Monday, July 30, 2007

Book clubs

I have to admit it, I have never been part of a book club. I have always wanted to be, but alas, no one has ever invited me (oh poor me..) but I digress. I picked up a pretty cool book the other day and I am thinking of starting a book club of some kind at my new school. The book I picked up is The Kids' Book Club Book by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp. The book not only gives you some great tips to starting, maintaining and marketing a book club for kids, it even breaks down these tasks for whether you are a school/public library or just a group of moms/dads getting a book club together. The book also gives you a starting place and gives you a list of books (divided out by age group, grades 1-5, grades 4-7, grades 6-8 and grades 9+) with activities you could do to go along with the book, questions and conversation starters for the book and in some cases commentary from the authors of the books mentioned.

I have wanted to start a book club at my school since I became a media specialist,but really, I have never found the right time or the right group willing to go ahead with me (plus my after school time is so busy with my own kids!) This book has once again brought the idea of a book club back into my thoughts. Since I am starting at a new school (and a much BIGGER school) I am trying to think of a good way to start some kind of book club. If you have started a book club for kids I would love to hear some ideas, the book has some great ideas to get me started, but I am sure there are some other great ideas out there too!

Thursday, July 26, 2007

The Things you miss while on vacation

Librarians are Hip - who knew!

Back a few weeks ago the NYTimes had an article about Hip Librarians. I was disappointed to see that they did not include any school librarians aka media specialists in the article, but I was happy to see that maybe, just maybe the days of the little grey haired lady with the glasses and cardigan sweater are almost over! Since becoming a librarian, I have really tried hard to not be the stereotype (and in Catholic school that is even tougher, the stereotype of a Catholic school librarian is a NUN!) and even though I am a librarian AND a Mom AND close to that big 4-0 number in age, I like to think I am semi-hip - hey, I keep telling my kids that for my big 4-0 birthday I want a tattoo - that's hip, right (although the PAIN factor might make me chicken out!). But the things that the article says make these librarians "hip" are things I do, I go out to bars and drink (although not every night), go to rock concerts(last one was Eric Clapton) and I love pop culture and technology. I may not dress in thrift store chic (I like my Ann Taylor Loft!) but I don't wear sensible shoes and cardigans either.

Here (raising a watermelon martini) is a toast to breaking the stereotype for librarians everywhere!!!

Monday, July 23, 2007

Vacation's Over, T-3 weeks and counting until summer is OVER

Well, my kids summer anyway. School starts here 3 weeks from today. I actually have a training session today and tomorrow and then I have more " new employee" training 2 days next week then pre-planning starts 2 weeks from today. I love being away for 3 weeks, but I need 3 more weeks to recover from our vacation!

I read a TON while on vacation, a combination of adult books and kid lit, a few mini reviews to come.

Right now I am freaking out at how much I have to do before the students come on August 13th. I forgot how hard it is to start a new job. The summer before I started my last job, I was still in school and spent most of the summer preparing for my new job (it also counted toward credit for grad. school). This year I have thought about things, gone over to the new school twice, but really, haven't done much to really "prepare". So now in addition to trying to school shop for the kids, getting my oldest son to football practice every night (it starts next Monday) and getting my house back in order (maybe by the time school starts the suitcases will be unpacked and put away!) I will be freaking out at what seem right now a HUGE amount of things I need to do to get ready for next school year. I didn't think I would be this nervous about the new job, especially because I know HOW to be a media specialist now (my last job was my first as a media specialist and my first in education) I just need to learn how to do it at a different school - piece of cake, right?

Saturday, July 14, 2007

On Vacation

Sorry the pages of Library Stew have been dark, I've been on vacation - playing at the beach, reading lots, going to a red Sox game and many Cape Cod baseball league games and hanging out in Boston. I've also been visiting some great Independent bookstores on Cape Cod - I usually get some great ideas on displays and also on some new books, that may not have heard about before (this is how I first discovered the Beacon Street Girls series).

I get back to "reality" in a week and then I actually have to start thinking about my new job and start working (1st day of school for the kids is August 13th - WAY to early!)

Hope everyone is having a great summer and we'll be back soon with lots of library stuff!