School+Library+Monthly+Blogs

= School Library Monthly Blogs =

The //School Library Monthly Blog// is a project of the journal //School Library Monthly.// According to the //School Library Monthly// website:

The mission of the School Library Monthly (SLM) blog is to extend SLM into the digital realm and model the thoughtful Web 2.0 engagement that we advocate for in our pages. With weekly updates, it is a digital column that can respond nimbly to current events, model self-reflection, and inspire our readers to take thoughtful action. With nearly 850 readers, the blog is used by practitioners, professors of library science, pre-service school librarians. Blog content has been used in numerous university courses alongside SLM and SLMAM content.

Kristin Fontichiaro is the blogger for this site. She is a clinical assistant professor for the School of Information at the University of Michigan and an adjunct lecturer in the UM School of Education’s Secondary Master of Arts with Certification program. She previously served as a media specialist in Birmingham, MI public schools. She has also written a number of books, including //21st-Century Learning in School Libraries// and //Podcasting at School//. This blog dates back to September 2007, and it covers a number of topics. The website can be accessed here: School Library Monthly Blogs.

I found this blog very enjoyable to read. She addresses issues faced by school libraries with humor. I think it's very easy to read. I especially liked the September 27, 2010 post in which she likens the role of the librarian to the role of the personal shopper at Nordstrom (we are there to anticipate our patrons' needs, though we can sometimes be wrong in our approach). She also raised a relevant point this week when she talks about "Count Day" in Michigan schools. Count Day is when the state comes into schools and count how many students are in attendance. This number is used to determine how much funding each school is going to get the next school year. She discusses how many urban schools bribe their students to attend that day by offering them free lunch or gift cards. The blog post discusses the state of education in terms of actions needed for schools to receive money. I was shocked but not really surprised by the need for schools to bribe students on occasions such as Count Day, and I probably would not think about these things until I am actually working in school had I not read this blog. I think this is a great resource for those of us who aren't working in schools and who have never worked in schools because she addresses issues candidly and raises points in a way that it is enjoyable to follow along. The blog also provides links to other articles and resources that I think are useful (such as a slide show about copyrights).

Here is an introductory video about Kristin Fontichiaro that she posted on her blog:

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