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| Mars Millennium Project Imagine creating a village for 100 transplanted
earthlings on Mars in the year 2030. This national Mars Millennium
Project will inspire debate, in-depth research and the quest
for new ideas revolving around the White House Millennium Council's
central theme, "Honor the Past - Imagine the Future."
Throughout the course of the project, students will pose questions
and find solutions to important issues that affect our lives
now and for generations to come. |
The project can be as simple
or as involved as you wish. The process asks students to Reflect,
Imagine, Discover, Create, and Share. You may work on it for
a your or for a few weeks, engage in detailed research or simply
read a few books. If you are interested, you must register your
project by June 1, 2001. [text from the MMP website]
This exciting learning
experience is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Endowment
for the Arts, and the J. Paul Getty Trust. The Mars Millennium Project website has excellent online resources,
connections to experts, lesson plans, and a wealth of information
about the topic.
|
ThinkQuest
Consider this contest that challenges students to use information
and technology literacy skills and is an excellent project to
engage students in authentic learning. "The annual ThinkQuest
Internet Challenge, a philanthropic and educational initiative,
invites teams of students ages 12 to 19 to work together with
a teacher/librarian coach to create an interactive, well-researched
Web site on a topic of interest to them. These teams work for
more than eight months to gather data, conduct research, and
learn about the Internet as they build educationally rich sites.
Upon completion, the entries become a permanent part of the ThinkQuest
Library, available to teachers, students, and Internet users
across the globe. Collectively, the ThinkQuest participants,
many of whom are new to technology, have created 4,000 Web sites
on topics ranging from diplomacy to space exploration to growing
up with epilepsy. Three awards will be made in each of the five
categories. First prize is $1000 per student, $2000 per coach
and $1000 per school; second prize is $750 per student, $1500
per coach and $750 per school; third prize is $500 per student,
$1000 per coach and $500 per school. In addition, one best-in-contest
prize will be awarded, with a prize of $1500 per student, $2500
per coach and $1500 per school.
Since its inception in 1996, 50,000 young Web designers from
100 countries have participated in the not-for-profit ThinkQuest
programs. There are two ThinkQuest contests, the ThinkQuest Internet
Challenge (for students ages 12-19) and ThinkQuest Junior (for
girls and boys in grades 4-6). These programs encourage collaboration,
leadership, and critical thinking and help raise students' self-esteem,
along with their technological skills. Contest rules are designed
to narrow the "Digital Divide" by giving greater weight
and higher rankings to mixed gender teams that include members
from diverse levels of computer competency, and cultural and
geographic backgrounds." (text from the ThinkQuest website)
If you are interested in coaching a team of students. go to the
ThinkQuest 2001 website
for details and to sign up. |
American Library Association Announces Award Winning
Books for 2001
Read brief summaries about these
award winning books at the ALA
website.
 |
Caldecott
Medal
So You Want to Be President?
David Small, illustrator |
 |
Newbery
Medal
A Year Down Yonder
Richard Peck |
 |
Coretta Scott King
Miracle Boys
Jacqueline Woodson
Coretta Scott King
Uptown
Bryan Collier, illustrator
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| |
|
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award
The deadline for voting for the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award is
extended to April 30, 2001. All information about this award
can be found on the Maryland
Educational Media Organization's website. |
|
 Library Online Acquisitions
(LOLA)
Rebuilding secondary library collections with the 10.529 million
is a huge task; however, by using technology to work effectively
and efficiently, quality collections are being developed in a
way that no other school district has ever done. The Office of
Library Information Services wishes to thank you for all of your
hard work....sometimes back--breaking labor shelving all the
new wonderful materials. We have appreciated receiving all the
great news stories from your local papers. Also, we have enjoyed
hearing the heart-warming stories of how students are enjoying
the new materials......reading is fun and using books for research
is not a thing of the past.
As a result of your hard
work and positive response to the LOLA Project, you are making
a significant difference in how we do business in school libraries.
This week we will be meeting with World Book personnel to design
an online ordering system like that of Follett 's and Grolier's.
The success of these companies and our urging publishers to offer
online ordering are making an impact on the industry. The BCPS
website designed by WorldBook will be the national prototype.
At this time, we do not know when the website will be completed;
however, if it is within our LOLA ordering timeframe, we will
make arrangements for you to use it.
In addition, the article,
Library
Renaissance in Baltimore County: An Open and Shut Case for Library
Funding, (MultiMedia
Schools, Nov/Dec 2000) has been well received by other school
districts in the U.S. and Canada. As a result, Della Curtis and
Kay Jones will be presenting at the Computers
in Libraries Conference
in Washington, D.C. on March 16, 2001 and at the Pennsylvania
Library Association
Conference in Hershey, PA on April 26, 2001.
|
World
Book Company Designing an Online Ordering Website
It won't be long before World Book will have an online ordering
site like Follett and Grolier. Company officials were convinced
by the Office of Library Information Services that this method
of ordering would benefit everyone. Last week web developers
met with Della and Art for input and suggestions. Will send everyone
an announcement when the new website is launched. |
|
 2000-2001 S.A.F.E. Grant
for Elementary Schools
We have heard many positive comments from elementary school library
media specialists about the new Follett online ordering system.
Sure beats preparing long book lists and spending hours at the
photocopy machine making 5 copies of your book order.
We have received several calls from library
media specialists stating that some books they wish to order
are not on the Elementary School Library Collection (ESLC)
online catalog. Perhaps a clarification of the catalog would
be helpful. As you know, the ESLC is an authoritative collection
development resource that recommends quality books reviewed in
multiple sources in order to meet Bowker's collection criteria.
The online catalog that you are using is tailored to the Baltimore
Co. Public School's curriculum, specifically those indicators
matching the grant proposal for this year (science, social studies,
biography, the arts). We would appreciate that you order within
the parameters of the online collection development resource
prepared for BCPS; however, if you have special request, please
contact Della or Art and we will be happy to discuss your needs.
Also, remember that you may order by traditional PR means for
media items recommended in the Library Instructional Media Catalog
(only items specific to the grant proposal) and with publishers
such as World Book who are direct order vendors (items are not
available via a jobber such as Follett). If you need additional
information, the S.A.F.E. Grant webpage
is still available for your review |
 Chatsworth's
Media Center Gazette>
Nancy Braverman, Library Media Specialist, has again written
a model newsletter for faculty as well as produce an excellent
public relations and instructional tool. Nancy gave permission
to convert it to html so that we could share it with you via
the Office of Library Information Services online newsletter.
Great job, Nancy! |
MSDE Library Standards Review
If you have questions about the review, please do not hesitate
to contact Della or Art. Remember your school's review is due
Feb. 16, 2001. Send a photocopy and keep the original for your
records. Following receipt of all school's reports, we will be
compiling the results in order to provide MSDE with the data.
Also, 3 schools will participate in the MSDE review by officials
from the Division of Library Development and Services and colleagues
from several other counties in Maryland. One school will be selected
for the onsite review with 2 other school library media specialists
will give reports about their school library standards review
results. |
Maryland Technology Academy
We sent to all school library media specialists (Jan 2001) this
year's application for the Maryland Technology Academy. You are
encouraged to apply for this wonderful opportunity to learn technology
integration strategies and technology skill building. Check out
the MTA
website for additional information. |
|
OnLINE Website Receives
Recognition
Recently the BCPS librarian's website
has been selected as a featured site in Lightspan's StudyWeb®
as one of the best educational resources on the Web. You will
be able to view it in the Professional Development:Teaching Resources:Creating
Lesson Plans section.
StudyWeb® is one of the Internet's
premier sites for educational resources for students and teachers.
Since 1996, Lightspan's expert reviewers have scoured the Internet
to select only the finest sites to be included in StudyWeb's
listing of educational links. Each site in StudyWeb® includes
a detailed review describing its editorial and visual merits.
Inclusion in StudyWeb® will increase
BCPS exposure and attract new visitors to our site. Reviews have
been featured on Webcrawler Select, The Lycos Top 5%, Education
World and many others, and StudyWeb® updates are provided
to media and educational resources around the world. If you are
unfamiliar with StudyWeb®,
please check it out.
.
|
 Maryland K-12 Digital Library
Della is chairing the Maryland K-12 Digital Library, a study
sponsored by the Maryland State Department of Education, Division
of Library Development and Services. The goal of this committee
is to make recommendations of online resources for all Maryland
K-12 students and to seek state funding support. The K-12
Maryland Digital Library Project website is available for
your to check on the progress of the committee. |
Knowledge
Quest on the Web
The official journal of the American Association for School Librarians
is on the web. The print version of this journal is available
only to members of ALA and AASL. Take advantage of the online
articles (without membership fee) to keep informed about school
libraries. |
Read
a Great Article by Dr. Jamie McKenzie
This month Dr. McKenzie features an article about wireless technology
in schools. The timing was perfect as the Office of Library Information
Services proposed to Beth Straus, Principal of New Town Elementary
School, a solution to lack of space for more than one computer
lab. She will be purchasing a mobile laptop cart with 15-20 wireless
network computers, projection device, printer, and wireless hub
connector. The cart will enable any classroom to become
a computer lab. As Dr. McKenzie states, "In most cases,
they are better off with 15 computers for one week every two
months than 2-3 computers all year. |
National
Library Week, April 1-7, 2001
It's not to early to begin planning for the celebration of School
Library Media Month in April 2001. Check out the AASL website
for resources
and public relation ideas. |
Resource
Guides Bibliography for School Library Media Program Development
The American Association of School Librarians has an excellent
online resource of web-based guides to assist you in answering
your questions and the many requests for information from principals,
parents, and government officials about school libraries. Books,
journal articles, Web sites, and other media are included. The
items are arranged alphabetically by frequently used topics in
the professional literature. The bibliography is a work-in-progress
and will be continually revised and updated. |
|
 Media Processing Center (MPS) Requests
- Please do not pack the boxes so heavy when sending books
and other media for processing. These boxes must be lifted by
Carla and Maggie who have weight limits for lifting.
- Attach your barcodes to items before sending materials in
for cataloging and processing. No items will be cataloged without
the barcodes already affixed.
- Call the MPC (4208) before sending items in for cataloging.
Our storage is limited thus requiring scheduling of your cataloging
requests.
.
|
 Maryland Technology
Showcase
Thanks to Joyce Caldwell, Barbara Falkinburg, Brad Foster, Bill
Groth, Kay Jones, Carolyn Mollenkopf, Eileen Moore, Anne O'Neil,
Jane Scott, and Pat Simon for demonstrating the Online Research
Modules, the Module Maker, and the LOLA Project. It was wonderful
to see many of you at the showcase. I heard many positive comments
about Dr. McKenzie's keynote address and all of the exhibits.
Joanne McConnell, (retired from BCPS) did a wonderful job of
organizing the Library: Portals of Learning area. |
 EvaluTech: Free Database of Instructional Materials
Reviews
The Southern Regional Education Board has a great resource of
more than 5000 reviews of instructional materials recommended
for classroom use in K-12. Trained reviewers using extensive
criteria evaluate these materials. Products evaluated included
computer software, audiovisual materials, CD-ROM-based reference
databases, websites, and print materials. Evaluation criteria
include some correlations to state student academic standards. |
 Library of Congress Learning Page Revised
Check out the new look and organization of The Learning Page,
a website created to help educators use the American Memory collections,
primary source materials...such as George Washington's letters,
Walt Whitman's journals, historic documents like the Gettysburg
address, civil war maps and photographs, recording of folk music,
some of the earliest motion pictures, and MUCH MORE! The revised
website has the following sections: Orientation (how to use the
website), Features, Collections, Activities (engaging introduction
to the American Memory project) , Educators (professional development),
Lessons, and Resources. |
|
Lessons
from the Internet Search-Off
This study was designed to determine how Web searching and traditional
DIALOG online searching compare. Searchers, with a least 2 years
of searching experience, use a real question (not one they invented),
and asked the end user to rank each of the top 30 documents found
on a scale of 1-5. The RESULTS...it takes a least twice as long
on the Web as it does on traditional services to find relevant
documents. Both the Web and traditional web sources yielded,
on average, the same number of highly valuable documents. However,
the Web also returned twice the number of useless documents.
Read more about it, check out the website!
For those library media specialists who
just completed the Advanced
Reference course at Towson University with Della Curtis,
this is not news to you, right? Ask Brad Foster, Sharon Grimes,
Eileen Moore, Sue Mundy...first time DIALOG searchers, but now
seasoned searchers! :-)
|
|
The County
Public Schools' Telecommunications Policy has been an excellent
one, but it is nearly 5 years old. The law, educational practice,
and technology have all changed considerably in that time. As
a system, we need a current state-of-the-art model, an improved
format for the communication and ongoing administration of the
model - especially in sites where we have key personnel turnover,
and a method for periodic review and revision of this policy.
Without such an update, we face tremendous liabilities and potential
litigation as a system and as individuals. We become limited
in our ability to restrict inappropriate or harmful computer
use by students and to maximize employee accountability. Our
Deputy Superintendent, Chris Johns, has given her approval and
encouragement for us to convene a horizontal team to update our
telecommunications policy and procedures. We have the opportunity
and the obligation to complete that task, and given the quality
of our current document, it should be a fairly succinct process.
Check out the website to keep informed about the committee
progress and to email your comments and suggestions. |
 Snap These
Tps for Using the Digital Camera
Created by an elementary school teachers, this website provides
links to sites dealing with the purchase and review of digital
cameras and ideas for using digital cameras to support the curriculum.
Sample projects by teachers who have integrated their digicams
into their classrooms, as well a interesting student-centered
projects using digital photography are features. There is even
a section on student assessment that highlight the creation of
electronic portfolios and outlines the best ways to use digital
photography to do so. |
Create Professional Surveys with Zoomerang
Whether you are doing your own research or wish to guide your
students in creating a survey for instructional purposes, you
must take a few moments to review Zoomerang...it is worth the
time! Check out this website that allows one to easily conduct
professional-grade surveys and gather and analyze the critical
feedback necessary to make important decisions. The basic subscription
is FREE; an upgraded version is available for $199.00. Creating
your own survey may sound intimidating, but Zoomerang makes it
simple. Choose from more than 100 survey ideas - each one contains
sample questions in a ready-to-send template. If you have particular
needs or are just feeling creative, you may build your own survey
from scratch. Answers to survey questions are tabulated in real
time and presented in clear graphic charts and tables. Zoomerang
has so many useful features....you just have to see it yourself!
Click the link "Register" to get your free account. |
Research for
School Improvement
Need educational research? Does your School Improvement Team
need information for decision making? If so, a website created
by Della provides excellent links to resources that can help.
You might even want to showcase it at a faculty meeting. It is
an excellent way to demonstrate your role as an information specialist. |
Schedule of Staff Development Meetings
for 2001
|
Elementary Librarians"
Meetings |
Secondary Librarians'
Meetings |
- February 16, 1:00 - 4:00
SE Area - Edgemere Elem
SW Area - Dogwood Elem
NE Area - Martin Blvd Elem
NW Area - Chatsworth Elem
C Area - Sparks Elem
- April 27, 1:00 - 4:00
ESS
|
- February 23, 8:00 - 12:00
ESS
- April 27, 8:00 - 12:00
ESS
|
|
|
 Mark
Your Calendar
- April 1 - 7, 2001
National
Library Week
Check out the website for all kinds of promotionals!
- Plan Ahead for the American
Association of School Librarians Tenth National Conference and
Exhibition
November 14-18, 2001
· Indianapolis, Indiana
Coming Together
as a Community of Learners will
be the theme of the conference. Educational programs for the
conference will be developed along four thematic strands: "Focusing
on the Learner," "Using Technology to Create Learning
Communities,""Building Partnerships for Learning within
the Community," and "Assuring Accountability for Learning."
|
|
Published by Della Curtis,
Coordinator
Office of Library Information Services
January 13, 2001 |
