So you have a mandatory remote learning directive and you use Library•Solution…
As schools and libraries close across the country to help mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, there is concern over continued learning for our children. Many states and districts are mandating online learning during this time. How can librarians, media specialists, and teacher-librarians support their students?
Library•Solution makes it much easier to support the curriculum and otherwise keep students engaged and learning.
LS2 PAC
- Students can access eBooks and eResources, such as encyclopedias and articles, through LS2 PAC / LS2 Kids integration.
- Collaborate with the schools to create eResource lists of topics to display on the Landing Page that support their curriculum.
- Encourage teachers to create saved lists and use the Share This! functionality to email recommended lists of eBooks and eResources to students.
- Collaborate with the schools to create RSS Feeds to post bibliographies of eBooks and eResources for curriculum on your library webpage.
- Use Additional Links in LS2 Admin to create links to school pages, local resources, and other timely information for students.
- Encourage students to write reviews in LS2 PAC.
Ideas for Student Engagement
- Discover a new series to read in LS2 Kids. There are 315 to choose from.
- Read a book out loud to your cat, dog, goldfish, guinea pig, stuffed animal, etc.
- Take advantage of the digital collections your library offers. Many have videos to self-paced lessons, such as ArtistWorks. Learn something NEW.
LS2 STAFF
- Suspend overdue and fine accruals. To accomplish this, you must configure in LS2 Preferences under Location Setup > Calendar > Daily Calendar and change the days the library is open.
- Use Lists & Actions to search for and build reading lists around reading level by using the ‘Reading Level’ filter.
- This filter allows for searching by either Lexile or Accelerated Reading (AR) level.
LS2 CATALOGING
- Run various reports to identify incorrect data elements in titles or items.
- Run the Authorities’ reports to identify and correct data inconsistencies, misspellings, or duplicates.
- Make sure your main titles beginning with an initial article have the correct non-filing indicator (sort title in LS2 Cataloging.) There is a report, Titles with a Potentially Incorrect Nonfiling Indicator, in LS2 Reports, to identify the problems.
- Replace or enrich brief title records with notes, series, subjects, and/or genres.
- Identify title records that lack series entries. Check Goodreads or other series listings for the series your library owns, and make sure all of your title records contain the series titles. Make sure you have good authority records for each series title.
- Add subjects and genres to fiction or nonfiction titles.
- Enhance or fix vendor title record files before you import.
- Catalog digital resources such as websites and databases, to improve search and discovery for your PAC users.
Additional Ways to Use Library•Solution
The interface for Library•Solution is responsive so students can use desktops, laptops, tablets, and even smartphones to access it. This means multiple student households aren’t all fighting for one device.
Our SmartTECH team has some additional suggestions listed below from our Product Partners!
Hands-on Learning resources for Remote Instruction
Legends of Learning – Gaming platform offering FREE unlimited access to games during the COVID-19 school closures. Legends of Learning helps librarians and educators promote fun, engaging, and productive learning environments through research-driven, curriculum-based science games. Thousands of games for middle and elementary school (grades 3-8) are available. The games span almost all the most popular state standards for Math and Science. Legends of Learning games align to national Common Core and NGSS standards, as well as select state standards, including GSE, TEKS, SOL, NGSSS, TASS, and more. https://www.legendsoflearning.com/remote-learning-support/
Modrobotics (Cubelets) – Free curriculum and project ideas for Cubelets Robot Blocks
https://www.modrobotics.com/education/educator-resource-hub/
Instructables – A great free resource for hands-on learning projects in many different categories. Many of the projects can be completed with household items.
https://www.instructables.com/
Makerspaces.com – Offering many FREE resources for hands-on learning projects using common household items. Examples include:
https://www.makerspaces.com/25-makerspace-projects-for-kids/