018 Update.

The setup: at each entrance we have Chromebox (connected to the network) with a monitor and a scanner (scanner is on a stand). We don't even have a keyboard or mouse sitting out! This runs a Google form and students can walk up and scan their ID card completely HANDS FREE. Our students scan when they arrive and when they leave the library. The Keep Awake extension keeps the Chromebox running all day long. The box and Chrome account are ones my Tech Dept. created with limited capabilities....really, that user can only submit this form!

Here's the steps:

1. Create a form; The form is minimal, just a box for their ID number. We only collect the ID number that the student scans in from the bar code on their ID card. You could add formulas and upload student names to your result spreadsheet if you want names. Google automatically inputs the date and time. No one need log in as the form is always running on these dedicated scanner computers and shared with anyone.
   
2. Set your scanner to auto-read and then perform "enter" after the scan is finished. Ours sits in a stand and is always ready for students to scan. Check your scanner documentation, there's usually a "setting" scan that you perform to set your scanner to this function.
3. Run the "live form" in chrome. 
4. Add THREE scripts to your Chrome browser. I use Tamper Monkey to install the scripts, but you may need to check with your IT Dept. to get this loaded. You can get the three scripts you need from a kind soul named Melgior1 at Greasyfork: Here are his directions: https://goo.gl/NFvoNF.
5. The first script sets the cursor in the open box on the form so all is ready to scan. 
6. After the ID card is scanned, your scanner clicks enter which submits the form. You'll need a second script that allows "Enter" to submit your form; that isn't automatic anymore in Google Forms.
7. The third script clicks the "Submit another form" link to reset the form for the next user. The script is set to 5 seconds, but I found that wasn't fast enough for our students so I edited the script value to a smaller number.  
8. I would love to meet and thank Melgior1, the lovely person that created these scripts! 
9. The results sheet fills up quickly so I've added addtional tabs where I use formulas to lookup the Student Name and Grade to fill that information in AND another tab that puts the newest entry on top. 
1. To lookup the name of the students I used this formulat with Copy Down Addon: =ARRAYFORMULA(VLOOKUP(B2,'ID Names'!A1:B3001, 2, FALSE))
2. To put the newest entry on top I used this formula with Copy Down Addon: =query('Form Responses 1'!A1:AA, "select * order by A desc", 1)

This has been such a time saver for our students!!!!! I'm able to view the results on my phone so if we have to evacuate, I can carry the signin's with me. You can also share the results with Admin, Attendance, Study Hall, teachers, etc! I hope it works for you!

And did I mention, this is FREE?

Switching Gears - Physical collection to Virtual!

Just because the school building is closed, that doesn't mean the library is closed! We're open 24/7/365 really.

Some tasks that I've been working on:

1. Switch Destiny view to Discover and focus on the electronic collection.
2. Update the website to focus on electronic resources.
3. Promote Online Safety on the library website, Canvas, and Learn at Home site.
4. Up my Social Media Game! Trying to post to Twitter and Facebook at least a few times per week (primary focus is for students, but hoping parents and staff will follow as well).
5. Evaluate our database holdings. Consider increasing eBoook collection. Commit to promote those resources to staff and students.
6. To avoid email burnout-I've tried to limit emails to staff of 1-2/week. I've created a New Resources page for them on the library website that I refer to each week.
7. Secured a School Google Voice number (and advertise it) so students can call/text for help. 
8. Start creating video demonstrations for staff (asynchronous learning)!
9. Explore SORA and Public Library Connect.

More to follow....thanks for hearing my random thoughts!

Be well. Stay home. Stay safe.

Genrefying Fiction, Part 3.0

Our next step...the ginormous Realistic Fiction section. We've left this section white and it holds everything that is NOT Historical, Fantasy, Science, Horror, Sports, or Graphic Novel. Shelf-wise, it's about 138 of our 373 shelves (roughly 37% of the fiction section). When helping classes, I've heard requests for "action packed", "murder", "criminal", "who-done-it", and so on. Time to pull another section out!

Plan to repeat the steps from earlier pull-outs. Here's what we're doing:

1. Pick a color for the label protector. We decided Aqua for Action & Adventure and Tan for Mystery. Order has been placed!
2. Search Destiny catalog for anything with mystery, thriller, murder, detective, criminal, crime; action, adventure, survival, etc. keywords. I've struggled with this as there seems to be no way to exclude items sitting in another sublocation. I've tried searching sublocation=undefined, but that doesn't seem to block them all out.
3. I added these search results to a Resource List.
4. Pull these books on to carts, my initial estimates are about 300 books in each genre.
5. Look carefully at titles and descriptions to make sure this is the best genre. Then add label protectors, change sublocation and category in Destiny. We did this in bulk, pulled books onto a cart, added the colored label protector, then scanned books through Update Copies to add the category and sublocation.
6. Signage and promotion!
7. Continually check circulating books for these categories....that's a daily basis.

Challenges about this project: Cross genre. It never fails, the first book I look at is a Fantasy/Mystery/Adventure book. Ugh. When this happens, I ask the students that have read it where they would want it.

Of course, now that the heavy lifting is finished, no one can browse the shelves! Ready for fall and time to switch to virtual reading!

It's the little things that count... (Update)

Years ago we started using ID cards and a scanner for students to sign in and sign out of the library. Well, things have changed with Google (when do they not?) and I've had some requests to share, so here's an update of a post from way back (https://goo.gl/e1AoF3).

The setup: at each entrance we have an old computer (connected to the network) with a monitor and a scanner (scanner is on a stand). We don't even have a keyboard or mouse sitting out! This runs a Google form and students can walk up and scan their ID card completely HANDS FREE. Our students scan when they arrive and when they leave the library.

Here's the steps:

1. Create a form; this has to be in Classic Google forms (new forms will not submit the form upon clicking enter). The form is minimal, just a box for their ID number. When you create the Google Form, you'll have to change it to Old Forms. Look for the question mark in the bottom right, click and select Old Forms. We only collect the ID number that the student scans in from the bar code on their ID card. You could add formulas and upload student names to your result spreadsheet if you want names. Google automatically inputs the date and time. No one need log in as the form is always running on these dedicated scanner computers and shared with anyone.
2. Set your scanner to auto-read and then perform "enter" after the scan is finished. Ours sits in a stand and is always ready for students to scan. Check your scanner documentation, there's usually a "setting" scan that you perform to set your scanner to this function.
3. Run the "live form" in chrome. 
4. Add TWO scripts to your Chrome browser. I use Tamper Monkey to install the scripts, but you may need to check with your IT Dept. to get this loaded.
5. Get the first Chrome userscript from this site: https://goo.gl/NFvoNF.  This one sets the cursor in the open box so all is ready to scan. After the ID card is scanned, your scanner clicks enter which submits the form.  
6. Get the second Chrome userscript at: https://goo.gl/vCLJFj. This one clicks the "Submit another form" link to reset the form for the next user. The script is set to 5 seconds, but I found that wasn't fast enough for our students so I edited the script value to a smaller number.  I would love to meet and thank Melgior1, the lovely person that created these scripts! 
7. The results sheet fills up quickly, so I usually reset to a new tab each month. To check on a student's attendance, we just Ctrl+F and search for their ID number. 

This has been such a time saver for our students!!!!! I'm able to view the results on my phone so if we have to evacuate, I can carry the signin's with me. You can also share the results with Admin, Attendance, Study Hall, teachers, etc! I hope it works for you!

And did I mention, this is FREE?

Genrefying Fiction, Part 2.5

So the idea to wait until all the books were returned for summer to scan in sublocations didn't work! We've found that Genrefying is GREAT for browsers, but tough for those that search from the catalog. Instead of one Fiction section to look in, there are now eight! We've started assigning sublocations through the catalog.

This should help students find titles and can be seen from the Title Details or Copy information in Destiny. 

At this point we are not assigning Subject headings for the Genres...but that may help students search in the catalog. I'm still trying to decide if we need data by Genre or if Fiction data can just stay lumped together. With the books separated by shelving areas, it is much easier to see the size of each Genre.

Here's an example of how things look in the online catalog:

Genrefying Fiction, Part 2.0

Last year we started adding color-coded spine labels to our fiction section (transparent colored label protectors) to help identify different genres (Genrefying Fiction 1.2 and Genrefying Fiction 1.0). We left books in their regular shelf order by author. Students commented that they appreciated the color-coding but we found that the colors on the shelves were overwhelming!

We finally found a bit of time and separated out our sections. What a project! It's really hard to judge how much shelf space you need when the sections are separated out. Special thanks to Mrs. Crawford and Mrs. Grabenbauer and countless students that pitched in and moved almost 6000 books!

We left Realistic Fiction (the largest section with no colored label protectors) on the shelves and pulled our labeled genres. Then consolidated Realistic fiction and created separate sections at the end of the shelving stacks. Our new fiction sections include: Realistic; Historical; Sports; Fantasy; Science Fiction; Horror; Graphic Novels; and Books in Spanish.

   

Our next task is signage. We've placed a sign at the door and made announcements that we've changed the arrangement of fiction. Book Tasting Menus are available on our website and at the door. Displays also steer students to the different sections. We'll also "advertise" through announcements and our newsletter.

At the end of the school year, when most books are returned, we'll scan in Sub-location in our Catalog to help students better find books on the shelves.

  

Before we had even finished, students were already remarking that they love this!  

It's the little things that count....

MHS has had quite a start to the year! Over 1300 Chromebooks in the hands of students and lots of changes (all for the best)! I compared handing out that many Chromebooks to students as a wedding day (we planned for almost a year)....then we had a short honeymoon, and now we are all learning to live together! Like any marriage, it's the small things that count. Here's our "small thing".

When students arrive in the library, we have computers set up to scan their ID cards (their ID cards have a barcode of their ID number). It's the same process when a student leaves the library and we have stations at each library entrance. The ID number scanned is stamped with a date and time automatically through Google Forms. It's far quicker than writing names in a book, easier to read than handwriting, and super fast! It's just a Google Form that fills a spreadsheet shared with the Attendance Office, Study Halls, Administrators, and Library Staff.

Why? Three reasons:

1. In case of an emergency. Library staff can access the spreadsheet from our phones. If we have to evacuate, we can quickly see who should be with us.
2. Verify attendance. Might save a student from an unexcused absence.
3. Data. I can quickly see what times of the day see our heaviest use.

Originally, we found that we had a few problems with this setup. My goal was to make it quick and hands free. I dedicated old computers and connected a table mounted scanner to them. Then created a Google Form with just one box to scan their ID card. 

Here are the steps students were having to go through:

1. Click on the box where their ID would be scanned
2. Scan their ID card (the scanner automatically added "Enter" which submitted the form)
3. Click on the "Submit another response" to ready the screen for the next student. 

I've learned over the years that this data has been skewed. It was taking too long! Students would pretend to scan (there's a beep from the scanner every time a card is scanned, but that doesn't mean data was recorded in Forms). We added a second monitor, but trying to watch the scan screen and man the circulation desk was overwhelming. We needed something QUICK and PAINLESS in order to get meaningful data!

With the help of Google Forums, some super nice person I would love one day to meet, wrote a script for us so that the cursor automatically set in the box where their ID would be scanned. See his work at https://goo.gl/NFvoNF. That took care of Step 1. For Step 3, our Tech Help Desk senior, Jack Kester, wrote a script that would prompt the computer to automatically click the "Submit another response"! We offer a HUGE shout out to Jack for his help!

So now our system is completely HANDS FREE! Students need only walk up and scan their ID card and be on their way! MHS Library: Saving clicks one person at a time!

Genrefying Fiction, Part 1.2

OK, here we go! We received our colored transparent label protectors today and pulled a few books to see how they will work. I fear some of the colors are too dark....but in the full plan I need more than just a few colors. So, these will have to work. We're starting with Historical Fiction and working our way down the shelves labeling what looks obvious. We'll continue with each of our five genres (leaving Realistic Fiction with no colored label for now). More later as we make progress!

Today in MHS Library

Lit over Lunch (LOL) met today to discuss Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. We all enjoyed Ranson Riggs first novel and some have already read Hollow City! We shared the scary moments and marveled at the vintage photographs (by the way, if you listen to the audiobook, be sure to grab a book and look at the pictures).  Joa LaVille brought pizza courtesy of the Friends of the Marshalltown Public Library (Yum)! We talked about genres and can't decide between Mystery, Horror, or Fantasy!

Our LOL for May 12 will be "Poetry as Change, Change as Poetry" and a chance to meet poet and anti-violence activist Purvi Shah, of Brooklyn, who is visiting Iowa with the Grin City Collective of Grinnell College. No preparation will be required to attend this LOL (but make sure to register with Mrs. Inhelder, Mrs. Fritzell, or me). Here is her website, if you want to learn more about her: www.purvipoets.net