Where Has September Gone?

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've posted.  That tells you how busy things have been, which is a good problem to have in a Media Center, right?

So let me fill you in on what's been going on...

I got a call at the end of August from our local area Target that our school had won their Books for Schools Award which meant that we received $500 in free books from First Book.  We were able to get almost 200 new books with this grant.  I've been working like a mad woman trying to get all these books cataloged, labeled and ready for check out.  Look at our haul:

These were some of my favorite titles.

And I think I know some patrons who will be fighting each other to be the first to check these out.  Too funny!

I still have to schedule a "reading event' with Target.  Not quite sure what that involves, except for a photographic opportunity.  I am excited to let the kids see all the new books, though, so I will be scheduling our "reading event" very soon.

I've also been working with the 2nd-5th graders on locating books in the library using both Destiny via the Internet and the Destiny Quest app on the iPad.  It seems like no matter how many times I go over how to search for a book, there are some kiddos who just aren't catching on. So I thought maybe a little handson practice would help. 

I paired this lesson up with a lesson about traditional literature, which is our Genre of the Month for September.  I had students look up six different types of traditional literature with a specific AR level and write down the first book that came up in that list.  Students were divided up into 5 different groups by drawing sticks out of a can.  Each person in the group got a chance to look up one type of book and write down their answer, but everyone in the group was allowed to help come up with the correct answer.

Here is the list that the students used, if you're interested.

And here is what they put their answers on.

I think that lesson helped a little because I am seeing more students use the iPads as well as the computers to find books.  I am also seeing more students help other students locate books using Destiny. So slowy, but surely, I think I am getting through to them.

In between processing books and lesson planning/creating, I've also been reading a few more books, but I will save those for another post.

So what have you been up to this September?  Has it been a super fast month for you as well?