The Ultimate Duo!

School and Public Library Partnerships

Lacie Griffin- LMS Raytown Central Middle SchoolJessica Ford- Mid-Continent Public Library- Red Bridge Branch

How to Get Started

• Contact your Public Library/School Librarians– Pick your method of communication

• Email – Phone – In-Person MeetingsMissouri Public Librarians by School District

• Create displays and signage to use in both libraries

Public Librarians can Create a Presence at the School

• September is Library Card Signup Month– This is a good first step into schools

• Open House Nights• Database Presentations• Parent/Teacher Conferences• Teachers Assistance Programs• Academic Fairs• Career Days• Monthly Classes

Ways to Encourage Cooperation•PTA meetings•Faculty Meetings•Open House•Class Visits•Read for the Record•School Programs – Supplement or man a table•Parent-Teacher Conf.•Bookmarks in School Library

Raytown Central / MCPL Raytown Branch• Goals for working together

– Increase teen reading for pleasure– Increase awareness/involvement of teen

programs– Use each other as sounding boards– Increase use of Research Databases

Programs• Bookmark Contest for Teen Read Week• Reading Club/Book Clubs

– Ravin’ Readers Teen Book Club– Challenge Students

• Vampire Program• Free Practice ACT/SAT tests• Teen Tech Week- Texting

Bookmark Contest for Teen Read Week

•Had students design bookmarks based off of the theme for Teen Read Week. •Advertised in both School and Public Libraries•Winners were chosen by a panel of teachers and public library staff•Winning bookmark was handed out at both libraries•Top three winning bookmarks were blown up and displayed

•Bookmark Entry Form

Book Club/Reading Clubs•Meet once a month at alternating location•Pick current books based on student interest•Have stations at book clubs

•15 minute activities•Hit multiple learning style•Good for younger readers (13-15)•Activities related directly to book

•Time period, trivia games, websites…•Online discussion board

•Throughout the month students can sign in and post thoughts on the title

Vampire Program•Based on Vladimir Tod YA series•Contacted author who sent promotional items for students

•Possibility of having direct contact with author through chat or webcam

•Field trip to public library to have special teen programing•Spray painting hair

•Write your name in Vampiric language•Prove/Disprove the existence of vampires•Raffle for YA vampire books

Free Practice ACT/SAT Tests

•Multiple online databases have free practice tests that can be accessed from home or school•MCPL is currently working with Kaplan Test Prep to provide free ACT and SAT tests to multiple branches throughout the system•Mumblings of school’s being funded based on ACT scores received by students

Research Databases•Try to prevent overlap of expensive databases

•This can save the school lots of money and allow them better pick their resources

•Database Presentations are a requirement for most Public Libraries•MOREnet has lost funding and schools in the next few years may not have any of their own•Being able to research through online databases is a grade level requirement for Missouri

Benefits for Both

• More variety of materials available• Advertising mutual and individual events• Attentive audiences- easier to tag team• More reluctant readers interested in reading• More challenges for Gifted readers• Shared workload• Increase in attendance and circulation

Summer Reading

• James Kim, assistant professor of education at Harvard University, looked at different approaches to summer reading and found that voluntary summer reading programs can work—but they work best when adults and teachers get involved by helping students to choose appropriate books and employ simple techniques to improve skill and understanding.

Summer Reading Con’t

• Providing books with no guidance may not help much at all. But when children get help choosing skill-appropriate books and read those books over the summer break, both independently and with guidance from family members, reading achievement scores can improve significantly.

• Dr. James Kim's researchNational Summer Learning Association- 800 Wyman Park Drive, Suite 110 Baltimore, MD 21211-2837

Questions? Other Ideas?