April 28, 2024

From Scavenger Hunts to Photo Sharing, Fun Apps to Calm the Back-to-School Jitters

Early in the school year is a good time to help kids get into the swing of things and get to know one another and these apps can help.

Life Hacking with IFTTT | screencast tutorial

IFTTT—“If This Then That”—helps you automate tasks in order to better maintain professional learning networks, resources, and schedules. Learn how to find and create recipes on the Web (ifttt.com) or via the new IFTTT iPhone app in this video guide.

Power Tumbl’ng: Why Tumblr Is a Great Way to Reach Teen Patrons

Tumblr can be a successful way to connect to new and diverse audiences, provided you understand who you’ll be attracting to your site and how to use Tumblr to your advantage. Should libraries and librarians use Tumblr? Teen librarian Robin Brenner says yes, and explains why.

SLJ’s School Ebook Market Directory

Which ebook provider will best meet your school’s needs and budget? SLJ’s snapshot of 19 ebook vendors outlines the suppliers’ range of offerings, terms of use, and pricing options.

E. It’s Complicated. How Two Schools are Riding the Transition to Ebooks

For this close-up report on going digital, SLJ talked to academic experts, librarians, teachers, and students at two Illinois high schools. Big questions: What are the best ebook providers? How many student iPads get damaged? Do students read more in ebook or print? And more.

A Minecraft Library Scores Big: Mattituck, NY, Branch Is a Hit with Kids

Inspired by the experiences of Connecticut librarian Sarah Ludwig’s Minecraft library club, Elizabeth Grohoski and Karen Letteriello of the Mattituck-Laurel Library (NY) are now using a virtual Minecraft library to attract young patrons. The game allows users to build in a 3-D virtual world with cubes similar to Legos—but without any proscriptive kits and manuals.