Beat the Clock: A Library Orientation Tale

 

I have been beating my head against a brick wall trying to figure out how best to approach Library Orientation for the 2023-2024 school year. I've come up with quite a few plans but have always been left with a nagging worry in the back of my mind about each plan.

Then my friend, Elissa Malespina, sent a text asking for the link to my Personal Shopper Google Form. This simple request finally made everything click! I think I now have a feasible plan that will keep my sanity intact and chaos to a minimum. 

Let me start by stating that, ideally, this is NOT the library orientation I want to do. In the past, my favorite library orientations have been physical escape room orientations. Escape room orientations worked well in a block schedule with 90 minutes per class.

This year, I will only have, at best, 30 minutes with each English class for a physical visit to the library for orientation. Trying to do any activity like a scavenger hunt, escape room, centers, etc., with only 5 minutes between classes to clean up and regroup simply isn't feasible. 

Taking this information into consideration, my library orientation plan will happen in two parts, virtual and physical. The Virtual Library Orientation will include:

•  Zoom sessions with all of the English classes simultaneously to talk about the library "basics." 
  
• The last "basics" slide will lead students to the Library Orientation section in their Library Canvas course. 

Once they are in the "Library Orientation" section in their Library Canvas course, I'll ask them to write their answers down on paper as I go through the Reading Genre Quiz slide by slide with them.

Next, I'll ask students to click on the "key to score their answers" button found in the Library Orientation section in their Library Canvas course. 

Lastly, students will click on the link provided on the second slide of the "key to score their answers" document. This link takes them to a Google Form, where they will submit their answers and answer a few other questions about their reading preferences.

The Physical Library Orientation will have two activities:

• Checking out books
• "Makerspace" activity: Creating their #OneWord, which will be displayed on the wall behind the circulation desk all year. 

Below is an example from when I did the #OneWord activity in 2017.

I am hoping that this will all work out as planned. I'll be able to tell right away with the first Physical Library Orientation class (LOL!). I might have to scrap the #OneWord activity, depending. 

If you can think of anything that might improve my library orientation plan, please let me know. 

Below are the slides created for the Virtual Library Orientation. 

*Some images will change once I can return to school to take the correct pictures.