Have we mentioned lately that we really love books? We have a variety of both non-fiction and fiction books of all kinds--from books about zombies to DNA, from cell development to vampires, and hieroglyphs to humorous titles like Don't Whiz on the Electric Fence. You know what this means, of course--more book trailers and more selection! Woo hoo! Come down and get them before it's too late!
Imagine a future where humanity is wiped out, with the exception of the very young and the very old, traditionally society’s most vulnerable people. This is Callie’s reality. Sixteen-year-old Callie had to suffer through her parents’ death during the “Spore Wars,” only a few years ago. She is now a squatter, living with her little brother Tyler and friend Michael, struggling to survive. In an attempt to make her life better she turns to Prime Destinations, a company that ‘rents’ out the bodies of teenagers to people over sixty years old, who want to be young again. But a glitch occurs and Callie discovers what her renter really wants to use her body for…Startersis thrilling, action-packed and a seriously creepy book that leaves the readers hanging. Check out the book trailer:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvNUsW1CItY
We have 89 new eBooks both teachers and students can checkout on their iPads, computers, or mobile devices via the Follett Digital Reader App. Many of the books available have digital rights that allow unlimited copies to be checked out by patrons. Test your math skills and look for the infinity symbol to find books with unlimited copies. Try Follett Digital Reader today on your mobile device or from a computer.
For more information please go to http://bit.ly/jmfollettshelf and watch the tutorial. Happy e-Reading everybody!
Follett Shelf is an eBook service provided by Follett that links the eBooks we buy to our library catalog. Any of the books we purchase through Follett Shelf can only be viewed specifically by patrons at John Muir Middle School. The eBooks available through Follett Shelf may be viewed on a computer, through a projector, or on a mobile device. Unless books are labeled "unlimited copies," the eBooks on Follett Shelf are generally subject to the same copyright laws as regular books, and only one checkout per purchased copy is permitted.
How can I view available books on Follett Shelf?
From the library catalog on a computer or mobile device, you can click on "Follett Shelf" on the left side of the screen. This will bring you to Follett Shelf repository. From here, you can either scroll through the available books, or you may use the search engine. Furthermore, when you're searching for books using the library catalog, you will see that Follett eBooks use a different icon to denote which books are eBooks. See the example below:
How do I checkout books using an iPad or other mobile device?
There are numerous ways to check out eBooks using a mobile device. First of all, be certain that you have downloaded the "Follett Digital Reader" app from your app store. Please watch the video below for more instructions:
Catalist is an audiobook service that allows students to search our library catalog for audiobooks that may be downloaded to a tablet for a period of 14 days. The audiobooks checked out with Catalist are never late because they will automatically be returned after a fourteen-day period.
How do I SAMPLE books available on Catalist from John Muir?
Step 2: Open the app, and tap the + button to add an account.
Step 3: Username = Wausau School District e-mail address | Password = Student ID
Step 4: Tap "Catalog," and choose the title you wish to read
Step 5: Tap "Download."
Watch the YouTube tutorial below for extra help.
How do I tell which books are Catalist audiobooks when I search Destiny?
Catalist books will appear with a different icon than print books. However, the icon that appears for Catalist books is the same as it is for playaways, MP3-CDs, CDs, and cassette tapes. The call number for all Catalist books appears as "CATALIST" in Destiny to help you differentiate. See the picture below.
As a teacher whose students do not have iPads, how can I use Catalist to benefit my students?
One great strategy for using Catalist audiobooks is by splitting the audio signal to allow multiple students to listen to the same book simultaneously, or you can plug the iPad into your computer speakers to project the sound to the entire class. Splitters are a great idea for use in literature circles or for groups of struggling or reluctant readers. There are many companies that manufacture 1/8" headphone splitters, and they are very cheap and practical. Below is an example:
The next time you come to the LMC, take a look at this awesome book project created by two students, Isabella and Elizabeth, in Mrs. Reed's English and language arts class. These two students have diagrammed the elaborate string of characters in Rick Riordan's The Lost Hero, and they have also provided viewers with some excellent information about Greek mythology. In addition, they have provided the LMC with a copy of their Google presentation, which is embedded below. Awesome stuff!
If you're interested in learning even more about The Lost Hero and The Heroes of Olympus series, watch this book trailer, and come to the LMC to check them out!
Click on the Follett Digital Reader App after it downloads.
Type the JMMS Follett Shelf URL: wbb17615
Type the same username and password combination that you use every morning to log in to your computer. Then tap "Connect." Here is what it should look like. Now close Follett reader.
Image by C. Jeffers
3. Go find some eBooks on Destiny.
In your Safari or Google Chrome web browser on your iPad, go to http://library.wausau.k12.wi.us/ and click "John Muir Middle School."
Tap the catalog tab at the top of the page.
Below the search bar, change "Material Type" from "Any Type" to "Electronic Book"
Tap in the "Find" bar (you don't actually need to type any words) and press "Go"
4. Check out the title you want.
Tap the title that you want to check out.
If it prompts you to log in again, log in using your same username and password from step 2.
Tap check out "Online"
Tap "Read Now"
Wait for Follett Digital Reader to open your book.
Here is a little screencast to help assist you with this process!
Finally, much of our first book order has arrived in the LMC. There is an abundance of new novels and graphic novels available now! Come down and check them out! Also, stay tuned for more information about the Follett Digital Reader App and the Catalist audio app that will allow students to check out eBooks and audio books right from their iPads using our Destiny library management system. Teachers, if any of your are interested in piloting either of these two apps before students, please send us an email in the LMC. Woo Hoo!
Don't miss a chance to start listening to some amazing titles via Sony mp3 players now available in the LMC. We have 18 new audiobooks available, and each mp3 player comes pre-loaded with at least two books. Don't have headphones? Don't worry; we're currently selling earbuds in the library for $1.50. Can't stand always listening to earbuds? No biggie! These mp3 players are great because they come with built-in speakers that allow listeners to listen aloud, and you can plug the mp3 players into computer speakers for greater volume.
Please watch the brief instructional video (featuring hand-modeling by Mrs. Jeffers and periodic growling/whining by Myla Jeffers) to help you use the mp3 players.
Here is a list of the newest books available on mp3 players:
Player #
Books Loaded
1
I’d Tell You I Love You, but I’d Have to Kill You by Allison Carter (53179), Girls Acting Catty by Leslie Margolis (53187)
2
All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn (53180) The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn (53182)
3
They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney (53178), Closed for the Season by Caroline B. Cooney (53181)
4
Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter (53204), Dressed to Steal by Carolyn Keene (53205)
5
Phoenix Rising by Karen Hesse (53183), Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah (53203)
6
Peace, Love, and Baby Ducks by Lauren Myracle (53188), Take Me There by Susane Colasinti (53177)
7
Legend of the Guardians 1-3 by Kathryn Lasky (53185)
8
Fang by James Patterson (53206), White Fang by Jack London (53186)
9
Numbers by Rachel Ward (53190), The Everafter by Amy Huntley (53184)
10
Keeper by Mal Peet (53189), After Tupac and D Foster (53191)
The school year is in full swing, and we're all trying to get a good grasp on the changes the new year will bring. PBIS (Positive Behaviors Interventions and Support) is one of the important changes sweeping our school, and the difference so far has been spectacular. In an effort to help everyone understand the PBIS expectations in the LMC, a few students, Mrs. Pittsley, and I have put together a little video. If you're a literacy, ELL, or special education teacher, you've either seen this or you will see it during checkout. However, I hope everyone else can at least view the video briefly to get an idea for themselves. If nothing else, the video will show you some of the excellent features of iMovie on the iPad because the entire movie was filmed, edited, and posted to Youtube using an iPad. Enjoy!
Hey, everybody, I hope you are all getting some time to do some summer reading and relaxing. If you're looking for something unique and interesting, I strongly recommend Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. It's a great modern fantasy book with a barrage of interesting characters, events, descriptions, and best of all, odd photographs.
Watch the video below for a more detailed book talk. We have two copies available at the John Muir library and the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium also has a few e-book versions as well. Get it while you can!
Once again, I find myself drawn to a world that is in the perils of despair, in a place that was once North America. In Divergent, by Veronica Roth, this dystopian society is set in what used to be Chicago, Illinois, and is segregated into five factions. Each of those factions are dedicated to upholding the beliefs and values of a particular virtue. These factions are: Amity (peaceful), Candor (the honest), Abegnation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice Prior, or better known as Tris, is the protagonist and heroine of the novel. At 16 years old she finds herself faced with a choice -- THE choice -- to stay with her family or to be the person she really is. What ensues from here is a constant battle for Tris between right and wrong. She is forced to determine who her friends really are, who she can truly trust, and figure out if she will ever be able to tell her secret (a secret that would kill her) in a world that is about to fall apart all over again. I absolutely love Tris in this book -- she is a strong, brave heroine and someone both and male and female can look up to. Great dystopian read!
As many of you know, the Wausau School District is undergoing an important and ambitious 1:1 iPad pilot next year, and John Muir is a part of that pilot. Based on recent conversations I've had with a number of staff members, particularly ones who will be most affected by the iPad pilot next year, I thought I'd do a little research to help us integrate without reinventing the wheel.
Here are two great resources that will help you learn some quick tips and functions of working your iPad. Unfortunately, there is not a video for every function, but most of them at least come with screen shots and concise explanations. For beginning users, my advice to you is to bite off a few of these functions at a time as you casually use the iPad over the summer.
For those of you who have eReaders and have caught the e-reading bug like I have, the Wisconsin Digital Library is an invaluable resource. It brings library resources from around the state right to your hands within minutes! It's also a great way for teachers and librarians to help students find books for themselves that may be unavailable at their own school libraries. The process for checking out books can be a little complicated, but the reward is fantastic. Please check out the Wisconsin Public Library Consortium's Digital Library FAQ page for more help.
In a nutshell, here are some things you'll need to know:
All books are free, and most can be checked out for a period of 7-21 days.
Videos and audio books are available.
If your school doesn't participate in the consortium, you need a local library card.
You can check out up to ten titles at a time and place holds on items that have reached their maximum checkouts.
The following video is a great tutorial showing you how to download an eBook and transfer it to your device. Give it a look!
In the past two weeks, I've enjoyed Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and Big Nate: From the Top by Lincoln Peirce. I have currently placed a hold on Wonder by R.J. Palacio, and I will be notified when the title is available for download. The best part about this whole process is that I've been too busy to go to the public library before it closes, yet I've still had the opportunity to delve into excellent books whenever I can. A big thank you goes out to the Wisconsin Digital Library Consortium for making this possible!
Woo hoo! We're ready to start using Blogger as a library. Keep checking back here for announcements about new books, book reviews by students and staff, technology tips and updates, and other cool stuff!
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What is Follett Shelf?
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