Competency #2

This was tougher for me than I have expected. I think part of my problem is that I wanted to go in too many directions: young adult literature (YA Lit), technology, and PR for libraries. I know the kind of library I would like to focus on is a school setting with an emphasis on secondary (grades 6-12), but I also would like to stay up to date with the elementary libraries. After lots of thinking and searching I think I have settled on the use of technology in the secondary libraries while keeping up with young adult literature. I may even time to time post something I find about getting the word out about libraries.

After doing several searches through the Google Blog Search, I found this really get entry that combined technology with YA Lit. The blog owner of LuAnn's Library Technology posted about how she got her students to create a book trailer for the book they read in their Literature Circles. I think this is a wonderful idea and a great way to get the students actively involved in the school library. They could show these student made book tailers on the school's TV channel to advirtise for the library and even get students interested in something they may never have chosen before to read. My only disappointment is that the blog hasn't been updated in several months. That being said, this was just an entry that I couldn't not pass on to others you might be looking for some new ideas on using the power of technology with the knowledge of young adults.
I also would like to share this wonderful blogger. Her name is Megan B. and she just finished her MLIS and has started this blog with some great resourses on using technology in the libraries. She reminds me that we shouldn't be afraid of technology but to embrace it and use it to help us. Techology really can be fun.

Finally, I want to share this blog by Doug Johnson. My husband works with computers and when he talks to me about the different technology devices out there I begin to wonder how it could be used in the schools. One of the devices that has be intriged at the moment is this iPad of which I found Mr. Johnson's thoughts on it interesting.

Even before the iPad, we were moving to a personal computing platform model in
education - netbooks, smartphones, etc. I think it will be interesting to see if
the 9.7 screen is the sweet spot for personal computing devices or "neither fish
nor fowl" with neither laptop functionality nor cellphone size
convenience.We are making a deliberate move toward cloud-based computing in
ISD77 with the adoption of GoogleApps; using ASPs for webhosting,
datawarehousing and IEPs; and providing video via streaming. (I suspect our SIS,
library catalog, and all instructional software will be next.) I look to see a
webbrowser being the only software needed on most devices we use in schools
within 5 years with the exception of a few powerful computers for graphics/video
rendering in specialized labs.The big monkey wrench right now is testing.
Pearson can't or won't provide a cloud-based solution that runs in a browser.
This inability may wind up costing schools millions if we need to maintain labs
of desktop computers just for testing, testing, testing. I won't mention where I
think our state DOE'shead is firmly lodged on this issue.

I am interested to see where this will go (and wouldn't mind having one myself).