23 Things?

[Joyce Valenza]

I would love to compile a list of the 23 2.0 things that teacher librarians should be learning to do over the next year. What's important to you?

[Jane L. Hyde]

Joyce, I can't wait to meet you in April, when I come to your fair city for the AISL conference. I just started a discussion thread here, but I think the discussion should be in response to your question. I haven't revisited Helene Bowers' "23 Things" yet but would like to say for a start that for me, in my school, my first goal is to get teachers and then kids blogging. (Thing #1) A few teachers have cautiously dipped their toes into the blogging sea (we are VERY wary of myspace and all such things in my school) and are enjoying it. One teacher, a poet and young mother who is enduring the loss of her hearing, has begun a personal and very spiritual blog. The others are English teachers who are trying this out with their classes. It's so easy to start blogging, and so rewarding -- and addictive, even, for those of us who for want of a previous forum - are just now talking to the world. Whether or not ther world listens is almost irrelevant, at least in terms of personal blogging. For me, I find it the best new tool for keeping in touch with my own grown children! And I see huge value for it in the school and in my profession. When I took the comprehensive exam for my MLS degree in 1993, the essay question I chose to write on was "How do you plan to keep abreast of changes in your profession after library school?" Well, in 1993 the World Wide Web was a new thing, we were just using email and usenet groups, and so I discussed all the ways I could think of. to keep in touch. Then lm_net came along and was life changing -- but now we have blogging, and wikis and all sorts of ways to keep in touch, to form lively virtual communities. I'll stop here before this turns into a discursive essay on blogging. Besides, being a bad typist, I have to proofread everything I write. May this community grow and grow!

[Linda Picceri]

I have been trying to learn about Web 2.0 tools not only as they apply to school libraries but also how teachers can use them in the classroom. I believe one of our biggest roles in the future is going to be as providers of professional development to teachers in the area of technology.

[Christopher Harris]

Joyce,

This sounds like a great presentation for an AASL strand program at an ALA Conference. Oh wait...They are accepting proposals right now =) http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/conferencesandevents/aaslannual/proposa...

Want to co-present on this?

[Joyce Valenza]

Sure, Chris! I'd love to do that presentation, but we're way too late for AASL. Pick another!

[Christopher Harris]

Noooo....an AASL strand presentation at ALA Annual 08 (in California).
Or maybe the schools strand of CIL next year? Missed again this year with student teaching, but I WILL be there next year!

[Joyce Valenza]

Count me in, Chris.

[Joyce Valenza]

Hi Marita,
I discovered a wonderful model for this recently. Take a look at the student book review podcasts at the Brookline School. http://www.runkle.org/Podcasts/index.html
I am so impressed!

[Pam Burke]

The three tools that have had the biggest impact on my job this year are Wikis, blog software (specifically Wordpress) and del.icio.us

Wikis are so easy and such a natural collaborative tool that I can't stop talking them up. Here's a blog post I wrote about one I created with my students:
http://lib.surruralist.net/2007/02/02/our-wee-little-wiki/
Now that PBWiki has a wysiwyg editor, it's even easier. It's a great first step into 2.0.

I used Wordpress to make a new site for my school, and in just a few months it's made an incredible change in the ways we use the website. It used to be so static. It's a good way to keep your site current and useful and for teachers wary of creating a blog for every student, I think a classroom blog is a great first step.
http://lib.surruralist.net/2007/03/31/our-schools-new-web-site/

And del.icio.us has revolutionized the way I keep track of resources and update our website. I use a plug-in that displays the right tags on the correct page, automatically. I can't believe how much time it has saved me. I'm also creating a local del.icio.us networks with some of my librarian friends as well as some of my teachers, so they can collaborate with me on resource selection. I love it. I wrote a little more about it in this article I wrote for our local newsletter.
(pdf: http://homepage.mac.com/crowleyvt/vema/docs/MarchNewsletter.pdf)

I hope you don't mind the links, I love to share!

[guybrarian]

Why 23 things? :) Hmm...I going to have to think about that one. I could name the top four tools I use daily- but your question is a great one- the things librarians should be learning to do over the next year. I think it is way beyond the tools- more like a way to embrace change. Try things that are emerging, and then use them effectively to help teachers and students (in school settings) I'll keep thinking though...

[Rob Darrow]

We are working on this very "thing" in California. A group of us in the California School Library Association are putting this together and it will ready to go "live" in mid-May. I will post the URL and how you can sign up to join us with "23" things - school library style - this summer.

[Joyce Valenza]

I can't wait to see it, Rob. Please share. It will help me plan this summer.

[Di Laycock]

I'm thinking that what we need to do is develop our advocacy skills. Obviously many teacher librarians have the courage, the knowledge and the skills to lead the Web2.0 revolution, but need to hone their advocacy skills in order to convince others of the wonderful opportunities awaiting them.