In some areas of the country, school will start next week. For those of you who are starting soon, I wanted to cover some hot topics among teens and tweens so that you are ready to go “Back to School!”
Pokémon GO
With two teenagers in the house, we are all over this one! My philosophy about new technology is typically that to learn new things you just have to try it and see what all the fuss is about. So, I will be a level 10 today, if you are wondering. Carli Spina wrote a thorough article for SLJ about Pokémon GO which explains some of the basic features and what librarians need to know.
Pokémon GO Librarian
What questions school librarians need to ask for Back to School and Pokémon GO
- Will my school technology personnel block the site if students are on the school’s WiFi?
- How will you handle classroom/library management issues surrounding the game?
- Is my school or library a Pokéstop?
- Are there stools, bean bag chairs, or other low to the ground items in the library that students will trip over while catching Pokémon?
What school librarians can do to connect with gamers/students
- Create Pokémon GO themed Book Displays
- Share links to helpful gaming information
- Experiment with other augmented reality in the library
Other Articles
http://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2016/07/pokemon-go-library-perfect-partnership/
http://librarygrits.blogspot.com/2016/07/pokemon-go-augmented-reality.html
The Olympics
This is mainly for the early starters, but the Olympics is another hot topic over the next few weeks. You may want to stream coverage in the library. We often watch the television on mute with closed captioning. This year’s Olympics may spur students to research specific topics such as performance enhancing drugs, the Zika Virus, and economic conditions throughout the world.
- August 5, 2016 – August 21, 2016
- Opening Ceremony August 5, 2016
Election 2016
Perhaps the biggest back-to-school topic of all this fall semester will be the 2016 Presidential Election. As a senior adviser, I will have a number of 18-year old students who will be eligible to vote in November! It is our duty as information professionals to provide unbiased information to our school library patrons about the candidates and the election process. This year, we will have a bulletin board explaining the electoral college. We will also have debate-watching parties, where students can “fact check” the candidates assertions on the library’s computers during the debates. We will also host both the Teenage Republicans and Young Democrats and allow each club to create book displays promoting their club’s relevant issues. According to this BBC article, no matter what happens this year, the outcome of this year’s election will make history.
Some books to have this election season:
- Books from the Oxford University Press “What Everyone Needs To Know” series
- Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again by Donald Trump
- Hard Choices: Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Trump: The Art of the Deal
Author: Hannah Byrd Little
Hello, I am the Library Director at The Webb School of Bell Buckle. I use my past experience in college and university libraries to help my current students in school libraries transition into college, career, and life. I am currently the lead Senior Class Adviser for the Capstone Project. I also served at the state level with the Tennessee Association of School Librarians executive board from 2009-2013 and was the TASL president in 2012. I am certified as a Library Information Specialist for PreK-12th grade, have a BS in Communications with a concentration in Advertising and Public Relations, a BS in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Education and Information Systems and a Masters in Library and Information Science.
Categories: Blog Topics, Student Engagement/ Teaching Models, Technology
Leave a Reply