International School Library Day Logo

International School Library Day 2006

Date: 23 October 2006

Theme: Reading. Knowing. Doing.

What People Are Doing for International School Library Day 2006

| Australia | Belgium | Brazil | Canada | Caribbean Area | Croatia | Egypt | Germany | Hong Kong | Hungary | India | Israel | Italy | Jordan | Mozambique | New Zealand | Nigeria | Norway | Pakistan | Philippines | Poland | Portugal | Romania | Serbia | Singapore | Solvakia | South Africa | Sudan | Switzerland | Syria | Turkey | USA |

Serbia

From Mirjana Soskic, Librarian/IT, Experimental Elementary School "Vladislav Ribnikar", Belgrade.
On Monday, October 23, 2006, our library organized celebration of ISLD, according to IASL's instructions. The theme for this day was "Reading. Knowing. Doing."

On this day a new book was introduced to groups of students. The author is young Serbian poet, Dejan Aleksic, who wrote the novel in verse, Adventures of a coffee bean. Last year this book was granted with one of the great Serbian literature awards. This is how we promoted reading, and then was time for analysis. Beauty of the poetry inspired them to write their own impressions. One group of students transferred the lyrics into computer drawings, which we are now sending you.

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For this year's ISLD, all over the school hallways were signs pointing to the library, with the sentence "All roads lead to the library".

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Singapore

From Yvonne Barrett, Teacher Librarian Primary, Australian International School Singapore
We are arranging our Book Week to coincide with International School Library Day this year. We have already started a readathon with our primary students that will culminate on International School Library Day with money raised going to the Student's Helping Students Room to Read project. Our year 4 students and primary book club students are participating in the IASL Book Mark Project with a school in Philadelphia. We also have both a storyteller and author visiting our school during our Book Week. Busy times!

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Slovakia

From Eva Fulop, Librarian.
READ IT. KNOW IT. DO IT.
The programme of Hungarian Technical School and Commercial Academy in Kosice for International School Library Day, organized on 23rd October 2006, proclaimed by the chairman of International Association of School Librarianship. Our logo: the APPLE, the message of which is A MOUTHFUL OF CULTURE.
On the basis of this message and the suggestions of IASL we drew up the programme of the day in the following way:

  • 8.00 - Opening address on the school radio; Opening speech of the headmaster, Ing. Pulen Lajos
  • 9.00 - The lecture of Dr. Kovats Miklos on "Modernity and School Libraries"
  • "library friends" (2 students from each class) are going to stay in the library for the whole day. Their tasks will be:
    • welcoming the visitors, showing the library, distribution of the apples
    • distribution of bookmarkers
    • recommendation and supervision of the previously collected books
    • making reports
    • "find-it-in-the-library" - imitation of competition in the usage of libraries
  • 15.00 - The Books Have Found Us - free discussions about books (reading habits, reading experiences) lead by the librarian

Previous activities - making posters; assessment of questionnaires; pass-on: collecting the recommended books and their exhibition - October 16-19.

Recommended programmes for teachers and classes:

  • presentation and recommendation of books within lessons(5-10 min)
  • classes 1. A,B,C visit the libraries: J. Bocatius in Kosice, Scientific Library in Kosice and Children's Library in Kosice

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South Africa

From Lourens Henning, Principal.
1. Bookday: display of books, concert related to book themes.
2. Author: Read her own stories to children.
3. Fantasy Parade related to classreaders (Oxford Reading Scheme).
4. Activities: Grade 1 - The toy party; Grade 2 - The teddy bears picnic; Grade 3 - The island: St Lucia wetlands tour.
5. Fancy Dress, research and reading, art.
Reading is fund at our school. We have a reading class and professional reading teacher. We invite booksellers to exhibit at our school. We ould love to have more funds because we are a multi-cultural school in a rural area.

From Kebaiphe L. Sentsho, Teacher Librarian, Botswana.
In Mochudi, the day will be celebrated as a cluster. Junior Secondary Schools and a Senior School will meet at the Education Centre and have activities such as poems, story-telling, traditional dance, songs, word of encouragement. We have also invited the village chief and a representative from the National Library in Mochudi.

I would like to encourage other schools to take part, especially the Primary schools. Also, it is a pity because the day is celebrated when in Junior schools our form 3s sit for their final examinations. Hence they are excluded from the celebrations.

From Nerine Chalmers, Media Teacher, Clifton School, Botswana.
Shared reading with other classes - reading around the clock with parents and children reading together around the pond.
Reception -

  • Making bookmarks depicting their favourite book.
  • Read An African ABC Sing the alphabet song - make an alphabet book.
  • Taking Pula (Zebra puppet, Botswana's national animal) home for a night. Recounting the bedtime reading experience he had.

Standard 1
1. Reading and learning action poems; making finger puppets. Performance for parents and another class.
Standard 2
1. Reading recipes and making the dish. Library display.
2. Colouring activity - African animals and following written directions.
Standard 3
1. The paper bag princess - writing dragon poems.
2. A simple experiment, reading instructions.
Standard 4
1. My favourite book and emailing around the world.
2. Use information books to collate questions for a general knowledge quiz.
Standard 5
1. Journeying through reading - PowerPoint presentation.
2. Read information about Botswana and reproduce it on a map.
Standard 6
1. My favourite book and emailing around the world.
2. Heroes - reading an account then role play.
Standard 7
1. Bookmarks for ISLD Bookmark Project - Oregan Middle School, Medford, New York.
2. Advertising - read, know and do.

Many of our activities will be shared with Thornhill School in Gaborone, with whom we have sporting fixtures the same week. This gives the non-athletic children an opportunity to be involved too.

From Joan Ryder, HOD Senior Library.
Staff and students dressing up as either a Book Character, Book Title or Genre. In order to do this, asked to donate a book or two or more for underprivileged organisations. Distributed ISLD bookmarks to everyone this morning. Amnesty Day for return of mission or outstanding books. Designed posters to put up around the school. Serving filter coffee, muffins and cream scones to staff outside the library - Tables and umbrellas outside. Students served with fruit juice, cookies and popcorn outside the library.

From Marilyn Peters, Librarian, Rustenburg Girls High School Media Centre, Rondebosch.
To mark the occasion of International Schools Library Day on Monday 23 October - and after consultation with the librarian at Vrygrond - the Rustenburg Girls High School Media Centre in Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa launched a special community outreach project linking Vrygrond Community Library with our own.

Later that week, we were welcomed to the container-sized building by the very enthusiastic and committed librarian, Elizabeth Everson and her assistant Jane, with volunteers Sidwell and Michael. After being shown around the very neat and organised collection, we settled down to making ourselves useful by doing some book processing – which included covering some of the books we’d brought along for the library. We were told about the remarkable youth group that has formed there called Generations for Change. The members take it in turns each day at the library to help children with their homework and read to the little ones. They also run drama classes for the children and organise courses and activities there during the school holidays. Just as the library was closing for the day, we were treated to an impromptu dance display by the drama class in the adjoining room. It was excellent: their talent was very evident, as well as their enthusiasm!

The Vrygrond  community library is a wonderful facility and offers residents, and particularly school-goers, access to literature and other quality educational resources. Rustenburg Girls High School Media Centre and Vrygrond Community Library students and librarians will continue to share resources and pool ideas, with regular "working-visits" to each other’s facilities.

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Sudan

From Sara Stubbins, Khartoum American School.
I have participated in the past from the country of Qatar and the country of China, and think this is a wonderful way for all libraries to participate and recognize international libraries in international schools.

The official day for ISLD, October 23, 2006 is our holiday during Ramadan here in Khartoum, Sudan, so we will not have a special day for the celebration.
However, when arriving August 4 to my new library at Khartoum American School, I had to do much reorganizing and cleaning and arranging to make the library a cheerful and welcome area for students and faculty.

After 2 weeks of hard work and moving all 11,000 volumes by myself I had an "official" opening of our library on September 3. That very afternoon I invited the faculty into the library and served some cakes and drink while I explained where all the wonderful library materials were and how to locate everything.

Open House for the parents was September 7 and many parents visited the library where I welcomed them and showed the improvements which had been made. I have organised a parent volunteer group to help with many tasks of labeling, sorting, shelving and other jobs to keep our library in order.
Have a wonderful ISLD in October 2006.

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Switzerland

From Susan Clark, Middle School Librarian, International School of the Basel Region
Our libraries are inviting interested students to make bookmarks for the international exchange and display on International School Library Day, October 23. There will be a table in the lobby with supplies to make a bookmark. Students and parents are welcome to sit down and make a bookmark when they have free time.

To celebrate ISLD our students will create bookmarks celebrating reading, books, and libraries and our host country of Switzerland. We will provide students with some small images of Switzerland that they might possibly use on their bookmarks, colored paper, etc., and at the same time try to encourage creativity and a wide range of ideas.

We will be exchanging bookmarks with other schools as far away as Tokyo and Vancouver. The bookmarks from other countries will be displayed in our school starting October 23, and when the display is dismantled, each student who make a bookmark will get a bookmark from another country.

Students in some elementary grades and middle school years 6 and 7 will participate in this exciting international program, along with anyone else who is interested.

From Anne Letain, Teacher librarian.
We are working on the following plans for the day. Book crossing - students will log their book onto the school's website and then drop the book somewhere in the school for someone to pick up and read. Battle of the books - we will be launching the 4th annual Inter-schools quiz. The Reading Moment - students will be encouraged to take photos of others reading and the results will be posted.

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Syria

From Shahd Salha, Teacher Assistant at Damascus University
Honestly, I am very sad because my colleagues in Syria do not know anything about this day. Futhermore, the activity which Syria school libraries offer to their children and users is very limited and needs hard work from us as members in IASL and the government to gather together to do the school library better

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Turkey

From Erkan Nurcan and Seran Oral, Librarians.
Irmak Schools are in Istanbul, Turkey, and has been working with Cranbrook Schools to share school experiences on school programs and experiences.
As part of cooperation within the libraries, under the title of ISLD, we planned to expose our publications that present the cultures. In Irmak Schools Library we have an exposition on American culture, history and historical people on November 3, 2006.
In addition to that, we are presenting our resources on Turkish culture and history through a website. As new materials are added we will be updating our website.

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USA

From Kathleen M. Shepoka, Media Specialist-PIC, Pawnee Elementary School, Omaha
Our K-6 incentive this year is reading. We have "teacher" READ posters hanging by each classroom and contests with our special "Golden Sower" reading abound in grades 4 to 6 in classrooms and K to 3 in the "PIC" Pawnee Information Center Library. We are fortunate that we also have a special "reading facilitator" this year. We are also having Tedd Arnold come and Mother Goose to read / present to all students. Students are also involved with International Library Day and are making bookmarks to show off their city and state. We also are in the Pinwheels for Peace Project and Pizza Hut Book-It!

From Sherry Mooers, Public school librarian.
Students will read a book written about a different country or written by an author from a different country. Students will then decorate a pumplin as a character from the book. Students will write a brief book review to accompany their entry. Entries will be judged and prizes awarded. All entries will be displayed at the public library for the month of October.

From Majorie Soto, Principal, Joseph J. Hurley Elementary School.
The Hurley School, a dual immersion Spanish-English public elementary school in Boston's South End, is one of only a handful of Boston public schools that has never had a school library. This year, with help of our parent group, the Neighborhood Parents for the Hurley School, donations from IKEA, and parents, students and foundations, we are celebrating the opening of our first ever school library on International School Library Day. The Major of Boston will cut the ribbon, and students, parents and teachers will celebrate our new library, which we are working to make a model of dual-language school libraries. For the occasion, we have printed celebratory bookmarks that everyone in the school will get, as well as dedicating the library to the memory of a beloved resource room teacher, John Dones, who inspired many children to love books and learning.

From Jan Reelitz, Director of Cranbrook Schools Library Information Services.
The Cranbook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and the Irmak Schools in Instanbul, Turkey have established a collaboration that will allow for a sharing of school programs. This exciting relationship will extend our mutual understanding of our different cultures.
The Cranbrook School Library Information Services Department will celebrate ISLD by displaying all of the library materials related to the Turkish culture and history.

From Cecilia Rait, Parent, Hurley School.
Hurley School Dedicates its First School Library to International School Library Day -- Sowing the Seeds of Resurgence in the Boston Public School System at Hurley.

In an era of budget cuts and fiscal constraints, the dedication of new school facilities is a rare pleasure and a reason to celebrate. It is also a signpost to the future for one aspiring educational institution. The Joseph J. Hurley Elementary School, with its notable Spanish-English dual immersion program is one of three schools in the entire Boston Public School system (145 strong) which has never had a library. On October 23rd that will no longer be the case.

The result of a parent-driven movement (Neighborhood Parents for the Hurley School) to help implement Principal Marjorie Soto's vision of an improved Hurley School, the new Hurley School Library aims to be the best dual language elementary school library in the country. A model of public and private collaboration at its best, the school and its active parents turned two underutilized classrooms into a spacious, sun-filled, modern school library.

More than just a library, the new space also demonstrates that the efforts of one small group of dedicated parents can, in the right environment, dramatically improve and enrich the lives of children of generations to come.

The Hurley School Library Opening Celebration will take place on International School Library Day, Monday, October 23rd, 2006 at 9.30 am. An open house, with light refreshments, will follow between the hours of 10am and noon. Attendees will include Mayor Thomas Menino, City Councilor, Mike Ross and Interim School Superintendent, Mike Contompasis. Also invited are City Councilors, Jimmy Kelly and Michael Flaherty, Speaker of the House, Sal DiMasi, State Rep., Bryon Rushing, and Senator, Dianne Wilkerson.

The Hurley School is located at 70 Worcester Street in the South End.

The NPHS (Neighborhood Parents for the Hurley School) would like to thank Ikea for their generous gift of library furniture and Verizon for the donation of computers. The Hurley School Library is also the grateful recipient of a $5000 grant from the Laura Bush Foundation and numerous donations from parents and neighbors.

The NPHS is a grass-roots independent organization of parents working to help make the Hurley School one of the best elementary schools in Boston, providing high-quality education to students of all backgrounds.

From Debra Williams, Media Specialist.
Smiths Station Intermediate School students have prepared their bookmarks for our partner school in Nigeria. A package was mailed to Nigeria containing 581 student made bookmarks, about 200 commercial bookmarks, a map of our state, Alabama, and brochures on places to visit in our state. Pictures of our school and students have been exhanged with the Nigerian schools. Our students have viewed pictures of Nigeria in a PowerPoint slideshow. The SSIS students have researched Nigeria and written and illustrated ABC books about what we learned. Posters of Africa, Nigeria, the Nigerian flag, the American flag, and the ISLD logo have been made and placed around our school. Also flyers advertising ISLD have been placed in our hallways. These activities have been a wonderful learning experience for our 1300 plus 4th, 5th and 6th graders.

From Brenda Stultz, Retired LRC Aide, McPherson Middle School, Clyde, Ohio
I want to send my congratulations and sincere good wishes to all of you who are celebrating International School Library Day on Monday. Although I am no longer employed in a school library so cannot share an ISLD project with you, I did so enjoy active participation in ISLD for several years with my student library aides. I am enjoying staying connected with some of you via email or telephony. This is a great day to reminisce and reconnect. I will READ about all your activities and KNOW that whatever you DO, that children around the world are united in learning about each other through the mission of the IASL and the planning of ISLD and other projects of global dimensions. Have fun. Peace and happiness to all.
P.S. The local public library is celebarting their 100th anniversary tomorrow - the website provided links to school libraries - vist the link to see a beautiful Carnegie Library in Clyde, Ohio.From Jan Chemotti, Teacher Librarian, West Genesee Middle School, Camillus.
We included Teen READ Week in our celebration. We took digital pics of the students in our school who read more than 25 books last year, and had posters made of them, a la the READ posters from the American Library Association. The pictures and posters of these students were plastered all over the school, and I made a 5 minute announcement praising them for their accomplishments. On ISLD we held a nice luncheon for them in our library. We also wrote individual letters to their parents/guardians noting their achievements. Students were happy and received many positive comments from staff and their peers. We also had displays of new books all over the library, and in combination with Halloween decorations, it is a very festive atmosphere.

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Last Updated 16 November 2006 (KSB)