Enright

The OELMA Conference was a great opportunity to network and learn. I had a fantastic time!

I hosted the 9:00 am session by Wendell Butler entitled, “Making Learning Fun & Intuitive with SIRS Discoverer & CultureGrams.” There were only six people in attendance, but it was a very informative and interesting session. We were basically given a PowerPoint tour of SIRS Discoverer that really opened my eyes to what this resource has to offer. It is no longer regularly offered on INFOhio because of budget cuts, but it seems worth the extra cost to get it back.

SIRS Discoverer directly serves K-8 educational levels. There are pathfinders to current events, over 5000 activities linked to educational articles, and biographies written for specific reading levels. There is a fiction section, which I found surprising, with articles on myths, lore, and more. This resource also has a country section with maps, flags, and statistics, along with over 3000 printable maps. One area I really liked was the photo essay section, which had over 33,000 photos that can be used for bulletin boards and other visual aids. Some photographs are connected with stories, which is a great tool for reluctant readers. This resource also contained a reference section, research tools and tips, and a giant list of educator resources. I was blown away by the sheer amount of available information.

SIRS Issues Researcher is another valuable resource for the 21st-century learner. It is geared toward older students, and emphasizes critical thinking about major issues in our society. CultureGrams, another great tool, delivers facts, figures, and perspectives on daily life and culture of people around the world.

If you go to [] and use the password “welcome” you can explore these great resources. I think it is a necessity for the classroom, and a must for the 21st-century learner.

I next attended Glen Horton’s session titled, “Integrating Web 2.0 Tools into your Web Site.” I really enjoyed the speaker because he was very animated and the information was very valid for the 21st-century learner. We went through a very well-done PowerPoint presentation about how and what to integrate into websites. Maps, RSS feeds, search engines, and other tools were amazingly easy to work with. To access the presentation with very useful links, go to __glengage.com/slides__.

I also attended Marcia Waters’ session titled, “Elementary Library-Media Specialists- Leading the Way!” I loved hearing her speak about her job, because it was obvious how passionate she was for what she does every day. She discussed her journey to making her library successful. She emphasized things like making the library comfortable, teaching teamwork, and sharing yourselves with the students. Some specific activities included students searching the library for great first sentences, connecting pictures to related books, and reading first fiction then nonfiction to connect interest to curriculum. I heard some very useful information that anyone can incorporate into their library.

Lastly, I attended the OELMA West regional meeting. It was really great to see this community of library-media specialists come together to share resources and other valuable information. Future meetings, a booktalk, and training information as circulated. I am very much looking forward to becoming a part of this OELMA team.


 * Thanks for sharing the information about SIRs. I missed the Integrating Web 2.0 tools session because of a conflict, but, thanks to you, I now can view the presentation. I'm glad you went to the OELMA meeting. I should have thought to introduce you and any other students who were there... SB

Thanks for doing such a thorough job in describing the features of SIRS Discoverer. The photo essay section sounds like it would be a very useful tool. Also, thanks for including the links to Glen Horton's session. I can't wait to try to integrate some of this information into the library website that we created. JT

I need to look into SIRS Discover. I'm not familiar and it sounds like a great resource. Culturegram sounds great also. JD

Thanks for linking to the powerpoint from your Web 2.0 session. I missed this one as well and was glad to get the information. Also, SIRS is a great resource and I hate that it is no longer available on InfOhio. RL

I can't wait to check out the web 2.0 session. I am glad to hear that OELMA West regional meeting was so friendly and that you are excited to join. I am looking forward to attending OELMA! EAS

Thank you for the great summary of SIRS Discoverer. I went to check it out and think it is awesome. I love the titles of the Subject Tree because it included "Personal Growth" and "Social Issues," which are topics I frequently search. I found an article on Choosing Chores that helped me greatly because I just started a chore chart for my son (5) a few months ago, and I've been trying to think of some more developmentally appropriate chores for him. There were also authentic articles in there for older students like how to set up a bank account, whether or not buying a warranty is a smart move, and the definition and explanation of disposable income. I was expecting more from the photo essays, but they were good conversation starters. I also love that there is always a Dictionary and Thesaurus handy in the top toolbar, as well as Search Tips and Cite information. CMS

SIRS Discoverer is just loaded with valuable information. It is a shame that it's no longer offered on InfOhio. Maybe we can hope for it again soon. KAP

I'm really excited about the possibilities with SIRS, especially SIRS Discoverer. I wish I could have gone to that session. The Web 2.0 session sounds like it was awesome as well. At least I'll be able to look over the handouts and the presentation. Thanks! CNR

I am not familiar with the SIRS Discoverer but will definitely check it out. Thank you for your information and for providing such a helpful link to these resources! - Bill Reagle

SIRS Discoverer sounds like it would have a lot of useful information for educators. I also like learning about new Web 2.0 applications so thank you for sharing that link with us! MP