Question: Do I allow my students to read books from home that I regard as not appropriate for Adventist Schools? What can I offer as a substitute?
Answer: Here are my thoughts on this. I want to specify that my answer is geared toward the upper elementary grades as this situation is more common in those grades.
I don’t believe we should allow students to use books for school assignments that aren’t appropriate for Adventist schools. I make sure when I give the assignment that I am specific as to what kind of books will not be accepted. If I assign a book report and the students may choose their own books, I tell them that any book in the school or classroom library is fine. If they bring a book from home, it will need to be approved first. This has worked out fine.
Now what about the student who brings the latest fantasy novel to school to read and it isn’t for an assignment? He or she just wants to read it. I don’t want to make a huge issue of this for a couple of reasons. If the student’s parent bought it for them, then it might appear as though we are criticizing the parent. Also, it will make the book even more attractive to them and to others in the classroom. I talk to the student privately and tell them that I’m glad they are enjoying reading, but that particular book is not appropriate for a Seventh-day Adventist school. I ask that they take the book home and not bring it back to school.
For the student who doesn’t want to read anything but fantasy books or other inappropriate reading material, what books can we offer as a substitute that the students will read and possibly even enjoy? There is a lot of historical fiction that is exciting and interesting and sometimes I will read a book or parts of a book to the class to get them started. I know a teacher that calls this “Historical Realism” to avoid the word “Fiction”.
I learned very early to never say to a junior high student “You will love this book!” That can be the death knell for the book even if they do like it. They will usually not admit it. I say this instead, “Here’s one that a lot of junior high students have enjoyed in the past. Why don’t you read the first two chapters and if you don’t like it, bring it back and we’ll find something else for you.” Or I’ll tell them that I haven’t read this book and I’m not sure what grade levels it would be best for. Would they be willing to read it and let me know what they think? Or I’ll tell them that I am not sure if this book is one that we still need to keep in the library. It would be good to get a student’ view of the book. Do they think it is good enough to keep or would they recommend we discard it? Usually students who like to read are willing to at least try something.
Please feel free to share any ideas you use to get kids to read. Also share how you handle the sticky situation of inappropriate reading material.
Short list of books that most kids like (AND that you are likely to have in your classroom or school library already.)
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. This is NOT about a witch, but about a girl who lives during Puritan times and befriends a Quaker woman that is accused of being a witch. Kit ends up in the middle of the situation.
Swift Arrow by Josephine Cunnington Edwards. Boy is captured by Indians.
Spotted Boy and the Comanches by Mabel Earp Cason. Boy is captured by Indians.
Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan. Children of Norway carry gold hidden on their sleds past the Nazi soldiers.
A few newer titles that you may not have, but might consider purchasing. If you are at a school that has a very conservative population, check them out of the local library and read them first to make sure they are books you feel comfortable placing in your library. I have a somewhat liberal population but even my more conservative parents like these below. I do know that each school is different.
Dive, Island, Everest by Gordon Korman. Each set is a trilogy of shorter books that are about adventures. Realistic Fiction, exciting. If you purchase book 1 of Dive for example, you will have to purchase the other two. Each book ends with a cliff-hanger.
Andrew Clements’ school stories – Frindle, No Talking, The Janitor’s Boy, etc.
Crispin, the Cross of Lead by Avi. Medieval fiction adventure. Avi does good research so the time period is true, but the story itself is not true. Check out other books by Avi. Many are true, most are terrific reads.
Zach’s Lie by Roland Smith. About a boy and his family that have been placed in witness protection. Realistic Fiction. The sequel to this book is Jack’s Run. Roland Smith also writes other books that are exciting adventures: Elephant Run, Peak.
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls. The story contains a local legend about a fairy ring that some may find objectionable, but this is one that even reluctant readers like to read.
I am sure there are many more, but those pop into my head each time I need to find a good book for a student who doesn’t like to read anything.
Have a good week.
Audrey
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Which library automation software should I use?
Hi, Everyone.
OK. Now you are bring out the big guns in questions for me. I had two emails last week on which library automation software to use. I see that the Union recommends two different programs. Readerware and Resource Mate3.0 or Resource Mate 3.0 Plus. I looked at both websites and did a little research on them.
FIRST. I have not used either program. I am very interested in knowing if you use one or the other or even some other automation software. I am familiar with Alexandria COMPanion which we use here at Rogers and which was in place before I arrived here 8 years ago. Here is a quick overview of each program.
Readerware Automation Software
• Easy
• Cheap
• A Readerware database can hold between 10,000 and 20,000 items. It depends on the amount of data you store for each record. By default Readerware extracts reviews, these can be larger than the rest of the data combined. Without reviews you can get more than 20,000 items in a database.
• Tutorial available
• Free 30-day trial
• Support via email only, no phone support
• Newsletter
• Uses Windows or Mac
• Free upgrades
• Pictures for many books in print
• Often used for home libraries
Standard Edition includes the software for books only and no scanner $40.00
Standard Edition bundle includes the software for books, music, and $85.00
video and includes a free scanner (Pen type)
Resource Mate3
• No limit to the number of items
• Demo available (You must enter information to access this)
• Training videos available. There are three videos. One for $35, two for $59, three for $89. (Schools may be able to share these or the Union might purchase them and lend them out if enough schools choose this option.)
• Uses Windows
• Tech support – first 3 months is free, then $60 - $90 a year)
• Easy – input the ISBN and it searches. You can get Dewey information and subject information.
• Easy to add information that you want personally for your school
o Example: a teacher wants to remember the books he or she used for the rainforest unit they are teaching. Type in ‘rainforest’ for each book that does not already come up when you search for the rainforest books.
Regular Version – $195.00
• Small to medium libraries
• No item limit
• Built-in reports such as author, categories, call number, circulation, etc.
• Password protected – the computer can be used for searching and the information cannot be damaged by someone searching on the computer
• Can print spine labels
• Spiral-bound user manual
• 3 months free tech support
• Easy to upgrade if you choose
Plus Version – includes the above and. . . $395.00
• Multiple people can install the program on their home computers and enter items there, then bring the disk or flash drive to the main computer and merge the items to the main database. This would be easy for volunteers to help.
• Barcoding – need to purchase the bar codes and a scanner
• Inventory reporting
• History of circulation activity.
ResourceMate® School Basic Bundle
The ResourceMate® School Basic Bundle is the perfect choice for a smaller school or a school just beginning the transition into an automated library. This package still has great features of circulation control for teachers and students, as well as everything you need to get your catalog up and running quickly. The School Basic Bundle includes…
• ResourceMate® 3.0 Plus
• 1 patron search license
• CCD bar code scanner
• Your first 1,000 laminated item barcode labels
• Extended Circulation
• Spell CheckOne package of labels
• One year of Support
• Level 1 Training Video
Price $ 992
ResourceMate® Non-profit and Association Basic Bundle
This ResourceMate® bundle is ideal for societies, associations and organizations. It contains everything you need to make an impressive and organized collection of many different types of resources. It also contains a module to let you track the many different types of brochures and pamphlets that you may be giving away. The Non-profit and Association Bundle includes…
• ResourceMate® 3.0 Plus
• Pamphlet Inventory
• Spell Check
• One package of labels
• One year of Support
• Level 1 Training Video
Price $ 657
Scanner Information
You will likely need to purchase a scanner if it doesn’t come with your software. The pen type is less expensive, but I noticed somewhere that they can be a bit tricky to use at first. There is a CCD Barcode Reader which is a point and shoot type, or you could go with the laser barcode reader. You will need to decide.
Barcodes and labels
You will need to purchase labels and barcodes at least at some point, so make note of that. Some labels and barcodes may be supplied at first, but you will need to get more eventually. Highsmith is a very good resource for library supplies and they have competitive prices. Demco is another good source for library supplies and they are very similar in price.
Other things to keep in mind.
1. Where should I put the barcode? Decide on a position and then put them all in the same area. Our barcodes are in the inside back cover of each book and on the front top left corner of each magazine. (Don’t ask me why our barcodes are INSIDE each book!) If I were setting up a library now, I would put them on the cover either front or back near the spine and cover them with a clear label. In any case, choose a place that will be easy for the barcode reader or scanner to read.
2. Remember to back up your information on a regular basis. I am busy enough here that I make a back up every day. That way if I have a problem, I don’t lose more than a day or two of information. If you are a small school, you might not want to do this every day, but I would make a back up at least once a week.
3. Consider using your automation program to check out your textbooks. It might be an idea you want to use or it might not.
So, after all that, here is my recommendation. I believe the Resource Mate program is what I would use if I were starting out. I think I would begin with the regular Version for $195.00 and I would get the tech support package along with that. That way if I had questions, I could feel free to call any time without worrying about extra costs, especially when I was setting up my program. Then I would decide later if I wanted to upgrade to the Plus program. It costs $200 to upgrade, which is the same price as if you bought the Plus program in the first place so you aren’t missing any savings. Actually, the School Basic Bundle looks pretty good to me, too. I haven’t calculated each item individually, but it might be a small savings by getting a bundle.
Costs can be one of the biggest hurdles. I am not good at fund raising and hate doing it, but I think I might see if I could get people to donate parts of the program. If a scanner costs $125.00, then maybe someone would donate the scanner, or even two or three people could buy the scanner. You may have much better ideas.
Let me know how it is coming for you. I would like to know which program you use now or which program you choose to use if you decide to automate your library.
Have a good week.
Audrey
PS Alexandria’s costs are $1,000.00 for the software for one user with a yearly fee of $300. This included 24 hour tech support (and they are very good), all upgrades, and a user manual either in print or download format. I believe they give quite a lot of set-up support and training at the beginning. If you have more than one computer to use the program on, the next level is a 5-user level which is $2,000.00 software cost and $500 yearly fee. This may not be feasible for most of you, but I thought you might like to know about it anyway.
OK. Now you are bring out the big guns in questions for me. I had two emails last week on which library automation software to use. I see that the Union recommends two different programs. Readerware and Resource Mate3.0 or Resource Mate 3.0 Plus. I looked at both websites and did a little research on them.
FIRST. I have not used either program. I am very interested in knowing if you use one or the other or even some other automation software. I am familiar with Alexandria COMPanion which we use here at Rogers and which was in place before I arrived here 8 years ago. Here is a quick overview of each program.
Readerware Automation Software
• Easy
• Cheap
• A Readerware database can hold between 10,000 and 20,000 items. It depends on the amount of data you store for each record. By default Readerware extracts reviews, these can be larger than the rest of the data combined. Without reviews you can get more than 20,000 items in a database.
• Tutorial available
• Free 30-day trial
• Support via email only, no phone support
• Newsletter
• Uses Windows or Mac
• Free upgrades
• Pictures for many books in print
• Often used for home libraries
Standard Edition includes the software for books only and no scanner $40.00
Standard Edition bundle includes the software for books, music, and $85.00
video and includes a free scanner (Pen type)
Resource Mate3
• No limit to the number of items
• Demo available (You must enter information to access this)
• Training videos available. There are three videos. One for $35, two for $59, three for $89. (Schools may be able to share these or the Union might purchase them and lend them out if enough schools choose this option.)
• Uses Windows
• Tech support – first 3 months is free, then $60 - $90 a year)
• Easy – input the ISBN and it searches. You can get Dewey information and subject information.
• Easy to add information that you want personally for your school
o Example: a teacher wants to remember the books he or she used for the rainforest unit they are teaching. Type in ‘rainforest’ for each book that does not already come up when you search for the rainforest books.
Regular Version – $195.00
• Small to medium libraries
• No item limit
• Built-in reports such as author, categories, call number, circulation, etc.
• Password protected – the computer can be used for searching and the information cannot be damaged by someone searching on the computer
• Can print spine labels
• Spiral-bound user manual
• 3 months free tech support
• Easy to upgrade if you choose
Plus Version – includes the above and. . . $395.00
• Multiple people can install the program on their home computers and enter items there, then bring the disk or flash drive to the main computer and merge the items to the main database. This would be easy for volunteers to help.
• Barcoding – need to purchase the bar codes and a scanner
• Inventory reporting
• History of circulation activity.
ResourceMate® School Basic Bundle
The ResourceMate® School Basic Bundle is the perfect choice for a smaller school or a school just beginning the transition into an automated library. This package still has great features of circulation control for teachers and students, as well as everything you need to get your catalog up and running quickly. The School Basic Bundle includes…
• ResourceMate® 3.0 Plus
• 1 patron search license
• CCD bar code scanner
• Your first 1,000 laminated item barcode labels
• Extended Circulation
• Spell CheckOne package of labels
• One year of Support
• Level 1 Training Video
Price $ 992
ResourceMate® Non-profit and Association Basic Bundle
This ResourceMate® bundle is ideal for societies, associations and organizations. It contains everything you need to make an impressive and organized collection of many different types of resources. It also contains a module to let you track the many different types of brochures and pamphlets that you may be giving away. The Non-profit and Association Bundle includes…
• ResourceMate® 3.0 Plus
• Pamphlet Inventory
• Spell Check
• One package of labels
• One year of Support
• Level 1 Training Video
Price $ 657
Scanner Information
You will likely need to purchase a scanner if it doesn’t come with your software. The pen type is less expensive, but I noticed somewhere that they can be a bit tricky to use at first. There is a CCD Barcode Reader which is a point and shoot type, or you could go with the laser barcode reader. You will need to decide.
Barcodes and labels
You will need to purchase labels and barcodes at least at some point, so make note of that. Some labels and barcodes may be supplied at first, but you will need to get more eventually. Highsmith is a very good resource for library supplies and they have competitive prices. Demco is another good source for library supplies and they are very similar in price.
Other things to keep in mind.
1. Where should I put the barcode? Decide on a position and then put them all in the same area. Our barcodes are in the inside back cover of each book and on the front top left corner of each magazine. (Don’t ask me why our barcodes are INSIDE each book!) If I were setting up a library now, I would put them on the cover either front or back near the spine and cover them with a clear label. In any case, choose a place that will be easy for the barcode reader or scanner to read.
2. Remember to back up your information on a regular basis. I am busy enough here that I make a back up every day. That way if I have a problem, I don’t lose more than a day or two of information. If you are a small school, you might not want to do this every day, but I would make a back up at least once a week.
3. Consider using your automation program to check out your textbooks. It might be an idea you want to use or it might not.
So, after all that, here is my recommendation. I believe the Resource Mate program is what I would use if I were starting out. I think I would begin with the regular Version for $195.00 and I would get the tech support package along with that. That way if I had questions, I could feel free to call any time without worrying about extra costs, especially when I was setting up my program. Then I would decide later if I wanted to upgrade to the Plus program. It costs $200 to upgrade, which is the same price as if you bought the Plus program in the first place so you aren’t missing any savings. Actually, the School Basic Bundle looks pretty good to me, too. I haven’t calculated each item individually, but it might be a small savings by getting a bundle.
Costs can be one of the biggest hurdles. I am not good at fund raising and hate doing it, but I think I might see if I could get people to donate parts of the program. If a scanner costs $125.00, then maybe someone would donate the scanner, or even two or three people could buy the scanner. You may have much better ideas.
Let me know how it is coming for you. I would like to know which program you use now or which program you choose to use if you decide to automate your library.
Have a good week.
Audrey
PS Alexandria’s costs are $1,000.00 for the software for one user with a yearly fee of $300. This included 24 hour tech support (and they are very good), all upgrades, and a user manual either in print or download format. I believe they give quite a lot of set-up support and training at the beginning. If you have more than one computer to use the program on, the next level is a 5-user level which is $2,000.00 software cost and $500 yearly fee. This may not be feasible for most of you, but I thought you might like to know about it anyway.
How do I process
Question: How do I process old Adventist books and old Mission books? I have a box of these old books and they don’t have a Dewey number on them.
Response: I have two responses to this question; a quick one and then a longer explanation of my quick response. First the quick response:
Quick Response: 266 for Mission stories, 221.92 for stories about Old Testament People, and 225.92 for stories about New Testament People.
Longer Explanation: The 200 numbers in the Dewey Decimal System are for Religion. The 221 – 224 numbers are specifically for Old Testament and the 225 – 228 are for the New Testament. The thick books from the ABC about Joseph, Esther and so forth would go in 221.92 since they are books about people (biographies) in the Old Testament. I noticed that the newer books from Adventist publishers have a Dewey number listed inside them. I looked inside our copy of Deborah and Barak and saw the Dewey number 222.32. I then looked up the number in our Dewey classification and saw that that classification is for Judges. Since Deborah and Barak fit into the category of “Judges” that is where the publisher listed it. But since our other books about people from the Old Testament are in the 221.92 category, we placed Deborah and Barak in so it matched our other books. That way if students are looking for stories about Old Testament people, they won’t miss Deborah and Barak. In a similar vein, the 225.92 category would be for New Testament biographies.
Mission stories would be classified in the 266 category. There are more complicated divisions of this category, such as missions originating in France 266.02344, but it really is much easier to just put our mission stories in the 266 category.
If you have a box of old mission stories lying around and they aren’t on your library shelves because you don’t know what numbers to put on them, now you can pull them out of that box and process them ready for your students to check out and read.
Response: I have two responses to this question; a quick one and then a longer explanation of my quick response. First the quick response:
Quick Response: 266 for Mission stories, 221.92 for stories about Old Testament People, and 225.92 for stories about New Testament People.
Longer Explanation: The 200 numbers in the Dewey Decimal System are for Religion. The 221 – 224 numbers are specifically for Old Testament and the 225 – 228 are for the New Testament. The thick books from the ABC about Joseph, Esther and so forth would go in 221.92 since they are books about people (biographies) in the Old Testament. I noticed that the newer books from Adventist publishers have a Dewey number listed inside them. I looked inside our copy of Deborah and Barak and saw the Dewey number 222.32. I then looked up the number in our Dewey classification and saw that that classification is for Judges. Since Deborah and Barak fit into the category of “Judges” that is where the publisher listed it. But since our other books about people from the Old Testament are in the 221.92 category, we placed Deborah and Barak in so it matched our other books. That way if students are looking for stories about Old Testament people, they won’t miss Deborah and Barak. In a similar vein, the 225.92 category would be for New Testament biographies.
Mission stories would be classified in the 266 category. There are more complicated divisions of this category, such as missions originating in France 266.02344, but it really is much easier to just put our mission stories in the 266 category.
If you have a box of old mission stories lying around and they aren’t on your library shelves because you don’t know what numbers to put on them, now you can pull them out of that box and process them ready for your students to check out and read.
Great Read Alouds
Hello.
In last week’s email I gave a source for finding the Dewey number of a book if you can’t find it elsewhere. I got a response from a librarian that mentioned their library uses a book called “Library Flipper: A Guide to the Dewey Decimal System”. I looked for this book and found that it is out of print, but you might find it in a used bookstore or online. The price is only $6.95.
This week I have some homework for you. What books do you read aloud to your students? I want to compile a list of great read-alouds to put on a website. So send me titles, authors, of books that you and your kids love. Also, let me know what grade level you use it for. We’ll have a lot of books for others to choose from.
Here are some of mine.
Toliver’s Secret by Esther Wood Brady All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
A timid young girl must carry a secret message for General Washington across enemy lines.
Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat All grades. You may cry at the end.
Hilarious story of a young boy who adopts two young owls as pets. You will laugh out loud and possibly cry while reading this book. I know that I do.
Frindle by Andrew Clements Middle grades are best for his books.
Andrew Clements’ school stories are all good. They are very popular in my library and with me as well. Watch out for his chapter books. One titled ‘Things Not Seen’ is not appropriate for an SDA school library.
Safe Return by Catherine Dexter Middle grades
Story of Ursula who lives on Gotland, an island known for its wonderful knitted sweaters and other items. She can’t seem to get the hang of it, but when her aunt goes to the mainland to sell the knitted sweaters and does not return when expected, Ursula is insistent that Aunt will return.
Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan Middle grades
Adventure and excitement through children taking gold on their sleds to be hidden from the Germans. An abridged version of this story is in the Life Reading Series as the book portion for a 5th or 6th grade text. Don’t use that version if you can help it.
Deborah by Margit Strom Heppenstall All grades
The story of ‘The Little Captive Maid’. My teacher read it to us when I was in elementary school. This may be one way to get your students to read the old Adventist books. Great stories in many of them.
The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt by Patricia MacLachlan (This is one of the literature sets in the new reading program. Try to find recordings of the music mentioned in the book. This will help bring it to life.)
The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill All grades
The story of a teacher in a one room school in the north and the effect she had on the students. Told from the perspective of one of the students.
A Certain Small Shepherd By Rebecca Caudill All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
A heartwarming Christmas story. I believe it is in one of Joe Wheeler’s Christmas in My Heart books.
Did You Carry the Flag Today, Charlie? By Rebecca Caudill
Charlie is a lovable child that cannot seem to follow directions at the kindergarten. At the end of the day the teacher chooses a child to carry the flag and lead the group to the bus. Will Charlie ever get to carry the flag?
Even though it is about a kindergartener, I use this with the 3rd and 4th grades.
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink All grades, but I use it for 5th and 6th
Also try Magical Melons which is a sequel to Caddie. The funniest story in Caddie is called “Pee Wee”. Read it to yourself before you read it to the kids to decide if you want to read it aloud. It is a little violent, but it is a story that Tom made up to tell to the other children.
Twenty and Ten by Claire Hutchet Bishop All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
Twenty French children help hide ten Jewish children at their school in the mountains during the war. Short, but powerful story.
In last week’s email I gave a source for finding the Dewey number of a book if you can’t find it elsewhere. I got a response from a librarian that mentioned their library uses a book called “Library Flipper: A Guide to the Dewey Decimal System”. I looked for this book and found that it is out of print, but you might find it in a used bookstore or online. The price is only $6.95.
This week I have some homework for you. What books do you read aloud to your students? I want to compile a list of great read-alouds to put on a website. So send me titles, authors, of books that you and your kids love. Also, let me know what grade level you use it for. We’ll have a lot of books for others to choose from.
Here are some of mine.
Toliver’s Secret by Esther Wood Brady All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
A timid young girl must carry a secret message for General Washington across enemy lines.
Owls in the Family by Farley Mowat All grades. You may cry at the end.
Hilarious story of a young boy who adopts two young owls as pets. You will laugh out loud and possibly cry while reading this book. I know that I do.
Frindle by Andrew Clements Middle grades are best for his books.
Andrew Clements’ school stories are all good. They are very popular in my library and with me as well. Watch out for his chapter books. One titled ‘Things Not Seen’ is not appropriate for an SDA school library.
Safe Return by Catherine Dexter Middle grades
Story of Ursula who lives on Gotland, an island known for its wonderful knitted sweaters and other items. She can’t seem to get the hang of it, but when her aunt goes to the mainland to sell the knitted sweaters and does not return when expected, Ursula is insistent that Aunt will return.
Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan Middle grades
Adventure and excitement through children taking gold on their sleds to be hidden from the Germans. An abridged version of this story is in the Life Reading Series as the book portion for a 5th or 6th grade text. Don’t use that version if you can help it.
Deborah by Margit Strom Heppenstall All grades
The story of ‘The Little Captive Maid’. My teacher read it to us when I was in elementary school. This may be one way to get your students to read the old Adventist books. Great stories in many of them.
The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt by Patricia MacLachlan (This is one of the literature sets in the new reading program. Try to find recordings of the music mentioned in the book. This will help bring it to life.)
The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill All grades
The story of a teacher in a one room school in the north and the effect she had on the students. Told from the perspective of one of the students.
A Certain Small Shepherd By Rebecca Caudill All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
A heartwarming Christmas story. I believe it is in one of Joe Wheeler’s Christmas in My Heart books.
Did You Carry the Flag Today, Charlie? By Rebecca Caudill
Charlie is a lovable child that cannot seem to follow directions at the kindergarten. At the end of the day the teacher chooses a child to carry the flag and lead the group to the bus. Will Charlie ever get to carry the flag?
Even though it is about a kindergartener, I use this with the 3rd and 4th grades.
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink All grades, but I use it for 5th and 6th
Also try Magical Melons which is a sequel to Caddie. The funniest story in Caddie is called “Pee Wee”. Read it to yourself before you read it to the kids to decide if you want to read it aloud. It is a little violent, but it is a story that Tom made up to tell to the other children.
Twenty and Ten by Claire Hutchet Bishop All grades, but I read it to 3rd and 4th
Twenty French children help hide ten Jewish children at their school in the mountains during the war. Short, but powerful story.
Where can I find the Dewey number of a book?
Response: Yes, there is. There are at least two ways to find the Dewey number of a book without being a trained cataloger.
1. The first way is to look in the book itself especially for newer books. There is a page called the ‘imprint page’ or the ‘verso page’ that contains publisher information, ISBN numbers, and much more. It is usually on the back side of the title page, but we notice it more and more often at the back of the book. The Dewey number is there. You may not want to use the entire number. One example is a book we are processing now titled “Braving Volcanoes: Volcanologists”. On the verso page the Dewey number given is 551.21092. This is very long, so we have shortened it to 551.21. That works for our library. One more thing in cataloging this particular book is to decide where to put this book. The Dewey number 551.21 is where other books about VOLCANOS are located. But the book is about a volcanologist which is a CAREER, therefore we could put it in CAREER. Since I bought it for the volcano section, I decided that it would be more useful in the volcano section, so we are putting it there. Another thing you might see is a Dewey number that looks like this: 641.5’636. The apostrophe indicates that the book could stop after the ‘5’ or you could put the whole number. This is a vegetarian cookbook in our library. We have all our vegetarian cookbooks cataloged together, so we use the whole number. You are the final voice for how the book will be used in your library.
2. The second way to get a Dewey number is to go to http://catalog.loc.gov/ Click on Basic Search, Type in the title of the book you need the Dewey number for, and press Enter. You may need to select the title you want from a list. It could be that there are sound recordings, paperbacks, hardbacks, or videos or DVDs of that title. When you have selected the book, you need to click “Full Record” and the Dewey number will be on that page.
As you are putting the information into your computer program, don’t forget to include tags to help you locate the book. Using my “Braving Volcanoes: Volcanologists” book as an example, I found that the tags already with the book are: volcanologists – juvenile literature; volcanological research – juvenile literature; volcanoes – juvenile literature. I can add lava, hot rocks, eruption, magma or any other term that may be useful in locating this book.
I hope this information is helpful to you. If you have any questions, please send them to me and I will certainly try to answer them if I can.
Have a good week.
Audrey
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Leveling Books
Question: What do you think about using colored tape to level books? How should I level the books?
Answer: This is a timely situation. I have heard that the new Pathways reading program recommends that teachers level their books. I think it is one thing to level your books in your classroom, but leave the library alone. On the other hand, many of us do not have the luxury of having a classroom library and a school library.
CONS of LEVELING
My main problem with leveling is that it can limit students in free choices. What about the student who has a particular interest in a subject such as World War 2? Maybe my library only has World War 2 books on a high reading level. Do I tell that student that he or she can’t read the book since it isn’t on their level? I feel that is a quick way to snuff out an interest in reading. Many students find that they can read higher levels if the motivation is high enough. One library friend told me about a student who checked out a thick book on a subject he was interested in. The book was a high school or college level book, but that child kept renewing the book each week until he had read the whole thing. He then was quite an expert in the subject and his self esteem was pretty high. He, a lower reader, had read a ‘big thick book’.
PROS of LEVELING
I do feel that there is a place for leveling books, though. There are times that it just makes sense. Teachers are so busy and may not have the time to work individually with students to find a book they like and a book they can read. If you do need to level some books, here is some advice on how you might choose to do this.
1. Decide the way you will level your books. Will they be leveled by readability? Most of you will likely choose this option.
2. Keep it Simple. This way the students can return the books easily and it won’t be your job.
3. Color-coding is easy to see and easy to put away, so most of you may choose to color-code your leveled books.
You could use a strip of tape or colored dots. If your books have the spine label on the bottom of the spine, it might be best to put the tape or dots at the top of the spine. In my library our *Everybody Books have colored dots to indicate the type of book and the books with the same color dot are arranged alphabetically by author. Our colored dot categories are:
1. Dark Blue dot – People stories
2. Light Blue dot – Pet stories
3. Pink dot - Bible stories
4. Black dot - Biography
5. Green dot - Nature
6. Light Green dot – Science
7. Orange dot – Technology (cars, trucks, etc.)
8. White dot – Animals acting like people
9. Red dot – Counting books
10. Purple dot – Alphabet books
11. Yellow dot – Rhymes and Songs
12. Blue star dot – Easy Readers
One shelf in our Everybody Books section.
Our dots are at the top of the spine. By the way, this is a picture book about World War 2 titled “Across the Blue Pacific” and is great for older students.
If you like this method, but feel a bit overwhelmed by so many categories, here’s a shortened version for you.
1. People books – people and biography
2. Pets
3. Technology
4. Science and Nature
5. ABC/Counting
6. Animals as People
7. I Can Read
Or an even shorter version:
1. People
2. Nature/Science
3. Bible
4. Easy Reader
If you are leveling books, you may not choose to use the same categories as I do in my library, but the same system can still apply. Easy Readers Level 1 could be one color and so forth. I like the dot system because it is easy to apply the dots and it isn’t quite so obvious as a wide strip of tape. I get my dots from Highsmith library supply. They come in many color choices and are fairly inexpensive. I get the ¼ -inch dot on an adhesive strip and they cost about $3.99 for a package of 200 dots. They have different sizes, but this size works well for me. Here is the information. Shipping and handling is $5.00 for any stock order.
Item number R11-39167 Grabber Grab-a-dot $3.99
So, if you are leveling books, make sure the system you use is EASY. Easy to set up because then you will actually do it. Easy to use because then the students may actually use it, and easy to understand for new students and parents coming in to your school.
If you have your library leveled already, let me know how you did it. We can all learn from each other.
Have a great week,
Audrey
*Everybody Books include easy pre-school books, picture books, Easy-to-Read books. Some people call these picture books or easy books, but there are quite a few that aren’t easy to read. Most librarians now use the term “Everybody Books”.
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