Tales from a Loud Librarian

May 15th was suppose to be the last time that Bookmarked members were going to be published in SLJTeen . Our editor, Dodie Ownes, months and months ago asked me if the group would continue to write for the on-line newsletter. It is stressful meeting deadlines, but the students were all for it. They thought it was an honor to be asked. If the reviews were not written so well, they would not have been invited to keep going. Here are the latest reviews from Bookmarked . They will continue to write over the summer. You can find a link to all of the reviews written since May of 2012 here.  

Looking good in the picture above are the new officers of Bookmarked, the high school library book group, for 2013-14. The group has always had sort of a love/hate relationships with officers. The current members decided that they really wanted officers and wanted to give each job a special name.  This is the first time in six years that the group has had a full slate of officers. The president is the Author, the vice president is the Book Binder, the secretary is the Publisher and the last office which is not treasurer (not sure what their role will be). I am looking forward to some intense book discussions during our Monday lunch meetings.  Preparing for the big move to 701 Churchill Pkwy, Avondale, LA. I still can't believe it is going to happen. All 6700 books had to be packed. That part is done. Now I am down to the what do I keep, what do I give away and what do I throw away. I put two big boxes of give-aways out in the hall. Every time I throw some books ...

On April 29th, Bookmarked , the high school library book group, walked down the street for an end of the year celebration at Dot's Diner . Next year, when we move to the new building, there will be no restaurants within walking distance. So this was one of many of the lasts that we had at PFTSTA throughout May. I am on the left, and our principal, Jaime Zapico is on the right. Behind us you can see all the members of Bookmarked stretched all the way to the wall. It makes my heart sing to have that many students who are interested in reading. Every year I worry the club will drop to nothing, but we always seem to have students who want to join.  It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to the graduating seniors. The above picture is from our senior awards night that was held on May 2nd. I am flanked here by the two senior members of Bookmarked. Courtney on the left has been in the group for three years, and Emmalyn on the right for two years. I am going to miss both of ...

Check out the reviews that members of Bookmarked wrote for the April 30th edition of SLJTeen .  Open here to read the reviews . 

Student reading the poem that he found A couple of years ago, I came up with something for April that I called Hidden Poetry, but we didn't have time to do it last year and resurrected the activity for 2013. During National Poetry Month, I email a poem every day to all the students and staff of PFTSTA. Hidden Poetry allowed me to have a more interactive activity using poetry. First, I collect poems from students. I asked them to  send me a poem that they either wrote or a poem that speaks to them by any poet living or dead. I collate all the poems then print them on different colored paper. Students helped me cut out the poems, roll them and tie them with a ribbon. Then one day after school, the students hide the poems throughout the building. The next day, when a student finds a hidden poem, they bring it to the library. I ask them to read the poem to me and whoever is in the library, and then I reward them with a candy prize. All the poems are put onto a bulletin board as I...