Big Eye Reader Mini-Bookmarks

Collect them all!  Entertain young readers with fun mini-bookmarks that feature Big Eye Reader characters. The bookmarks are available through the California Campaign for Strong School Libraries, a project of the CSLA Foundation.


There are eleven characters so far, but how many more will join the others this year? Tweet about your favorite character or suggest one @4Libraries

Follow a Library Day on Twitter

Mark your calendars!

Six Dutch librarians have declared October 1 "Follow a Library on Twitter Day." Michael Stephens and David Lee King are helping to promote the event. Read the #followalibrary blog, then on October 1, tweet what your favorite twittering libraries are. Use the hashtag #followalibrary.... 

This is good timing and should work well with America's "Library Snapshot Day (week of October 4)."  Libraries can tweet about what they are planning for  Snapshot Day.

Save Libraries - Twibbon Campaign

If you are a library advocate and wish to join the Facebook Twibbon
"Save Libraries" campaign, here is how. Twibbon is a place to start campaigns. One campaign is the "Save Libraries" campaign. Among other things, you can have your profile photo include the message, "Save Libraries".

The campaign is still new and little detail other than the obvious. No place to focus on specifics or action steps. So far, the only obvious cool tool is the ability to add the words "Save Libraries" to our profile photo.... what am I missing?

The Uniform Project - Library Version?

Have you heard of The Uniform Project, where a fashion student decided to wear the same basic black dress for one full year (1 dress. 365 days), using different fashion accessories, with a goal of raising money to pay for student uniforms in India? Here is what Sheena Matheiken says:

"Starting May 2009, I have pledged to wear one dress for one year as an exercise in sustainable fashion. Here’s how it works: There are 7 identical dresses, one for each day of the week. Every day I will reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accouterments, the majority of which will be vintage, hand-made, or hand-me-down goodies. Think of it as wearing a daily uniform with enough creative license to make it look like I just crawled out of the Marquis de Sade's boudoir.

The Uniform Project is also a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India. At the end of the year, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project to fund uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in Indian slums."

Is there a library version of the Uniform Project? For example, what would a "1 book. 365 days" project look like? Here is a starter list. A librarian, team of librarians, FRIEND of the Library, or Library "Best Seller" could:

• Read Aloud the SAME book to a different person or group of people each day for 365 days (and post about it).
• Read Aloud a DIFFERENT book to a different person or group of people each day for 365 days (and post about it).
• Storytelling. Tell the same or a different story each day to a new person or audience.
• Book Talk a book-a-day for 365 days. Create an online "book talk"podcast/video for each day.
• OTHER? What project would fun and meaningful to support libraries and literacy?
  

In all cases, each day should include a new "post" to a blog; a "tweet" to followers; ongoing requests to support the library or a library program.

"Best Sellers" Campaign for Strong School Libraries - PR

Redwood High School Teacher Librarian Tom Kahn alerted me to Dr. Joyce Valenza's 1/24/10 article in School Library Journal. Title is "California's Proactivity: "Best Sellers Campaign". This is excellent publicity for the California School Library Association (CSLA), its members, and its online professional development tutorials because Joyce is the most sought-after practicing "new media" school librarian in the nation, if not the world! Joyce is most known for her "Neverending Search" blog, which is now a regular feature in School Library Journal.

Tom actually alerted all California School Library Association listserv subscribers to the article and added: 'It would be great if each of us could make Jackie and CSLA proud by giving school libraries at least one "Best Seller" by the end of February's "Love Your Library Month."' Yes! Thank you, Tom, for your words of encouragement. "Best Sellers" is a grassroots advocacy program. Grassroots mean everyone gets busy to advocate for strong school libraries. [Tom is also CSLA Northern Section President and has a fine blog that I've followed for years, "My Continuing Educ@tion"]

Room-to-Read Supported by Twitter

Charity events that include fun and wine are off to a good start.

On October 15, 2009 Twitter picked a charity for its Fledgling Initiative. They will promote donating to Room-to-Read, a San Francisco-based non-profit that establishes schools and libraries in underdeveloped countries. According to the press release, Twitter staff is planning a "fun experiment to create wine with the San Francisco-based custom winery, Crushpad. Five dollars from every bottle sold will go directly to Room to Read to support our global education programs. The wine’s own micro-site will feature news and updates documenting the wine’s development each step of the way."

Room-to-Read's theme is World Change Starts with Educated Children. Co-founder John Wood speaks about the organization he started.

Follow Library Advocate on Twitter

There is a Twitter account @ 4Libraries that "tweets" about Library Advocate blog topics and other items in 140 characters or less. At this time, there are about 35 "followers". I've been reading a guide to Twitter in order to better understand how to use it to get the word out about innovative and important library issues and activities.

I'd like to see how Twitter can be used to:

• increase awareness and participation in CSLA introductory tutorials, such as School Library Learning 2.0, Classroom Learning 2.0, Learning web 2.0 for Teens, Athletes as Readers and Leaders, and "Best Sellers" Campaign for Strong School Libraries.
• promote new state school library standards, key legislation, grants, programs, and opportunities.