Branding School Library Media Centers Through

the Library WebsiteKlaudia Janek, MLIS

International AcademyBloomfield Hills, MI

Building an Effective K-12 School Library Website

Examples

Best Practices

Things to Consider

SharingGoogleDoc with examples from MAME and LM_NET

Favorite School Library Websites

Castilleja Schoolhttp://library.castilleja.org/Wordpress Incorporates school colors and logoOn main school websiteRecent updatesDatabases in alphabetical order w/ descriptionProfessional lookingEasy to navigateCreated with students in mind

Things to considerLarge full time staff

Two main menus

Lot of content below the fold = scrolling to the bottom

Favorite School Library Websites

Chapel Hill High Schoolhttp://chhslibrary.weebly.com/index.htmlWeeblyLibrary is included in the main school menu barEffective top menu w/ pull downs to submenus Important information above the foldDatabases w/ descriptionProfessional looking/ cleanEasy to navigateCreated with students in mind

Things to considerLarge banner

No alphabetical listing of databases

Does not integrate school colors/logo/mascot

Favorite School Library Websites

Canterbury High Schoolhttp://libtest.cburylife.org/Many recent updatesProfessional looking/ cleanEffective use of widgetsGood use of LibGuides

Things to considerLarge banner

You have to scroll to the bottom to get the good stuff

Databases difficult to identify

Favorite School Library Websites

New Trier High Schoolhttp://www.newtrier.k12.il.us/page.aspx?id=7108Library is included on the school top menuProfessional looking/ cleanGood use of icons Information on teacher assignments are posted

(using LibGuides)School colors and logo match the main school site

Things to considerDatabases are hidden behind proxy server

Best ways to build an effective library website

Decide what is most important Include above the fold

List the sources you pay for first! Then list free ones on a secondary page or at the bottom.

Spell check

Grouping vendors together is not as effective as grouping by subject

Graphics are good

There is such a thing as too many widgets

Consistency is key (in terms of image size, tables, cell size, etc)

Best ways to build an effective library website

Try to have a library/media center link from the school home page.

Provide multiple points of accessList resources by subjectList resources alphabeticallyUse database widgets and OPAC widgets to

integrate library into Moodle/Blackboard

Flip your library by providing links to guided tutorials or YouTube videos

Lessons LearnedLibGuides or LiveBinders might be worth

exploring

Simple updates are key (choose one or two not all)A way to show new books –shelfari, LibraryThingStudent or librarian book reviews are interestingUpcoming library eventsPoints of prideStudent projectsHighlight a Resource of the Month

Celebrate your SL21 status!

Other options I found…

Gale Sites…

Within a course management system

Class Assignments in Moodle

Dr. Joyce ValenzaShe gets her own slide!

http://sdst.libguides.com/databases

Things to considerUse of widgetsLibGuidesGlogster2 OPACLots of databases and ebooks!

What about the Learning Commons Model?

By David LoertscherCarol KoechlinSandi Zwaan

Ester Rosenfeld

A DefinitionA Virtual Space

Experimental Learning

Center

A Physical Space

Open Commons

Virtual Learning Commons

The Information Center• the opening page not unlike the traditional

school library website containing portal entries into the sites listed below and provides linkages to the OPAC, other libraries, items of interest, calendar, etc.

The Reading Culture• the world of literacy including reading,

writing, speaking, and listening

Virtual Learning CommonsThe Knowledge Building Center• the place where the learning commons

interfaces with the great learning experiences across departments, grade levels, and the faculty of the school

The Experimental Learning Center• that is home base for school improvement and

professional development; a place for experimentation, action research, specific initiatives

Virtual Learning Commons

School Culture• the living school yearbook of the school including, performances, sports, exhibits, clubs, and other notable activities.

Features to include: An area for a parade of

super learning experiences working though the learning commons.

A place for tools, tutorials including those created by faculty and students

Collaborative reading centers and initiatives in support of school improvement and the Common Core Standards

The center of school culture

The virtual school yearbook

Professional development in the experimental learning center of the VLC

Collaborative construction of all kinds of lists,  projects, etc.

Connections to all types of libraries and community agencies

Features to include: Connection to an OPAC that

is collaborative

Connections to databases and other resources where everyone is helping find and recommend the best

Current events

Activities that draw kids and adults to the VLC

The center of the curriculum and teacher's learning activities and programs; courses, etc.

Connections beyond the school to the community and on into the world

Career information

Connections to experts of all kinds

School-wide projects

Middle School VLC

Knowledge Building

Center

Real work space

Exhibit space

Demonstration space

Communication space

Assessment Space

Collaboration between everyone

Best practice teaching

Differentiated Instruction

Final Big Think

YALSA Journal

Case study school library in article

MAME Recommended Sites

Denise Lovse – Clarkston

Martha Spear – Berkley

Lois Smits - Holland Christian

Teresa Asch - Holt High School

Thomas Stream - Grand Haven Area Public Schools

Beverley Rannow - Otsego Middle-High School

Ria Faber - Covenant Christian High School  

Catholic Central - Novi, MI

Personal Experienceshttp://galesites.com/k12/lom_inac

Follow a district template

Tried to implement VLC

and applied the IB LP to our school library…

ReflectionThree things you can implement tomorrow

Do you have SL21 status?

Do you have a library mission statement? Vision?

What best practices or programs are you/your school involved in? (ie: Visible Thinking, Big 6, IB, Whole Child, etc)