Happy Holidays!

I'm not going to post a long entry.

We started Christmas vacation today at 3:00 p.m.  YIPPEE!!!  Hope everyone has a wonderful time with family and friends.

To one and all, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Happy Hannukah!!  Happy Kwanzaa!  Happy Everything!

To Carol F., the best of luck in your retirement.  You're going to be busier than ever!  It was wonderful having you as a colleague for the past several years.  We know you will be keeping in touch, but we will miss you at our meetings and PDs.  Lucky you.  Enjoy!

School LMSs Receive Acclaim

Maybe there's hope, afterall.

I was looking through some of the information from the recent AASL Conference online, when I came upon an article talking about a program from ALA called "Love My Librarian" where people were encouraged to nominate their Librarians for a special award.

Well, two School Library Media Specialists have won the award!  The article can be found here.

Lucy Hansen (South Texas Independent School District) and Carolyn Wheeler (Conant Elementary, Bloomfield Hills, MI) were chosen for their innovation, as well as, their dedication to the field.

Congratulations, Lucy and Carolyn!  Its nice to see some recognition.

New Word of the Year Reflects Current Society

Well, its the time of the year for lists.  Gift lists, grocery lists, card lists--the lists go on!

You can add this one to your list, too--maybe under 'Humor'?

It seems the New Oxford English Dictionary recently announced the 2009 Word of the Year.  What is it?  Its that questionable verb from FaceBook--"Unfriend".

Yep, technology is here to stay, folks.  As if you didn't already know that!

As with anything new, this announcement has stirred up a bit of controversy.  There are people who are not surprised at this and there are those who are upset by it.  Some claim that it is made up, while others argue that this is exactly how a language grows.  Personally, I feel I have to agree with the latter.  Its just like the words 'iPod' or 'podcast' a couple of years ago.  People tried to eliminate them from the language.  The people from Windows even tried to get the public to use a different word than podcast--anyone remember what it was?  Thought not.  It was too late.  The word is now as ubiquitous as any other word in English, and even its common in other languages around the world. 

Is it a word or not?  In an unofficial, unscientific poll, 52% said 'No' while only 32% said yes.  There are a significant number of people who either don't care or think the whole thing is crazy.

Crazy or unimportant, it may be.  However, you have to admit, its fun!

What do you think?

The Holidays are Finally Here!

Hello, Folks.

We just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. 

Don't eat too much and be careful in your travels wherever you may roam.

Hope you score some goodies on Black Friday!  Paul and I are hitting the Navy Exchange and hopefully a couple of other places.  Trouble is, I want to go in 2 different directions!  South to Newport and North to Franklin!  We'll see.  I think all depends on how early a start we can get after Turkey Day in Connecticut!

Oh, well.  Have a fun day and weekend.

The Party is Over!

I found a Borders with a wifi.  I've been trying to send this post via Blackberry, but evidently its much too big to transfer.  So here goes.

Another AASL Conference is over. 

The party at ImaginOn was great.  Good food, good music, dancing, wine and an incredible facility!  Wait til you see the pictures!  Its a combination library/childrens' museum/meeting center/education facility.  They have a website--I hope you have sound.  There are multiple levels with tables and comfy chairs, computer stations for both computer games and regular computer use.

A few thoughts:

• Charlotte is a beautiful city.  The downtown area is very safe and extremely easy to walk.  There are sights and sounds to entrance every sense as you walk around.  Everywhere we turned we found another museum, exhibit, library or someplace to take your family.
• The city is very library and literature-friendly.
• I learned a lot.  I'm actually overwhelmed and will take a while to digest the information.  I'm going to be doing a LOT of downloading and reading over the next few months!
• I'm psyched to get involved using games and gaming in the library. 
• There were so many sessions I never got to because they were held at the same times.  Again, downloads are wonderful!
• The exhibitors were so helpful answering quesitons.  I spoke quite a while with the Follett people about Destiny 9.5 and Quest.  The system keeps getting better and more useful.
• 797 needs to trust us more.
• I didn't get much by way of freebies to bring back.  I tried, and Paul tried, but the vendors just didn't have much to give away. :-(
• This was a technology-rich conference, but we had problems.  The Convention Center wireless network allowed access all over the building, but was frequently slow and spotty (sound familiar?).  There was also a deficit of outlets, and even tables, in the session rooms.
• The hotel was extremely convenient, across the street from the Conference Center but quite pricey.  There wasn't even a fitness center.  You have to get a temporary membership to the Y next door for $12/day or $20/week.

Well, time to get back on the road.  Its taking a LOT longer to drive than AAA says.  We have learned that whatever they estimate--they lie!

The next AASL is October 27-30, 2011 in Minneapolis, MN.  Anyone want to share a room?

See y'all in Providence! (Yes, they really do say that!)

Technical Difficulties--Please Stand By

OK.  I've been posting to this blog, but they are not going through easily.

The wireless system here in the Charlotte Convention Center has been very difficult to work with during the entire conference.  Even the presenters are having MAJOR problems showing information and live links.  My problem, I'm finding, is that when I've added posts via my BlackBerry, the connections seem to be getting blocked.

Right now, I'm sitting at the Bloggers' Cafe following a discussion that started off showing how to set up PageFlakes, Go!Animate and XtraNormal web connections.  The discussion has gone to a debate between physical books and eBooks, censorship, esthetics, etc.  Its an interesting discussion.  I kind of hope this will continue as a blog discussion so we can get more debate going--for all I know, its already somewhere out there.

I've been going to workshops about digital resources and how to use them to improve instruction.   I'm going to try to hit the AASL Bookstore before they close for the day!

Friday Morning--Up and At 'Em Again!

Wow!  My blog from yesterday finally posted!  I was having trouble getting it to go from my phone, but it finally cleared!

We did go to the Storytelling.  It was a lot of fun, but I couldn't stay any longer.  It was standing room only!  There must have been over 200 people watching.  There were 3 different storytellers including a girl from Osaka, Japan.  She did  several stories using origami. This was after the Exhibit Hall Attack and we couldn't find 2 chairs together, so we wound up standing in the back. 

We had spent over 2 hours walking around the Hall and collected a lot of stuff, but I was too tired to really do much.  I hope to get more later today.

The first session Friday was called Turbo Charge Your Resources where the presenter talked about web resources available to get students more excited about the Library.  She was funny and HIGHLY animated--more than her animations on the web!  I can hardly wait to go try them out!  Resources she discussed included Skype, Go!Animate, wikis and lots of gadgets.  I'm afraid to show them to Paul, my own Gadget King!

Well, I"m going to find Paul and hit the Exhibit Hall.  I just heard the presenter say she is going to be part of a panel discussion this afternoon.  I might change my plans and attend that one!

Talk to you later!

1st day--Whew!

I've been on the go since 6:30 this morning when the TV came on--full volume! I got 4 hrs of sleep--Paul got 5. I talked with one woman today who said she had 2! I'm surprised we're functioning!

Got to the registration table and through that with NO trouble! Much better than when I tried to register originally! I even got Paul his Exhibit Hall pass with barely a flicker--the only wrinkle was because the woman taking it hadn't done one before and needed a supervisor's help. He then walked me up to my 8:30 session and headed back to do his own thing (shower, shopping, etc).

My first session was on 'The Games Libraries Play (And How They Align Them).' The whole thing was using modern board games to enhance the curriculum. It was a lot of fun, with 2 presenters who kept us laughing and cheering for 3 1/2 hours. A great part is that I volunteered to help demonstrate something and got a free game as a result! Then they handed out two more free games for us to start our collections! The first one is complex and I'll have to work it out first. The others can be used almost as soon as I get back. The best part is that these are not the old 'educational' games that bore the kids. These games are easily found in most game stores and fit into the curriculum. One of them is called Incan Gold where you are an explorer. You use math skills to predict probability (of getting killed) and division of loot. This one can be played in 20-30 minutes. The other one deals with Masterworks of the great artists. I can't wait to show that one to my art teacher.

I met Paul and we went to the Ebsco Lunch where we were fed so much I must be 2 dress sizes bigger! Delicious! They also presented information on their databases. Some things I had never realised before. I think I'm going to try them out.

After lunch, Paul went back across the street to the hotel (with the games) while I hit the Exploratorium where 80(!) LMSs showcased some of the activities and programs in their libraries. Remember how I say we have a 'full-service' library? Well, there was a woman here touting just that from her school (in Cincinatti). I guess I'm on the right track after all--ooh, I just realized the pun--this year's theme is Revvin' Up Your Library!

Well, I'm going in for the Opening Session and get ready for the Grand Opening of the Exhibit Hall.

Oh, how sweet! They have kids from a local school serenading us! They're good!

I'll be writing more later! I'll be meeting Paul for the routing of the Exhibit Hall after this. There's a storytelling session tonight. We'll see how we feel.

1st day--Whew!

I've been on the go since 6:30 this morning when the TV came on--full volume! I got 4 hrs of sleep--Paul got 5. I talked with one woman today who said she had 2! I'm surprised we're functioning!

Got to the registration table and through that with NO trouble! Much better than when I tried to register originally! I even got Paul his Exhibit Hall pass with barely a flicker--the only wrinkle was because the woman taking it hadn't done one before and needed a supervisor's help. He then walked me up to my 8:30 session and headed back to do his own thing (shower, shopping, etc).

My first session was on 'The Games Libraries Play (And How They Align Them).' The whole thing was using modern board games to enhance the curriculum. It was a lot of fun, with 2 presenters who kept us laughing and cheering for 3 1/2 hours. A great part is that I volunteered to help demonstrate something and got a free game as a result! Then they handed out two more free games for us to start our collections! The first one is complex and I'll have to work it out first. The others can be used almost as soon as I get back. The best part is that these are not the old 'educational' games that bore the kids. These games are easily found in most game stores and fit into the curriculum. One of them is called Incan Gold where you are an explorer. You use math skills to predict probability (of getting killed) and division of loot. This one can be played in 20-30 minutes. The other one deals with Masterworks of the great artists. I can't wait to show that one to my art teacher.

I met Paul and we went to the Ebsco Lunch where we were fed so much I must be 2 dress sizes bigger! Delicious! They also presented information on their databases. Some things I had never realised before. I think I'm going to try them out.

After lunch, Paul went back across the street to the hotel (with the games) while I hit the Exploratorium where 80(!) LMSs showcased some of the activities and programs in their libraries. Remember how I say we have a 'full-service' library? Well, there was a woman here touting just that from her school (in Cincinatti). I guess I'm on the right track after all--ooh, I just realized the pun--this year's theme is Revvin' Up Your Library!

Well, I'm going in for the Opening Session and get ready for the Grand Opening of the Exhibit Hall.

Oh, how sweet! They have kids from a local school serenading us! They're good!

I'll be writing more later! I'll be meeting Paul for the routing of the Exhibit Hall after this. There's a storytelling session tonight. We'll see how we feel.

Charlotte!

We made it! Its 1 am, but we're here. Phew. The car is parked and the bags are in the room up here on the 20th floor. Conference call for 8 am!

Talk to you later!

Another one

Just another beautiful sunset while traveling. We have sprinkles. Wish there was enough light for a rainbow!

I looked up the forecast for Charlotte yesterday and it said mostly sunny and in the low 60s. Nice.
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Red sky at night...

Sailors' delight! Right?

What a beautiful sunset south of Fredericksburg!

DC radio station is talking about Montgomery County where the entire traffic light system failed today! More than 800 intersections are involved.

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Rappahannock at Twilight

Its been dark all afternoon, but it looks like its clearing up a bit. Wait a minute, the forecast calls for flurries tonight in DC!
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Just a couple of things...

I wish I'd had my camera mode working! We just passed a panel truck loaded with carpeting supplies in and out--and I mean piled 5 ft high on top!
We also just passed a car with VA plates with 'RHODE-EE' as the tag! Cute.

Entering MD

This is the Susquehanna River with Maryland at the left. The view is to the northwest. The trees are mostly bare, but there's still a lot of color. It must have beautifull a couple of weeks ago.
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Photo of Wilmington, DE

This is Wilmington from the I95 bypass over the Delaware River looking north.
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Almost to DC

We made Baltimore about 2:00. We stopped for a couple of minutes at the Maryland Welcome Center to find them closed! Not very welcoming! :-/
We'll go east around DC. I think we're making a short pitstop in Manassas, VA to drop something off for our grand-nephews--some Hallowe'en stuff. Danny is 10 and Billy is 5. Don't know if we'll see them at all today. Maybe on the return trip.
I'm going to try to send a couple of pictures I took in DE and MD.
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I'm on the way!

I'm going to try this. I hope it works!

Well, we headed out last night around 6 for Charlotte. After a stop for dinner, we got back on 95 and made it as far as Hightstown, NJ. We stayed the night there and are now back on the road. We have about a 10+ hour drive ahead of us. Traffic is much heavier than at midnight last night!

Sorry about this being such a jabber post. I just wanted to know if this system works. Could someone let me know if you see this, please?

Hope everything is going well at school.

Better news later. Have a great day!
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Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3...

This is a test of the blogging system.

I just found out that I can send blogs via my Blackberry and wanted to test it out. If so, this will make reporting from the Conference MUCH easier!


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Yeah! I did it once! Let's see if I can do it again.

This is a test of the blogging system.

I just found out that I can send blogs via my Blackberry and wanted to test it out. Cross your fingers!

NECAP testing is going on in the Library .Very busy. It will be nice to return to a normal class schedule

Practice Makes Perfect!

Well, that first post was a fun learning experience.  This is one Professional Development workshop that I think will help.  Now if I can just remember how to add new stuff!

I was anxious to start this, especially seeing that I will be attending American Association of School Librarians in Charlotte, NC in just a couple of weeks.  I thought it would be fun (and hopefully interesting!) to keep up with things at the Conference.  Michelle and Terri, my cohorts, can then add comments and requests or whatever.

So, I don't really have much to say right now.  As the title indicates, I just need to practice using the blog!

First Timer

This is my first attempt at doing a blog.

I'm excited to be learning how to do this. I hope to be able to start a blog for school where the kids can add comments about books in our collection.