Welcome Sheri Ripley, Library Media Specialist, Battle Grove Elementary ; and, Kelly Scott, Library Media Specialist, Woodlawn Middle. If you get a chance, give them a welcome call.
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| We will miss Kay Sullivan, Administrative Secretary to the Office of Library Information Services, will be retiring as of February 1, 2001. She is planning to provide day care for her new grandson, born with hemophilia, who will require special care. While Kay had planned to work until Feb. 1, her plans changed due to a personal injury that occurred during her Christmas vacation in Germany with her son and family. She took a fall down several steps and broke her hand and knocked out her front teeth. She underwent dental and hand surgery in Germany; however, on January 10 she will undergo additional hand surgery that will require an external apparatus with pins. After talking with Kay today, we have decided to defer a retirement party until the SLMA Retirement Dinner in May when she will be in better spirits. I am sure Kay would appreciate your calls and cards. We will be sending a flyer with her address and telephone number to all schools this week. We will miss Kay very much as she was the "font line" service person whom we all could count on getting us right answer to our questions and concerns. |
| Welcome
Leah Griffin, Administrative
Secretary to the Office of Library Information Services. We are
most fortunate to have Leah working with us. She has 15 years
experience as a secretary at Mars Estates. and, most recently,
Dundalk High School. She is tech savvy, anxious to learn the
job by tomorrow, highly organized, and loves to work. Could we
ask for anything more? When you call the office, give her a warm
welcome. Welcome Sheri Ripley, Library Media Specialist, Battle Grove Elementary ; and, Kelly Scott, Library Media Specialist, Woodlawn Middle. If you get a chance, give them a welcome call. |
| Graduate and Inservice Courses You are encouraged to take advantage of the graduate/inservice courses offered by the Office of Library Information Services this semester. They are as follows: Teaching Information Literacy in the Elementary School; Teaching Information Literacy in the Secondary School; Web-based Instruction in Education (graduate credit from Towson University); and Library Pro. Course descriptions and the application are available in the BCPS Staff Development Course Catalog sent to every school in December and available online. |
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. |
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| 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. |
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| American Library Association Announces Award Winning
Books for 2001 Read brief summaries about these award winning books at the ALA website.
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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. |
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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. |
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| 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. |
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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 |
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 Chatsworth's
Media Center GazetteNancy 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! |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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OnLINE Website Receives
Recognition 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. |
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 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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 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. |
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 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. |
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 Library of Congress Learning Page RevisedCheck 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. |
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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! :-) |
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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. |
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 Snap These
Tps for Using the Digital CameraCreated 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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Schedule of Staff Development Meetings
for 2001
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Office of Library Information Services January 13, 2001 |
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Library Online Acquisitions
(LOLA) 
2000-2001 S.A.F.E. Grant
for Elementary Schools
Media Processing Center (MPS) Requests
Mark
Your Calendar