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.  

Tuesday December 19. 2107

TECH TIP:  Stop Motion Studio

Beth Spence and I worked with her AP Biology classes on creating stop motion movies showing the cellular process.  Beth handled the content, and I handled the tech piece.  We recommended the use of the free app Stop Motion Studio.  We showed the classes how to use the app and then let them go!  Their final products were great; this could be excellent to use with other classes, particularly with process oriented topics.  Here was an example of one of the final products:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=3we7mGdr_1E

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BOOK TIP:  The New York Times Best Books of 2017

Looking for a good book to read over vacation?  Check out The New York Times recommendations of the best books of the year:

The New York Times 10 Best Books of 2017

The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2017

Tuesday December 12, 2017

TECH TIP:  My Maps at Google Maps

Valerie Zantay asked me this week about using My Maps in her classes as they prepare trips.  In My Maps, which is part of Google Maps, allows you to create custom maps.  You can add in locations, images, videos and write in details as needed.  You can also add in Driving Directions, which will show you the route you will take.  This could be a good tool to use with classes if they need to tour historical locations, map out literature novels, or travel to other countries.  

BOOK TIP:  Genuine Fraud by e. lockhart

This is the next Student Book Club selection.  A bit of everything in this book:  suspense, mystery, hidden identity, social class and a tough female teen lead.  Can't wait to discuss with the group!

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

TECH TIP:  Google Photos Now Right in Google Drive

Google just announced that you can now access your Google Photos right from your Google Drive.  Having your phone camera upload your photos to Google Photos is a great way to save storage on your phone.  You then also have access to your photos on any computer via your Google Drive.  When you are in your Drive, you will now see Google Photos listed along the left hand side bar. 

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BOOK TIP:  National Book Awards Announced

The National Book Awards were announced recently.  Here are a few of the major winners:

• For FICTION:  Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
• For NON-FICTION:  The Future is History:  How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russiaby Masha Geshen
• For POETRY:  Half-Light: Collected Poems by Frank Bidart
• For YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE:  Far From the Tree by Robin Benway

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

TECH TIP:  WordItOut Word Cloud Maker

WordItOut is a word cloud generator.  You put in the text you want to generate a word cloud for and based on the frequency of certain words, the sizes of the words will be different.  You can change the font, colors, and also vary the word size on your own in order to highlight certain words.  This could be a good tool for students to use to visualize parts of texts, or for them to highlight certain words and explain why those are more important than others.  In this example, I used the MMRHS mission statement. 

BOOK TIP:  Beartown by Fredrik Backman

I read a lot and like a lot of books, but every now and then a book comes along that I just absolutely LOVE ​  This is one of those books.  Backman is the author of another of my favorites, A Man Called Ove, and this is his latest.  Set in a small Swedish town that is down on its luck, but high on its successful junior league hockey team.  A terrible incident occurs involving members of the hockey team and it divides the town and changes lives forever.  Wonderful writing, powerful characters, a book I still am thinking about.  

November 21, 2017

TECH TIP:  Photo Editing and Equipment

This picture ​was taken last week at Elsa's shower in the library.  Thank you to all who contributed and came.  I took this picture using the selfie stick, which is available to check out of the library.  I also have phone tripods and a microphone that can be used if you have any of your classes working on photo or video projects.  I used Pixlr to add in the frame and text.  

BOOK TIP:  Salt to the Sea by Ruta Septys

This was a wonderful book of historical fiction based on a true event.  Inspired by the worst maritime tragedy in history, this is the story of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German ship transporting refugees in 1945.  Told through several alternating voices, the book moves quickly: I read this in one weekend! 

Tuesday Tips November 14, 2017

TECH TIP:  Piktochart Infographic Maker

Each quarter, I put together a Quarterly Report highlights events, circulation, and classes that used the library.  These reports also give me a chance to try out new presentation tools.  This quarter, I used Piktochart, which makes infographics and presentations.  We also used Piktochart with Bill Florek's Horticulture classes.  

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BOOK TIP:  Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

This was a heart warming and endearing novel.  Eleanor Oliphant is a socially awkward financial assistant with a devastating past.   She begins a friendship with Raymond from the IT department and she begins to come out of her shell and face her past.  Highly recommend this one.