NOTE: Please check the posting from last week -- I have added some new dates based on information received from many of you, and thanks for these updates. Again, I would encourage you to use the comment feature of the blog to have direct input to this flow of information.
Needless to say, I am as ever amazed by the professional energies of our Vancouver TLs! We are getting lots of feedback on school-based efforts to promote the electronic resources and The Vancouver Sun and Province subscriptions. You are actively engaging in the challenge to expand the resource "horizons" of our teacher colleagues and in constructing an "information literate educational community" for Vancouver educators.
From Bill Raikes:
I really enjoyed the Update session last Thursday. I can see how I can increase my value as a teacher librarian. I loaded Webcat into all my staff's BCeSIS computers and showed them how to use it .... BCeSIS has forced [our colleagues] to become more familiar with computers and I decided to strike while the iron is hot. This week I am teaching myself how to access and navigate many of the databases in Webcat. I plan to introduce my staff to a new database every fortnight or so. I don't want to overload them. I am [also] pushing for Smartboards as the possibilities seem endless.
I mentioned Bill's great idea about the webcat link and database promotion to John Hunter who immediately saw the possibilities for promoting electronic and print resources in the district. John is the administrator for BCeSIS implementation. Thanks to Bill and John, every teacher will automatically have the Webcat link on their BCeSIS interface, and you in the pilot schools will have a new way to promote the use of resources. How's that for great initiative.
Email received from Christianne Hayward about upcoming professional development at Christianne's Lyceum of Literature and Art (3696 W 8th Ave, Vancouver):
Thank-you very much for taking the time to help us get news out about our PD workshops. [Here's the] link on our website that allows interested parties to download the pdf .... Thanks again - I hope your fall is a fruitful one, Christianne Hayward
News on recent Ministry-released resources:
- The DVD The Boy Inside will be catalogued and sent out to our high school libraries. This is a thought-provoking documentary about a young boy with autism. If your elementary school has need of a copy for professional development, there will be addtional copies added to the district media collection or you can ask to have one sent for your own collections as well.
- Soon to arrive in schools will be the beautiful specially-commissioned book British Columbia: Spirit of the People by Jean Barman. With any luck at all, we can divert these to our media and library cataloguing services first ... but do let your administrator (or school secretary) know that, if the book and stamp arrive there, you would be the best and first place to send this resource to ensure its retention and circulation in the school.
From Margaret at Van Tech comes a reminder of the annual Word on the Street (WOTS)event to be held next Sunday, September 28, from 11 am to 5 pm. Get there early to get your pass and bag for "freebies" at the displays. Promotional materials will arrive in the first media bag delivery at your schools this week. Please share the information with interested staff ... and maybe put a notice out in the daily bulletin. Here's a list of some of the authors and literary notables you will find there:
Caroline Adderson, Peter Bagge, Linda Bailey, Jean Barman, Michael Byers, Norma Charles, Lisa Cinar, Ian Ferguson, Steven Galloway, James Glave, Garry Gottfriedson, Robert Heidbreder, Lee Henderson, Deborah Hodge, Stephen Hume, Mel Hurtig, Susan Juby, Hadrien Laroche, Mark Leiren-Young, Adrienne Mason, Dr. Gabor Maté, George McWhirter, Susin Nielsen, Kathryn Shoemaker, George Stanley, Meg Tilly, Karen X. Tulchinsky, Richard Wagamese, Howard White, John Wilson, and Michael Yahgulanaas.
Have a great week, everyone.
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