MAY IS….
|
MARK YOUR CALENDAR 
|
 ING
AHEAD
|
SCHOOL LIBRARY PROFILE SHEETSchool libraries are required to return a school library profile sheet to RPLS by June 1 of each year. This form summarizes the school year we are completing and provides basic information about your library. Unlike other forms that are submitted as a district, each building is required to return the profile sheet. The form is available on the RPLS website. Print out a copy, fill it out, and return to Rachel Miller at RPLS before June 1.
|
TRAVELING LIBRARIANS GO TO LUNCH
 It takes a special kind of school librarian to travel between schools and manage more than one library. Let's do lunch and talk about the juggling act you call an ordinary day. We'll swap stories, share solutions, and maybe even learn a tip on improving gas mileage between schools! We'll also discuss what types of follow-up events or activities would be most helpful for this multi-tasking group. Meet at Mario's North in Springfield at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 27. Lunch is dutch treat. There is a lunch buffet, or you may order off the menu. Please be sure to register in CLeO because Rachel will make reservations based on that number. Mario's North
|
|
It's
About Time!
Cost:
The cost to attend the Summer Camp for School Librarians whether in whole or in
part is $8.00 ~ Please pay by Friday, June 27th. |
|
Over Time! Optional extended sessions are available on Wednesday, July 9 Book Repair 9:00-12:00
Read Posters Made Easy 1:00-3:00
|
|
SUMMER IS COMING!
 Looking for ideas for recommended summer reading? Adventure of the American Mind May 2007 newsletter featured a compilation of summer reading lists. Summer reading list from Choice Literacy: Books to Get Us Ready for Summer Vacation Encourage beginning readers to keep practicing their skills all summer long by sharing free activity sheets featuring I Can Read characters. The Harper Collins site also includes tips and information for parents and teachers. Reading Rockets is a fantastic resource for parents, teachers, and librarians. Be sure to read the Summer Reading section of their website for book lists, book-based tips for summer fun, and even research showing the link between summer reading and success the following school year.
|
 VIRTUAL
FIELD TRIPIf spring fever has struck in your library, think about taking a virtual field trip. Gather your students, get on the internet and do your traveling via the computer! Internet 4 Classrooms has great ideas for virtual trips and tips to make this type of field trip a success.
|
READ FOR A LIFETIME
 Titles have been announced for 2008-2009 Read for a Lifetime, the Illinois State Library's reading program for high school students. Students read from a list of 25 books, containing both contemporary and classic works.
|
|
REBECCA CAUDILL PACKET WORKSHOP Join with fellow librarians and teachers to create a packet of information and activities to accompany the 20 books selected for the 2009 Rebecca Caudill Award. The workshop will be held on Monday, June 2nd at the Helen Mathes Library in Effingham. As a participant you will help to prepare a book summary, discussion questions, activities, reading recommendation, book talk, list of related materials, and web sites for each book on the list. Each participant is assigned particular books to read and be responsible for. However, everyone is encouraged to read as many of the books on the list of 20 as is possible before the workshop. Registration and refreshments at 8:30 a.m. Workshop begins at 9:00 am. To register, go to Shawnee Library System CLeO. Please contact Ellen Popit at 800-455-4374, ext. 2024 with any questions.
|
LOOKYBOOKEveryone that loves children’s picture books should check out Lookybook. This fun web site shows hundreds of picture books in their entirety. Click on the cover to see inside the book, then continue clicking to turn the pages and read the book from cover to cover. While it doesn’t replace the joy of reading the actual book to a child, Lookybook describes itself as an opportunity “to show you new books and to help you make informed choices for you and your kids.” The list of available books grows each week. You can even create a bookshelf of your favorites. Learn more about Lookybook and its founder Craig Frazier in this article by Joan Oleck in School Library Journal (4/2/2008)
|
 SPREAD THE WORD!If you work with students that are thinking about career choices, be sure to let them know that librarian is listed as one of the “Best Careers of 2008” by U.S. News and World Report. Careers selected offer strong outlooks and high job satisfaction.
|
EZRA JACK KEATS MINIGRANTS
 Ezra Jack Keats Foundation offers minigrants to public libraries and public school libraries. The application deadline for the $500 grant is September 15, 2008. The educators’ portion of the site features some outstanding examples of past grant recipients.
|
|
Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom offers a Summer Agricultural Institute for preschool – high school educators who wish to expand their curriculum to include topics related to agriculture. The course focuses on how to integrate available resources and hands-on activities about agriculture and the environment into the curriculum.
|
FREE DOWNLOAD  Many communities find it difficult to fund after-school activities for youth, despite the demonstrated importance of this type of programming. This is especially true in small towns and rural areas. “Financing and Sustaining Out-of-School Time Programs in Rural Communities” describes the different public and private resources that can support out-of-school time programming and identifies key strategies that can be used to finance and sustain these programs in rural communities.
|
 BOOKPAGE SPOTLIGHT AWARD
Do you know a public library professional who constantly
works to make life better for you and your community- who never seeks the
spotlight, but certainly deserves it? Here's your chance to reward them for a
job well done! Enter BookPage's second annual Spotlight Award contest, and your
nominee could win a $2,500 prize, as well as $250 for their library. Any current
public library employee is eligible to be nominated for this award. All entries
must be received by May 15, 2008. Visit
BookPage.com to
download a copy of the
entry form, or to enter
online. Entry
forms can be mailed to:
|
|
IN THE
LITERATURE
Laura Amy Schlitz, media specialist at Park School in Baltimore, Maryland, is the winner of the 2008 Newbery Award for her book Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village. Learn more about this award-winning author in Mary Grace Gallagher’s article, “A Tall Tale”, School Library Journal, April 2008. (p. 34-37) School Library Journal’s Curriculum Connections features recommended short stories in “When Less is More: New Short Story Collections to Get Teens Reading” (Spring 2008, p. 17-19) Author Lynn Rashid shares examples of this sometimes overlooked form of fiction. Also included in the Spring 2008 Curriculum Connections is “Good Enough To Eat: Healthy Selections to Whet Your Appetite” by Nicki Clausen-Grace (p. 20-21). Elementary level fiction and nonfiction books combine in fun ways to guide students to healthy food choices.
|
|
Let’s Get It All Together is a
September - June monthly Youth Services Newsletter produced by |
SUMMER CAMP
FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIANS
GET IN THE GAME 
AG OPPORTUNITY