COLLECT + CONNECT

Here are some off-the-top-of-the-head ideas for prepping for this year in the school library: Source Have you??? Introduced yourself to new staff in person and by email? Think about your good ol' elevator speech. What do you do in a few sentences or less? Why should people care?  Reached out to staff in a staff meeting and/or by email? Have you communicated what you do and what you can do for them? Have you shared library resources, programming, Makerspace info., schedule changes, updates? Touched base with your administrator IN PERSON?  Made your Back-to-School newsletter with vital resources like  SDSL K-12 free databases , the new  2019 School Library Standards , new books, and resources for school-specific programming/initiatives? Updated your virtual library/website?  Updated your management/OPAC system? Updated any curation lists? Scheduled orientation for new students or new-to-the-school classes. You could go big and do a  Back-to-School BreakoutEDU  ex

- a smattering of two random reads about libraries, education & growth - Is perfect the enemy of good? Is overworking something just as bad as failing to polish it? It’s Never Going to Be Perfect, So Just Get It Done  by Tim Herrera Photo by  Jonathan Hoxmark  on  Unsplash O Shakespeare, Shakespeare, wherefore art thou Shakespeare? 21 Phrases You Use Without Realizing You’re Quoting Shakespeare  by Dana Schwartz Photo by  Matt Riches  on  Unsplash Disclaimer: The South Dakota State Library does not endorse any service, product, or recommendation listed  in this blog.

Last spring a few school library staff from central South Dakota asked if we could meet up in sort of an EdCamp + Library 101 course + social summit kind of way.   So... we made the mash-up happen! A mighty little group of library professionals + a classroom teacher showed up at Kimball School Library ready to connect and learn in an informal way.  And did we! Take a look at  the notes  from our time together. My hope is that you'll take away a nugget or two and share with others. Also, if you're interested in hosting one of these trainings/get-togethers, email  Alissa Adams , SDSL School Library Technology Coordinator. (this event has already occurred)

Thirty-seven library and other school staff across South Dakota successfully completed the first round of the one-credit online course  An Introduction to the 2019 SD School Library Standards .  This course is part of the Learn & Lead series from the South Dakota State Library and is specifically for school librarians and others who work with and in school libraries including classified staff. Participants made their way through a digital workbook incorporating a variety of related topics including: a comparative look at the 2010 and 2019 standards the history of the SD School Library Standards  the process of standards revision in South Dakota  a deeper dive into each strand of proficiency of the new standards. Additional rounds of this course are scheduled for fall 2019 and spring 2019. Registration for the fall session will open in September with 20 virtual seats available. Here's what recent participants had to say about this course: ...It was exactly wha