IMPLEMENTATION

This process is best initiated at the beginning of the school year, inviting the school librarian and interested teachers to be responsible for the organization, celebration and evaluation. Like any new initiative the initial implementation requires more time. However the initial collaborative efforts to determine literature titles can realistically be accomplished in four meeting sessions or less, depending upon the time devoted to each session. Thus implementation can begin in late October and culminate with year-end library closure. After Library Connections is underway, teachers tend to anticipate next year’s literature titles and the process becomes easier, richer and more optimistic.

To begin Library Connections the entire school community needs to be informed of the collection of literature that has been recommended by the teachers, for the students to choose to read. The collection of literature titles for Library Connections needs to be published in the school newsletter accompanied with an explanation so parents and others can encourage their children and support the school’s initiative in literacy development. Also the list should be displayed in significant locations throughout the school to invite and remind all of the choices to read and why. A general school gathering should be called to explain Library Connections to the entire school community and to invite and encourage active participation by all. This assembly could be enhanced by a dramatic presentation of an excerpt from a “connection book” or a readers’ theatre presentation done by staff or students.

The students need to be informed, encouraged and reminded about Library Connections by their teachers and school librarian. If a student chooses to read a “connection book”, after their reading they will consider a subject connection and justify it. This “connection talk” or “book talk” will be shared with their teacher or school librarian. After the “book talk”, the student will design on a puzzle piece their name, the title, author, and subject connection and add it to the giant “Library Connections Puzzle”. By the end of the school year the library will display quite a puzzle!