Monthly Archives: April 2014

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UK ED Magazine with the top 100 UK Educational Blogs as voted for by UK readers

Principals Know: School Librarians are the Heart of the School

450 Years of Shakespeare

PANO_20140422_172141

Today marks the 450th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare.

His plays have been celebrated on the stage,

in the cinema,

in audio,

on television,

online,

as Manga,
tempest

comics,
spokeshave

and now also as parody,
dirtbag hamlet
GHOST: hamlet you must avenge my death
HAMLET: i dont have to do anything
youre not even my real dad
GHOST: yes i am
HAMLET: whatever

He also invented over 1700 words now commonly used in everyday life as well as many popular expressions,
shakespearequotes

has been immortalised by Lego,
legoshakespeare

linked to Star Wars,

as well as Hip Hop.

He was (and is) one of the greatest English playwrights possibly of all time.

Dear Mr Gove by Jess Green

Let’s Facebook It! Promoting Library Services to Young Adults Through Social Media

The College of Communication & Information is seeking research participants to study the professional social media practices of young adult librarians. We are seeking people who are currently employed as young adult librarians in public libraries. In particular, we are seeking participants who worked with social media as professional librarians. We are seeking participants who would be willing to participate in a research survey or interview.

The purpose of this study is to better understand how young adult librarians interact with young adult patrons through their library’s social media profiles. Additionally, we will investigate the role(s) young adult librarians see social media as playing in marketing and promotion of library services. We hope to understand the what, how, and why of social media use by libraries and librarians.

This research study is being conducted by doctoral student Abigail Phillips of the College of Communication & Information at Florida State University to learn more about how librarians engage with young patrons through social media. You can reach the researcher to volunteer for surveys and/or interviews or to ask for more information about this research study at this email: alp07@my.fsu.edu, Florida State University, College of Communication & Information, 142 Collegiate Loop, Tallahassee, FL 32306.

For additional information on your rights as a research participant, you can also contact Florida State University’s Human Subjects Committee, Tallahassee, FL 32306, (+1)850-644-8673.

For more information regarding this study, please visit the study website contact Abigail Phillips at alp07@my.fsu.edu to schedule to complete a survey and/or schedule an interview. Thank you for your help!

For full details and documentation go here: http://abigailleighphillips.com/study-info/

NEWS: Vote for your favourite UK Educational Blog

UKEdChat is running a poll to discover the most popular educational blogs in the UK.

Teen Librarian has been nominated and there are a ton of other excellent educational sites that you can discover. So take a look here:

http://ukedchat.com/2014/04/02/vote-for-your-favourite-uk-educational-blog/

Discover some excellent sites and cast your vote (if you are so inclined).

Let libraries lend ebooks

Activity Idea: Library Myth Busters

This event can be run by following the Myth Busters format of having small teams investigating various Library Myths and then presenting their findings to the entire group or class. If permission can be obtained for filming, a short DVD could be made of the proceedings. This could tie into a larger media and film-making programme that can be run over half-term or summer holidays. It is fun and educational – teenagers learn how the library works and what the staff do all day as well as debunking misconceptions they may have on what goes on in libraries.

Here are a a list of library myths that can either be debunked or confirmed:

  • Librarians have lots of time to read on the job
  • All librarians are fast readers
  • Public libraries are only busy during the school year
  • Public libraries are only busy during summer holidays
  • Libraries are used only by those who cannot afford to buy their own books.
  • Librarians have no stress
  • Librarians have read every book in the library.
  • Librarians know the answer to everything
  • Everyone who works in the library is a librarian
  • Libraries are just about getting books
  • Libraries aren’t necessary because everything’s available on the internet
  • Libraries have plenty of money because they get so many donated books and charge so much in fines
  • The librarian can be held responsible for everything that kids check out because they work for the government and must protect young people from bad things
  • School libraries aren’t needed because kids can get everything they want at the public library or online
  • Librarians wear their hair in buns, have wire-rimmed glasses, and say shhhhh! all the time
  • Librarians only issue books
  • Everything in the library is free
  • You have to know Dewey to use the library
  • Libraries are serious and quiet all the time
  • It is difficult to get a library card
  • Libraries are for English readers only

The list is by no means complete and if anyone would like to add library myths in the comments you are most welcome.