Summer 2009 Newsletter
July 15th, 2009 by vslainfo
Here’s the link for the new VSLA Summer Newsletter in .pdf format: VSLA News July 2009
Archive Page 3
New Search Tools – Tech Post
May 19th, 2009 by vslainfo
Hi Folks, Here are a few new tech tools for you to play with…
New Google search options:
Done a Google search lately? Notice the new “Show options…” button on the search results page -under the search box next to “web”. Google is now letting users filter searches with easy to use options. You can limit searches by type (videos, forums, reviews), by time, by images from the page, etc. The Wonder Wheel option (toward the bottom of the options list) is a graphical web of related terms for searches.
Note- in all cases, results of the new search appear on the right- it’s time for wide-screen monitors!
Video tutorial of new Google search options: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtirDMfcOKE
(BTW- Google just announced another round of free Google Teacher Academy training. The upcoming session is 8/5/09 in Boulder, Colorado, application deadline is 7/3! )
Wolfram Alpha Computational Knowledge Engine:
It’s finally here… after all the hype, Wolfram Alpha, debuted last week. It’s a powerful new tool for computational information, your teachers are going to want to know about.
In their words: “Wolfram|Alpha’s long-term goal is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone. We aim to collect and curate all objective data; implement every known model, method, and algorithm; and make it possible to compute whatever can be computed about anything.
Wolfram|Alpha contains 10+ trillion of pieces of data, 50,000+ types of algorithms and models, and linguistic capabilities for 1000+ domains.
Wolfram|Alpha’s knowledge base and capabilities already span a great many domains, and its underlying framework has the power and flexibility to support ready extension to essentially any domain that is based on systematic knowledge.”
Check it out at: http://www20.wolframalpha.com
Best,
Shannon Walters, VSLA Board Member for Technology Concerns
Library Media Specialist
C.P. Smith School
Burlington, Vermont 05401
swalters (at) bsdvt.org
2009 Book Award Winners
May 19th, 2009 by vslainfo
In case you haven’t heard, these Vermont book award winners have all been announced for this year.
The Green Mountain Book Award: Crank by Ellen Hopkins
The Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
The Red Clover Book Award: Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend! by Mélanie Watt
New Patron Confidentiality Brochure for School Library Use
May 7th, 2009 by vslainfo
Here is a new brochure on the Vermont confidentiality law and school libraries:
vsla-patron-confidentiality-brochure.pdf
Winter 2008 Newsletter
December 22nd, 2008 by vslainfo
Hot off the presses! It’s the Winter 2008 Newsletter: Winter 2008 VSLA Newsletters.pdf
Materials Review DVDs to borrow
December 3rd, 2008 by vslainfo
If you were not able to make one of our fall Materials Review sessions you may still have the experience by borrowing a DVD recording of the first session. Although we do have a number of people on the waiting list, there are six copies circulating so the wait shouldn’t be too great. If you would like to have your name added to the list, please send me your name and mailing address, and we will do so. The link for the associated bibliography is: http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/cbec/mrsfall2008.pdf
Grace Worcester Greene
Children’s Services Consultant
Vermont Department of Libraries
2008 Conference
October 24th, 2008 by vslainfo
Vermont School Library Fall Conference: Making Connections
When: Thursday October 23rd 2008 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: U-32 School, Montpelier, Vermont
What: The VSLA Annual 1-Day Conference
Keynote: Susan Ballard: Director of Library, Media and Technology Services for the Londonderry (NH) School District.
Susan Ballard’s Handout (pdf) & Powerpoint presentation
Some of Susan’s documents that she links to in her Powerpoint can be found in this zip file :ballard-docs
Be sure to check out: Standards for the 21st Century Learner in Action from the AASL
Susan Hennessey, Harwood Union High School
Library Research with Web 2.0 Tools
Learn how to use current Web 2.0 technologies to help students search for, organize, and synthesize relevant, credible information. We will explore push technologies like Netvibes and Pageflakes, social bookmarking sites like Delicious and Diggo, and organizing tools from Intel and ReadWriteThink.org. Best of all, all of these tools are free to educators
See the VSLA Central Wiki & Susan’s Presentation Wiki Page
Pam Burke, Marlboro Elementary School & VSLA web person
Fun Connecting With Blogs
We’ll take a look at some excellent examples of using blogs in school library programs and discuss ways you can use this fun 2.0 technology to engage students. We’ll discuss best practices with blogs in the classroom, and ways to encourage your school to embrace these great learning tools. We’ll also look at how you can use blogs as a public relations tool to keep your library websites fresh & interesting.
Hands-On Fun With Blogs
In the afternoon, we’ll all register for a free blog with Edublogs and … play! We’ll try on some new themes, add some fun plugins, and learn a little about managing blogs. We’ll have time for lots of questions and if you’re interested I’ll show you some fun tricks too, like how you can grab your feed and display it on your existing website or use your delicious tags to maintain links on your blog. Registrants are encouraged to create a free Edublogs account before we meet; sign up at http://edublogs.org/
Pam’s Blog & Presentation Materials
Anne Gallivan, Barstow Memorial School Library & Mary Danko, Proctor Library
Book Talking & Web 2.0
Bringing Book Talks into the 21st century is easier than ever with all the great Web 2.0 technologies that are available. Anne Gallivan and Mary Danko will give an overview of different options for you to consider. Blogs, FaceBook, Delicous, Twitter & YouTube are just some of the social networking tools that can be adapted to publicize books to the tech savvy kids of today.
Mary Danko’s Slideshow & Anne Gallivan’s Slideshow (on Slideshare.net)
Michael Roche, Northeast Regional Library, Vermont Department of Libraries
Copyright in the Digital Age
Here is a zip file of Michael’s handouts (in Word format): copyright-vsla
Stephanie Chase, Stowe Free Library
Audiobooks & ListenUp Vermont
Find out about different formats (including mp3 cds and playaways), issues surrounding collection and downloadables, including DRM, copyright, and iPod compatibility.
Stephanie’s Handout (pdf) & The Listen Up! Vermont website
Peter Gould, performer and author of Write Naked spoke about his new book.
Fall 2008 Newsletter
October 16th, 2008 by vslainfo
The Fall 2008 Newsletter: VSLA September 2008.pdf
Two Consortium Opportuntunities
July 21st, 2008 by vslainfo
The Green Mountain Library Consortium has two exciting projects you might want to check out and possibly become involved in.The Vermont KOHA project an open-source catalog and Listen Up! Vermont a downloadable audiobook service.
Help With Acronyms & Other Mysteries
June 24th, 2008 by vslainfo
Need a fun opportunity to play with a wiki? Help out with our Acronym Translations. Or add any other information you think might help brand-new school librarians in Vermont.
http://vsla.pbwiki.com/Acronym+Translations
Summer 2008 Newsletter
June 20th, 2008 by vslainfo
The Summer 2008 VSLA newsletter: VSLA Newsletter June 2008.pdf
Spring 2008 Newsletter
April 29th, 2008 by vslainfo
Here’s the newest VSLA newsletter. It’s a long issue filled with great stuff, so I’ve broken it into two files for those of you downloading on a slow connection.
Winter 2008 Newsletter
January 14th, 2008 by vslainfo
The Winter 2008 VSLA newsletter is here in .pdf format.
Conference Videos Available
January 3rd, 2008 by vslainfo
Merlyn Miller at Burr and Burton Academy has a large collection of DVDs, videos and audiocassettes from past Vermont Library Conferences that are available to the VSLA membership for borrowing.
Here is the updated list (10/10/08) : vlconference-vids.pdf
If members wish to borrow any of these, then can e-mail Merlyn at mmiller (at) burrburton (dot) org.
Thanks Merlyn!
