How We Doubled Numbers Part 1

What a year it was -

It really was great.  

And now I turn to next year and think about fine tuning, tightening, and adding to what made our MLC adventure be so positive.  So here is my chance to reflect on what was as I focus on what will be. I started looking back as I created a presentation for the Georgia Library & Media Association Summer Institute, and now - as I revamp my blog for the thousandth time - it’s an opportunity to deep dive, remind myself of what I did and share the high points ⚡️

I had one real goal - to make the Media Center the hub of our school. It was suggested that I made a 3-year plan, and so I did.  And as the year went by, an awful lot of that plan was started and much of it became the norm.  When I created my presentation for GLMA, it helped me to gather my thoughts - which in turns helps me to plan for next year!

We grew from a previous high circulation of 20,247 to 45,445 🔥

So, how did we do it?  

1. Celebrating readers - and our new reading classes

2. Branding and marketing

3. Focusing on the experience - the students being in charge.

4. Making fun with makerspace 

5. Being visible and extending choice 

This week, I’m going to focus on celebrating readers and our new reading classes🔎

I definitively was not the one to double our numbers. I was one of a collective team striving to help our kids become readers. Most teachers will tell you our kids aren’t reading. Our average standards are below grade level - and WE are a good school in a respected county😳

So our principal listened and we started reading classes last year. Long overdue and well-received by all. We learned a lot and have much work to do, but even just having classes with a reading focus allowed us to give kids more reading opportunities, allow for more connection between reading classes and media center, and shoot up those circulation numbers.  We also took away fear of the library by taking away fees and increased opportunity with upping the checkout allowance. 

Boom!  More books circulated 📚

Plus we worked to create pride in reading.  

We celebrated reading 🎉

The first semester was about salesmanship, marketing, rebranding.  

👉Let’s not shout at kids to be quiet and hurry up. 

👍🏼Let’s celebrate their presence and build relationships.

🎈“The MLC is a fun place to be!”  

It sounds easy, but it wasn’t.  There was some history of the media center being randomly closed and students being chased down for fines - and let’s face it, negativity stays in our mind longer than positivity. It’s apparently how we are built.  

But, between a determination to change, a focus on our student committee being the messengers, and an opportunity to work with every reading teacher to bring kids in and change the vibe, things slowly but surely changed. 

Plus - we focused on the teacher experience. The rarely used workroom became the Teacher Hub with snacks, coffee, and the ‘good’ chocolate made available 24-7 ☕️🍫

Bring in the teachers, and the kids follow. 

The teachers who never visited suddenly saw the shift, got to hear and view the children, the classes, and wanted to be a part of things.  Teachers who traditionally didn’t include the media center in their sphere now saw opportunity.  

And we offered reading lunches and maker space passes … reward your students!  The MLC became a reward and not just about books.  

Then there were Prescriptions (thank you to the Cult of Pedagogy podcast How a School Library Increased Student Use by 1,000 Percent | Cult of Pedagogy that got me fired up and idea-filled) which brought more kids in and helped with our battles against prior perceptions).

But most of all, there was the World Cup. We had flags, contests, a voting board, the games at lunch time. Kids who avoided the library like the plague were now my best friends.  I wore my footie shirts and wandered around the cafe at lunch time giving kids drawing tickets if they were wearing theirs.  We gave away goodie bags and candy.  The World Cup was the gift I needed to duly change perceptions.  And it was glorious.  

Second semester came, and I looked for ways to confirm rewarding readers. After all, I had new readers now!  After attending GaETC, I had gathered more ideas and was even more fired up on making us the place to be. Most of my focus had been on encouraging those who didn’t visit before. Now I had to reward our old friends and new familiars!  We added opportunities with our Reading Passport and Brag Tags.  

Thank you to a Canvas template, the Reading Passport was born. To be honest, this didn’t take off the way I’d hoped, but next year I’m planning on encouraging our reading teachers to support it - I’ll provide the tools and prizes, they remind and encourage!  Next year we have teachers who entire focus will be on reading - that will change the emphasis from ELA teachers with 4 content classes and that 1 extra reading class. 

But those who ‘played’, loved it!

The Tome Student Literacy Society (Home) opened up doors for me with well-selected books and carefully created discussion points. And School Life  gave me Brag Tags to give kids goals and reasons to pick those books. They became a focus as I grew the opportunities to talk books with kids.  The BBC (Bryson Book Chats) allowed kids to create video reviews with me, while those who’d rather avoid the filming could send me reviews that I put up by their chosen books. 

Things got occasionally crazy. I frequently fell behind on my to do lists. But it was so much fun, and the kids kept coming!  

Goals were being met and the vibe was changing. 

Next week - assuming I stay on track, I’ll focus on branding and marketing, as I suitably pay homage to those great Media Specialists and Librarians who shared their wisdoms!

Here is the entire presentation from GLMA for those who attended and have been waiting for the link: GLMA Presentation Slides