Videos & QR Codes in the Library

So it’s mid-July and we’re just one month shy from returning to our classrooms.  As I’m preparing for this new and exciting school year I started working on book trailers for some of the books we’ll be reading in class this year. Last year my students read Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. I could not believe how much students wanted to read the book; every day they begged to read it. I plan to start off the year with this novel and created a trailer using Animoto.com. I will let my students access the trailer through QR Codes. I love QR Codes and use them religiously for instructions, questions, photos, quizzes, etc. I swear that my students get so excited to scan the code and find out what the will be doing that day. 

Tumblr

Another first, I joined Tumblr, a microblog that allows you to follow people, share videos, photos, quotes, etc. 

How can you use Tumblr in the library?
Librarians can use Tumblr in addition to other social network sites that they might already be using.It is very similar to twitter and you can also follow and like posts. It is another way expand your social and professional network. You can create posts that highlight a specific book or new gadget at the library; or just about anything that will lure kids to the library. I found it to be a more casual setting where you can post humorous quotes, pics, or videos. 

Take a look at mine: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kvelaposts

Following Blogs on Feedly.com

About a year ago Google discontinued its blog reader which allowed me to follow my favorite blogs all in one place. I needed to look for an alternative so I decided to use Feedly.com. I choose feedly because it is visually appealing, simple to use and has some really cool features like cloud storage.  

Teens, Social Media, and Privacy an Infographic

Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Cortesi, S., Gasser, U., Duggan, M., et al. (2013, May 21). Teens, Social Media, and Privacy. Pew Research Internet Project. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2013/05/PIP_TeensSocialMediaandPrivacy_PDF.pdf

While in their infancy, social networking sites have become an integral part of our students’ daily online activities. Taking note of this schools are now seeing social media sites as an avenue to spark their students’ interest. Their school websites now include tweets, Facebook pages, YouTube videos and blogs. These social feeds allow students to interact with each other, their teachers, and the outside network.

Got Tweeter?

I just finished setting up my Twitter account. I have got to confess that I was trying to stay away from this social site, but alas I joined the bandwagon and took the leap. I can certainly see the benefits of using this microblog as a communication and networking platform. It is fun, quick, and painless.  As with most networking sites, people and organizations can communicate ideas and information or promote causes, products, etc. Setting up the account was a breeze and I really liked that you can follow and communicate with anyone without having to deal with friend requests.

As an educator and library science student, I want to have as many opportunities to expand my professional knowledge base. Since I created a Twitter account I could not think of a better way to get started than by following some of the most respected names in education technology and library media specialists. Take a look at what they are posting.

School Libraries and the Power of Social Networking

Social networking sites are becoming more and more popular by the minute. Almost everyone with access to the web has at least lurked through Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Today these sites are being accessed by millions of users at home or on the go through their mobile devices. They are a popular way of keeping in touch with friends and family, and  even up with up-to-the-minute news updates. The truth is that when used correctly social networking sites can become powerful marketing tools for individuals, businesses, or organizations.

Could my school library benefit from social networking?