It's Wednesday! What's happening in the AME Library?

It's our last Wednesday library check-in for the school year--can you believe it?  We managed to keep reading and learning through more months affected by the pandemic than we imagined.  Here's what's happening this week:

• We are still hunting down books!  At last count, we had over TWO HUNDRED books still checked out.  They need to come back to the library to be inventoried and ready for next school year.  If you are a remote learner, you can always turn in your books to the green bin on the portable side of the school during the school day.  Ms Margocs is at work through June 7th, so the bin will be out through the 6th.

• The library website has been updated with a Summer Reading page!  Be sure to check it out for links to reading programs, summer learning, and Title Talks--a new offering from your district librarians this year!  The online sessions are on Tuesdays in June at 10a and 7p; Ms Margocs will be hosting the evenings of June 1st and 15th.

• Fifth graders are "graduating" tomorrow--AND getting a free book!  Grisham Middle School Librarian Mrs. Hance is promoting a school-wide community reading for incoming sixth graders:  City Spies by James Ponti.  Every fifth grader gets a copy tomorrow!

It has been a pleasure serving as your librarian for my first year back at Anderson Mill.  I hope I get to see all my Dillos in person in August--fingers crossed!  Don't forget to follow Anderson Mill Library on Twitter for reading tips and booktalks this summer.  Read five to beat the summer slide, Dillo Readers!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

Normally, the last Monday of school would be my summer reading pile post...but I am a week behind.  I'm going to blame it on COVID book quarantine, as many of the Bluebonnet nominee books I will be reading this summer are sitting in bins in our Story Castle, waiting out their seven day isolation before being checked in.  Soooo...Memorial Day will have to be my summer reading pile post.  

Since I finished The Arctic Fury last week, I picked up Matthew McConaughey's Greenlights to begin reading...and found a half-dozen half-read books underneath that one, so I picked up one of those instead.  I think that will be one of my reading goals this summer--to finish six half-read books.

We talked about the why, how many, what, where, with whom, and when of summer reading with students this past month:

Why--to beat the summer slide.  Students who read during the summer tend to maintain (or grow!) their reading levels.

How many--five to beat the summer slide, ten to grow!

What--any books we want to!  All reading counts.

Where--in bed, on the couch, in the car/airplane/bus, at the beach/pool, in the backyard...

With whom--family, friends, pets...and by ourselves.

When--morning, noon, night...whatever feels right!

So here's my plan:

Why--to learn and to escape.

How many--at least two professional books, two personal growth books, two books just for fun, and fifteen kidlit books.

What--already listed above, and already purchased!

Where--couch, bed, patio, cabin in the woods, pool.

With whom--by myself, with my son when he comes to visit, booktalking with friends.

When--all day long, when I feel like it!  Otherwise, morning and night.

Tune in next Monday to see my summer reading pile!  It's Monday; have you made your summer reading plans yet?

It's Wednesday! What's happening in the AME Library?

We are in the process of inventory and book returns this week!  All books were due back last Friday--we need to finish inventorying our collection to see what's missing and needs to be replaced in the fall.  

Remember, you WANT to clear your account so that you are eligible for our prize drawings!  So far, fifteen students have qualified!  Ms Margocs will deliver prizes to remote learners' homes; no need to come to school.

We still have new books arriving!

Third through fifth grades are receiving their Summer Reading lesson this week.

Students need to read at least five books this summer to beat the summer slide!  There are so many ways to get books:  three public libraries within a short driving distance, Little Free Libraries on campus, buying books from local bookstores.  View the Summer Reading presentation to click through to different reading programs (with prizes!) offered by libraries and stores.

Click here to view presentation!

Remember to return your Anderson Mill library books, Dillo Readers; the Book Witch will be roaming the halls soon to collect overdue books!

It's Monday! What are you reading?

Back in April, I wrote about my bedtime reading of The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister.  Well, I just finished the final twenty pages of this three hundred ninety-six page adventure.  I had been tackling two short chapters a night, and realized I just couldn't make it to the end before I needed to go to sleep yesterday--and so I replaced my morning nonfiction reading with this story's satisfying ending.

Why am I writing about my experience with this book again?  Because it reminds me of a post recently written and shared by author Jarrett Lerner:

While I can say that I read every day (I always count environmental reading--blog posts, emails, cooking directions), I can see myself in all the other statements.  I am a slow reader, most of the time.  There are popular books I have not read, and may never choose to read.  And book-jumper that I am, I have started far more books than I've finished, though I am constantly going back to complete at least one a month.

It's Monday, and I finally finished a book I started over a month ago!  What long story are you working on reading these days?  Do you think you'll finish or abandon it?  Either way--you are still a reader!

It's Wednesday! What's happening in the AME Library?

 Our Online Spring Scholastic Book Fair is still open through May 16th!

Shop for your summer reading needs and wants; books get shipped directly to your home!

Link to Bookfair Homepage

Our library team is supporting the state STAAR testing, so there are no library classes this week.  On Monday, we delivered books to students who needed them for after-testing reading.  Ms Margocs was also alerted to new titles added to our ebook collection on MackinVIA--they are just a click away!  Your log-in is your s-number without the s for your username and password.

Link to MackinVIA.com

All books are due back by this Friday!  And here's one of the reasons you want to make sure you have a clear account--prize drawings start Friday, too!

Ms Margocs will use a random number generator each day of the last ten days of school to find five students with clear accounts.  They will each get to choose a book and a fun summer prize!  If the student is a remote learner, Ms Margocs will choose for them and deliver it to their home.  Five students a day times ten days equals FIFTY students who will get books and prizes!!  

Be sure to return your books soon.  Remote learners can return their books to the green bin outside the school by the portables during the school day, or send them in with a friend who is learning in-person, or drop them by the front office.  There are NO charges for overdue books--we just want them back in circulation for next year!

Second through fifth graders filled out an end-of-year library survey for Ms Margocs while she was attending her virtual librarians' conference.  Here are some of the results:

Dillos, I'm so proud of the reading and learning you've accomplished this past school year!  I look forward to seeing you in the library in the fall!