I really enjoyed exploring the different libraries presented in this week’s module for class. I have listed my “Top 3” below and included what features I liked and plan to use for my own library website.
- Makalapa Elementary School Library
This site has several features that I have already planned to include in my library website. The first is “Grade Ebook Trailers”. In my district, we call these “Book In A Minute” and the students adore both creating them and listening to them! It’s a terrific way to engage students and introduce them to different genres and books. The second feature I liked on this website is the “Resources for Learning”. It links to research options which I definitely plan to also include on my website. I feel this is a crucial component of any library site. Lastly, I loved the “See What Our Favorite Authors Are Up To”. This is a great resource for our current pandemic status. It links to famous and popular children’s authors and their sites. I know students would really enjoy this.
2. Exeter Township Junior High Library
This site was pretty awesome and had so much to view and explore! I loved the virtual scene the librarian created but plan to include links in my scene on my website. The “Digital Resources” link/page was definitely a one stop shop that included directions on how to research, great places to research and also how and why students should cite their resources. The third feature I liked was the link to order Scholastic via the librarian’s account. Some teachers do not participate in Scholastic so I thought this was a clever addition that could help the librarian earn rewards to buy things for the library.
3. Newberry Elementary School Library Media Center
This site had some nice features but was my least favorite of the three I’m discussing (but I still liked it better than others in the module). I really loved the summer Padlet feature. It’s a great idea for student interaction. I plan on including something similar but instead am using the platform of Flipgrids. I also liked the division of resources by grade levels at the top of the page. However, when clicking on each section, the icons included are tiny and a bit overwhelming. I thought the “Summer Reading Fun” was an important feature and the librarian did a wonderful job of including many choices so that students could choose the tracking tool they most felt comfortable using.