presentation at School Library Journal's 2012 Leadership Summit

1. Tinkering Towards Transformation
Melissa Techman, MLS, K-5 Librarian, Broadus Wood Elem, Albemarle Co, VA
thingsorganizedneatly.tumblr.com

2. Take note – some BIG changes!

3. Brainstorming initial steps to a
cheerful, more functional space.

4. Weeding and removing 1/3 of NF
shelving opened up needed space.
This long range was
remove.

5. In the presence of…
Sometimes the assets of the library are not the
main focus, they’re the backdrop.
Hosting inviting events in the presence of books
can send a subtle message to users.
Don’t assume that everyone is comfortable in
public learning spaces.

6. Flexible spaces produce unexpected
activities
• Lots of negotiation when you have more open
spaces – and that's OK.
• You want a balance between the open and the
private, big and small spaces.
• Concerns about open spaces and maker
spaces can echo/parallel the fears parents and
community have of online activities.

7. Dull and crowded is never a good look.

8. Space for gathering.

9. Cheap and cheerful – it never hurts to
ask!

10. Corporate kindness and retail as a
source of design inspiration
http://rosemarywashington.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/img_3954.jpg
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v419/trical/blog/?action=view&current=tree-1.jpg

11. From carrels to reading “caves” to ?

12. What’s different when you have
flexible user-centered spaces?

13. Consideration of not-obviously
juvenile titles

14. Modified Daily 5 in the library

15. Daily 5 – Reference work
Keywords, databases,
choosing websites to
put on symbaloo,
making screencasts,
using print and online
sources, nonfiction text
features and structures
– endless ideas for
activities.

19. Blogging, storytelling and interviewing:
activities that subtly pull in readers.
Cuteable.com

20. Afterschool ebook-making club

21. Using Gdocs drawing tool for making a
graphic novel ebook

22. Export in useful formats, add to local
collections.

23. Students make things teachers can
use.

24. Lunch bunch – comparing IPEVO to
ELMO’s

25. Consideration consulting group

26. Thurs, Fri lunch groups
Peer teaching:
SCRATCH, Google
Forms, Google
Earth, Photopeach
Multi-age
activities: blog
interviews, Google
Earth, reading
buddies

27. Google Earth lunch learning session

28. This site models retelling and reviews using
different online tools. A great idea for
student projects – make tool choice explicit.

29. All of the above, not “this format
only”. Hands-on means different
things to different people.

30. Hosting tech DIY activities, supporting
flexible learning and production.

31. Huge interest in Minecraft and coding

32. How does all this help with advocacy?
• Every student who makes “stuff” has a parent
who has warmer feelings about the library
• Volunteers, visitors, parents, community
members see the value of information literacy
and user-centered activities
• Readers want to feel valued
• Who’s on your “Yes, I’ll stand up for libraries!”
email list?

33. Car duty is a chance to connect

34. Core values
• Centrality of the reader
• Library as community hub
• Constructivist learning
• Real-world and global connections
• Choice
• Conscious tool using and customizing
• A caring, responsive place

35. Headlines from the murky world of
ebooks
“Does anyone know of any free ebooks that can
be used as primary sources for 5th grade social studies. My
district recently purchased a class set of Kindles, but did not
budget for content purchases.”
…”publisher policies continue to make many popular titles
unavailable.”
“85 percent of ebook borrowers said that they had used their
library to discover new writers or try out new genres.”
http://bit.ly/QBR4tv

36. Inspirations/Invitations
West Seattle Fixer’s Collective
Seen on Pinterest (thx to West Seattle Tool Library)

37. SLJ Ebook Summit panel: Maker Culture in Libraries
Erin Daly Wes Fryer Liz Castro
Minecraft Ebooks, edtech in Ebook consultant
with teens K12 schools

38. What I want to try next
• A way to make mistakes more publicly
• Student-run media literacy station
• How to extend services outside?

39. Contact me!
• Twitter, Diigo, Pinterest: mtechman
• Blog: http://mtechman.wordpress.com/
• Email: mtechman@k12albemarle.org