Thursday, December 14, 2023
Engineer-a-Gift: A Holiday Event at The Workshop@NCHS Library
Sunday, September 3, 2023
Friday, October 28, 2022
Book talks, making, and more!
We had a busy October! We started the month with a book fair table to promote our Book Club, and we are happy to report that we had a wonderful first meeting on October 20th. We offered a virtual option for those who could not be on campus, and the rest of the club participated in person. Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 3, at 6:30 PM. Please contact us if you would like to be added to the Book Club distribution list.
Playing YA Lit jeopardy! |
It was a tight contest! |
- ClassLink folders, which are organized by student task
- Country Studies
- English & Literature
- Images
- Library
- Newspapers & Magazines
- Primary Sources
- Science
- Statistical Information
- Works Cited
- World Languages
- Schoology
- The library website search box
- The library website link to the databases
Saturday, October 1, 2022
It's Going So Fast!
It's the last day of September, and we can honestly say that this month felt truly normal! We never imagined that "normal" could be such an exciting and positive adjective.
The first Club Fair since 2019 just wrapped up and Radea, our Book Club President, did an outstanding job coordinating sign-ups and distributing hand-made bookmarks. Over 30 students signed up to join the club. Our book club meets on the 3rd Thursday of the Month at 6:30 PM either in the library or on Zoom (your choice - both options are available). Our first book of the year is Karen Mc Manus' new title, Nothing More to Tell. In case you missed our table, the QR code below links to the sign-up form.
Friday, September 9, 2022
Friday, May 20, 2022
Summer Reading 2022
It is summer reading time! That's when we get to catch up on what’s new and exciting in publishing. Our Summer Reading List is recreational. Its purpose is to connect our learners with resources they may enjoy.
We try to keep the list relatively short – under one hundred books, so as not to overwhelm. We are mindful of genre and diverse interests. We focus on contemporary publications - the last two years or so, but we also include a few classics. We aim for a balance between young adult and adult literature.
Keeping in mind that our library users include young teens and adults, our list is thematically comprehensive. Seventy-nine percent of our graduating seniors have taken at least one college-level course at NCHS. As a result, our collection is designed to meet the needs of college students as well as high schoolers. Not every summer reading book is appropriate for every library user. Selection is part of the reading process and we encourage young readers to be reflective about their choices - to contextualize them with their personal and family values. Readers are encouraged to consult reviews and publisher notes to make predictions about whether a book will suit their interests and to switch to a different book when one falls short of their expectations. There are so many books to enjoy. Summer is not the time to slog through a book that holds little appeal. All members of our learning community are invited to read from the 2022 summer reading list. This year, we are collecting one-minute video reviews on Flipgrid (click on the Google login option, and sign in with your @ncps-k12.org Google account).
As in previous years, New Canaan (town) Library runs dynamic Summer Reading Program. We send copies of our summer reading books to the town library so that students may borrow them during the summer months. We carry as many titles as are available in both eBook and audiobook formats. Students can access ebooks and audiobooks through MackinVia (tutorial). They can text the library at (615) 669 6670 if they need help.
We aggregate our summer reading list in GoodReads, which is a social book recommendation site (see grid to the right). The entire NCHS learning community is invited to connect, share what they are reading, rate books, and write reviews. Again, the list is here. Tabs (at the bottom) allow viewers to switch between Sheets organized by title, author, genre, awards, young adult, adult, etc.
Wednesday, September 1, 2021
Inching our Way Back to Normal
Wow! It is truly great to be back! We are excited about many new developments. As week one winds to a close, we feel great about the start of the 2021-2022 school year.
ClassLink:
Most students learned about ClassLink this week. The launchpad provides authenticated access to resources our students need, including PowerSchool, Schoology, Naviance, Google tools, and much more. The library has a ClassLink presence too. Over the weekend, we will replace the link to the library's website with a folder that includes several links:
- The library's website
- Destiny - the library's print catalog
- MackinVia - the library's catalog of ebooks and audiobooks
- The page that cross-searches most of our databases (see screenshot below)
- The list of database links
- The link to the virtual library
The Page That Cross-searches Our Databases |
The New Library Lounge |
Working on the Growth Mindset |
Booktalks in ColLabB |
- Collaborative learning
- Quiet independent learning
9th Grade Orientation in the Collaborative Learning Zone |
- Tech for success (BYOD, and high school specific technology)
- Asking questions and getting answers (library services)
- Digital citizenship
Summer Reading Books |