Reimagining a Library...
Hello Ontario Middle School!
Around the world, libraries are reinventing themselves as content becomes more accessible online and their role becomes less about housing paper books and more about connecting learners and constructing knowledge. Rather than maintain a quiet location for individual study and silent reading, we wanted to create an environment for collaboration and peer construction. The feel of the Library Commons should be one of busy-ness: where teaching and learning are taking place! We hope that when you walk in at any given time there’s a hum or buzz of topic interaction, not the typical silent hush of library behavior.
Don’t fret! We’ll still have books! In fact, I want to continue to encourage students to pursue reading. Now with online options (eBooks through mrcpl.org), our students have so many more choices for their reading selections. Our vision and hope is that this library will become a place that encourages participatory learning and allows for work projects and student/teacher collaboration in a variety of ways. Specifically, instead of just being a library, we see this space being more of a Learning Commons.
Helpful Resources:
Our goal is that students will want to come work, collaborate, and get peer tutoring or teacher assistance here. We hope you see it as a learning hub, in fact we hope to see it used as an extension of classrooms!
Around the world, libraries are reinventing themselves as content becomes more accessible online and their role becomes less about housing paper books and more about connecting learners and constructing knowledge. Rather than maintain a quiet location for individual study and silent reading, we wanted to create an environment for collaboration and peer construction. The feel of the Library Commons should be one of busy-ness: where teaching and learning are taking place! We hope that when you walk in at any given time there’s a hum or buzz of topic interaction, not the typical silent hush of library behavior.
Don’t fret! We’ll still have books! In fact, I want to continue to encourage students to pursue reading. Now with online options (eBooks through mrcpl.org), our students have so many more choices for their reading selections. Our vision and hope is that this library will become a place that encourages participatory learning and allows for work projects and student/teacher collaboration in a variety of ways. Specifically, instead of just being a library, we see this space being more of a Learning Commons.
Helpful Resources:
Our goal is that students will want to come work, collaborate, and get peer tutoring or teacher assistance here. We hope you see it as a learning hub, in fact we hope to see it used as an extension of classrooms!
- The library is now available for scheduling. Call me at ext. 53416, or email me. Scheduling is done on a first-come, first-serve basis.
- A weekly and monthly physical calendar will be hanging in the library behind my desk as well. This will allow you to plan ahead.
- Mansfield Richland County Public Library (MRCPL) is a valuable resource. They deliver any resources the classroom may need. Please let me know if you need any books, videos, etc., and they will bring it to us. Also, their extensive databases are available for all students.
- Also, MRCPL offers an electronic library card. Anyone with an email address can sign-up and access all the electronic resources available through the public library, including music, videos, ebooks, audiobooks, and databases. I will be helping students sign-up for this opportunity. https://www.mrcpl.org/we-suggest/get-an-ecard OR use this presentation to walk your students through in your classroom: eCard Presentation
- InfOhio has a new look. This website is like an amazing one-stop-shop; it is full of new features you may want to utilize in your lessons and classroom.
- When accessing InfOhio outside of school, use the url http://www.infohio.org
- Need any books, videos, or other media? Let me know! I can take care of it and save you the time.
