Computer Lab Almost Ready

Thought it was time to update my progress. Won't show the library half -- stuff all over the tables waiting for cabinets to get moved around. Been working yesterday and today sorting stuff, sending this here and that there, even some to the circular file. The computer lab is taking shape. We will have 20 machines in the lab. Thanks to maintenance I have 20 matching yellow chairs.

Larel, the tech coordinator, started to set up the machines at the end of the day -- really looks like a lab. I will have a laptop this year and will attach it to an LCD projector. Since I write on the whiteboard to mark things I am projecting that I want the students to remember or look for on their screens; Larel refers to it as my "analog smartboard."

Shelving in, Ready for the books

The shelving from the Mirage Flats school that closed was moved in and painted. It looks like different colors but that is just the light. Very nice shelving - all adjustable. My aide warned me that the shelves don't fit just anywhere so all 10 sections and 60 shelves were marked before they were moved. The Secondary collection will go on these shelves. They are on the east side of the room. The doorway (dark area on the left of the shelving) on this side will be the main entrance for most people.

The rest of the shelving from the Flats and one section from the original elementary shelving is on the south side and will hold the J Fiction. Beyond them are two eight-foot sections of low shelves for the E Fiction. (currently one is hidden behind the folding tables.)

The J/E Non Fiction will be on the west wall in low shelving with rails for displaying student work, posters, etc above.

The middle and the computer lab are still "under construction" and will be until the carpet cleaners come in two weeks. Also need to bring in lab tables and a few things from the Flats. Then move my desk and other stuff from the upstairs library.

Chore Two - Becoming an Opportunity

The new walls have been completed. (Behind the right wall is a classroom like the one on the left which currently is our elementary computer lab. ALL the books are on tables, most covered with plastic to protect them during construction. All the walls are newly painted off white.

Thought at first we could get by with leaving a couple bookcases alone until construction was done. But, ended up emptying ALL the shelves. The last two got a bit jumbled because my aide and I didn't do them. Oh, well.

#37 Polls and Surveys

I didn't realize just how easy this is. The hard part is getting the right questions. I put a short survey on my library webpage using SurveyMonkey. Then I added a poll about movies made from books. Since it expires in a week I think I will make a new one when school starts.

I put them on my webpage because I wanted to use them with my students. This is my webpage - Hawks Library.

I don't know exactly how I would use polls and surveys, but I think I will find some ways this year.

Chore One complete

Today we finished weeding. It went much faster than anticipated. We have over sixty boxes of books to be transported into town AFTER the shelves are brought in AFTER the new walls are built. With a few exceptions the books will be processed into the system over the next school year.

It is a relief seeing everything ready to go to town or to new homes elsewhere. I did save a few "oldies but goodies" as examples of why a collection needs to be weeded. Hawaii waiting to be the forty-ninth state, etc.

Opportunity or Chore

This summer I will have a great opportunity or a dreadful chore. We have closed our K-8 rural school and made the decision to put all library service in one physical location. The K-12 school currently houses the collection in two locations, one in the HS/MS and one in the elementary. Consequently I am always in the wrong location whenever someone is looking for me.
School is out and I have finished weeded the in town collection. Monday we start on the rural school collection. I have volunteered grandchildren to help.

Nebraska Learns 2.0 #35

I am ladyhawk on Wakoopa.
It has been a long time between activities for me. I decided I needed to get back in the game. Wakoopa might not have been the best place to start, but you have to start somewhere.

I had a hard time inviting you, Michael. I didn't have an email address, finally figured out where to get one today. (I'm a little slow this time of year.) Joining the Librarians Team was easier. I could not figure out where or how to write a review. I couldn't figure out the widget. When I tried it and previewed the link it would show my profile page. When I clicked on the link on Rapunzel 2.0 I was sent to Smart Shopper.com. Neither seemed to be what was desired.

I didn't find too many surprises when I looked at my profile. At home I often play games. I find Wakoopa interesting, curious; but I don't think I would use it very much. I am at Devotee level. I guess I found this one of the more interesting things about this site. One strange thing happened. I downloaded a free trial game - Montezuma's Treasure. It showed up on my profile as Сокровища Монтесумы. As a school librarian I doubt I would use it at work. It would not be my decision anyway.