Curating Resources with a Media Minute Vlog
Hello from North Carolina. Last month when I wrote my blog post, I mentioned our Affiliate Assembly’s upcoming annual conference, #NCSLMA19. Well, if you have ever had the good fortune of serving on a conference committee, you will completely understand what I am feeling this month. As I type this, NCSLMA is just two weeks away. In order to share information with our membership and attendees, I started a vlog with the my new favorite theme, a “Media Minute.”
So, inspired by all things conference related, I started thinking about how I use social media to promote the library and NCSLMA. The AASL Standards’ Shared Foundation “Curate” is part of our conference theme, “Connect, Create & Curate.” Guiding me through this process is the key commitment to “Make meaning for oneself and others by collecting, organizing, and sharing resources of personal relevance.” The goal of #NCSLMA19 is indeed to provide opportunities for colleagues to come together, to grow professionally, and to share ideas.
Media Minute – Filmed on Location for Interest
The face of librarianship has changed and is continuing to evolve as we all know. Gone are the days of the ho-hum librarian who dusts shelves and shushes patrons. Today’s librarians are literacy and ed-tech experts in the building. We collaborate with teachers, we support classroom instruction, and we design integrated lessons. Teaching students how to access and use information is essential, and yes, we promote reading! I love to think outside the four walls of the library to promote library services and NCSLMA.
One of my recent vlogs for conference was created on my farm and posted to Twitter and Facebook. The tripod on the five-gallon bucket makes me smile. It’s proof that we don’t need fancy equipment to get the job done! Here are a few snapshots:
Hi-tech Equipment Not Required
I have recorded Media Minutes in my school library, on location on Highland’s campus, and at my favorite hiking spot in the woods. Whether it is promoting International Dot Day, School Library Month, or a professional conference, why not think outside of the box and vlog! I think harnessing the power of social media to promote libraries, literacy, and all things library related is a great way to personally connect with patrons. Additionally, it is a fun way to catch the attention of viewers and share important information. Showcasing library services through a vlog is a great way to share our library stories with a bigger audience as well. Vlogs could also be a way to curate information
Let’s Connect, Create, and Curate Together
Feel free to visit NCSLMA’s Facebook page or @NCSLMA on Twitter to see a few examples of vlogs from the last few weeks leading up to our conference. Additionally, I share vlogs on my library website for the stakeholders in my school community. The website is available at https://www.gaston.k12.nc.us/domain/3044.
For me, I have found it easier to use social media platforms to share the “Media Minutes” quickly, but a website is also a great place to share the content. I do love to showcase student work, too, which I have uploaded to by library blog. But, in full disclosure, I haven’t updated that platform in a while. It is so hard to get it all done sometimes! Can I get an amen, to that?
I would love to see what you are doing across the country to share your stories on social media. It is inspiring to see what librarians around the globe are doing, so find me on social media and let’s Connect, Create & Curate together!
Author: Laura Long
Laura Long is the school library media specialist at Highland School of Technology in Gastonia, NC, a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her Masters of Library Science from East Carolina University. She is a Gaston County Schools’ Delta Fellow, Pinnacle Technology Leader and member of the Pioneering Educators Team, as well as a National Board certified language arts teacher. Additionally, she is the President of the North Carolina School Library Media Association. She loves collaborating and helping her students connect with others around the world, so feel free to contact her via email or social media.
Categories: Advocacy/Leadership, Blog Topics, Community/Teacher Collaboration, Technology
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