MEDIA MATTERS Volume 7 Number 8 March 2009 A newsletter for people who care about Library Media Center programs INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Privacy 2 Women in 4 History Georgia Peach 5 Nominees Arne Duncan 6 Dr. Seuss poem 7 Kathy Connell 8 shares good news GALILEO 9 Training LMS of the Year 10 Atlanta Hawks 11 New Hope Open 12 House Mill Creek and 13 North Gwinnett Long Cane 14 Open House KSU Literature 15 Conference Contest 16 SAT and DOT 17 Calendar 18 This poster has not been sent to the printers yet, but this is what the elementary schools can expect to receive in the near future. John read last month to a group of third graders for our last installment (for the time being) of Georgia Read More. Page 2 Volume 7 Number 8 School Library Media Activities Monthly/Volume XXIII, Number 8/April 2007 Reprinted with permission The Age of the Patron: Privacy for Middle and High School Students by Helen R. Adams Library media specialists have the responsibility, both legally and ethically, to protect the privacy and confidentiality of their patrons, no matter their ages. Protecting student privacy begins with knowing state library records law and how it relates to school library records. The next step is recognizing the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the 1982 Board of Education, Island Trees School District v. Pico decision that states minors have a First Amendment right to receive information and ideas (Hudson). While intellectual freedom principles protect access to information, there is a corollary concept stating that minors have the right to use resources and library services free from scrutiny. When we allow middle and high school students to read, research, and check out materials on a wide range of topics without comment as well as share that information with others, we are honoring the twin precepts of privacy and confidentiality in libraries. "It is the responsibility of the library media specialist to create an atmosphere where students may seek and use information without fear someone will question their reason or right to information" (Adams, 109). There may be topics that teenagers want information about but do not feel comfortable asking their parents. Consequently, the library media center may provide the ONLY source for accurate information, and a trusted library media specialist may be one individual they can turn to when researching sensitive topics. Any reference question brings a weighty responsibility on the part of the library media specialist to abide by the ALA Code of Ethics, III, that states, "We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired, or transmitted." It is important to remember that just because a student asks for information on abortion, teen pregnancy, drugs and drug use, or some other social issue does not mean that he or she is pregnant, using drugs, or engaged in other risky behavior. Equally sensitive topics maybe sought for a school assignment for personal reasons. As library media specialists, we should respect our students' right to privacy and not ask why the information is needed. On the other hand, there may be times when a library media specialist must apply commonsense rather than the ALA policy and ethics statements because of a concern for the student's welfare. Just as educators are required to report cases of child abuse, there are times when concern for a student may move the library media specialist to seek the advice of another school professional bound by confidentiality such as a guidance counselor. Intervening to potentially save the life of a student transcends student privacy. In addition to protecting the right of privacy to seek information, it is the library media specialist's responsibility to protect students' right of privacy when checking out materials or inquiring about materials. Comments on what is being checked out and why it is being checked out should be curtailed. The same advice applies to interlibrary loan and reserve requests. Library clerks, student workers, and parent volunteers should be trained to respect the privacy of patrons and should not be allowed to casually review library circulation records. Continued on next page Media Matters Page 3 Because there are so many physical, intellectual, and emotional changes for students during the middle and high school years, a sense of responsibility is not yet well developed. There areaways, however, that the library media specialist can help students return materials in a timely fashion. Giving quiet oral reminders when students are using the library media center is a first step. Printed notices, folded and stapled with the student's name at the top, delivered to a homeroom teacher are another. Some schools use a quarterly reward system to encourage adolescents to work toward improving grades and acting responsibly. Returning overdue materials can also become part of the criteria for gaining participation in a special activity. A middle school library media specialist recently told me that this is a very positive way to encourage responsibility, and few books remain unreturned by the end of the year. In some intractable cases, letters may need to be sent to parents requesting return of books, noting the cost of the item(s), and contact information for the library media specialist. While students in middle and high school have developed a desire for privacy, they do not yet comprehend how to protect their personal information. In addition to protecting minors' rights to privacy in a library setting, the library media specialist should teach students how to guard their own privacy in their physical daily lives as well as online. This instruction may be apart of the information and technology literacy curriculum. Age does have some place in how library media specialists extend privacy to student patrons, but student First Amendment rights, the Library Bill of Rights, the ALA Code of Ethics, and other policy statements tell us that granting privacy to students is the right thing to do. As middle and high school students grow and mature, providing scrutiny free access to information and keeping their interests and intellectual pursuits confidential is a matter of keeping faith with them as well as honoring our professional ethical codes. References Adams, Helen R., Robert Bocher, Carol Gordon, and Elizabeth Barry-Kessler. Privacy in the 21st Century: Issues for Public, School, and Academic Libraries. Libraries Unlimited, 2005. American Library Association. "Code of Ethics of the American Library Association." http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/ethics.html (accessed December 2, 2006).Hudson, David L., Jr. "Book Censorship." First Amendment Center.org. http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org//speech/studentexpression/topic.aspx?topic=book censorship (accessed December2, 2006). Helen Adams is a former library media specialist and technology coordinator in Wisconsin and currently an online instructor for Mansfield University teaching Access and Legal Issues for the Information Age. A frequent conference presenter, she is the author of School Media Policy Development and co-author of Privacy in the 21st Century: Issues for Public, School, and Academic Libraries (Libraries Unlimited, 2005). Email: hadams1@centurytel.net Permission to post granted by Libraries Unlimited for the Georgia Department of Education Library Media Services eNewsletter. March, 2009. Page 4 Volume 7 Number 8 Women in History Project Rosalynn Carter: Quilting a Legacy Teachers are invited to participate in this special art project honoring former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Each class can make one class generated quilt piece or teachers may decide to have a class contest with each student making a quilt piece and then allowing students to vote on one to represent their class. If you do the class contest, your quilt pieces could be displayed at your school with the exception of the original class winner. Please review the guidelines and follow them closely so your entry will fit into the quilt. The quilt project will be displayed at the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site's Main Visitors Center in Plains, Georgia. If you have questions, please contact Annette Wise at 229-824-4104 ext.16. Project theme: The purpose of this project is for students to learn about Rosalynn Carter. The quilt piece can include drawings/writings about her childhood, family, The Carter Center in Atlanta, the Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI), or anything related to her being the First Lady of the United States of America. You can locate information about Rosalynn Carter at www.jimmycarter.info, www.cartercenter.org, www.jimmycarterlibrary.org or www.georgiaencyclopedia.org. Students may also select character education words and/or words which describe Mrs. Carter to incorporate into this project. Project Guidelines: One entry per class. Quilt piece should be on white copy paper 8- x 11. Quilt design will be displayed horizontally (landscape) Art Medium: Magic marker, crayon, colored pencils, pencil, or ink The entry must be flat with no glued three dimensional objects. The entry must include the following information printed on the front in the bottom right hand corner: school name, town, teacher's name and grade. Complete a Project Book Sheet and mail it with your entry. This sheet will be placed in a project book and presented to Mrs. Carter. You may use the attached template or design your own sheet. If possible, please include a class picture (glued or printed) to the template. Entries must be received by March 24, 2009. Quilt pieces will be placed on display March 25th. Project book Guidelines: Teachers are encouraged to submit one sheet of 8- x 11 paper (writing and picture on one side) to be included in a project notebook . The book will be presented to Mrs. Carter and then placed on display at the museum with the quilt. The class sheet should include a class picture, information about the class and a paragraph written to Mrs. Carter about the project. You may use the attached template or design one. This sheet should be mailed with the class entry. Please do not fold the quilt piece or project book page. Classroom participants: Each teacher that provides a complete mailing address will receive bookmarks for their class. Media Matters 2009-2010 Georgia Peach Award Nominees 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff Blood Brothers by S.A. Harazin City of Bones by Cassandra Clare Deadline by Chris Crutcher Generation Dead by Daniel Waters Getting the Girl by Susan Juby Graceling by Kristin Cashore Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Impossible by Nancy Werlin Lessons from a Dead Girl by Jo Knowles Little Brother by Cory Doctorow My Most Excellent Year by Steve Kluger Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs Ophelia by Lisa Klein Spud by John Van de Ruit Three Little Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter Unwind by Neal Shusterman Wake by Lisa McMann Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr The deadline for voting this year is March 13th. Page 5 Page 6 Georgia Department of Education 1754 Twin Towers East 205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Phone: 404-657-9800 Fax: 404-656-5744 E-mail: jserrite@doe.k12.ga.us We will lead the nation in improving student achievement. Volume 7 Number 8 Education Secretary Arne Duncan mentions school librarians! Perhaps there is hope. Duncan says a large chunk of the $140 billion destined for education will help states maintain and create jobs. "My concern is that hundreds of thousands of good teachers, not just bad teachers, are going to go, and that would be devastating," he says. "It is to no one's advantage if class size skyrockets or librarians get eliminated or school counselors disappear." To read the entire article go to: http://tiny.cc/AJ5rT Are you retiring this year? Were you chosen TOTY in your school or system? Are you the Library Media Specialist of the Year in your district or system? Let me know at jserrite@doe.k12.ga.us. Media Matters HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. SEUSS! No matter what shape No matter what size Step in the library And give your spirit a rise! Read a Seuss book... Read one I say Then read another and another And another all day. Read Seuss books From morn until night. Go to bed late And get up all bright. Read them and read them And read them some more. And you will be happy As never before. Tony Pope (revised 2007) Media Specialist McHenry Primary School 100 McHenry Dr. Rome, GA 30161 Page 7 In a gentle way, you can shake the world. Gandhi Fly without hesitation to the edge of the horizon with outstretched wings and vivid dreams trusting you will not fall. Heather Handler Page 8 Volume 7 Number 8 Wonderful News From Newton County As many of you know, our district administrators allotted a substantial sum of money to the Newton High media center for the purchase of new books this year. This money was given in response to a study comparing the print collections and budgets of the three high schools in the district over the last ten years. Data revealed that the average age of the print collection at Newton was 1978 and that only $1.87 per student per year had been spent on books. Sometimes it takes years to see the effect of spending on student achievement, but not in this case. Last year during the months of December and January, students checked out 392 fiction books. This year, during the same period, students checked out 3,245 fiction books. Circulation didn't double or triple, it increased tenfold!! Given access to books that match their interest, Newton High students have proven that they are voracious readers. This is important because studies conducted in nineteen states have revealed that the extent to which books are borrowed from media centers shows a strong relationship with reading achievement, and that scores on standardized reading and English tests increased when schools had newer books. We would like to thank our district administrators who took the time to read the data driven analysis of this issue and then took steps to rectify the problem. Kathy Connell Ed.D Newton High School 140 Ram Drive Covington, GA 30014 Kathy, thank you for sharing this uplifting news. Administrators around the state should take note and follow suit! Media Matters GALILEO TRAINING: NO $$ REQUIRED Page 9 Training opportunities scheduled this year can help you learn about GALILEO and some of the great databases available, in addition to preparing you to train teachers, students, or others how to use reliable, authoritative research resources. The training sessions are offered online by various vendor trainers or by GALILEO staff members, so no travel time or funds are required. Topics cover a wide range of resources designed for all grade levels. For some classes, you will need a computer and a phone, but for most you will just need a computer with internal or external speakers. Many schools and libraries have found it useful to set up a lab or meeting room with speakers/speaker phone and a projection screen so that several can attend together. Specific instructions for connecting to classes are sent a few days before the class date. Certificates of participation are sent to everyone who attends a class. A summary of the classes offered in winter and spring is listed below. For dates and times and to register for a class, visit http://www.usg.edu/galileo/help/library/training/. Orientations to the Scholar, Library, and K-12 Interfaces (scheduled monthly) High School Research and GALILEO* - An exploration of resources useful for high school research papers and projects with special emphasis on Literary Reference Center and SIRS Researcher K-12 Science Resources in GALILEO and the National Science Digital Library* - Includes a look at teacher resources as well as a look at specific resources for use in science classroom teaching Social Studies Resources in GALILEO* - A look at GALILEO resources available for specific standards for social studies, including SIRS and Encyclopaedia Britannica resources GALILEO at the Reference Desk - A look at GALILEO resources that meet the needs of quick or ready reference EBSCOhost Databases - Presented by an EBSCO trainer, this session will include simple and advanced search techniques, limiters and expanders for successful searching, personalized folders, journal and search alerts, and citation features. * These sessions will include a look at how GALILEO resources map to Georgia Performance Standards for public schools K-12. If you have any questions or need more information, please use GALILEO's Contact Us feature or contact OIIT Customer Services at helpdesk@usg.edu Page 10 Volume 7 Number 8 Page 11 Special Appreciation Event for Georgia's Educators. Volume 7 Number 8 An evening at Philips Arena with Ron Clark and the Atlanta Hawks Friday, March 13, 2009 4:30 Doors open 5:00 Ron Clark speaks 5:45 Q and A with Ron Clark 6:15 Ron Clark book signing: Get an autographed copy of Ron's book... The Essential 55....a NY Times bestseller. 7:25 Ron Clark's students perform the national anthem 7:30 Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers Tickets: lower level: only $35 (regularly $70) and upper Level: only $21.50 (regularly $43) there are a limited number of tickets available for this very special event, so reserve your spot today! All Georgia educators are welcome. Tickets are based on availability. All orders must be placed in advance of the event. Contact Karin Beckman at 404-878-3781 or Karin.beckman@atlantaspirit.com Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. St. Francis of Assisi Page 12 Volume 7 Number 8 MEDIA CENTERS SHOWCASE 'EXEMPLARY' PROGRAMS By Heather Darenberg Staff Writer Gwinnett Daily Post Reprinted with permission LAWRENCEVILLE - Don't expect to hear someone saying, "Shush," in either of these libraries. The media centers at Mill Creek and North Gwinnett are the hubs of the high schools, places where students can go to collaborate on an assignment, research a project or just relax. "This isn't the traditional library where you come inside and people are telling you 'shhh' all the time," said Jim Stewart, a media specialist at North Gwinnett High. Likewise, Julie Hatcher, a media specialist at Mill Creek High, describes the area as "loud." "And that's a good thing," she said, adding the media center is also "open, inviting and crowded. ... The students are more comfortable in here than in the commons (area)." Both schools opened their doors Friday and invited educators from throughout state to learn about their media centers, named by the Georgia Department of Education as "Exemplary Media Centers" in 2008. The two Gwinnett schools tied for the honor at the high school level. Meadowcreek Elementary also earned the accolade. The three schools were selected for the award because they excelled in the following categories: student achievement and instruction, staffing, facilities, access and resources, administrative support, staff development and technology integration. "(Gwinnett County Public Schools) media centers are the largest classrooms in the schools," said Faye Curlee, director of media services and technology training. "Media specialists plan and collaborate with teachers to identify, select and provide the best resources and activities to support student achievement. Students and teachers who become proficient in locating, evaluating, organizing and presenting information become effective users of information throughout their years of school and on into adulthood." Mill Creek High's media center has the largest collection in the county - 20,000 books, Hatcher said. When the school opened five years ago, it had 7,000 books. To cater to the school's population of 4,200 students, the media center purchases materials based on recommendations from students, media specialist Mary Kay Donovan said. "The goal of our media center is (to be) student centered," Donovan said. Donovan and Hatcher said they stay up to date on what teens like to read. In fact, they said they prefer the young adult genre. At North Gwinnett, technology plays a key role in many of the media center's programs. One program allows students to become certified mentors to help their peers stay safe online and avoid sexual predators and cyberbullying, Stewart said. The school also offers a library sciences course, limited to two students each period, Stewart said. During the class, the students work in the media center, but they also take an online class. Carla Youmans, a North Gwinnett media specialist, said the job requires Stewart and her to be collaborators, instructional coaches, information gatherers and technology helpers. "We do a little bit of it all," she said. Page 14 Media Matters The Long Cane Middle School Open House will be on March 26th from 2 PM until 5 PM. Pam Murphy Media Specialist Long Cane Middle School 326 Long Cane Rd. LaGrange, GA 30240 706/845-2085 Were you able to attend the Children's Literature Conference in Athens? It was fabulous, as usual! Page 15 Volume 7 Number 8 KSU CONFERENCE ON LITERATURE Kennesaw State University's 2009 Conference on Literature for Children and Young Adults is just around the corner, and I hope you'll consider attending this great professional development opportunity. This year's conference, "Humor to Pathos through Multiple Genres," will take place March 31April 1, 2009 at the KSU Center on Busbee Drive. Award-winning author Laurie Halse Anderson is the featured author for both days of the conference. In addition, Stephen Kellogg and J. Patrick Lewis will speak and sign books on March 31 (elementary focus day) and Ned Vizzini and Bill Konigsberg will do the same on April 1 (middle/secondary focus day). You can find more information about all five of these authors at http://www.kennesaw.edu/education/eece/childlit/keynote.html. Registration can be completed online by March 24 through our secure KSU Mall service or by mail (http://www.kennesaw.edu/education/eece/childlit/reg.html). All forms and the conference flyer are available for easy download on the conference website (http://www.kennesaw.edu/education/eece/childlit/). I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks! Katherine Mason, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, English Education Registration Coordinator, KSU Literature Conference Department of English Kennesaw State University 1000 Chastain Rd., #2701 Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591 Phone: 678-797-2359 Fax: 770-423-6524 Animals are such agreeable friends--they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. George Eliot, Sciences of Clerical Life. Media Matters Page 16 Media Matters Page 17 SAT ONLINE TRAINING! The state of Georgia offers high school students free access to the SAT Online Prep Course developed by the College Board, the group that administers the SAT. This online course gives students access to virtual preparation exercises, review quizzes and several practice tests. The practice quizzes and tests, including the essay portion, are scored and feedback is given directly to the student. Among Georgia's 2008 graduating seniors, the students who used the free SAT Prep Course scored significantly better on all portions of this important college entrance exam. On average, these students: - Scored 13 points better on the critical reading section - Scored 19 points better on the mathematics section - Scored 16 points better on the writing section That means the students who used the online course scored, on average, a total of 48 points higher than those who did not. As you well know, 48 points could be the difference between getting into the college of your choice or not. www.gadoe.org/SATPrepClass. DOT AND DOE JOIN FORCES! The Department of Transportation has produced Georgia Flashback as part of an archaeological mitigation project. The premise of the video game is to teach 8th grade students about important people, events, and places in Georgia history. The story involves an 8th grade student who needs to study for a history test the next day. Instead of studying, the child goes to him mom's basement lab where he climbs into a broken time machine. In order to return home he must determine where and when he is to calibrate the time machine. Children playing the video game use clues (such as the 1829 Gold Rush), interact with characters (like Izzy from the 1996 Olympics), and witness events (such as the Lunch Counter sit-in at Rich's) to identify the date and place for each scenario (12 in all). The game includes a learn more section so that children can learn more about the topics introduced to help them along in the game. The website also includes a Learn More section and a section for teachers that includes lesson plans that correlate to the game (they follow the GPBS). http://www.georgiaflashback.org/teach.html For more information, contact: Theresa Lotti, Archaeologist Georgia Department of Transportation 404-699-4412 We are still looking for a NW Georgia school to take a picture of some students in front of the DOT Native American poster. March 2009 Georgia Department of Education Sund a y 1 Articles of Confed eration are rat ified: 1781 Mond a y 2 Dr. Seu ss' birthda y! 1904-1991 Tue sd a y W e dn e sda y Thursday 3 4 5 Patricia Dav Pilkey :1966- Mem Fox: 1946- MacLa chlan's birthday :1938- Frida y Saturday 6 7 Birthd ay of Thac- Alexan der Graham her Hu rd-1949- Bell patents the teleph one: 1876 8 9 Who is Kenneth Work began on Grahame ? 1859- the pip eline in 1932 Alaska : 1975 10 11 12 13 14 Birthd ay of Jack Oh Sn owy Day! Have y ou read a Birthd ay of Ellen Kent: 1920-1985 It's Ezra Jack book b y Virginia Raskin :1928- Keats' birthday: Hamilt on? 1936- 1984 1916-1983 2002 Margu erite de Angeli's birthday: 1889-1987 15 Birthd ay of Andrew Jackson: 1767 16 Happy Birthday to Sid Fleischman : 1920- 17 18 St. Pat rick- Birthd ay of 's Day ! Grover Cleveland. 19 20 21 First b ank robbery It's a wonderful in US: 1831 day in the neigh- borhoo d! Fred Rogers was born in 1928-2003 First d ay of spring 22 23 Who is Randolph Patrick Henry Caldec ott? gave famous 1846-1886 speech : 1775 24 25 Who is John Slave Trade Wesley Powell? abolish ed in Englan d: 1806 26 27 28 Have y ou ever First lo ng distan- Three Mile Island stopped by the ce call: 1884 disaste r: 1979 woods on a snowy evening? Robert Lee Frost: 1874-1963 29 US wit hdraws from VietNam: 1973 30 31 Birthd ay of Birthd ay of Vincen t Van Andrew Lang: Gogh: 1853-1890 1844-1912 February S M TW T F S 1234567 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 April S M TW T F S 1234 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your selfconfidence. Robert Frost