Today, I opened the old cans of paint to touch up some spots. Most of them were just like the one below. Not bad by itself, but there is a multiplication factor that occurs making the house look dirtier than it actually is. I'd waited too long and dinginess had set in.  So with paint well stirred and brush in hand, I set out to conquer and create a fresh appearance. I also wondered about the origins of some of these marks. The ones near doors or where pictures fell were obvious, but the one behind a chair or the one in the middle of an otherwise unscathed wall that just happened to be knee high - how did they originate? It doesn't really matter. They need to be fixed. But still, I wondered. And I know that these marks, these scars will reappear. Paint is a temporary fix, but maybe I should be more proactive and not wait until so many places are visible next time.  Thinking about the scars on my walls got me thinking about life and the scars I know most of us carry. Where did m...

The library is far enough along that I can walk away for a couple of weeks. Nonfiction started in an odd place, so I emptied a wall and started shifting. [gallery ids="5694,5695,5696" type="rectangular"] That empty book case will have to go somewhere else when I get back! There are 100s of things I still want to do, but for a few days, I'm going to rest, think about conferences and lesson plans, and plan what to do next! If you'd like to see all the pictures of this summer's progress in one place, visit my Pinterest Board.

I know, I know, it's been gone for ages. Still nothing else is as easy or as comfortable as it was. I was already in Google. It was so convenient. Now I have to open something else. I've tried dozens. Some are ok. Today, I'm trying Bloglovin. We'll see how that one goes. *sigh* Follow my blog with Bloglovin

I've been reading a lot about paper sizes, qualities, textures for various things I'm thinking about for the library. I had no idea what all the numbers stood for - A4, A1, A???. Here's a chart just in case you were wondering too. From Papersizes.org .

Easy is finished enough to make station plans. Each section needs some work as the shifting of books was done for space requirements and not with *finding the book again* in mind! Nonfiction has been thought about, but no books have been touched yet. But I really like the way it's looking. Lights are still out due to the heat.

After day 1. I forgot to take a picture before I started. Looks like a used bookstore. The lights are out because there is no AC. (Insert big sweat drop here.)

Last week, the carpets were cleaned at school. I thought they would be done early in the week, so I could go in on Wednesday and Thursday, but didn't happen. I didn't get to go in. So, instead I took a nap most days. Naps are really nice in the summer. I also went to a meeting on our county's adoption of Discovery Education. went to a departmental meeting. made a Little Free Library Box header (I'll have to take a pix, but it's to use in the library.) made a magazine banner and figured out a way to display new magazines. cleared out (and cleaned up) a small cart I think can work as a listening station. found some large tubs that can be used for big item stations. Worked on an August conference. Met friends for lunch! put a shed together laid a tile floor on the patio Went to Ikea to window shop for items I think I might like to use at home and in the library. We went on a family outing and ended up with two carts full of stuff. Not bad for ...

I'm doing some reading on how we as librarians can help with the growth mindset. Here's a start in the last paragraph: "discuss that it's effective research strategies that librarians can hel them with, and that these strategies and asking for help are not supplemental or remedial, but part of the very proscess of learning itself."

I've been working in the new digs for three weeks now - four days a week, 10 hours many days. I'm estimating that the library is about half way to where I'd like it to be. Completed: Week 1 - made decisions on items to keep or clear out.  Find a place to put items to keep. Clear the walls. Week 2 - organize items kept as best as possible. This is ongoing. Ron and I have joked time and time again about how we are having to move items to move items to a place that might make sense for a new home. Some cabinets are full of items that will just have to wait. Clear some more items out. This is tricky. If you move out too many things at once, you risk losing something of value. So some things you walk around and think about longer. Week 3 - reorganize fiction into genres. Move magazines and make a reading nook. Clear some more items. Upcoming: Week 4 - reorganize easy. Weeks 5 & beyond - reorganize nonfiction. Because you can only deal with books for so many h...

The librarian before me had started to genrefy the fiction section. He had a couple of things he'd started that he asked if I would continue, and this was one of them. Most *everything* is now sorted and shelved based on a genre. Sorting was a full two-day job since most of the books already had an identified genre. There are books in every section, however, that still need to be labeled, and I've got a sizable stack I need to research a bit to know where in the world they should rest. Here are some things I've noticed: Some things are just flat out hard to classify. Some things are way too easy to classify and classify and classify. Some books could go in multiple sections, which makes me wonder if we should have a general fiction section. Some sections are really large. Realistic and Fantasy are in this library. Maybe there are some sub-genres that could be pulled out? Some books have too many stickers on the spines. *bleh* I think you need some written guidelines...

I'm human - very human. I speak without thinking, I'm caustic, I'm critical. I am human. I don't want anything I say to make you think I am not cognizant of that fact. I am also a follower of Christ, so even being that wicked human, I have to think about the things of Christ. Russell Moore wrote an excellent post,  How Pastors Can Address the Shootings This Sunday . Most of us aren't pastors, but read it anyway because there are some thoughts for us guys and gals in the pews to ponder on too. We can all pray for the victims and their families, and we should do it by name. I need to mourn for these parents. What do I really feel about the value of life and the lives of others? I need to examine the farthermost and darkest corners of my heart. Who should I listen to? What can I change? What can I say? What can I do? Where can I go? HT: Daniel Thompson  

I love where she talks about being comfortable with the uncomfortable! We have to talk even if we are uncomfortable.  We have to. HT: Lisa Williams

I made these tonight. Here's the recipe .

I don't make desserts very often, but we had these peaches and it's a holiday . . . [caption id="attachment_5508" align="alignnone" width="3264"] Peach Pie[/caption] Recipe from Yummly

In the hallway! What a great idea! This is something we could do to showcase varied activities happening in the library. HT: Science Notebooking, Teaching, and Technology

Polka Dots!  Free polka dots!

Time for another library update! First, the walls and cabinets were covered with 3M mounting tape. EWWW! With some help from my Facebook friends, I found out that GooGone is the ticket. AND this was the result! Ron got all the cabinets and end of shelves stripped of this nasty stuff today! Unfortunately, there are still the walls and windows to go. I worked some more in the office. The professional library was moved into the cabinets in the office and freed up three shelving units! But the main work was done in the main part of the library. Here is what the library looked like the last week of school. Here is what it looked like today when I left. Mmmmmmm crawled out. It's definitely got a ways to go, but the space is really opening up!

Today is day two of working in my new library. I am exhausted, but thrilled. So much to do and it's shaping up. Well, it's gotten messier to shape up! Today, I worked primarily in the office area. Yesterday I emptied what seemed like 100s of boxes of books. Well, maybe it was hundreds of boxes. The office before I began: [gallery ids="5421,5422,5423" type="rectangular"]   The office when I left today: [gallery ids="5427,5428,5429,5430" type="rectangular"] Tomorrow: Professional library and stuff - pencils, stickies, markers . . .

I know I'm not alone in this. I've been in search for the perfect planning book / calendar for ages. I've bought them, I've made them. I'm NEVER happy with them. Oh, they satisfy my needs for short while, but then I'm distracted by a new planner that offers something the one I have doesn't. I've tried digital and paper. Mmmm This is a typical love/hate relationship I'm realizing. I did come across a free one .  So I'll share. It's really pretty with quite a few options.    

I accepted a position in an older school. I am ready to get started. I became a librarian for lots of reasons, but one of the main ones is organization. I can organize things, ideas, people - just give me a few minutes. Well, sometimes it takes longer. The new library is BIG, but it's older. Things have accumulated. It needs some spit and polish. It needs straightening. And I need to know what's in it. The only way I know to do that is to go through everything. Resort. Reorganize. Did I mention . . .  I'm ready to get started? Since I've done this before, I've got a messy plan of attack. These are beach plans, working at the pool plans, enjoying the sunrise and sunset plans. Having been in this position before, I'm pretty certain some of this will work like a charm, but every library is different and plans are written to be adjusted. One thing that's not on the list is pictures. I need to add that! Last time, I started after school started. I jumped into the...