Back+to+School

**Looking for information to give to your teachers during those first few days of school? What do you need to share with them about your library? Here are a few ideas:**
that I will be teaching throughout the year.
 * I give out schedule info, library hours, and a general list of things


 * I try to create a calm environment in the library and set up booksappropriate for reading aloud the first week.

teachers get a copyright/fair use information document. I have created a brochure for the document cameras that I will probably make available to any who need it.
 * I give the teachers in grades 3-5 a Bluebonnet brochure, and all

Permabound, or whoever will give them to me), and a Texas 2x2 poster to the K-2 teachers from Follett. It comes with an invitation from me to schedule their classes so that we can all talk about the programs and how to find the books in the library.
 * I always give the grade 3-5 teachers a Bluebonnet poster (from Follett,

home with each student. It is specifically about the importance of reading to and with their children and includes a handout of Rosemary Wells Read to Your Bunny flyer.
 * I also have a Kindergarten letter (in Spanish and English) that goes

professional staff person (including Fine Arts, Counselor, Principal, etc.) and placed in each one:
 * Last year I bought bright orange folders for every teacher and

Library Policies/Procedures Newbery Award Winners Caldecott Award Winners Coretta Scott King Award Winners Tomas Rivera Award Winners Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominees Texas Bluebonnet Award Winners How to Access Databases, including passwords How to access my school's online library catalog from home or classroom websites of all the local public libraries Info. on IKeepBookmarks.com - how to use it and how to access the account where I store all my useful websites, separated into subject folders Info. on our district's Professional Library & Media Center - hours, services, etc.

discovered that in the mountain of info teachers receive at the beginning of the year, the library stuff is lost in the shuffle so I try to give the same info again sometime during the year. Either way, teachers are always surprised when I show them a program or website that I've advertised all year (but it just isn't significant enough to register).
 * Sometimes I added a candy treat or small gift. I've

student success, new procedures I want to put into place. A form for sending a student to the library for independent research I have not thought out anything completely, but I am working on it.
 * AR information and how they can use it in their classroom to monitor

e-mail the teachers, as well as a handout or two on library services.
 * I have in the past had a little PowerPoint orientation that I would

hard copy for each teacher, and also the permanent location on the LAN. The teachers will be able to view updates on-line.
 * This summer I am revising the Class Set information. I will produce a

videos purchased for their department. We are a 5-6 campus...elementary really, but also have the components of secondary in that we do have departments. Of course, if I am really organized I sometimes do a new materials tea so the teachers can examine the new books while getting a free snack. (Teachers will do a lot for free food.)
 * I also send out e-mails to each department listing the new books and

laminating queen. Yes, the laminator is housed in the library, but I do not want to be in charge of laminating everyones stuff. I tell teachers I will be happy to show them how to laminate and they can laminate to their hearts content. I usually stick around while people laminate to remind them to watch the "tail" to make sure it doesn't wrap back around etc.....This has gone very well and I've had no foul ups so far.
 * One thing I do is make it clear that I do not want to be the

bulletin board paper, information about copyright, the days that we laminate (after the initial rush when school starts).
 * A list of the die cuts we have, the different colors of

> show some enthusiasm and interest. I begged for some time last year > and never got it so doubt seriously I'll get it next year, either. > > I plan to poll the teachers at the start by asking each to send me an > e-mail. In the subject line they will be asked to type "Big Ideas for > XXX (subject name)" In the body of the e-mail I want 3 or 4 of the > biggest projects, themes, subject areas, etc., that will be taught > over the course of the year. I can then use that to run bibs and find > the holes in this collection that I'm still learning. This was my > first year at high school. I found some of the holes when a class > showed up at the door saying they were researching XXX and I had > nothing to offer them. It was very sad. > > have to think again what I put together for them. I usually give them my > schedule and my aides schedule. We also put in a sheet about laminating. > This year I will need to put in something on how to use InfoCentre. > Attached is a bag of goodies that I put together 2 years ago about the > media center. I might do that again this year since we have so many new > staff. > > orientation to bring them on board last year. Last year at some point > you had also sent out some e-newsletter templates and I did use those > to give my staff updates, professional information, and other library > related tid bits. > The one that I attach is dated June since I just looked at it, but I > actually sent that out in early September. Each year I tweak what I do > and provide something a little different. > > > *** I am working on a booklet on how to access our OPAC from their desks and at > home. (They HAVE been trained on it but....) Only one teacher uses it and > compiles her own lists of books she wants and then emails me the list. So > easy! > > * I also have a Staff Open House on the campus work day before students > arrive. I clean out all my TLA stuff (posters, galley proofs, trinkets, > etc.) New books from my Spring order will be on display as well as materials > from the professional shelf (seldom used area.) One of my book venders will > have a display and teachers can select books they would like to see in the > library. (The vendor will compile a list and I can use it for part of my > Fall order. Naturally I don't order everything, but they can't say their > input wasn't sought.) There will be snacks and door prizes.** > > a high school) noting materials and services the library has JUST FOR > THEM--databases, reference and non-reference, special magazines etc. > I also include a few pieces of information that new teachers might not > know such as where to get various supplies, our street address and > main telephone numbers. I wait until the beginning of the second week > of school to give it to them. And I use the brightest colored index > stock I can find to print it on.
 * What I would REALLY like is 15 minutes at the first staff meeting to
 * This year I will have at least 4 new teachers in the elementary so I will
 * The new teacher sheet was one that I gave to new staff members with a special
 * I have one page information sheets specialized per department (I'm in