beccablog, teacher-librarian

For most of the year, I thought I would have time to do this for my current school.  Unfortunately, it didn’t happen.  However, the other day I started on it again – for the new school. It took some time, but I think I got it to work.  It isn’t pretty or flashy yet, but it is a start to getting our website mobile.

Resources I used:

• Make Your Website an iPhone Application
• How to build a website for the iPhone with orientation detection
• Cornell University Library Mobile Site
• Mr. Hughes, BVW Business Teacher

For more links to other resources, click here.

If you would like a copy of the code I used on the site, send me an email and I can send to you or grab the code off my site. If you do not read html and other fancy code stuff, don’t worry – send me an email and I can show you how to code it for your library.  It sounds like it could be very complicated – but of all the code type things I have done, this is one of the easiest.

Now, once I code my site to fit for the iPhone, I then need to set it up so it can be “app-like”. *  Since I don’t want to pay $99 a year to Apple or hire a site to make it an app, it won’t be available on iTunes (unless I figure out another way… if so, I will blog later.)  So a user does this —

1.  Go to Safari on iPhone or iTouch.  Type in the URL (http://www.bvswlmc.com/ilibrary.html)

2.  Once the page appears, click the +  .

3.  Choose Add to Home Screen.

4.  New page pops up to Add to Home.  Title default (from your code above – you name it, but the user can change it.)

Notice the image on the left of the Title – it is either a snapshot of your site or HOPEFULLY it is an image/logo that you created.  (This is determined in your code above for your site.) *

5. Click ADD.

It will then be added to the screen of the iPhone/iTouch.  When a user clicks on the image, your site will launch with an opening screen of your image/logo.

(I plan on making a video to show users how to do this.  I have a feeling the students will pick this up pretty quickly.)

*Troubleshooting and other interesting info

1.  It can be expensive to create an app so it is placed in iTunes.  Gale did a great job with their app and it is available in iTunes.  I wanted to go this route with the library app, but at this time, I couldn’t justify the expense.  In addition, I would need to learn some crazy codes.   I don’t want Gale to be the only database students can grab information though.  (THANK YOU GALE for creating the app – hopefully more databases will follow.)   Libguides also has a mobile feature.  (Viewing these sites from a non-mobile device can make them seem very boring – but try it on an iPhone or iTouch.)  Now as I dive more into this, I am realizing there are many way to do this that are not as expensive.  So there may be more information to follow at a later time.

2. While making the app, I notice that my logo did not appear when I tried to “re-put” it on my iTouch.  It worked the first time with the site, but the next time, it just showed me the website as the logo – not my cool logo.  So I change the website URL and put it in my iTouch – it then showed the correct logo.  Moral of the story:  Don’t freak out if your logo doesn’t appear the second time you install it on your phone/touch – for users it will show up (I think).

3.  Text doesn’t show up on the computer browser.  However, it works on my touch.  I will play with the coding so it does show up.

Be looking for my current school’s app soon – I promised I would do one before I leave…

Help with the design of the new library web page.  I need specific assistance with the front page.

Go to http://www.bvswlmc.com

Then answer the following questions on this Google form.

Thanks!

For the new school, I have been ordering books since last July/August.  AND I am not done yet!  We did not do a start up collection provided by a vendor.  Often, they give you books they don’t want in their system anymore and things we don’t necessarily need.

This process has been very different than when I helped open the current building I am in nine years ago.  So much is available electronically now.  ABC-Clio, Gale, Follett – they all provide ebooks.  I love this, but I this is new territory for me.  How much of the collection will be in ebook format?  I am not sure yet – I am looking at more of need/use rather than the format.  How will it work when students are doing research?  This I don’t exactly know yet either.

Also, I rely heavily on our online databases to fill in gaps especially in science.  While that works for this year, what will my ‘real’ budget be next year?  Can we continue to fill the gaps with online databases that require a yearly fee?  Should I purchase (science) books just in case the money runs out knowing that in a few years I will need to replace those books?

I have enjoyed selecting books that I think our students will enjoy – especially the new books.  Using SLJ, VOYA, and other journals, I have been able to order reviewed books.  However, I have branched out now into blog world getting some good reviews and promotional information from publishers.  For example, Harper Love Fest blog promotes a variety of books.

Fiction will not be available in ebook format (yet).  I would like to be able to find a way that we can circulate fiction in ebook format – but with the variety of readers out there and no clear solution on how we can circulate any or all formats.  So we can wait.  Hopefully, we are not waiting too long.

Sidenote: Library shelving will be installed around June 1.  Look for pictures of the process posted in the next couple of weeks.

When we opened West nine years ago, I remember creating a website at the beginning of the school year.  It was very basic, blah, and wasn’t really ready to go until a month into the school year.  In the wayback machine, I found the oldest archive of the site over a year later.  Much improved, but still very blah.

Years later, I am opening a new building and one of the first things on my super long list  - the web page.  I do the school web page for the new building and the school site has over 56,000 hits; I posted on SW Libguides links to naming the school alma mater, yearbook, store, and newspaper – it has over 400 hits in two weeks.  There is excitement for opening the new building and I want the library to be a part of that excitement.

So I have the front page done along with creating accounts for the many 2.0 sites it links.  I am thinking of creating a survey to provide feedback.  I really won’t know how ‘well’ the site works until we get students in the building using the site.  I am sure many things will change.

Which brings me back to … I can’t wait to have a colleague in the library to share the nervousness and excitement of opening this building.  I have been so lucky to have a great partner in the library at West - so I know how valuable it can be to have someone share ideas and work through the many obstacles and triumphs.

Check out the page so far… http://www.bvswlmc.com

I’m going to create a survey right now to get feedback.  Check back for that – any input would be appreciated!

As I mentioned back in November, I am opening a new library at our new high school (August 2010).  In the last post, I listed more questions than answers – so after a few months (I can’t believe it is April!) I moved forward,  hopefully answering some of the earlier questions.

1.  What does it look like to have a “creative space”?

Well, now the library has windows, walls, and carpet, but that isn’t what makes it the creative space.  I believe it begins with personnel and access to innovative resources.  I am thankful to be on the Leadership Team that meets every other week.    We have discussed the hopes and dreams for the school along with the bell schedule, tardy policy, and so on.  Working with such teachers gives me hope that they will see the library as an integral part of the learning process and that we (there will be a second library position posted soon!) can creatively develop opportunities for students to express their learning in a variety of ways.

2.  What is my role as a teacher and information specialist in this environment?

Teacher. Facilitator. Guide. Colleague.Learner.

3.   Where do books fit?  How does the collection look different from the building we opened 9 years ago?

Hmmm… Will I have a set of print encyclopedias?  Probably not – I know, crazy.  We will have World Book Online, provided by the state, and Britannica Academic Edition.

Will I have a reference section?  Yes, but most of it is online through Gale Virtual Reference along with a few ebooks.

Books still fit.  Our fiction collection will expand more so than the nonfiction as I am continually ordering ebook format for nonfiction.  My 500s are smaller, my online databases are expanding, my print reference section is super small.  It feels like the right thing to do, but it is so awkward in many ways.  While I worry about access, I am reminded of the 38 computers in the library along with additional computers used for digital editing.  Plus, we will have additional laptops available for classes.

4.  What things remain important?

I really can’t answer this now – there is too much that is important.   But I do worry about the things that might be lost.  I think back to the principal that got rid of every print book in the library and how I thought that decision was crazy.  However, I am not getting rid of resources – I am just making more available online rather than print. I have a feeling that principal didn’t provide funds for online databases.

5.  How can I be ‘virtual’ in my role as well as physically present?  How do the two work?

I am lucky that most students in our area have access to computers outside of the school and  our public library is amazing.  As at West, Meebo and our libguides will be present on the SW library site.   Similarly, I want to post student projects, create a facebook site, youtube channel, and a twitter account.  What else?  I am sure my list will expand.  But the thing that keeps me up at night – I have been so lucky to collaborate with  great teachers at West, will I be able to do the same at my new school?  I know it was hard work the first few years, but looking back, it didn’t seem that difficult.  I fear I may have forgotten what that was like.

Next post:  How do I communicate to the classroom teachers their expectations of me and the library?

I just read Joyce Valenza’s post about the ISTE Topic, Brick and Mortar Libraries.  Although it makes me angry to hear comments, I have to listen to the opposing side in order to understand what we are up against.

Next year, I will open a new library in a new high school.  Thankfully my administrators view libraries as I do – it isn’t about the books, the furniture, and so on.  It is about the things we do with those resources.  I am paraphrasing what I hear from a variety of sources – but a library is not a warehouse for books and computers. It is a place where students can be creators, editors, and producers of their learning.

So as Joyce suggested, we are not asking the right question.  Questions I am asking as I begin to design and think of this new library…

1.  What does it look like to have a “creative space”?

2.  What is my role as a teacher and information specialist in this environment?

3.  Where do books fit?  How does the collection look different from the building we opened 9 years ago?

4.  What things remain important?

5.  How can I be ‘virtual’ in my role as well as physically present?  How do the two work?

The list of questions continue and I will post more as I think and work through these questions.

Right now, I am ordering books – how does my nonfiction collection look now with Gale Virtual Reference Library and Follett ebooks/ereader?