ROAR IN THE NEW YEAR
Happy 2014! We’re roaring in our fifth year here at Library Lions! Special thanks to everyone of you who have participated on our blog over the past four years. Your interviews showcasing the innovative youth programs in school and public libraries have inspired us all. We can’t wait to hear from more librarians this year. Thanks also to the many authors who have stopped by to share their Library Love with us since we launched LL in 2010. And now let’s hear from our January Librarian, Shannon Wallace!
Hello! I’m Shannon Wallace, upper school librarian at Lakeside School in Seattle.
The Pigott Memorial Library at Lakeside is a three-story bustling hub of student activity. Do not be fooled by these photos of our empty library. During a study period, we often have 200 students at once!
Lakeside is known for its innovative teaching strategies and the library is no exception. The December 2013/January 2014 issue of Learning and Leading with Technology showcased how librarians Heather Hersey and Sue Belcher revamped library orientation at Lakeside. Read all about it in the article Flip Your Library on page 22.
Over the years I’ve visited libraries in 10 countries (see my photos on Flickr)
andI keep building on my collection of library cards.
And I’ve kept in touch with 33 of my former teen volunteers, many of whom have now graduated from university!
A Mighty Roar for Libraries!
I hope people will never stop being curious about the past, the present, and the future, and that the library will always be an invaluable commons for information and imagination to fuel that curiosity. At Lakeside, the library can also promise a quiet place to escape, a high tech haven, a think tank for group work, a cozy spot to a retreat from the dreary Northwest winters, and a spirited game of Bughouse chess.
Sometimes when you turn around, the Eye of Sauron is watching you.
Books in disguise?
No, they are participating in Movember.
Our library display maker extraordinaire, Julie Johnson, is currently asking students to think about the way they eat.
Our Think Tank allows students to work in a large group. Whiteboard paint on the back wall means graffiti is productive.
Librarian and multimedia wizard Janelle Hagen heads up our Makerspace.
Recently students learned to solder and made flashing LED robot pins. They used conductive paint to create artistic greeting cards that light up. We also have a 3-D printer.
Managing schoolwork can be stressful, so sometimes the best programs are scholarly ones! This Fall, Heather, Sue, Janelle and I met every grade 11 student in one-on-one research conferences. These meetings gave invaluable advice to students about the search process, databases, and how to survive a research paper. We are so lucky to have school wide support in providing individualized instruction. Students become better researchers when they get to know their own personal librarian.
Readers Roar
Overheard at Lakeside Library:
“When I come into the library I get in the mindset that I will be efficient and the vibe helps me get all my work done.” (11th grade student)
Conversation between two 9th grade students:
“Only at Lakeside is chess this intense.” (10th grade student)
The Divergent series by Veronica Roth has been quite popular this year. We’re all excited for the upcoming film and hoping it will be as exciting as The Hunger Games.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Talibanby Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
Lakeside’s mascot is the lion, so we roar a lot around here. Working at Lakeside has reminded me that the most valuable resource in any library is the librarian. Just ask!
Thank you, Shannon for the terrific interview sharing your Lakeside School Library with us!
Note to Librarians: If you’re a Youth Librarian working in a school or public library we’d love to hear about you and your library. Email Janet on the Contact page on this website for an interview.