Library Media Services

Big by Vashti HarrisonMidnight & Moon by Kelli Cooper & Daniel MyaresThe Bees of Notre-Dame by Meghan P. BrowneTwo Dogs by Ian FalconerThe Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric CarleThe Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane by Nikki Shannon SmithDavid Series by David ShannonIf You Give Series by Laura Numeroff 

Pigeon Series by Mo WillemsThe Day You Begin by Jacqueline WoodsonBiscuit in the Garden by Alyssa Satin CapuclliFrog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold LobelFly Guy Series by Tedd ArnoldCristian Rinaldo by Mari SchuhPete the Cat Series by Kimberly & James DeanCats by Lisa J. Amstutz 

The Alphabet’s Alphabet by Chris HarrisJohn’s Turn by Mac BarnettWombat Said Come In by Carmen Agra DeedyHow to Code a Sandcastle by Josh FunkPalace of Books by Patricia PolaccoP is for Pterodactyl by Raj Haldar and Chris CarpenterLike by Annie BarrowsHonestly, Red Riding Hood was Rotten by Trisha Speed Shaskan 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Brainer by Jeff KinneyEvelyn Del Rey is Moving Away by Meg MedinaCarla and the Jazzed-Up Scorch-Torch Funtastic Sneakers by Books by TeensCat Kid Series by Dav PilkeyDog Man Series by Dav PilkeyCrown: Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick BarnesThe Scientific Life of Azaleah Lane by Nikki Shannon SmithOh No, the Aunts are Here by Adam RexMy Weird School Special: Bummer in the Summer by Dan Gutman 

Good Different by Meg Eden KuyattThe Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle by Taryn SoudersFrizzy by Claribel A. OrtegaThe Way I Say It by Nancy TandonZeke Meeks Series by D.L. GreenLittle Monarchs by Jonathan CaseTo Catch a Thief by Martha BrockenboughWhat Do You Do With a Chance? by Kobi YamadaIt’s the End of the World And I’m in my Bathing Suit by Justin A. ReynoldsA Rover’s Story by Jasmine WargaBlack Dog by Levi PinfoldJenika Sings for Freedom by Restavek Freedom WritersParachute Kids by Betty C. TangNic Blake and the Remarkables by Angie ThomasMy Story, My Dance by Lesa Cline-Ransome 

New Kid by Jerry CraftFinally Seen by Kelly YangA Work in Progress by Jarrett LernerParadise on Fire by Jewell Parker RhodesDeath by Toilet Paper by Donna GephartThe Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas DayHow Do You Spell Unfair? by Carole Boston WeatherfordThe Door of No Return by Kwame AlexanderGet to Work, Hercules! by Kate McMullanWalk Two Moons by Sharon CreechNot An Easy Win by Chrystal D. GilesTwo Tribes by Emily Bown CohenYou Are Here: Connecting Flights by Ellen OhHands by Torrey MaldonadoMexiKid by Pedro MartinFarther than the Moon by Lindsay LackeyWhat Happened to Rachel Riley? by Claire SwinarskiCourage by Barbara Binns 

Tiger Daughter by Rebecca LimThe Getaway by Lamar GilesHungry Ghosts by Victoria YingInvisible Son by Kim JohnsonStar Splitter by Matthew J. Kir byThieves’ Gambit by Kayvion LewisIn Nightfall by Suzanne YoungChange the Game by Colin KaepernickProject Nought by Chelsey FurediRoyal Blood by Aimee CarterRez Ball by Byron GravesMy Father, the Panda Killer by Jamie Jo HoangA Long Stretch of Bad Days by Mindy McGinnisDivine Rivals by Rebecca RossCover Your Assets by Kara McGuireIf Tomorrow Doesn't Come by Jen St. JudeWhere You See Yourself by Claire ForrestRoyal Blood by Aimee CarterA Glasshouse of Stars by Shirley Marr 

Looking for a way to curate and share links in a newsletter or list then elink is the online tool for you. Choose a template, add links and share as a web page, newsletter or website embed. Curate and share content in minutes.Easily embed any elink onto a website or blog by adding the HTML snippet. Website embeds are fully responsive and can be updated and edited in real-time through elink. Appropriate for grades 6-12, use elink to gather links on digital makerspaces for your students before they visit the school library. Or share in a newsletter with your peer educators.

When you need to create how-to or flipped lesson videos for your library or classroom look no further than Screen-cast-o-matic. Easy to use, simply choose online what you plan to record or narrate over a set of slides. This online tool is incredibly easy to use. Free for up to 15 minutes of recording time. A great instructional tool for teacher librarians and peer educators but also appropriate for K-12 students. Use Screen-cast-o-matic to narrate your next online digital story. 

This online tool makes it so easy to create narrated explanatory videos. Simply write a short script, choose your images and animations, and My Simpleshow will do the rest. There are voices to do the narration for you or feel free to narrate the video yourself. Use subtitles for better audience accessibility. Appropriate for 4th-12th grade when making videos, appropriate for K-12 in viewing videos. Use My Simpleshow to introduce an information or digital literacy concept. Have students use it to explain a science or math idea to their peers. 

This site offers nearly one million images free of copyright restrictions for use in a multitude of projects. Images are available as photos, vectors, illustrations, and videos. No login is required to download images, which can be used for writing prompts, vocabulary development, and in student presentations. SafeSearch filter is available to avoid inappropriate content, making this tool useful for grades K-12, and searches can be filtered by image type, orientation, category, size, and color. Pixabay is available as an app and a Chrome extension. 

This video based site helps you find clips from popular television shows and movies. Popular TV shows and movies have a myriad of references to valuable educational content, but finding these references can be time consuming and difficult. ClassHook aids in the process of finding these teachable moments. With ClassHook, you can find subject-relevant, age-appropriate, and edited clips in just a few minutes. Appropriate for grades K-12 and beyond, use Classhook to find videos for digital media projects in history class. 

Digital Storytelling

Making whiteboard and flipped instruction easy, The Learnia is a free online whiteboard created with teacher librarians and peer educators in mind. Video creation is so simple and easy with a single click process. Add in text, images, slides, or any content you like, then record your board. Created with instruction and collaboration in mind. Appropriate for students grade 6-12 and beyond. Use The Learnia for your next digital professional development workshop. 

We have our students write, create, record, use video and more. How about podcast? Another way to think about digital storytelling. Spreaker is an easy to use tool to create podcasts. Chat, interview, add in effects, and more. Students will love having their own podcasts to include in library webpages and social media sites. Perfect for grades 6-12, use Spreaker for your next round of book talks or maker interviews. 

A site committed to the improvement of the writing of high school students via a global online community and guided interactive process. Young writers are encouraged to find their voices in writing, polish their editing, and publish on an international platform. Write the World also aids students in developing tools that will aid them in writing and communication for success in school, career, and life. Geared toward high school, use for poetry slams and writing competitions. 

Buncee is a presentation and digital storytelling tool great for creating interactive multimedia presentations. Students, educators, and teacher librarians can integrate content using a wealth of sources as well as create within the program directly on each slide. An easy to use toolbar within the program provides ease of accessibility and preview without the user ever navigating away from the slide or program. Available via multiple platforms Buncee is appropriate for levels K-12. Use it with students in creating their own digital personal histories. 

Manage & Organize 

It has a fun name, because it is a fun site. Looking for something new among the many for education gaming tools then Sugarcane is the place to check out. This web tool lets you easily create many different learning games, as well as access ones that others have created. Appropriate for grades 6-12, have students create challenges for peer learning or make new activities for your students. Try Sugarcane the next time you want to try a new hook for information or digital literacy. 

Looking for an online tool to use with bookmarking, note taking, and setting reminders. Then try Google Keep. Part of the Google Suite, this great tool makes keeping track of information easy. Make notes, keep lists, bookmark or save information. You can manage it all in Google Keep. A great organization tool for middle and high school students and excellent for managing information in libraries and classrooms. Use Google Keep to gather plans for your next information literacy escape room. 

With a minimum of preparation and no student accounts needed, Baamboozle provides a platform for creating and playing games that can be used as topic introductions, lesson review and assessment at all grade levels. Assigning point values based on the degree of difficulty of a question is also an option. A search feature allows access to games already created and made public. Study mode permits players to review before giving their oral responses. Appropriate for all K-12 students, one use may be to assess student knowledge of library resource terminology.

As we well know as librarians, citations and fair use can be a constant struggle in teaching information literacy. Cite This for Me can go a long way to help. Students, peer educators, and librarians can automatically create bibliographies, citations, and works cited lists in the correct format using the APA, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver, or Harvard referencing styles. It is easy to use and incredibly convenient. Appropriate for grades 6-12, use this online tool with your next information literacy training or scavenger hunt.  

Social Networking & Communications 

Looking for a new way to flip your library or classroom instruction? Then look to Vizia. This online tool is for creating video-based quizzes. Choose a video or load your own into YouTube and then proceed to move through the video adding in multiple choice, polling, and open-ended questions. Creating an integrative video watching experience for both students and peer educators in a professional development setting. Appropriate for grades 4-12 and beyond, use Vizia to engage students in the legitimacy of news videos from various networks.

Formative is an online tool that offers teacher librarians and their peer educators the opportunity to create assignments, deliver them to students, receive results, and provide individualized feedback in real-time. Use the platform to create new and original assignments for students, or upload pre-existing documents and turn them into paperless assignments. Appropriate for K-12 settings use with your students in the library when you want to give immediate feedback on citation styles and other issues on the ethical use of information. 

Looking for a way to gather conversation topics and discussion with your students, peers, and community? Then Flipgrid is the site you have been seeking. Using this tool is simple; post a topic and your audience responds via video in 90 seconds, from anywhere, using just about any device. Appropriate for K-12 audiences and beyond this online tool can used for any learning or professional development scenario to enhance discussion, learning, and collaboration.  

Curriculum Collaboration 

A “wizerd” of online question/response tools, Wizer is a simple platform that integrates a plethora of features that takes it beyond online worksheets to a tool that makes meaningful questioning, student response, and feedback easy.  Wizer’s mobile-friendly, drag-and-drop tasks include multimedia embedding, matching, sorting, diagram/image labelling, and much more. Especially unique is the ability to record responses and feedback as audio commentary, making this product versatile enough for use with students who are developing reading skills.  Appropriate for use with grades 1-12, consider using Wizer for learning stations, surveys, flipped learning environments, and skills practice/review. 

OER Commons is a wealth of community-curated and created, sorted, leveled, and curriculum-aligned (including AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner!) resources.  Save, tag, evaluate, align, and view conditions of use for existing resources, or create materials, lessons, and modules independently or in user groups.  Accessibility controls include adjusting font size and style, line spacing, and contrast.  Use OER Commons to find amazing resources throughout K-12, or have learners in grades 9-12 and beyond create and publish materials to share with the larger community.

Content Resources 

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires us to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. The website is the digital face of their brick and mortar building. Explore the online encyclopedia, search through useful teaching materials and lesson plans, as well as delve into reference services and so much more. Appropriate for 6-12 use this site for collaborations with your history and language arts teachers for digital research projects. 

Looking for digital teaching resources in and through the arts? Then take a look at The Kennedy Center’s ArtsEdge. Lesson plans, how to guides, and so much more. This is the go to location when it comes to art, theater, music, and dance. Use the lesson finder to seek out ideas in the library, classroom, or after school for grades K-12. Look into materials for English Language Learners and for students who are differently abled. ArtsEdge has all students in mind. Find out how books illustrations are created on the ArtsEdge site and then have students create their own. 

This reading resources site offers teachers a free online collection of Common Core aligned reading materials. There are hundreds of fiction and nonfiction reading passages available for students in grades 5-12. Browse through news articles, poems, historical documents, and short stories all selected for young people. Questions are available for each selected text as well as analysis and reports for educational outcomes. Integrate CommonLit into your next National Poetry Month activities.  

MediaSmarts provides digital and media literacy programs and resources for education, public awareness, and research and policy. Their K-12 resources align with existing curriculum for integration in the classroom. MediaSmarts also raises public awareness of the importance of appropriate internet usage for children and youth, and engages in ongoing research. MediaSmarts supports adults with information and tools to help K-12 learners develop critical thinking skills to navigate digital resources.

Listenwise harnesses the power of listening to advance student literacy. This collection of current events, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies podcasts connects teaching to the real world and builds student listening skills. Listenwise provides English Language Learners the opportunity to experience academic language for college and career readiness. Appropriate for students 6-12th grades. The power of a great story enhances listening for student success and literacy for all. 

Brought to you by the Academy of American Poets, poets.org offers a wealth of resources for readers who enjoy poetry and teacher librarians who want to feature it. Sign up for Poem-a-Day or browse the curated collection of poems and biographies of poets to fill your daily appetite. Featured texts, books, audio, and video offer many opportunities to sink into the literature. Search the feature Poetry Near You for literary festivals and readings in every state. Appropriate for students 6-12th grades. Have students choose a poet to feature in a school library poetry slam. 

DuoLingo provides free, bite-sized lessons to learn 23 different foreign languages. Users can earn points for correct answers, race against the clock, and level up. Lessons include speaking, listening, translation, and multiple-choice challenges. In-lesson grading provides immediate feedback and quickly shows how users can improve. The streak count motivates users to stay on track and incentives keep the lessons alive. DuoLingo is fun and addictive! Appropriate for grades K-12 and beyond, kids at all grade levels can practice language learning.

1.           Initial Objection: The material in question shall remain in use unless removed through the procedure in this section. The Principal or designee should:

a.           Listen to the person's objection and make reasonable efforts to resolve the issue;

b.            Explain the selection process utilized and offer alternative assignments if appropriate and consistent with curriculum requirements;

c.            Refrain from voicing a personal opinion;

d.           The Principal’s designee should file written documentation of this contact with the Principal; and

e.            In the event the person objecting to the material is not satisfied with this initial resolution of the situation, the School Library Media Specialist shall explain the selection process and the School Principal shall explain the appeal procedure for challenged materials while refraining from expressing personal opinion.

2.           Formal Complaint: School Level: If, after consultation, the complainant desires to file a formal complaint, a copy of the School Library Materials Challenge Form should be given to the complainant by the Principal or designee.

a.           The School Library Materials Challenge Form shall be:

i.             Completed by the complainant,

ii.            Filed with the Principal, and

iii.          A copy should be forwarded to the Director of Library Media Services, the Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Technology, and the Chief of Academics.

iv.           Any School Library Materials Challenge Forms received within the last thirty (30) calendar days of the school year may be referred for Committee action the following school year.

b.            The complainant should be notified in writing that the School Library Materials Challenge Form has been received and that the District’s appeal procedure has been initiated.

c.            If the challenged material has been checked out from the school by the complainant, the material must be returned to the school before the appeal will be considered.

d.           A complainant may request alternative assignments to the challenged material for his/her student. Any alternative assignments must be appropriate and consistent with curriculum requirements.

e.            Complaint Review: The complaint should be considered by the School Media Committee. The review process is as follows:

i.             Any action taken related to challenged materials should be taken by action of the entire School Library Media Committee and not by an individual, including the Principal.

ii.            The School Library Media Committee should meet and render a decision within five (5) working days after receipt of the School Library Materials Challenge Form

iii.          Before evaluating the complaint, Committee members should:

1.           Read, view, or listen to the material in question in its entirety,

2.           Read the School Library Materials Challenge Form completed by the complainant,

3.           Read available professional evaluations about the material under review. The Library Media Specialist and/or the Coordinator of Library Media Services should compile necessary professional evaluations of the material in question.

iv.           When Committee members have completed the steps outlined in Section (3) above, the School Library Media Committee should meet to:

1.           Review the concerns expressed,

2.           Discuss the materials relative to appropriateness to grade level and curriculum. In determining the suitability and value of the material, the Committee should consider the following:

a.           Relevance;

b.            Pervasive vulgarity;

c.            Quality, content, and manner of presentation, and appropriateness to age, sophistication, and grade level of students; and

d.           Space limitations and obsolescence.

3.           Render a majority decision relative to requested actions as long as a quorum is present. The decision should be communicated to the Principal and may be to:

a.           Take no removal action;

b.            Remove the challenged material from the local school if the Committee finds the material is pervasively vulgar and/or lacking in educational value throughout;

c.            Place the material at another school level;

d.           Regulate the assignment of the material.

e.            Review a subsequent appeal on the same item at the discretion of the School Library Media Committee.

f.             Notification: Within five (5) working days of the School Library Media Committee’s decision, the Principal or designee should:

i.             Officially notify the complainant in writing by first-class mail of the decision reached and advise of the procedures to appeal including the ten (10) workday limitation; and

ii.            File a copy of the Committee’s decision with the Coordinator of Media Services, Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Technology, and the Chief of Academics.

g.            Implementation of a decision rendered by the school or District Library Media Committee should be held in abeyance until the appeal process is exhausted.

3.           Formal Complaint: District Level:

a.           Any appeal to reverse a school Library Media Committee's decision must be made at the District level. Such written appeals may be filed by the complainant or any administrator, library media specialist, teacher, or parent/guardian from the school where the complaint was filed.

b.            Appeals resulting from the decision of the school Library Media Committee must be made in writing within ten (10) working days of the date the school Library Media Committee’s decision was mailed to the complainant.

c.            The final decision on any item challenged by the District Library Media Committee is binding only at the school where the complaint was initiated. A subsequent appeal on the same item may be reviewed at the discretion of the District Library Media Committee. 

d.           Complaint Review:

i.             The complainant shall address a written request for an appeal using the School Library Materials Challenge Form to the Chief of Academics.

ii.            If the complainant does not initiate an appeal within ten (10) working days the case is considered closed.

iii.          Upon receipt of the appeal, the Chief of Academics or designee should:

1.           Notify the complainant in writing that the appeal has been received and the District level appeal procedure has been initiated;

2.           Convene the District Library Media Committee who should render a decision within five (5) working days after receipt of the School Library Materials Challenge Form;

3.           Notify the Principal of the appeal and the action taken by the District Library Media Committee.

4.           Notification: Within five (5) working days of the school Library Media Committee decision, the Director of Library Media Services or designee should:

a.           Officially notify the Principal of the decision reached and advise of the procedures to appeal including the seven (7) workday limitation; and

b.            Officially notify the complainant in writing by first-class mail of the decision reached and advise of the procedures to appeal including the ten (10) workday limitation; and

c.            File a copy of the Committee’s decision with the Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Technology and the Chief of Academic.

d.           Implementation of a decision rendered by the District Library Media Committee should be held in abeyance until the appeal process is exhausted.

5.           Formal Complaint: Board of Education:

a.           Appeal beyond the District Library Media Committee must be in writing using the School Library Materials Challenge Form directed to the Chief of Academics who should provide information to the Superintendent and the Board of Education.

b.            Appeals must be made within ten (10) working days after written notification has been mailed, first-class mail, to the complainant of the decision of the District Media Committee. If an appeal is not filed within ten (10) working days, the case is considered closed.

c.            Upon receiving a written appeal, the Board of Education should schedule a response in a timely and expedient manner.

d.           The Chief of Academics or designee should notify the principal of the appeal and the action taken by the Board of Education.

e.            The principal or designee should notify in writing by first class U.S. mail the parties involved in the appeal apprising them of the decision reached.

6.           Procedural Organization for School or District Media Committee: The Media Committee considering a complaint or appeal, may appoint a subcommittee of members to review and resolve challenges. The composition of this subcommittee should approximate the representation of the full committee. Additional community members should be added to the District or school committees so that community representatives outnumber District representatives by one.

7.           Review of Selection and Appeal Procedures:

a.           The Principal or designee should review the selection criteria and appeal procedures for challenged materials with all staff annually.

b.            The staff should be reminded that the right to object to the material is granted by the Board.

c.            The Media Services Director should annually communicate selection criteria and the appeal procedures with all library media specialists and Principals.

d.           The District Library Media Committee should annually review the selection and appeal procedures to determine if revisions are needed.

Book Challenge Form