In praise of student email

Do your students have school-issued email accounts? If not, are they allowed to access their personal email accounts at school?

Do you encourage students to contact you via your school email if needed?

I hope so on all counts because email can be a powerful tool to help students at the point of need.

Last week I received several emails from students, and all were at night, over the weekend, or on a holiday. These industrious high school kids needed help with database logins, assistance in finding a particular news article, and clarification about when we'd scheduled our book club meeting. One awesome middle schooler emailed to recommend several books she recently read and loved for our new library blog.

If your school doesn't allow student email, I would encourage you to use these and other examples to campaign for this useful tool to expand the reach of your library. It's one more way that you can create a community of readers and learners at your campus.

Fall into the library

It's finally feeling like fall, and you can use this seasonal change for a fun library promotion.  

Invite your students and staff to "fall into the library!"

*Display fall books or suspenseful, scary ones
*Thank teachers for their support with a card and a "bite" of chocolate
*Invite staff and/or parents to "fall into the library" with an open house featuring treats, new books, and a spotlight on available library services
*Host a "Fall into the Library" day with an author visit or technology tailgate which could feature an array of technology tools and how to use them

Please share your ideas as well, and feel free to use this short Animoto video for your own foray into fall!