Inclusion: Not Negotiable for School Librarians

There are few things that sadden me more than seeing a school library that is not useable by every student on campus. Maybe it’s not intentional: perhaps your library administrator isn’t “into” improving access, maybe she doesn’t think it’s necessary or valuable, or does not really understand how to create a viable academic resource for 900-some-odd different scholars. 

Many teachers I talk to are amazed to find that every single student on our campus: the cutest little honor students, the snottiest 8th graders, struggling readres and Special Education student alike, all are provided with the same access to scheduling, curricuclum and my care and attention. This inclusive approach, frankly, is not negotiable. 

Here are some opening thoughts I had while researching this topic. Universal Design seems so obvious, yet every time I present this information in a professional setting, someone agrees with me that full inclusion for every student is still a work in progress. 

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Library Media Programs for Deaf Students is an action research paper I presented in 2007 that looks at how school libraries can be made accessible to a range of learners; this study focused primarily on deaf students and struggling readers. Contains a thorough Literature Review that focuses on specific learning needs of deaf students, and evaluates the use of Universal Design in my own library program. 

In Universal Design for School Libraries, I identified nine elements of Universal Design that were in practice in my library. Combining teacher observations, patron interviews, and personal experience, I provide specific elements any Librarian can incorporate to improve access at her school.

Posted in Library Management, Research | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Thoughts on Universal Design in Education and Your School Library

Universal Design is a concept that seems so simple, yet has not been incorporated as a standard of excellence for educators. The concept is simple: plan something from the beginning so that anyone can use it successfully. One common example of Universal Design is incorporating ramps into the design of a building. Everyone can benefit from this design, no mater of they are perfectly able, abled differently, or are just tired and carrying heavy grocery bags.

Download Universal Design for School Libraries

PDF IconUniversal Design for School Libraries (PDF: 102k)

I believe this idea becomes even more essential when discussing school factors that affect student success. When considering the fact that a free and appropriate education is a basic right in our society, and the reality that college is no longer optional in becoming economically successful, creating a system that everyone can access seems essential. This idea encompasses many school factors that are directly tied to student success: curriculum, instruction, the use of school space and resources, as well as classroom environment. Read More »

Posted in Library Management, Universal Design for School Libraries | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Come on, people.

Swanky NY library may not get new children’s room because of fears that poor kids might visit more. 

Seriously, come on. 

From School Library Journal

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Managing Middle School 101

School must be starting soon. Ms Ghareeb is already hearing the sixth-grade voices:

“ My Teacher doesn’t like me. That’s why she gave me a D.”

“Middle school is TOO HARD. I can’t do it.”

” All the (books, teachers, kids, whatever) here are dumb. I liked my old school better.”

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this year I have a solution for you. Success in Middle School: a Transition Road Map by Carol Carter (LifeBound Books) is a great book to guide kids through the terrifying, tumultuous path know as grades 6-8.

Success in Middle School Carol Carter

This book was sent to me by the publisher for review, and I have to say I was highly impressed. Success in Middle School takes the mystery out of this transition by explaining what to expect in plain English.  The author goes over logistical basics, like schedules, teacher expectations, and organizing all those notes, and explains social issues (there is nothing on the planet more complicated or traumatic than friendship dynamics at this age). She also goes over important aspects of maturing into a scholar, like taking risks, looking for talents, and taking responsibility for yourself in a way that is accessible to these already overwhelmed kids. The book is woven through with personal narratives from kids who have survived middle school (particularly valuable because, of course, none of us grown ups understand).

I’ll be adding this book to our school library, and will be encouraging students to take a look. Ideas on how to work with that teacher? Covered: chapter 2. How can you make friends? Got it: chapter 3. Is throwing that water balloon at lunch really such a great idea? Chapter 8–that’s the one on taking appropriate risks.

Other LifeBound resources for kids about managing school, being a scholar, and growing up:

Gifts and Talents for Teenagers: Discovering Your Unique Strengths by Carol Carter

People Smarts for Teenagers: Becoming Emotionally Intelligent by Carol Carter

Posted in Book Reviews, Everything Else | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

And You Were Wondering Where I Got It From

photo credit: Nathan Olsen
photo: Nathan Olsen

Next to me in this picture is my Dad, Gordon Ghareeb, noted Maritime Historian and co-author of From Hollywood to Honolulu: The  Story of the Los Angeles Steamship Company. We attended a wonderful lecture given by him and co-author Martin Cox detailing this fascinating chapter in nautical history (with all the juicy bits left in)!

 

photo from Maritime Matters; Martin Cox
photo from Maritime Matters; Martin Cox

This book tells a story of fame and fortune, glitter and gossip, as the Los Angeles Steamship Company ferried movie stars and millionaires to the Hawaiian Islands in the 1920′s and 30′s. 

According to Mr. Cox, this is one of the few well-researched examinations of this particular bit in west-coast maritime history. The authors used family interviews, pictures taken by senior crew members at the time, and spent hours combing through every edition of the Los Angeles Times on microfilm to gather a complete picture of not only how these ships ran, but also how the LOSSC impacted society around it.

The Honolulu Star Bulletin has called this book a “must read for steamship enthusiasts.” If you’re a librarian of any Nautical Collection, of Maritime History, or of Los Angeles/ California history, give me call. This is a book you’ll want to include. 

 

Co-authors Gordon Ghareeb and Martin Cox sign books after the lecture
Co-authors Gordon Ghareeb and Martin Cox sign books after the lecture
Posted in Book Reviews, Everything Else | 3 Comments

Our “Big Readers” Made The News!

Marshall Extreme Read ChallengeThe Extreme Read Challenge made the Long Beach Press Telegram’s ”Reader Page!” This article  and picture was submitted by our PTA president, Jeri Lynn Cullison (who has also been a great supporter of this event for all three years). It reads:

The Marshall Academy of Scholars Librarian, Ameelia Ghareeb is surrounded by participating students at the end of the evening when Marshall held its 3rd Annual Extreme Read Challenge on May 26.  Ghareeb, started this as a fun, collaborative event that encourages nothing more than the joy of quietly reading. This year 74 people participated including students, special guests, family members and school staff. Ms. Ghareeb’s signature “brain food” trail mix and lots of healthy snacks were served to keep everyone focused. When the gong chimed at the end of four hours, everyone cheered, prizes were distributed and cake served. This year the Marshall Extreme Readers reached a combined total of 10,860 reading minutes. That is the equivalent of seven and a half days of reading!
Jeri Lynne Cullison
PTA President, Marshall Middle School

Marshall’s 3rd Annual Extreme Read Challenge

 

Posted in Everything Else, Library Management, Library News | Tagged | Leave a comment

Generation Dead by Daniel Waters

Generation Dead by Daniel WatersFinally there’s an undead teen story for the those of us who can’t take anymore Twilight.

Seriously, folks, Generation Dead  is some of the most remarkable science fiction I’ve read in a a good long while. The set-up is simple and timeless, but at the same time strangely amusing and ridiculous. For some unknown medical reason, teens who die are becoming zombies, and many are attempting to return to thier old lives in this new state. These “living impaired” kids, (it is extremely rude to use the Z-word) are just trying to be kids, but face intense amounts of hatred and discrimination from other students and from society in general. 

Here’s why I loved it. The characters are hilarious. The whole idea of the latest  social group to need societal awareness being teenage zombies left me chucking all the way through it. Now, there are major issues to be dealt with here, people: with the new pale skin what lip gloss goes best, how do you kiss a zombie if she’s all cold and stuff, does it count as being dumped if he’s already dead. . .the list goes on and on.

But at the same time, there is a very serious, and unfortunately accurate picture being painted of human behavior towards anyone who’s different; they are deeply contemptuous (along the lines of the ugliest racism or homophobia) of anyone who associates with the “worm eaters,” and one character actively terrorizes and abuses them (after all, it’s not illegal to harm someone who’s already dead). Everyone in the book has to face up to the one unifying question: am I brave enough to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves, even if I’m scared of them myself? Doen’t everyone deserve the same chance at life and happiness?

It’s not a perfect book, nor is it entirely harmless; there are a few drinking scenes, swear words, and the boys talk to each other like boys tend to do: with touches of  sexual context. But the message of this novel, which I cannot help but align with the current attitudes stirred up by California’s gay marriage debate, along with the wonderful balance of zany-creepy and reality makes this one worth considering for you library.

Posted in Book Reviews | Tagged | 1 Comment

Our 3rd Annual Extreme Read Challenge!!

Today is the day!  The Extreme Read Challenge is a fun, collaborative event that encourages nothing more that sitting ad reading. We have 50 students already signed up, plus guests, family members, and school staff. Over the course of 4 hours we will add all the minutes read by everyone to come up with our total; Last year, we read over 15,000 minute together!

This is the third time we’ve done this event, each time more successful than the last. I based the idea off my previous school’s “Read-a-thon, but  we adjusted a ew tings. First, I wanted a collaborative, but not personally competitive event. Nothings adder than being the kid who lost at reading; every reader contributes something to our collective goal. This makes it a much lower-risk event for students try out. 

During the event I make sure the kids are as focused as possible by serving only healthy snacks and a family style dinner. No junk food allowed (until the after party!)  I know it’s super attractive to kids to sip a coke and munch doritos, but we’re not helping anyone concentrate this way. Our PTA brings apples, bananas and grapes, several moms make a huge pile of PB&J, and I have out little cups of my signature  ”brain food” trail mix. We set out huge trays on each table, and  kids can graze while they’re reading. 

We’ll have prizes, donated by teachers ro gathered here and ther during the year (great way to recycle appreciated, but not useful holiday presents–don’t worry, no one will ever know!). At the end of out time we ring a gong and cheer and have cake. . .and enjoy our success together!

Extreme Read Challenge 2009

 

Have an Extreme Read Challenge at your school 

It may look like a huge event, but it only takes a few people and lots pf peanut butter & jelly  to pull this off. If you can get a couple of PTA parents and one or two teachers, you’re in business. This is a great way to promote literacy as well as your library program (because where else are they going to get all those books to keep them busy for 4 hours!). Invite guests, take pictures, call your local newspapaer. 

We’re looking for sometime to challenge to a “Read-off next year. We can post “team profiles,” set up a webcam to watch each other’s event. . .could be a blast!

Posted in Library Management, Library News | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Gotta Love That Teen-Age Rebellious Spirit

Student keeps a mini-library of banned books in her locker;  with “due dates and everything.” 

The collection includes:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower
His Dark Materials trilogy
Sabriel
The Canterbury Tales
Candide
The Divine Comedy
Paradise Lost
The Godfather
Mort
Interview with the Vampire
The Hunger Games
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

–among many others. After checking on the legality of such a thing though Yahoo! Questions, this librarian-in-the-making decided that she and her peers should be able to experience ideas that may be socially or politically inconvenient (her argument: “Most of the books were banned because they contained information that opposed Catholicism”). She then points out that lots of her freinds (who were “too chicken” to go to a public library) actually like reading now, thanks to her. 

I can’t love this kid enough. Not that I advocate breaking any sort of school rule or defying your parents, but this one has the guts to back up her keen perspective on literature and society.  When questioned as to the ethics of such a practice:

or is it a good thing because I am starting appreciation of the classics and truly good novels (Not just fad novels like Twilight) in my generation?

Rock on with your banned self!

Via Boing Boing: Kid keeping a lending library of banned books in her locker

 

Posted in Everything Else | 1 Comment

Round Up Those Library Books!

Every year, about this time, the great mission begins: getting kids to turn in all those library books and pay for lost books before the end of the school year. Here are some ideas I’ve used to get those kids to settle up. 

Prevention, Prevention, Prevention.  Aside from doing an extensive library introduction, and demonstrating the calamities that can befall books with the Library Cart of Horror (it’s a hit right before Halloween!), I make a big produciton of calling parents at the beginning of the school year if students start to forget their library books. I usually only have to do this once or twice , and the rest of the class tows the line for several weeks. But even the best laid plans. . .

Free Gifts! Seriously. I know some librarians are cringing as they read this, but  have run “Free gifts with any over due book” offers, and for the most part they are successful. This is especially good right at the beginning of the school year, when you’re aiming to get back  books from last year. The gift is usually  a pencil or sticker, but they’ll still go for it every time. 

Bookfair Bargains. I let selected kids buy a gift book for the library during the booksfair, and trade for the one they lost. This is my way of trading an old copy of something boring like “The Giver” (we have a million copies, anyway)  for the latest Naruto or an extra Twilight. 

End of Year Events. I tell kids I will keep them out of the big End of Year events if they owe me books. This works great for 99% of the the students. I have to wheel a shopping cart around campus to collect them all. 

Two for One. I will sometimes make deals with kids about their old fines, or fines I know are probably not for new, good condition books anyway. They return the brand new copy of  Tears of a Tiger, I’ll clear that paperback Goosebumps from two years ago. Lost a Bart Simpson comic that was on its last leg anyway? “I’ll give you a special deal– half price!” They think they’re getting a sweet deal while still being at least partially responsible, and I get to clear my fines. Win-win. 

About our library circulation policy: Plenty of librarians will not allow a child to check out a new book until they bring back the old ones, but when a whole class of 8th graders happily informed me during my first year “Oh, we owe fines, we can’t get books,” then proceed to talk and play the rest of the class period, I knew this was not going to work out.

It is our position that part of middle school is learning how to be responsible scholar, and that includes library use. I have told kids, “Library is no more a privilege than Math homework is a privilege. You will be a responsible library user, even if I have to call parents and assign detention to get you to do it.” We have one of the highest circulations in the district, and lot of overdues, but after all is said and done, we don’t see any greater losses compared to the other libraries in our district.

Posted in Library Management | Tagged , | 1 Comment