It was a busy summer!!  

--The MAME 41 Conference Committee was hard at work putting together a fantastic conference - "Connect the Dots" planned for October 22, 23, 24 in Ann Arbor.  You won't want to miss it!  {Be there or be square!  Sorry, had to throw that one in there!} Go the MAME Conference site for more information and to register.

The MAME and MACUL SIGLIB Summer Institute "Don't Let Your Google Drive You Crazy" was a great success.  Our presenter, Ron Houtman, Kent ISD Ed Tech Consultant and REMC 8 Director, shared great information about all things Google. Thank you to Kay Wejrowski and Erik Drake for organizing a great professional development opportunity.

Gwenn Marchesano and myself represented Michigan at the AASL Affiliate Meetings at the ALA Annual Conference this summer.  You can read a summary of the meetings here. AASL has a new mission statement: "AASL empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning."  AASL also announced the 2014 Best Websites  and Apps for Teaching and Learning.

The MAME Board reviewed and updated the MAME Constitution and the accompanying Policy and Procedure document.  The changes will be voted upon at the MAME General Membership Meeting at the Annual Conference.  Members, please review the Constitution here and contact me with any comments and questions; so that you will be ready to vote.

The School Library Working Group met twice with the Library of Michigan to discuss personalized / individualized instruction with Gregg Dionne from the Department of Education; to discuss Follett's Project Connect and trying to find a way to get the message of the importance of school librarians to school boards, superintendents, and administrators; and to discuss MeL updates and ways to promote MeL to more school librarians and educators.

I met with several legislators this summer to propose the idea of including the following to the Best Practice Funding (21f):  Implement school library programs at each school that meet the qualified or exemplary status of "SL21 Measurement Benchmarks for Michigan School Libraries for 21st Century Schools."

The legislators were very supportive of this idea; but, follow-up is needed after the November election.  You can find a one-page write up about this here.  Please come to the Membership Meeting, on Friday of Annual Conference, to hear more about this effort.

Wishing everyone a great start to the new school year!  Looking forward to seeing you all at the MAME Conference in Ann Arbor.  I will be hosting the MAME hospitality suite on Wednesday and Thursday evenings.  Everyone is invited to attend!

All my best,

Kathy Lester, MAME President, 2014

klester1@comcast.net 

kathyL@mimame.org 

Each new school year, I collaborate with the English 9 teachers to provide a library orientation for the entire freshman class. Each year I try to design a scavenger hunt activity that asks students to put into practice the details of the orientation lesson. I have done the traditional handout and used the student response system. Neither method really seemed to get the students truly engaged. I wanted something new this year. 

Scanning the above code will take you the free QR code generator website, Kaywa. I used this site to create QR codes that corresponded with questions and clues to help students navigate the library and use the OPAC. I developed six different 'paths' to avoid congestion at each location and to ensure students weren't just following another group. The website is free and extremely easy to use. I had our tech department download a QR code scanner on our student iPads. 

Watching the students scanning and searching throughout the library was truly exciting! They really seemed to be learning and having fun. While the lesson was essentially the same as previous years, the new technology seemed to make the students more involved with the activity.  

judy.hauser@oakland.k12.mi.us 

Martha Spear, Berkley High School Library Media Specialist, is MAME's Intellectual Freedom Chair and will be presenting at MAME 41, Connect the Dots!

Standing up for intellectual freedom principles can be difficult. You're caught between the students' need-to-know and the demands of a conservative district or community. You're torn between doing what's right versus what's comfortable. Should you select that controversial item? Should you stand up to a censor? Should you speak out? This presentation will include real-life scenarios, audience discussion, and a frank look at the perils and rewards of championing intellectual freedom. Presenters: Martha Spear, MAME IF Chair, and Robert Holley, Professor, SLIS, WSU.

If you need support or guidance regarding a Challenge, contact the  ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom or call (800) 545-2433, ext. 4220, oif@ala.org or Martha Spear directly @ mspear@berkleyschools.org.

Martha J. Spear 

mspear@berkleyschools.org 

 

• Attend the annual conference for FREE!
• Get rid of your "library/school" stuff at our auction at the conference
• Help support MAME
• Start each school year with a fantastic get-a-way

Many of you may have lost your library or become overwhelmed in your position, but knowing you have this wonderful group of friends is such a blessing. We also go into libraries to volunteer with special projects, if a request is made.