Reflection

Being at home with a sick kiddo, while not my idea of a fun time, does at least give me some good time for reflection.

I let January slip past me with no new blog posting, but it is lovely February and I'm back!

I have now been a high school librarian for a semester.  I have loved every minute of my new gig--and have learned (and am still learning) a lot.

Some ways the HS library is different than my MS library:

• way more schedules going on (and I thought 3 was difficult!) We have Early College High School, 9th graders on a block schedule and upper grades on a "regular" schedule, students with no classes for some periods of the day, late start Wednesday, etc. 
• much more emphasis on research (not a surprise, clearly---but we certainly are not preparing them adequately in MS --and I blame high-stakes testing pressure)
• less Wimpy Kid, more Stephen King
• something is ALWAYS going on in "my" space that isn't of my doing---meetings/after hours college classes/Saturday school/after school tutorials
• taller kids with more facial hair!  ;)

So I am learning and adapting and growing right along with my students, as is only right. Speaking of right, here are some things I think are on point:

• a warm, cozy atmosphere. We have couches and checkers and chess and lamps going on.  Not completely done, of course---it will always be evolving---but moving in the right direction.
• our circulation has more than doubled each month from last year's stats.  Not that circ stats are the only thing, but I do like the upward momentum.
• fun fine forgiveness opportunities---a canned food drive in Nov/Dec and now a write-a-teacher-a-note-of-appreciation for the month of February. 
• we were an official location for the National Readathon Day and had a good turnout, raising over $300 (we partnered with the National English Honor Society for this event)
• making a sort-of weekly video---called Dragons in the Stacks about library happenings shown to during Advisory classes
• giving some techie tips workshops for teachers
• building a connected library via social media

(and just for fun let me add I've been told I am both magical & "on fleek" this year!)

And for some balance, here are some areas I'm actively growing in:

• out-of-the box ways of better serving my students & teachers--I will begin a "mobile library" of sorts to hopefully get more books in the hands of my kids (and I thank my friend & super librarian friend Michelle Cooper for the idea)
• having helpful info on checking out ebooks, research, etc. EASILY accessible by the masses
• genrefying my fiction collection (did it at my MS, but only beginning the process at the HS)
• interactiveness 

Reflection + Action = Growth

:)