It's Time for a Change: Follow-up Part 1

The last few days of each school year are always spent in a flurry of packing, moving, trashing, sorting, and basically running around like a chicken with your head cut off. That's such a pretty picture. You've heard the saying, "There's no tired like end-of-the-year-teacher-tired.". Let me tell you, this year was particularly rough on me.

It was decided early on in the school year that we were definitely going to be moving the computer lab into part of the library that was utilized as a storage space, making it a true LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER. So, those last few days of headless-chicken-teacher-tiredness were coupled with removing and entire room of shelving, storage items (many were so out-dated that the dumpster gobbled them up), and rearranging.

We had planned to remodel the library when I decided the old decor needed to go last summer. I put some students to work (with supervision, I assure you) taking down the wall decor and scraping the glue away from the cinder block. They asked to do it, it was in no way, shape or form, punishment!

     Before

     After

I have some ideas rolling around on a Pinterest Board of what I hope and dream for the wall repaint. Luckily, I have my amazing Art Teacher and super talented daughter gnawing at the bit to get their hands on some paint brushes and a gallon or two of paint.

Now for the fun moving of the lab. I visited earlier this week and again today to see the progress. I'm a very hands-on kind of person, so when the electricians and cable guys are telling me they have it all under control, I worry. Plus, Denise and I really wanted to have a say in how the lab turned out. I mean, we are the ones going to be using it after all.

So far, it's a blank canvas! We had the cable guy come sketch a mock-up of what we wanted, and it seems to all be right on track.


   
View from the left side front (entrance to Guided Reading book room)



View from the back. The shelving along the wall has been removed. The projector and screen will be on the front wall where the shelf and green/purple crates are. Sadly, the shelf has to go, but we will be replacing it with an identical one that is shorter. You can't see it, but it's on the wall right behind those shelves.



View from the doorway behind my circulation desk. The middle marker board has been removed to accommodate a monitor. Please ignore the art supplies hanging out in the back! For some reason we also have the pottery kiln in the library back there.

I'm very excited to have this opportunity to remodel and redesign our space a bit. I know that it won't all be brand new or 100% what we envision. But it's a start! I'm hoping to see circulation and library usage increase with the redesign of the space. Large grade-level groups utilized the library for presentations last year, and I'm hoping to draw more into the area this year with a more fun, funkier feel!

I'll keep you posted on the progress!

Professional Organization Site Hack by ISIS

Earlier this month, I was notified that the Arkansas Library Association's site was hacked. We knew that our stored information (work address, email address, etc.) was compromised. Our site administrator began to take every precaution he could to update the site. At the time, we did not know who was responsible for the hack, just that it had happened.

Earlier this week, our Executive Director was contacted by the FBI. Apparently there had been multiple hacks into small rural organizations by ISIS that appear to have no connection. The FBI does not seem to be too concerned but have said to keep an eye out on your accounts and change your password for the site. The site's URL has been relocated and updated. Every precaution has been taken to keep our members safe.

If you notice any suspicious activity, please contact Ron Russ and Lynda Hampel.

To read the Newsweek article, click here.