Signal Mountain Middle High School Library Media Center
SMMHS LMC
Empowering students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers,
skillful researchers, and ethical users of information. March 1, 2015
Volume 2, Issue 7
SMMHS Library/Media Center Mission: The SMMHS library/media center is committed to equipping the school community with 21st Century skills in order that they may have a positive impact on their community, country, and world.
One Experience Proven to Make Students More Successful in College: Want your child to have an advantage when it’s their turn to begin college? One way they can do this is to get familiar with the library and its resources. Studies show that students who know their librarian and who use their library’s resources for research during middle and high school experience more success in college (Barack). ONE of those resources is our website. What can parents do with this information? Encourage your child to get on the library website and learn which tools and tutorials are available to them there. Remind them that just because the physical building is closed, it doesn’t mean the library is closed. Our library has a strong website with lots of resources. Exploring this site can teach them that these tools are available as well as how to use some of them. Do you want/need a tutorial that isn’t on our website? Contact Ms. K, and she will post one for you! Parents who support their children with this can help make a significant impact on the educational standing of their child. Get on our library website & explore today!
Follow us ONLINE!
The SMMHS library is increasing our online presence to accommodate our patrons. Every afternoon at 2:30 we post a book trailer on Twitter and Facebook as well as advertising library events and programs, on Pinterest you’ll find resources for students, parents, AND teachers — everything from book recommendations and effective study tools to classroom organizing strategies and bulletin board ideas! Here’s how you can stay informed: *************************** Follow me on Twitter @GingerKirchmyer Find and Follow us on Pinterest:
Barack, Lauren. “Study Ties College Success to Students’ Exposure to a High School Librarian.” School Library Journal. 19 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.
www.pinterest.com/ginjatheninja/
Todd, R.. “There is Knowledge to Be Gained.” 2009. School Library Media Activities Monthly. 25 (10): 55-58. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
Like and Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/smmhsmediacenter
Library Hours 7:15-2:30 daily Lunch—we’re open, but no food please! During class—just have a pass and sign in!
2
Directed Studies: See Ms. K for a pass
2
Who Will Win?
Chromebooks Have you met these sweet little guys yet?
Just a tad bigger than
an iPad, these shortstacks pack a punch
with
versatility.
If
you
haven’t purchased a device for your SMMHS
student,
this
might
be
worth the investment. For just over
Want to help determine which authors will receive the award for the state of Tennessee? If you haven’t started reading already, you only have one month left. Consider voting for this year’s Volunteer State Book Award. The requirements are that you have to be enrolled in a Tennessee middle or high school, and you have to read at least 3 of the books on the list. What list? Well, I’m glad you asked. Just click on the VSBA slide to the right, then scroll down to your appropriate level - choose either the Middle School Nomination List or the High School Nomination List. Then select the titles that look most interesting to you. You can watch the slide shows (below) to learn more about the titles:
$200 a pop, these mini-computers have
everything
a
student
needs:
keyboards, internet, word processing; they
even
take
SD
cards
and
flashdrives. Operating a Chromebook isn’t any different than a normal laptop, but it’s lighter and smaller, so
it’s
manage.
easier
for
students
to
This is definitely worth the
(minor) investment!
When you come into the library, we can point them out to you. Any book with this sticker (see the sticker to the left) is a VSBA nominee. Voting will be available soon, and the winners will be announced in the
Have fun!
Are You Using Social Media Correctly? G. Kirchmyer 1 March, 2015.
Check out this month’s SMMHS Library Website! Find a great book, learn about our programs, and access databases and MLA citation rules to complete research for your classes!! Need to know when your middle school child is scheduled to visit the library for book check-out? Click here!
Want to be sure you receive the newsletter directly to your email? Just notify us at smmhslibrarian@gmail.com. Write “Newsletter” in the subject line, and we’ll get you added to the list!
Do you get irritated when you check in to Facebook, wanting to see the latest pictures of your family’s get-together only to get slapped in the eye-balls by someone posting a political rant? Or you have a Twitter account, but you have to wade through all the personal posts of what your dieting friend is eating each meal in order to get to what you’re there to find? It’s a frustratingly common scenario. Part of the reason for the problem is that digital literacy is a new skill. Most of today’s parents didn’t learn this in school, so not only are they unsure of what they’re doing, they can’t teach their children; in fact, many parents are relying on their kids to teach them. Digital literacy is such a new concept that even schools are just starting to pay attention. With the realization that this new “hobby” has staying power and professional relevance, social media isn’t going anywhere. So, to take a step in the right direction, here’s a snapshot of how to properly use of each of America’s top 5 social media sites (Johnson): 1. LinkedIn: Used to develop and manage your professional reputation, this is not a place to connect with friends unless they have knowledge of your professional abilities and talents. Potential clients or employers can use the site to verify that your abilities, honors, and experiences are what you say they are. 2. Google+: Designed as a social tool to enable Google to help you search more effectively, it uses your info to refine your queries (not to spy on you). So, for example, the types of results provided in a search for “pesticides” will vary for a farmer in Kansas versus a little old lady in Florida with a roach problem. 3. Facebook: The purpose of Facebook is to connect and chat, but we mustn’t forget that it’s not a diary or private conversation; it’s a public forum. Just like you wouldn’t go to a football game and start yelling that so-and-so (political figure) is a jerk or to the theater and ask them to put your YouTube on the screen before the movie starts, you shouldn’t do that on Facebook. This is why there is a “Group” feature. Create groups in order to communicate those things with the people who will care so you don’t waste everyone else’s time. :) 4. Twitter: Designed as a business tool, this platform was originally used primarily for the purpose of keeping up with the latest sales and business info; now users also follow topics of interest by using hashtags. For example, if you’re talking to others in your group about a conference you’re attending, you might say “Session on Topic X is incredible! #XYZ Conference. These bite-sized news blasts are only supposed to be enough to keep you in “the know.” 5. Pinterest: This curation tool is for the purpose of finding resources for things like projects, health, personal expression, or even for collecting articles and info related to your career or hobbies. Typically people find a picture or article they like and “pin” it to a folder in their account. It allows them to go back and look at it later when they have the time to deal with that content. So, how did you do? Are you an annoyance to others? Are you maximizing your efficiency by using these tools properly? Well, the Social Media Police aren’t going to throw you in jail if you do it wrong, but you might get unfriended. Social etiquette is just as important online as in person. Good luck and have fun!
Johnson, Juliet. “Use Social Media Sites For Their Original Purpose And You Will See Excellent Results.” National Association of Sales People. n.d. Web. 28 February 2015. <http://tinyurl.com/m3gzrkc> Hische, Jessica. Mom, This Is How Twitter Works. 2010. [blog]. 28 February 2015. <http://www.momthisishowtwitterworks.com/> Vaughan, Pamela. “The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Mastering LinkedIn.” HubSpot Blogs. 31 March 2014. Web. 28 February 2015. <http://tinyurl.com/44vq6l7> Christine, Julie. “Learn How to Use Google Plus | A Beginner’s Guide.” Fabulous Blogging. 14 March 20`3. [blog]. <http://tinyurl.com/ps3lhca>