Developing World Libraries

Should libraries in developing nations rely on donations and weeded books from developed nations? Do libraries only need books?

When deciding if libraries in developing nations should rely on weeded books from developed nations, my first reaction was no because I was thinking about all the books I weeded from the non-fiction collection in our school library. They were dated, torn and inaccurate. Zell (2015) talks about this practice of “book dumping” and talks about the need to monitor and evaluate donation programs (p. 3).

I think that supporting organizations such as Book Aid International where the majority of the books are brand new would be more valuable than donating unwanted books from our library. Book Aid International partnered with the National Library of Uganda to launch Inspiring Readers program in Uganda in 2017 and 2018 and is now working in Kenya, Cameroon, Malawi and Sierra Leone as well. Each school received a Book Box Library, which includes 1250 brand new fiction and non-fiction books at different levels as well as money to purchase local books and support the training of teachers (2019a, para. 2-3). In addition, each participating school is “linked to its local library which already has a Children’s Corner. The libraries act as hubs, providing teachers with additional support, extra books and the expertise of a professional librarian” (2019b, para. 3). Book Aid International suggests that as a result of these programs, students were reading for pleasure and their comprehension skills improved, students’ confidence and participation in class increased and teachers were using these new books in their lessons (2019b, para. 4-6).  

Books for Schools in Rumuruti, Kenya, Book Aid International

Although schools are given small grants to purchase some books locally, the majority of the books donated by Book Aid International are published in the UK and the United States. At least Book Aid International is making some effort to ensure that specific needs are met and support local publishing because other donation companies are not doing this. Zell suggests that many book donation organizations “paint a worst-case scenario, in order to justify these organizations’ continuing existence” (2015, p. 14) and make false claims that there are “few or no publishers” in Africa and a “lack of high-quality age-appropriate children’s books in local languages” (p. 12). In contrast, he suggests the industry has “developed steadily” and is making progress and these organizations should be collaborating with local publishers to find or develop suitable books (2015, p. 12).

He goes on to suggests that “[w]hile the people behind library aid and book donation programmes are probably convinced that their schemes are well intentioned and meet an acute need, even the most well-intentioned programmes may sometimes have unintended, potentially negative consequences, and may not adequately take into account the cultural and infrastructure implications” (2015, p. 5). He suggests that by donating so many books, these organizations may actually be doing harm because receiving donated books is now the norm for many libraries in parts of Africa and this has created a “culture of dependency” because governments rely on the support and don’t support local libraries (2015, p. 43). Zell suggests this support can also hurt local book publishers because they can’t compete with the free books the libraries are receiving (2015, p. 18). Thus, Zell talks reiterates the need to monitor and evaluate donation programs and refers to the Book Donations for Development document published in 2005 by UNESCO as “the most current and the most comprehensive document to date to provide extensive guidelines for ‘correct giving’,” but he talks about how there isn’t much evidence to suggest book donors are following the recommendations (2015, p. 20).

Zell also suggests that organizations such as Worldreader that focus on bringing e-books to classrooms and public libraries in Africa face the same challenges, but are working to include books from African publishers (2015, p. 40). As I read Zell’s article, I thought about how much my daughter loves reading books with us each day. I can’t imagine not having access to physical picture books to read, so I wondered if it’s still worth sending weeded fiction books to developing nations, but based on what I’ve read and considering the of shipping books overseas, I think I would be more likely to support organizations like CODE. CODE supports initiatives in Africa but also in Canada and in the Caribbean. They support local publishing so students have access to relevant books and they help raise money towards the cost of library furniture as well as books and training for library staff.

Do mobile devices place a role in these libraries? How can they assist their patrons in accessing more up to date information?

While I am still not sure where I stand in terms of book donation programs abroad, I am curious to learn more about the role of mobile devices in allowing users to access more up to date information as well as programs that work to expand access to the Internet in developing countries. According to Kirkpatrick (2018), infrastructure to allow developing regions of the world access to the Internet is not always in place and even when connections are available, many people cannot afford devices or accounts to access the Internet (p. 20). Although some organizations donate digital devices, these may be useless if people cannot access the Internet.

I explored three different programs, each offering different services.

1.) The Ideas Box

Libraries Without Borders works to provide access to information to people living in camps or developing countries around the world and started the Ideas Box in 2010. The Ideas Box is mobile, uses its own power source, and consists of integrated furniture that can be setup in less than 20 minutes. It typically consists of “a satellite internet connection, digital server, a power generator, 25 tablets and laptops, 6 HD cameras, 1 large HD screen, board games, arts and crafts materials, hardcover and paperback books, and a stage for music and theatre” (Libraries Without Borders, n.d., para. 4), although each box is customized to meet the needs of people in France, the United States, Australia and Senegal.

Ideas Box, Bibliothèques San Frontières

2. The Kio Kit

BRCK Education takes Kio Kits to 17 countries around the world. The kit is basically a digital classroom in a box consisting of “40 Kio tablets, a SupaBRCK, wireless tablet charging and a hardened, water-resistant, lockable case” (2019, para. 1). These kits are designed in Africa for students in Africa. The entire kit has one plug and can last 8 hours once charged. It can also be run using solar power. The tablets run on an Android operating system, consist of interactive books and videos as well as educational games and can operate without Internet access.

Digital Classroom in a Box, BRCK Education

3.) eGranary

If access to an Internet connection is an issue, the eGranary Digital Library or “The Internet in a Box” consists of 35 million digital resources that can be accessed offline (WiderNet, n.d., para. 1). The eGranary, founded in 2001, consists of one of three options - a full sized server, a smaller server that can operate on battery or solar power, or a USB drive that can convert a computer into a server (WiderNet, n.d., para. 3). The eGranary has a built in search engine that allows the user to browse just like we would on the Internet but it requires no Internet connection. It contains over 2000 websites, which they have received permission to share as well as books, textbooks, journals and videos. The servers are setup in schools, universities, libraries and hospitals around the world. In addition, users have the ability to create content. They can make websites with the built in editor as well as upload content from cell phones and laptops allowing them to share their knowledge (The WiderNet Project, 2015).

eGranary Animation, The WiderNet Project

References

Book Aid International. (2017, April 27). Books for Schools in Rumuruti, Kenya [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/venf_QGRCbY

Book Aid International. (2019a). Inspiring Readers. Retrieved from https://bookaid.org/what-we-do/supporting-education/inspiring-readers/

Book Aid International. (2019b, February 14). Inspiring Readers Uganda phase one report. Retrieved from https://bookaid.org/publications/2019/02/14/inspiring-readers-uganda-phase-one-report/

BRCK (2016, August 22). Digital Classroom in a Box [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/djzVDh6qKPk

BRCK Education. (2019). Hardware, Software and Connectivity Tools to Enable Learning. Retrieved from https://www.brck.com/education/#

CODE. (2018). What We Do. Retrieved from https://code.ngo/what-we-do 

The Grommet. (2015, October 16). Library: The Heart of a Community [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/mfpUuYRdA6Y

Heavner, Rachel. (2019, January 29). Working with Publishers to Build Lasting Change. Retrieved from https://www.worldreader.org/blog/working-with-publishers-to-build-lasting-change/

Kirkpatrick, Keith. (2018). Bringing the Internet to the (Developing) World. Communications of the ACM, 61 (7), pp. 20-21.

Libraries Without Borders. (n.d.). Ideas Box. Retrieved from https://www.librarieswithoutborders.org/ideasbox/#1472134509606-d56b9763-2877

The WiderNet Project. (2015, May 12). eGranary Animation [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/i8I6BVRSD5c

WiderNet. (n.d.). About the eGranary. Retrieved from https://www.widernet.org/egranary/about

Worldreader. (2018). Our Library. Retrieved from https://www.worldreader.org/our-solution/library

Zell, Hans M. (2015). Book Donation Programmes for Africa: Time for a Reappraisal? Part I: Book Donation Programmes in English-speaking Africa. Journal of SCOLMA (the UK Libraries and Archives Group on Africa), 127, pp. 1-109. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/13165497/Book_Donation_Programmes_for_Africa_Time_for_a_Reappraisal_Part_I

Supporting Teachers’ ICT Curriculum and Pedagogy

As I shared in my last post, part of my own professional development involves facilitating professional development because in the process of preparing for the event and sharing information, I learn a lot from others as well. I enjoy being able to support teachers in accessing resources and developing new skills and strategies. According to the British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association (2014), “Access is key to creating a Library Learning Commons” (p. 8). This represents access to resources, expertise and tools for learning as well as access to a Teacher-Librarian who is able to “[p]lan, work, and teach collaboratively with other teachers, support staff, and experts in the community” as well as “[c]o-create and implement technology-enhanced, inquiry-based, innovative, and creative learning opportunities” (p. 8). As I was working on this post, a friend emailed me this graphic produced by the Surrey Chapter of the BCTLA and the Surrey Teachers’ Association. I will definitely refer to this graphic in the future because it provides a clear illustration of the importance of collaboration to the role of a Teacher-Librarian.

What Can Collaboration With a Teacher-Librarian Look Like?

Collaboration is what brings classes and teachers into the library and provides for opportunities to support teachers through professional development. As I read the second page of this document, I thought about the ways I am already supporting my colleagues and areas where I would like to do more.

I have always been involved in professional development in some capacity and this year I am facilitating coding sessions for teachers. I teamed up with a retired principal from my district who now works for The Learning Partnership and we hosted a session at the Central Okanagan Teachers Association Conference in August and two sessions at the Innovate-Ed Conference in Kelowna in October focusing on the Coding Quest program and the practical applications for coding in the curriculum. In addition, I recently attended a Community Learning Forum to share what we are doing at our school in terms of numeracy and technology with community members and parents, I facilitated a session for other Teacher-Librarians on coding and inquiry at a recent Library Learning Commons Network meeting and hosted a half day session on integrating coding in the curriculum for teachers and students from our district in order to prepare them for the Expo of Awesome in May.

According to Dees, Mayer, Marin and Willis (2010), “As a school librarian, the goal should be to look at what students are learning and what teachers are teaching in the classroom and see where your knowledge and skills can fit into that plan” (p. 11). As a Teacher-Librarian and Classroom Support Teacher, I am always looking for ways to support teachers with inquiry-based learning and suggesting ways to integrate technology in the process and as a means to share student learning. I work collaboratively with the three grade 4/5 teachers to support them in integrating ADST into the curriculum. Last year, we worked through design thinking challenges, engaged students in Genius Hour and introduced coding and robotics. This year, we are using parts of the Coding Quest program to support students in designing a video game related to their topic of inquiry. As part of the inquiry portion of this project, I am hoping to spend some time on information literacy skills because many of our students know how to use technology but have difficulty locating reliable information online at their reading level. In addition, as part of my role on the numeracy team at my school, I co-plan and co-teach math lessons through math stations, so I often support two stations – one where I work with students on an open-task and one that engages students in coding and robotics to support numeracy.

According to Dees et al., “The librarian demonstrates leadership within the professional learning community (PLC) by providing professional development for classroom technology integration, sharing information about new resources, and demonstrating innovative instructional tools” (2010, p. 10). In terms of providing support in developing new strategies and skills, I support teachers with their technology questions on a daily basis. I also share quick tech tips with teachers during staff meetings or by email. For example, I recently sent teachers a video outlining the steps to mirror what they see on the iPad to their projector, I showed the grade 4/5 teachers how to use Padlet with their students and I am supporting all the grade 4/5 teachers in setting up their students with Google accounts and using Google Classroom since we will be getting Chromebooks in the next two months.

While I facilitate professional development for other teachers in my district and support the grade 4/5 teachers at my school with integrating technology into their teaching, I would like to host more lunch-and-learn or after school sessions to support the rest of the teachers at my school so they can experience success with technology as well. For example, last year I hosted a virtual field trip session for teachers, went into a few classes to support them with their first virtual field trip and now all of these teachers are hosting sessions on their own with their students. Just as it is rewarding to see students get excited about their learning, I feel the same way when teachers start to feel comfortable with technology to the point that they’re using it on their own and willing to try new things.

According to Dees et al. (2010), “From instructional partner to program administrator, the librarian can have a great impact on student learning through modeling good instructional practices and providing relevant curriculum materials” (p. 10). In terms of supporting teachers with resources, I have been weeding our library collection and advocating for more money for books for our school. In addition, I have led several discussions with the entire staff around a long-term vision for our Library Learning Commons in terms of what we want the space to look like as well as how we want to spend our funds. I have purchased several new anchor books and teacher resources that could be used to introduce Genius Hour, design thinking challenges, coding and computational thinking. I also share resources I create with the teachers at my school and colleagues I support at workshops via Google Drive, but I would like to start using Twitter to share information as well. Since I manage all of the school’s iPads, I evaluate and install apps like Epic on the school’s iPads and support teachers in using them with their class for the first time. To support teachers in finding recommended apps and other useful tech tools, I would like to develop a teacher resource page as part of a larger Library Learning Commons website.

In summary, my goals are to:

-       Host more lunch-and-learn or after school sessions to support the teachers at my school in integrating technology in the curriculum

-       Use Twitter to share information with a larger community

-       Create a Library Learning Commons website for my school and include a list of resources for teachers

References

British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association (2014). From School Library to Library Learning Commons. Retrieved from https://bctladotca.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/school-library-to-library-learning-commons.pdf

Dees, D., Mayer, A., Morin, H., & Willis, E. (2010). Librarians as leaders in professional learning communities through technology, literacy,and collaboration. Library Media Connection, 29(2), 10-13.

Surrey Chapter of the BCTLA, & Surrey Teachers’ Association (2018). What Can Collaboration With a Teacher-Librarian Look Like? Retrieved from https://surreychapterofthebctla.com/2018/12/17/what-can-collaboration-with-a-teacher-librarian-look-like/

Developing ICT Skills

I have an MEd in Technology Studies Education so I feel comfortable with integrating technology in my teaching. Having said that, technology is constantly changing and recently there have been a lot of changes in our education system as well, so I am always looking for ways to stay informed and on top of what’s new in the field. I am particularly passionate about making technology integration meaningful and I am interested in Dr. Ruben Puentedura’s SAMR Model, so I often use it as a guide to reflect on how I am using technology. According to Dr. Puentedura, teachers introduce technology at the Substitution and Augmentation levels to incorporate the tools into what they are already doing and gradually move to the Modification and Redefinition levels to redesign the task and create new tasks that transform learning and allow students to explore areas that may not have been possible otherwise (Common Sense Education, 2016). I like this model because it reminds me to go deeper with my students, but recognizes that using technology at the Substitution and Augmentation levels is not wrong because we need to start somewhere. 

How to Apply the SAMR Model with Ruben Puentedura

Image: Sylvia Duckworth

In order to make technology integration meaningful, I am always looking for ways to improve my teaching practice. For example, I am interested in teaching from an inquiry approach as well as exploring design thinking challenges and Genius Hour because I enjoy involving students in real-world challenges and integrating technology in these challenges. To stay informed in these areas, I read a lot. I have read books on inquiry, empowering students, blogging, coding and Genius Hour. A few of my most recent reads include Spirals of Inquiry, The 20Time Project and No Fear Coding. I also read a lot of blog posts and watch videos on these blogs as well as TED Talks. For example, I am really interested in Trevor Mackenzie’s stuff, so I follow his blog. I particularly like his “Types of Student Inquiry” pictured below because it helps to visualize the steps involved in getting to “free inquiry.” I like how he incorporates technology to help students share their learning but recognizes that “Tech doesn’t drive learning. Relationships and relevance drive learning in our classroom” (Mackenzie, 2017).

Trevor Mackenzie’s Types of Student Inquiry

I also follow several other blogs including Will Richardson’s blog, and the blogs on both the ISTE and Common Sense Media sites, and I am always looking for interesting blogs created by Teacher-Librarian’s such as Anna Crosland. I have been on Twitter for a while, and I do find useful information here as well, but I haven’t really posted much so this is a goal of mine. I find I only take the time to check out Twitter once every two weeks. I read some highlights and think of things I could have posted, but I usually feel like it's too late to post something that happened earlier that week. I want to work on posting things in the moment so I can contribute as well.

According to the Calgary Board of Education, “The Learning Commons supports the intersection of teacher, student, content and technology” (2014, p. 2), so now that I am the Teacher-Librarian at my school, I feel I have even more to learn. In addition to taking courses in Teacher-Librarianship, I look for ways to connect with others to further develop my skills. In terms of my own professional development, I have attended many conferences in the past and this year I'm involved in three different groups in my district. I attend Adrienne Gear's Powerful Understanding sessions (she comes to Kelowna approximately four times a year), I attend Design Thinking Network sessions where we participate in design challenges and share what we are working on in terms of design thinking at our school, and I also attend Library Learning Commons Network meetings so I can talk to other Teacher-Librarians in our district. In addition, in the past year, I have visited six or seven other schools in the district to talk to the Teacher-Librarians, check out their Library Learning Commons and see how they’re engaging students with coding and robotics.

One of the things that excites me most about being a Teacher-Librarian is that I feel we have the opportunity to make a difference and promote the use of meaningful technology integration. “Utilizing the ‘whole school’ view, the librarian is in a key position to contribute to the development of strong professional learning communities through professional development and technology integration” (Dees, Mayer, Marin, & Willis, 2010, p. 10). Thus, part of my own professional development involves facilitating professional development because in the process of preparing for the event and sharing information, I learn a lot from others as well. This year I have facilitated several sessions on connecting coding to other areas of the curriculum at local conferences in Kelowna. I also facilitated a session for teachers on coding and inquiry at a recent Library Learning Commons Network meeting. This is one of the things I love about being a Teacher-Librarian; we get to work with teachers and students and just as it is rewarding to see students get excited about their learning, I feel the same way when teachers start to feel comfortable with technology to the point that they’re using it on their own and willing to try new things. 

References

Calgary Board of Education. (2014). Library to Learning Commons: Implementation Guide. Retrieved from http://school.cbe.ab.ca/School/Repository/SBAttachments/354d1bc8-48c9-4ab3-a841-53bf738562a5_learning-commons-implementation-guide.pdf

Common Sense Education. (2016, June 21). Ruben Puentedura on Applying the SAMR Model [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/ruben-puentedura-on-applying-the-samr-model

Dees, D., Mayer, A., Morin, H., & Willis, E. (2010). Librarians as Leaders in Professional Learning Communities through Technology, Literacy, and Collaboration. Library Media Connection, 29(2), 10-13.

Mackenzie, Trevor (2017, June 6). A Different Kind of Schooling: Knowing and Learning [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.trevormackenzie.com/videos/

Fostering a Reading Culture

According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), “Students who read for enjoyment tend to be more proficient readers than students who do not read for enjoyment” (PISA, 2009, p. 34). In addition, reading enjoyment is associated with higher overall academic achievement because students who enjoy reading spend more time reading (People for Education, 2011, p. 1-2). I believe the Teacher-Librarian plays a huge role in fostering a reading culture. If we want students to be checking out books, they need to enjoy reading so rather than forcing students to read books they aren’t interested in, we need to find a balance between helping students become better readers and allowing them to read books they’re interested in while at the same time promoting other types of books in an effort to get them to branch out.

School Wide Instruction & Initiatives

The entire staff at my school works to foster a reading culture. Classroom teachers engage students in read alouds and work to improve reading comprehension through daily guided reading and by engaging students in Adrienne Gear’s Reading Power strategies. In addition, teachers give students some choice during read-to-self and literature circles. Teachers also engage students in buddy reading where an intermediate class gets together with a primary class and older students read with younger students.

Our Learning Assistant Teacher also organizes a morning reading club. Students who are struggling with reading are invited to the program where they are able to read 1:1 with the Learning Assistant Teacher, Certified Education Assistants and volunteers from the community. While students are learning reading strategies, the team works hard to foster a love of reading by celebrating each student’s growth.

In addition, our Learning Assistant Teacher also organizes a book swap three times each school year. Students have the opportunity to bring books from home that they no longer read and “swap” them for books they would like to read. The students get really excited about this event because the Learning Assistant Teacher works really hard to offer a wide selection of books. She shops at garage sales and second hand stores and acquires additional books through donations. As a result, every child in the school gets at least two books and those students who bring in books to exchange get even more books.

Importance of Physical Space & Selection of Books in the Library Learning Commons

Bringing students into the Library Learning Commons (LLC) is also important to fostering a reading culture. Students come into the LLC once a week for book exchange. During this time, we can promote books through book talks or simply though the placement of books. Only a few students from each class come in with a specific book in mind while most students are browsing. For this reason, we want to highlight and display books to catch their attention. This was hard for us in the past because our LLC was very cluttered. Based on circulation reports produced at the beginning of this school year, there were approximately 4000 nonfiction and 2700 fiction books that had not been checked out in the last five to ten years. According to Allen (2010), “Students cannot efficiently find quality information if outdated, wrong, or poorly presented information is overcrowding your library shelves” (32). As a result, one of the first things we did was begin to weed our collection and remove old furniture and shelving that was no longer needed. For example, in our early primary section we had three levels of shelving so many of the books were too high for our youngest students. Luckily, we discovered the top shelf was not attached so we removed it and now we have more space to display books for these students.

On average, students and teachers check out over 1200 books from our LLC each month. The books students are checking out most often include books such as Dogman, Amulet, Lego and Barbie books, books on hockey and dinosaurs as well as graphic novels. In addition to purchasing more of these books, we recently moved these books to the front of the library so they are easily accessible to students. While it’s important to allow students to read books they are interested in, we also want them to be reading other fiction not just graphic novels. For our reluctant readers, we had a section called “Easy Readers” that was located next to our other fiction books. There were many great high interest low level books in this section, but students were reluctant to even look there because of the label, so we moved these books next to the graphic novels and relabelled them “Fast Reads.”

Now that we have more space on the shelves to display books, we are also putting out a variety of fiction books we think might be of interest to our students. As we display books, we are also thinking about other ways to promote them. For example, Darcy mentioned Book Recommendation Speech Bubbles, so I would like to try using something like this to promote some of our books. In addition, as a staff we decided we would like to have a Staff Recommendations section so students can check out what we are reading. Another idea a classmate mentioned was the idea of having a bulletin board to highlight particular books but where students have the opportunity to contribute to the content. I am thinking of starting with something simple like a bulletin board with the question “What’s your favourite book?” where students can post their responses along with an explanation of why they like the book. We now have Library Leaders who help us out in the library once a week, so we can get them involved in these initiatives.

In addition to thinking of new ways to promote books, we have been working on a plan to make the LLC more inviting so students will come before or after school or at lunchtime. According to the Canadian Library Association (2014), “The library learning commons is the physical and virtual collaborative learning hub of the school” (p. 5). In the past, our LLC has only been used for book exchange, but we want it to be a place where students can come and enjoy reading. According to Johnson (2010), “Upholstered seating, flexible furniture arrangements and attention to aesthetics in lighting and colors help make libraries places where students and staff want to be” (para. 5). Now that we have weeded a large portion of our collection and removed old furniture, we are moving around our existing furniture around to open up the space.

Before and After Pictures. It is still a work in progress!

As part of our three-year plan, we would like to get more flexible seating, create a reading area with a soft carpet and create cozy spots or themed reading nooks around the library like they have at the Calgary Read’s Children’s Reading Place.

Calgary Reads Children’s Reading Place

Building a Sense of Community Around Reading

In addition to supporting students in choosing a variety of books, we would like to build a sense of community around reading so students can have conversations about what they are reading. For example, in our school district most schools host a DEAR Challenge in October, but for our school this has often been just for staff and students. In the future, I would like to include families in this event. In addition, I would like to welcome students to come in to the LLC and read with their families once a month after school. Bringing in families will give us the opportunity to highlight the benefits of recreational reading because students who read with family at home are more likely to enjoy reading and do better in school (People for Education, 2011, p. 3).

Our school has often participated in Battle of the Books in which they read from a list of books, get together to discuss them and then compete in teams at a district competition to answer questions based on the books. In addition, I would like to look into starting a Red Cedar Book Club where students in grades 4 and 5 read books from a list of nominated fiction and non-fiction titles and vote for their favourites. I’m also interested in hosting a Book Tasting event. Darcy talked about this during one of our Google Hangouts and it I would like to try something similar at the elementary level. 

In addition to getting students conversing about books, I would like to bring in other people from the community to our LLC to promote reading. For example, we are hoping to host an author visit in May and we have some students from our local high school coming in to read with our students in April. As part of a grad council initiative, they have chosen to donate funds to our LLC towards new books so they want to come in and read them to some of our younger students. In addition, I have met the Children’s Librarian at our nearby branch, but I would like to have her visit the school so we can work together to help students get a public library card. I am hoping to promote the public library so students can continue to visit the library during school breaks and when they move on from elementary school.

Using Technology to Promote Reading

While there are many ways to promote a reading culture in our school, technology is a passion of mine so I am looking for ways to incorporate technology as well. Because our non-fiction collection is dated, I often use the Epic app to help students find information on topics they are inquiring about. In addition, I want to get students involved in promoting books and the love of reading whether it is creating their own books using Book Creator or Storybird, designing a new book cover in Photoshop or creating a stop motion animation to retell a story. Students could also create a book trailers in iMovie or write book reviews. A local bookstore in Kelowna called Mosaic Books actually invites students to read new novels and submit a review. Their reviews then get displayed in the store.

References

Allen, M. (2010). Weed 'Em and Reap: The Art of Weeding to Avoid Criticism. Library Media Connection, 28(6), 32-33.

Calgary Reads. Visit the Children’s Reading Place: Building a community one reader at a time. Retrieved from https://calgaryreads.com/get-involved/visit-reading-place/

Canadian Library Association. (2014). Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. Retrieved from http://llsop.canadianschoollibraries.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/llbibliography.pdf

Johnson, D. (2010). Changed but Still Critical: Brick and Mortar School Libraries in the Digital Age [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20180727104328/http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/changed-but-still-critical-bricks-and-mortar-libraries-in-th.html

People for Education. (2011). Reading for Joy. Retrieved from https://www.accessola.org/web/Documents/OLA/issues/Reading-for-Joy.pdf

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). (2009). Learning to learn: Student engagement, strategies and practices (Volume III). Paris, France: OECD. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/48852630.pdf