Beecher Feature
Volume 15 - Library in the time of Corona
Welcome Back
Where To Start
Your Media Center Webpage
- Utilizing the media center website is still a great starting point to see many, if not all of the resources available.
- Part of the media center website includes the "Curriculum and Tutorials" link and the "Beecher Feature" Link. These will provide details about many of the resources.
- Everyone has been invited to the Media Center Info and Sign Up Canvas course. This is the place to see/learn about the following:
- How to reserve space in the media center or the media center project room
- A list of resources with credential reminders
- Media center passes (more on this later)
- What your library card can do
- Newsela how-to (UPDATED)
- Using IndyPL resources - what's out there?
- Request a poster (NEW!)
- Lunch and Learn sign up
- Media center guidelines and policies
What's Different?
Sending individuals on passes...
Option 1: Teachers may sign up to bring their entire class to the MC for workshops with Mrs. Beecher, or other activities. We have 3 sanitizing stations and ask students to use them before entering the room, before and after using one of the online catalog stations, and before handling a book. Students may check out books from their school library. All books checked out should NOT be shared, and upon return, will be in quarantine for 72 hours before being re-shelved.
Option 2: Students may visit the MC individually from a class provided they have permission from their teacher. The student must scan the school wide barcode in their current teacher's classroom, scan the school wide barcode upon entrance to the MC, and then scan the checkin barcode at their preferred seating area. Contact tracing is vital - no exceptions!
That being said, WE ARE......
Your media center is an ideal place to have class - talk about social distancing - totally doable! Here are the need to knows about bringing your classes to the media center:
- The same seating chart you use in your own room is the seating chart we have to use in the media center. Again, this is due to the contact tracing requirement.
- Reserve the media center space via your @decaturproud.org calendar account. You have been invited. Instructions may be found in the Media Center Info and Sign Up Canvas course.
- In addition to signing up on the Google calendar, please contact either Mr. Carter (Bil) or me (in person or email) to give us a heads up about how tables should be arranged. Bil and I will do our best to have the space ready for you.
- BreakoutEDU boxes are quite doable, with enough planning. Being at 50% capacity will help us keep group sizes super small. We will need to remember to build in time for sanitizing if we have back to back classes.
- The project room can house classes as well - same rule regarding seating charts apply.
- Checking out books - Yes, students may check out books at the high school (I've heard they can't at the elementary level). Until this nastiness is under control, though, I'm afraid students may not "browse the shelves" in the traditional sense. Thankfully, their school media center is a branch of the public library and they may browse virtually before coming to the media center with their class! OR, they may come with your class, sit in their assigned seat, and browse on their iPad. Once they have made a selection, we can get the book checked out to them and they will be all set!
- Another option - I can visit your classroom with a cart of books. This is not my favorite plan but if that is the only way to get books in their hands, I'm willing!
- So - it is more important than ever for our students (ahem) and staff to be proficient in using their school and city's online catalog, right? Just tossing in that nugget for free.
- Ebooks and audiobooks are plentiful, thanks to Axis 360! Need a workshop? Let's plan!
Media Center
Media Center
Media Center Project Room
*Remember, students must stay with their seating chart group.
Because I figure you're wondering.....
The REALM Project (Reopening Archives, Libraries, and Museums) has published the results of the second round of Battelle's laboratory testing for COVID-19 on five commonly handled materials: braille paper pages, glossy paper pages, magazine pages, children’s board books, and archival folders.
- According to the report: After four days of quarantine in their stacked configuration, [most quarantined library books are kept in stacks rather than spread out on a science lab table!] the virus was not detectable on the braille pages, glossy book pages, and board book. The magazine pages showed a trace amount of virus at four days. Day four was the final timepoint tested.
- This evaluation indicated that standard office temperature (68°F to 75°F) and relative humidity conditions (30 to 50 percent) may provide an environment that allows for the natural attenuation of SARS-CoV-2 present on these materials after two days of quarantine for archival folders and four days of quarantine for the book pages. Compared to the results of Test 1, the results of Test 2 indicate that a longer quarantine time for these types of cellulose-based paper materials may be required to render SARS-CoV-2 undetectable.
- When books are returned to the DC library, they will be handled with gloves for check in, and then they will be in quarantine for 4 days. After the quarantine period, books will be re-shelved.
- Click the title of this section to see the report.
A big thank you to Sarah Batt of IndyPL for this information!