College Readiness

I am proud to announce that I am featured in a new column by School Library Journal called, "College Ready" The magazine covered my work with my high school students using Pinterest as a tool to engage deeper understanding. http://www.slj.com/2015/02/opinion/college-ready/promoting-college-readiness-via-pinterest-college-ready/

I Blew My Book Budget!

I absolutely love this time of year!  I log onto the I Love Libraries website and listen with thousands of other librarians  across the country. You're probably wondering what are we listening to? Well it's the American Library Association's, Youth Media Awards, the librarians equivalent to the Oscars.

Sadly I have never attended one of the early morning ceremonies.  I've always listened online and screamed with delight when some of my favorites are recognized for their efforts to provide great reading books for children and young adults.

I spent about an hour online ordering books that either won awards or were related to books that I have not read this past year.  Yes, I blew my book buget for the month!  The following is a list of books that I ordered during that first hour after the ceremony.  I'm too embarrassed to tell you how many more books I have ordered since then. 

Here's the actual video from the awards ceremony.  Enjoy!

2015 American Library Association Youth Media Awards Press Conference:
http://youtu.be/M-ruMCY0EFQ

Black History Month On Pinterest

For over a year I've been working very hard to maintain a Black History Month board on Pinterest.  Normally I provide my teachers with a handy Black History Month Pathfinder, but I thought I would kick it up a notch.  So far, my teachers really enjoy using this resource along with the district's African-American Studies Curriculum.

Personally, this has been a really facinating experience for me as I have learned so much while adding content to the board.  As a result of the Black History board, I created a Black History Firsts board that celebrates the many groundbreaking achievements of African-Americans.

You can follow the board two ways:
Pinterest.com/boydk or
Pinterest.com/auslwpahs

Enjoy!

Popular Library Memes

Here's my Thursday round up of librarian memes.  Some are humorous while others focus on our ongoing advocacy efforts.

I also included an original meme featuring one of my freshman athlete students and I.  Creating your own memes are a great way of encouraging students to pick up a book and read and they promote your Library Media Center.

Enjoy!

Chicago Needs Elementary School Librarians

Reposted from WBEZ - Chicago
It’s no secret that when funding goes for a elementary school, one of the first affected areas is the school library. A school with a dedicated library could end up with only a shelf in a classroom. And then there are other cases, where the school supports the library and kids have an active role in reading, not to mention just more exposure to ideas, to topics, to the world.

Listen Here: Interview - Chicago Needs Elementary School Librarians 

Terri Grief, President of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA)

Megan Cusick, Chicago Public Schools Librarian and Chair of Chi School Librarians

Chicago Needs More School Librarians

The struggle continues for CPS librarians.  I just pray that more positions will open back up for this fall.  Chicago Public Schools students deserve to receive the service of a credentialed librarian and discover books in the school's central library collection.

Chicago Needs More School Librarians

What I'm Reading Now

Just received my copy of Sharon Draper's "Stella By Starlight"  Family stories are precious and should be shared.  I'm really looking forward to reading about the story of Draper's grandmother, Estelle.  Draper's book arrived just in time, the weather in Chicago lately is horrible and I need a great book to read.

Late Post: Behind the Paws

Here's a very late post and a good one.  My students were mentioned in an article published by DNA Info Chicago. They featured members of the Phillips Behind the Paws Student News Program and our 2014 Phillips Wildcats Football Champs.  I'm so proud of all of these kids!

Wendell Phillips Football State Finalists Featured on YouTube Show

Here's the actual video that was mentioned in the story.

What An Honor

I'm mentioned in the Black Caucus of the American Library Association's Fall Newsletter, pg. 25.
BCALA News - Fall