25 Book Campaign for high schools

This isn't going to be a typical blog, more like all the notes I made when talking to two outstanding junior high librarians who do this at their campuses.  There, of course will be some tweaking for high school, but I can see this happening :)  So in incomplete sentence and bulleted notes, here's what was said:

• Prizes awarded at 5, 8, 12, 15,20, and 25 books.  Prizes are incremental, ie school bracelet, ice cream, coupon for Chick Filet, front of the line lunch pass or one-day delayed assignment, and a trip to Main Event.  Every five books after that going in a drawing for iTunes cards
• ELA teachers are responsible for keeping track (one teacher does book conversations)
• Students don't like to write down anything or keep logs
• Librarian role is to help find books and keep interest high
• Advisory time is DEAR time, once a week for 25-30 minutes
• Do books by genre

Another junior high does this program:

• Create a Moodle page for the 25 Book Campaign.
• Embed a database into the Moodle page.  HTML will show up if it's copied and pasted
• Iterate this is NOT an ELA thing.  It's a school thing
• Dates are important to the database so only that month is checked
• Students are allowed to keep adding into previous entries to create on book account
• Teachers can export an .xls document and sort information
• What has access to the database?  The librarian manages it and disseminates the info to teachers

High school adaptation and ideas of implementation:

• get students involved in the process.  Call the President's Club (president's and one other rep from each club on campus) to be the voice of the students
• Classroom competition for pizza parties?
• Advisory-based bulletin boards throughout the school to promote readers
• Teachers are expected to read 25 books as well.  They will get rewarded too.  Modeling is important
• Must decide what a book is:  do magazine articles count?  How about reading news or articles online?  Classroom required reading can be used.  Page count is important.  ie 10 magazine or online articles represent 1 book
• Librarian's role is to roam and do mini booktalks to classes.  Check out books on the spot using online catalog
• Each advisory teacher will be responsible for their group.  These are typically smaller in size than regular classes and more equitable instead of doing this only in ELA classes.  EVERY teacher is involved, not just a department
• Do a prize patrol to reward students - make it a big celebration, not just an announcement.  Principals will be in charge of this
• Modify this program for SPED students so they can actively participate.

I don't know of many high schools that do this, so this is an exciting and curious journey we'll be undertaking next year.  When things get settled in, I'll be sure to add more information.

This was an email I received from a librarian today that I thought was an excellent idea I will also pitch to the committee:

In Pasadena, TX we have the Name That Book Challenge and each level has a list of 20 books to read and then culminates with a  competition team of 5-7 from each school.  Quotes are used at the competition to determine a winner of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place @ the Elementary level (3-4), Middle (5^th & 6^th) Intermediate (7 & 8) and HS.  Each level competes against the same level.  This is my first year but my students are really excited and are really working hard to get to the competition.  This is done district wide and is part of our Gotta Keep Reading Campaign.  It also gives students who love to read a competition to work for and medals to earn. 

 

I"m baaaaack (thanks Jack for that incredible movie line!)

Okay, so I took the summer off from everything except a few tweets here and there. This summer was just a time-out for me so get re-focused and enjoy bliss. Don't get me wrong, I love the library, librarianship, librarians...but I wanted to enjoy other things. I painted, swam, became a master at Tiny Wings, and cooked some savory and unsavory dishes. I vacationed, I slept, and I spent time planting trees and trying to keep them alive in this hellish heat.

But now, I'm back at work and there's something to be said about going back to work and getting back that professional focus. I want to be ON FIRE this year!! So, what do I have planned? Oh, so many things! First of all, this is the year I program! I've been saving emails, listening to what others have done, and will try to replicate these in the library. Here are a few ideas (not all my own ideas, so thanks virtual friends out there!)  We'll meet once a six weeks or monthly, depending on how good my group is :)

Blind Date a Book - wrap a book in brown paper wrapping and have them be checked out by my (hopefully) book club to read and swap.

Poetry Slam - So many ideas!  I'm following a thread right now about Blackout Poetry and Susan Smith has a wonderful idea dealing with words and pages.  I'm also going to try my hand at spine poetry as well

Book Club - I've heard many people talk about how hard it is to get a high school group going, but I'm still going to try.  I'll do it during lunches where there will be incentive (think food) as well as online through bookclubit

Book Bake-Off - I saw this last semester and loved the idea!  Read a book, bake something that's thematic or relevant to the book and display (tasting later!!)

Book Art - Who doesn't like a great craft now and then?  Who doesn't have weeded books they're getting rid of?  In comes book art for the book club.  It'll be all about cutting, shredding, pasting, and redesigning for library displays!

Book Techie - Let's get these kids involved!  I'll be setting up GoodReads and Shelfari with the students as well as getting each one to read an e-book from the collection.  I'll also try my hand at book trailers (of course!!)

I Dont Wanna Read Non-Fiction! - Get the club to choose and read non-fiction and create a web-based project about the book to be displayed on the library webpage

Booktalking by Genre - pick a favorite genre, read a book, booktalk it!

And so that's what I want to do this year besides the co-teaching with teachers, doing booktalks, helping with technology and databases and being involved on the state level.  You know, it may sound like a lot, but for high school librarians, it's something we can all handle and do, especially with capable help. 
Wish me luck in this endeavor!!!!!