Tuesday Tips January 30, 2018

TECH TIP:  Visme ​Presentation Software

Each quarter, instead of grades, I do a Quarterly Report for the library.  These reports highlight library statistics, events, and classes.  These are also opportunities for me to try out new software.  For this 2nd Quarter Report, I used Visme, an online presentation tool that makes PowerPoint-type presentations, but also will make infographics and easy charts.  You can add music to play in the background, add presenter's notes and share via a weblink.  They have great templates that you can use, making your presentation look very professional. You can make up to 3 presentations for free, after you have to pay to upgrade.  Embedded as images below is the presentation I created.

BOOK TIP:  1,000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz

Today is National Plan A Vacation Day and they say you are happiest when planning a vacation (see this New York Times article), so check out this book on the library reference desk today to select your next vacation!  ​

Tuesday Tips January 23, 2018

TECH TIP:  ​Certify'em Google Form Add-On

 

If you do a quiz through Google Forms, you can use the add-on Certify'em to send them a certificate stating they passed the quiz.  Once you've enabled the add-on, you set the total points that are needed to pass the quiz.  If they meet that mark, a certificate will be emailed to them.  There are certificate templates you can use or you can customize one.  I used Certify'em with a workshop Tom Roy and I ran for the administrative assistants last Friday.  Here is what a finished one looks like:

BOOK TIP:  Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

This is the follow up book to Paula Hawkins' successful thriller, The Girl on the Train.  This is another multi-viewpoint suspense novel.  Set in a small town with a river running through it, there is a history of young women jumping from a cliff into the "drowning pool" section.  But are these women jumping of their own accord, or is there something more devious going on?  

Tuesday Tips January 16, 2018

TECH TIP:  Google Arts and Culture App

 

This is one that has been going viral over the weekend.  I've written about the website Google Arts and Culture before, but their app had a recent update that allows you to take a selfie and it will match your face to a famous painting.  

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I came up as a match for Eliza Paton, a singer and actress of the 1840's.  This one is mostly for fun, but could be a way for students to research art history or use the match as a creative writing prompt.  Show me who you match up with!

BOOK TIP:  They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera

This is a wonderfully powerful book and was chosen by the Student Book Club for its next selection.  In a future world, you are given a call at midnight telling you that this will be the day that you die.  How do you then spend that last day?  And who do you spend it with?  The title says it all, they both die at the end, but the book is mostly about how they live.  

Tuesday Tips January 9, 2018

TECH TIP:  TinyURL.com

Last week, I helped Mike Powell and the Wellness Department come up with an easy, memorable way to get out their survey to the student body.  We used tinyurl.com, which allows you to make a custom alias for a long website link.  It's very easy to create:

I've used this with several classes as ways to get out links to resources including:  

tinyurl.com/cookstopmotion

tinyurl.com/bouviertrip

tinyurl.com/stjohnsurvey

BOOK TIP:  The Faculty Book Club is back!

We rebooted the Faculty Book Club last year with the mission of: The mission of the MMRHS Faculty Book Club is to promote reading and the discussion of professional and inspirational works in an atmosphere that fosters positivity and community. We meet once a year to discuss a shared book. Last year, we read Happy Teacher Habits by Michael Linsin. This year, we will read Teach Like Finland: 33 Simple Strategies for Joyful Classrooms by Timothy D. Walker.  

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We will meet at the end of March to discuss. I have FIVE COPIES to give to those who would like to join. You will also be able to earn PDPs for joining the book club and discussing. Let me know if you are interested.

Tuesday Tips January 2, 2018

TECH TIP:  Break Your Own News Sign Generator

  Break Your Own News is a fun sign generator.  You enter in your headline and ticker, then upload an image and it instantly creates your CNN like image.  Could be interesting to use with students in rewriting historical headlines, or creating news stories for literature or scientific discoveries.  

BOOK TIP:  The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe

A wonderful historical fiction novel based on the true life story of Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus.  Kraus was a young girl in the family camp at Auschwitz where she became the protector of the few books that they had hidden in the camp, risking her life to keep knowledge alive.