Transcript
Page 1: NCSLMA Media Connections vol. 10 no. 4

Vol. 10 Issue 4 October 1, 2010

ferences evokes lots of happy memories and some of the most important professional experi-

ences of my career. Little did I know it, but as a new media coordinator, the NCSLMA confer-

ence was the perfect opportunity for getting to know my peers. Coming from the mountains,

a group of us would coordinate our departures from school, stuff a bunch of suitcases in the

back of someone’s car, and hit the road.

It would have been convenient if the conference city was only a short drive away, but look-

ing back on it now, I realize just how lucky I was to ride in the car for 3+ hours with a group of

other school librarians. As a newbie, it was an opportune time to ask a captive audience all

those nagging questions I’d been wondering about, the perfect time and place for venting a

little frustration, and the best opportunity for getting to know my peers on a more personal

level. In later years, the road to conference was a place to catch up with my friends, to think

out loud as a team about new ideas and opportunities, and to support one another with

strategies for coping with change.

In a way, the car ride set the tone for the whole conference experience. Instead of feeling

isolated as a library professional at my school, hitting the road for conference made me feel

part of something bigger. As we traveled down the highway from mountains to Piedmont, it

felt great to talk the same talk with others who understood. And as the miles stacked up, so

did our excitement . . . about getting to the registration desk in time to pick up our conference

(Continued on page 2)

From our President, Kelly Brannock

Hitting the Road to Connecting, Learning & Leading

Hitting the Road to Connecting, Learning & Leading

2020 Vision

Lead

Connect Learn

Welcome to Fall and the start of an exciting new school

year. If it’s Fall, then the annual NCSLMA conference must

be right around the corner! Thinking about NCSLMA con-

Inside this Issue:Inside this Issue:Inside this Issue:Inside this Issue:

• Hitting the Road to Connecting, Hitting the Road to Connecting, Hitting the Road to Connecting, Hitting the Road to Connecting,

Learning Leading, Learning Leading, Learning Leading, Learning Leading,

• Different Hat, Big Shoes at DPIDifferent Hat, Big Shoes at DPIDifferent Hat, Big Shoes at DPIDifferent Hat, Big Shoes at DPI

• It’s a Librarian ThingIt’s a Librarian ThingIt’s a Librarian ThingIt’s a Librarian Thing

• Make your Library Make your Library Make your Library Make your Library

Indispensable: Professional Indispensable: Professional Indispensable: Professional Indispensable: Professional Development is not a LuxuryDevelopment is not a LuxuryDevelopment is not a LuxuryDevelopment is not a Luxury

• Bundle up and Save on the Bundle up and Save on the Bundle up and Save on the Bundle up and Save on the

AASL Planning GuideAASL Planning GuideAASL Planning GuideAASL Planning Guide

• Conference TipsConference TipsConference TipsConference Tips

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programs, the authors we hoped to meet and their treasured autographs, the freebies

(including the free food!) we’d find in the exhibit hall, and the chance to get away, reflect, re-

fresh, and recharge our personal and professional energy. The road trip experience didn’t end

with our arrival in the conference city. I can remember a late-dinner evening when at least 9

of us piled in a car that was only meant for 4 people. We were starving and squished and of

course we got lost in Charlotte as we drove around and around looking for a clean, safe, de-

cent, reasonably priced place on whose menu we could all agree. It was an unforgettable ad-

venture and while I wouldn’t want to repeat that experience, I love the camaraderie we

shared! Hitting the road for a long drive home after conference was also a great time. Gone

was the giddiness and excitement about what lay ahead. Instead we were tired, with full and

fuller bags, new ideas to mull over, and session information to share. Hitting the road for con-

necting, learning, and leading was one of the most important pieces of my professional life,

and I can’t wait to do it all over again this year!

You may be thinking that this sounds great, but that you just can’t afford to go to con-

ference this year. After all, there’s no money for professional development, no one’s paying

for travel, and who’s going to cover the media center if I’m out? I might even have to take

personal days and pay for my own sub if I go to conference this year. The conference isn’t

cheap (it’s $100 for registration this year), and even the cost of parking has gone up a bit.

True that. Yet, can you afford NOT to go? THIS is the year and the stakes have never been

higher. Whether we like it or not, prepared or just barely keeping up, whether we’re fixed or

flexed, seasoned professionals or newbies, change-lovers or those who like their traditions

and the status quo, change has arrived. Race to the Top, new Essential Standards, Common

Core adoption, a revision to the Teacher Evaluation process (with the revision of our own

MCPAI-R close behind), and an unprecedented budget shortfall in North Carolina have con-

verged to make this a critical time of opportunity and crisis for our profession. It’s a perfect

storm. It’s about our jobs. It’s about our professional practice. And most of all, it’s about the

impact we have on student learning. You NEED to hit the road for Winston-Salem, to connect,

to learn, and to lead in new ways. The future awaits, the road lies before us -- so buckle up

your seat belt (it will be a bumpy ride) -- enjoy time in the car with your peers, and see you in

Winston-Salem, whatever it takes!

(Continued from page 1)

Don’t forget…… Facebook:

NC School Library Media Association

Twitter:

www.twitter.com/NCSLMA

GoogleGroup:

groups.google.com/group/ncslma

Blog:

www.ncslma.blogspot.com

Wiki:

http://21clibrary.pbworks.com

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Different hat, big shoes at DPI

Effective September 13th, I’ve donned a different hat as the new School Library Media Con-

sultant at NC DPI’s Instructional Technology Division. Along with the new hat, I am stepping

into the big shoes left by the wonderful Gerry Solomon who retired from this position at the

end of May. I’ve spent my first weeks getting connected, learning the ropes, attending nearby

regional meetings, and revving up for the impact of Race to the Top on North Carolina schools.

My new co-workers at DPI have been very welcoming and made me feel right at home. I

sense that they’re are glad to have someone back in place whose vision is focused squarely on

NC school libraries!

If you’re keeping score at home, I’m planning to:

1.) complete my term as NCSLMA President (which ends in Nov. 2010)

2.) fulfill my obligation next year as NCSLMA Past President (Nov. 2010 - Nov. 2011)

3.) serve on the NCSLMA Board as DPI Liaison during my tenure at DPI.

This is an unusual place to inhabit and I appreciate your understanding as I wear these differ-

ent hats, try to meet all my obligations, and keep my worlds from colliding! I’ll make a special

effort to be clear about which hat I’m wearing when I communicate using any of NCSLMA’s

channels (blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google Groups, etc.). If you’re ever confused about where I

stand, please let me know so that I can communicate more clearly.

I will continue to participate in Google Groups as an NCSLMA member and plan to add a new

subscription that allows me to be Kelly@DPI when I need to communicate wearing my DPI hat.

You can reach me at [email protected] when you have concerns that are strictly

NCSLMA business, otherwise feel free to contact me at DPI at [email protected]. I

will continue the practice of blogging that Gerry started, and you can find new posts at my DPI

blog, Staring Straight into the Future.

I’ve very excited about this new opportunity and the chance to meet many of you in your

school libraries. My passion is with school libraries, their place in a 21st century learning envi-

ronment, and their impact on student learning. No matter which hat I’m wearing, in my view

school librarians are the ultimate 21st century educators! I look forward to meeting you soon,

either at NCSLMA’s conference in November or as I travel throughout the state.

-Kelly Brannock

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Thing Librarian Thing Librarian Librarian Thing It’s a

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I always knew I was a little bit different. I still remember how excited I was when I

received this button, proudly announcing “I never guess, I look it up!” I didn’t realize

it was a promotional activity for a major encyclopedia publisher, I was just proud to

have successfully completed the information searches. Unlike my classmates who

were rowdy during Mr. Tumas’ library science class, I was actually interested in how

Dewey structured knowledge … I guess the signs were there that I was destined to be a

librarian. I didn’t pursue it right away, but when I finally did, I felt very much at home in

the discipline and connected with my fellow librarians.

After library school and working in a public library, I was in for a shock when I

took my first job as a school media specialist at a K-8 private school. I was one of dozens

of educators on campus, focused on my program and teaching responsibilities, yet I was

also very alone. It wasn’t until I got wind of a small group of similarly placed school li-

brarians and joined their monthly meetings that I really realized how isolated I was. The

professional association was a life-saver! The collegiality renewed me, the collaboration

supported me, and yes, even commiseration helped, validating common challenges and

providing opportunities for generating solutions – together.

Encouraged by my colleagues, I attended my first professional conference. I en-

joyed inspiring presentations by leaders in librarianship, listened to professional story-

tellers, tried out the latest technological innovations, and attended relevant concurrent

sessions to help me manage the parts of my program where I was most challenged. I

was hooked! Throughout the year I continued to connect with local media folks, all the

while storing up topics to explore when I got to the conference.

Fast forward to today. What a difference a decade (or two) makes! Through

NCSLMA and NC TIES, I get to know others who are working to improve information lit-

eracy and lead their schools in effective technology integration. I don’t have to wait for

a month or a year to connect with my colleagues; I connect online. I can learn about dif-

ferentiated instruction from North Carolina teachers on LEARN NC <http://

www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/every-learner/6680> , find articles teachers need for

teaching current events on NC WiseOwl < http://www.ncwiseowl.org/>, and get tips for

better use of online forums < http://instructify.com/2010/09/07/online-forum-

discussion-board-instructifeature/ > on Instructify. Through professional workshops

and conferences, I have opportunities to lead, share, and to continue to grow profes-

sionally. Most importantly, I am not going it alone.

We may be the only person in our building that does what we do, but somehow

that is not such a tough place to be anymore. When we wonder about something

“outloud” on Twitter, asking, for instance, “When I don't know something I can't rest,

have to find it out. Anyone else or is it just a librarian thing?” we are not talking to our-

selves. Our Media peeps respond!

Stay connected professionally. This year’s NCSLMA conference < http://

www.ncslma.org/Conference.htm> provides the best opportunity for you to network

and learn from others in our stellar state-wide media community. I wouldn’t miss it, and

neither will you. See you there! -Melissa Thibault

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Like so many libraries recently, mine received no funding this year. Even so, I am grate-

ful. Despite the fact that, when all the cards were played, I was left holding an empty bag, I

feel fortunate to have at least had a place at the table and a voice in the budgetary process

at our school. And it is for this reason that, in a year when even my personal budget seems

to be hemorrhaging red ink, I have made attending NCSLMA’s annual conference a priority.

In my experience, too often, when money gets tight, one of the first things cut is the

budget for professional development. Believe me, I get it. When the dollars start to dwin-

dle, it only makes sense to eliminate those line items that don’t represent an immediate

need. And yet, given the tough economic times we find ourselves in, I can’t help but think

that by cutting professional development from the “necessary expense” column that, rather

than trimming the fat, we’re really shooting ourselves in the foot.

As I said, even though my library received no funding this year, I feel fortunate because

at least I had a voice in the discussion that resulted in this decision. But more importantly, I

know that I would never have been included in that discussion had my principal not seen

me as a shareholder in our school’s success and as someone whose knowledge and exper-

tise was needed to determine how school dollars were to be disseminated this year. This is

a role I cherish, but that I must point out was not handed to me on the first day of school

along with my name badge. Rather, the “place at the table” that I am grateful for now was

earned over the course of several years spent proving, to both my principal and the staff at

my school, that I possess the instructional chops, technological know-how and innovative

practice to help make things happen for our students and our school - none of which I could

claim were it not for continued and meaningful professional development.

Now, more than ever, we find ourselves in a position where we must draw a direct line

between ourselves and student achievement. Now, more than ever, we are charged with

leading the way as our schools, and indeed our state, strive, (and in some cases struggle), to

implement 21st century technologies to support and enhance student learning. Now, more

than ever, every day, every lesson, every conversation must be about proving to the world

that we are indispensable members of the school community.

Which is why now, more than ever, our continued growth as learners and professionals

is not an expense we can afford to cut. NCSLMA’s annual conference offers us all the oppor-

tunity to share with and be inspired by the members of our state’s professional learning

community and extended media family. Whether it’s your first or fiftieth time attending,

the contacts, resources and energy you will glean from those few days are, I would respect-

fully submit, well worth the price of admission.

So, as we all struggle to make tough choices regarding our libraries and what little mon-

ies we have to provide services to our schools, I hope you will put professional development

back in the “must have” category. Even though, on paper, it may seem as though going to

conference this year is an expense you can afford to cut, it is my strong belief that profes-

sional development is not a luxury. Rather, it is the very thing that, in the end, will help us

save our jobs and our budgets.

Make Your Library Indispensable: Make Your Library Indispensable: Make Your Library Indispensable: Make Your Library Indispensable: Professional Development is Not a LuxuryProfessional Development is Not a LuxuryProfessional Development is Not a LuxuryProfessional Development is Not a Luxury

-Jennifer LaGarde

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10.Face-to-Face Networking – You’ll connect with 1,000 of your

colleagues: school librarians, library science professors, media and

technology directors, and library school students.

9. Exhibits and Vendors – You’ll connect with vendors who supply

you with the latest resources at great deals.

8. Technology – You’ll learn about new technologies for connecting

students with one another and for creating new knowledge.

7. Pre-conference Sessions – You’ll learn from the experts: state

and national speakers.

6. Concurrent Sessions – You’ll learn from the experts: your fellow

school librarians, influential speakers, and award-winning authors.

5. Advocacy Keynote – You’ll learn how to lead and be an advocate

for yourself, your school library, and your fellow teacher librarians.

4. Connections Luncheon – You’ll connect with national leaders

about the state of school libraries.

3. State Panel Discussion – You’ll learn from our state leadership

who will encourage you to lead the way in your schools and district.

2. Professional Learning Networks – You’ll generate ideas, topics,

and professional conversation starters to Twitter, blog, and post,

connecting with speakers, authors, and colleagues and leading the

profession.

1. Vision – You’ll lead your colleagues by taking on new teaching

and leadership roles to advance 21st

century learning and to impact

student achievement!

Ten W

ays to C

onne

ct, Learn, a

nd Lead at C

onfe

rence

-Deanna Harris

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Have you ever been to an NCSLMA Conference? Do you think it’s not

for you? Are you unwilling to pay the money?

The NCSLMA Conference and membership in the organization is one of the

best values you can get for your money. I’ve been to national conferences

and I have to say that what we have in North Carolina can rival almost any-

thing you can see at a national conference. Many people who went to

AASL’s Conference in Charlotte said the same thing! We are blessed with a

lot of local talent – people who want to share what they know and what

they do.

When I first moved to NC ten years ago I didn’t know anyone at the first

conference I went to but it was still a great experience. I went to a concur-

rent session in each time slot and brought back so many ideas. I was new

to the world of school libraries so I was pretty green. I have been back

every year since and I continue to learn. That’s one key to our profession –

we have to be committed to being lifelong learners just like we strive to

develop that in our students.

Over the years I’ve gotten to know many more people in NC and now when

I go to conference it’s like a family reunion. It’s great to see people you

haven’t seen in awhile and to catch up on what has been going on in their

lives. It’s the ultimate renewal for a weary media coordinator. A good

conference can give you a new passion for your job and thoughts on how

you can do your job better.

Maybe all this Web 2.0 stuff is foreign to you and you’re not sure you

want to learn. Well, a conference is a great place to be able to try new

things in a risk-free environment. No one’s observing you or grading your

performance, you’re just there to learn.

With all the budget cuts and job cuts in the past few years we cannot af-

ford to “do the same old thing.” What worked before may not be enough

now. I think most school districts have lost positions and seen a decrease

Why Should I go to Conference? What’s in it for me?

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in funding. If you want to be saved the next time your system is looking to

make cuts you have to change and adapt with the times. Libraries are no

longer just quiet places where you go to check out a book once in awhile.

Many libraries are dynamic learning centers with a lot going on. When I

interviewed for my first job I said that learning can be noisy and I wasn’t

going to have a silent library. Luckily for me the principal and assistant su-

perintendent agreed with my philosophy.

I love to learn new things. Some people don’t like change but it hap-

pens every day so there’s no escaping it. We have to change and adapt in

order to meet the changing needs of our students and to keep our jobs.

Going to the annual conference is more important than ever - especially in

these tough economic times. Even if you have to pay for the conference

yourself it’s well worth the cost. I’ve had to pay for my own staff develop-

ment for a number of years but I still go. I share a room with a friend I

don’t get to see much anymore and it’s a great way to reconnect and cut

costs. You don’t have to stay at one of the conference hotels if you can’t

afford it since there are other hotels in the area but you can usually fit

more than two people in a room if you’re willing to share.

Please make the commitment to attend this conference, you won’t be

sorry! I am so excited about all the authors and speakers that will be there

as well as the great sessions. Another tip to keep costs down that you

should remember for the future is to figure out what session you could

present at the conference since presenters get their basic registration for

free. I’ve presented a few times and it’s really not that scary. It is some-

times harder to present to your peers but I’ve always had great audiences

with people eager to learn and who are willing to ask questions.

Take the plunge – register for the conference today! You won’t be

sorry. It may be the best money you spend this year. I can’t wait to see all

of you there!

Why Should I go to Conference? What’s in it for me?

-Deb Christensen

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If you’ve been thinking about purchasing AASL’s new Planning Guide,

your membership in NCSLMA can save you some money! (If you don’t know about this new Guide, you need to learn about this excel-

lent new tool for planning, assessment & advocacy.) As an AASL Af-filiate, we can offer a discounted price to our members if we can meet

a minimum bulk order of 50 licenses. If we can assemble a group of 100 members purchasing together, the savings are even greater.

Here are the details:

NCSLMA can obtain a discounted rate for purchasing individual li-

censes to the Planning Guide; you do not need to be an AASL mem-ber to purchase at a reduced rate through NCSLMA in the initial year

of the license.

NCSLMA will make the purchase on one bill, so individual members

would remit their payments to NCSLMA.

The user name for your individual license is associated with your email address, so we would need a user name, email address, and

phone number for each member that purchases a license through NCSLMA’s bulk order.

Annual renewals would have to be done individually and NCSLMA

would not be able to offer a discounted rate for renewals. Only first-time subscriptions are eligible for the discount. AASL members,

however, are eligible for a discount when it’s time to renew.

The bottom line? The prices (including the NCSLMA discount prices) are as follows:

Annual Subscriptions Individual Subscription: $40 per license AASL Member: $36 per license (10% discount) Bulk Orders

50 or more licenses: $32 per license (20% discount) 100 or more licenses: $30 per license (25% discount)

Bundle up and Save on the AASL Planning Guide

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Bundle up and Save on the AASL Planning Guide Look for an order form on the NCSLMA website coming soon. An an-

nouncement about the availability of the online order form will be posted to Google Groups, Twitter, Facebook, and the NCSLMA blog.

We are not yet able to receive online payments on our site, so after completing the online order form you will need to follow up with your

payment to NCSLMA.

Because we have to meet a minimum threshold for the bulk order,

there will be a cut-off date after which no more orders will be ac-

cepted. In the event we do not achieve the minimum number

needed, your payments will be returned.

This is yet another example of where it pays (or should I say, it

saves) to work together! If you’re thinking about purchasing this ex-cellent tool for planning, assessment, and advocacy, please consider

using NCSLMA to assist you in this purchase -- one more way your

NCSLMA membership works for you! For more information, please contact Kelly Brannock at [email protected]

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The next issue of Media

Connections will be

published online in

December. The theme is

about Resources & Tools.:

We are looking for articles and examples such

as pathfinders, organizational strategies, web 2.0

tricks, etc. Please consider writing about your

resources and tools in our next issue. Share

your story. The writing deadline is November

10th. Please send articles to Carolyn Vibbert at

[email protected]. Our writing contest

continues….all new writers will be entered in our

contest for a $25 amazon.com gift certificate.

All stock photos were used with permission from

stock.xchng.com Book: Sanja Gjenero Mouse: jaylopez Post-it: BSK

Camera: Patrick Hajzler Colored Squares: Billy Alexander Backgrounds: clix, Ivan

Prole, Nimalan Tharmalin-gam

Thank you to our contributors!

Kelly Brannock Deb Christensen

Deanna Harris Jennifer LaGarde Melissa Thibault

Conference T

ips Study the program guide to pick out what sessions you think are right for you and circle or

highlight the possibilities on the schedule. It’s always good to have a backup planned.

Visit the poster sessions. The people who create these poster sessions had an idea good

enough to win a Read2Succeed grant so it must be good! Maybe you’ll pick up some

ideas.

Visit the vendors and thank them for exhibiting. Vendor fees help pay for the conference

and it’s great to be able to see what’s new and coming in the future.

Make some new friends. Talk to the people you meet in line or at a session before it starts.

Take time to enjoy the conference. Don’t let yourself get too tired or too frazzled that you

don’t have a good time. Eat right and try to get enough sleep – that will help.

Please fill out the evaluations – your opinions do count. Changes are made to future

conferences based on feedback from conferences in the past. Please mention the good

with the bad. If you had a great time, say so! Know that some things are out of

NCSLMA’s control.

Bring address labels or business cards to register for vendor giveaways. It’s always good to

have business cards to swap with new friends too.

Wear comfortable shoes because you’ll do a lot of walking. Dress in layers so if it’s too hot or

too cold you’ll be prepared.

Above all, have a good time and share the great ideas you get with colleagues who couldn’t

attend!


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