Learnist, a new curation tool that’s been gaining traction among educators, including librarians, has expanded its social learning platform to mobile, with apps for the iPhone and iPad released today.
Making the Most of Video in the Classroom
By on August 28, 2012
From Vialogues and SynchTube to TED-Ed, free tools for hosting conversation around videos.
Our Favorite Tumblrs: LJ and SLJ’s Tumblrs-in-Chief Share Choice Follows with a Library/Literary Flair
By on August 24, 2012
So many fun Tumblrs out there, not the least of which—dare we say—are our own. House Tumblrs-in-chief, Chelsey Philpot, associate editor, School Library Journal Book Review, and Molly McArdle, assistant editor, Library Journal Book Review, share a few of their favorite sites.
Brain Hive Goes Live: On-Demand Ebook Service Rolls Out to K–12 Schools
By on August 16, 2012
Pay-as-you-go ebook service BrainHive is now available to schools. Titles offered include a range of fiction and nonfiction from publishers including Random House, Charlesbridge, Lee & Low, and Lerner. Carolyn Foote, district librarian, Eanes ISD in Austin, TX, calls it an “out-of-the box and creative pricing model that sets a new standard.”
How Minecraft Mixes with Fiction
By on August 14, 2012
Andrea Buchanan’s young adult novel Gift was the first to incorporate Minecraft. What’s that you say? The creative game, in which users build stuff out of cubes within a 3-D environment, deserves a closer look. YA librarian Erin Daly offers an expert’s view of the Minecraft element in Gift and how well the sandbox game worked as an element within a novel.
Joyce Valenza’s Picks: Back-to-School Edition
By on August 12, 2012
From a new 4-D storytelling software program to the creation of a maker space in her own library, Joyce Valenza has had a busy summer. Catch up on all the tips from a season’s worth of content at her SLJ blog NeverEndingSearch.
Summer Project: Kill Dewey
By on August 9, 2012
Christopher Harris and Kristie Miller are the latest to brave the uncharted territory that lies beyond the Dewey Decimal System. Harris recently joined the librarian in the effort to reclassify her elementary school collection. Here’s the result.
Mr. Schu’s Road Trip: Via Tweet, Video Blog, and Pinterest
By on August 6, 2012
“I love the idea of showing my students I’m a reader out in the wild,” says John Schumacher. The school library director at Brook Forest School in Oak Brook, IL, uses various means to document his annual road trip to the delight of his students, not to mention the greater social sphere.
Top Chrome Apps to Help Students Stay Productive Online
By on August 3, 2012
It’s that time. Back to school and an opportunity to investigate some tools for maximizing productivity. Here are the top seven apps for Chrome as selected by Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, “Web Apps Guru” at Google.
Connecting the Plots: Figment is turning teenage angst into published prose
By on August 1, 2012
The hot online writing community is engaging kids and educators alike, librarians, too. SLJ’s feature includes tips on how to use Figment in school.
