A Library/Media Center for New Tech High School

Neil Krasnoff

Overview

• About me • Mission of A Maceo Smith New Tech

HS Media Center• Goals for facility, collection and

technology • Library for students• Library for Teachers• How 21st Century Librarians see

the world• Library program and school goals

About me

• Unconventional•  Mixture of 

realism and idealism

• Traveler• Love Debate • Life and work

are separate, but...not entirely

My Big Fat Jewish-Muslim Wedding

Mission of A Maceo Smith New Tech HS Media Center

The AMSNTHS library strives to become a globally-connected, learning commons where students, teachers and staff collaborate in a technology-rich environment and are engaged in activities that promote multiple literacies and responsible, professional  participation in the social web and in the local community.

Mission: Globally Connected

• Instructional video conference equipment for full-class sessions via content providers, remote collaborators/classes and virtual guests via Skype

• School activities well-documented on blogs, wikis, and social media 

• Multicultural, multi-language resources• Promote participation in global

conversations via Twitter and other online communities

Mission: Learning Commons

• Open, flexible, collaborative physical space• Online presence that facilitates student

selection of quality information and resources.

• Online presence that welcomes involvement with community

• Experiential learning center with access to contemporary mobile devices such as e-readers and tablets

Mission: Where students, teachers and staff collaborate• A platform for students to positively effect

technology implementation on campus• A place for staff-development activities led

by librarian or other staff• A place for sharing ideas and engaging in

productive meetings

Mission: Promote multiple literacies• Most importantly: the ability to locate

information and evaluate its quality.• Analyze and produce media of all types• reading to learn  • Deep learning through reading full-length

books on a topic

Mission: responsible, professional  participation in the social web and in the local community• sensitivity to copyright and fair-use • awareness of plagiarism• Students will learn importance of

developing positive 'digital footprint'• Students and teachers will learn about

social-networking for learning and professional activities

• Programs that promote parental involvement and adult mentorship 

Goals for facility, collection and technology• Video conference unit that doubles as

display for library information• Flexible, contemporary furniture

arrangement• Magazine, newspaper collection on Nooks

and/or other mobile devices• Print collection that supports deep learning

and recreational reading

Library for Students

• Print library and online subscription resources• Dynamic environment that leads students to

literature and knowledge of the world•  Newspaper and Magazines on Nooks and Ipads!• A welcoming, supportive environment for learning

technology and finding solution to problems• A collaborative workspace of choice• A showcase for student work • Chess Club• Irregular programs: poetry slam, social media

events, etc

Library for teachers

• Full service instructional consulting from lesson planning to assessment

• Tech support and informal staff development in instructional technology

• Co-teaching with online research, note taking and information evaluation

• Help with Strategic Application of Technology in instruction and in other areas

Example of My Work

Teacher Problem: Create an engaging project about a geographic region that: •  Covers multiple objectives• Involves using geographic data to make decisions

and solve problems• Fun for students• Easy to assess with rubric

Solution

Turn teacher into a ruthless dictator

+ =Idi Ot Hussinsane

Then turn the classroom into the imaginary country of Packratistan!

Solution

• Students are Idi Ot Husinsane's advisors• They must use relevant information to

decide which country to invade • Final Product is presentation before Idi

Ot• Failure to provide good information

could be fatal

How 21st Century Librarians see the world• Literacy and Transliteracy

 • Technology as a mentality

 • Participation in the Global Information Commons

 • Need for Digital Citizenship 

 • Information access and evaluation still paramount

Library Agenda Furthers School Agenda• Immersion in text and abstraction = higher

level success• Teacher/Media Specialist collaboration

correlates with higher test scores• Help with difficult Learner outcomes: Global

Awareness and Critical Thinking•  Creative Solutions • Enhance High-Tech profile of school