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~Libraries~

What cool things are they doing to reach their cliental? Take a look!!
==Castilleja School Library [] ==

===What was the first thing I noticed about this blog Web site? === Right away, I am impressed by this site. It looks professionally done and everything is well organized. There is a lot to look at on the screen and all of it is eye-catching and looks interesting. It is the kind of site you can become "sucked" into immediately.

How is it a door to the library resources?
Castilleja's page is a door to library resources because you immediately can look into featured books by reading the book reviews on the main page plus there are tabs across the top of the page for databases and other school resources.

What do I like about it?
I like how active the site is. It looks like there is a lot going on at this school. I can tell the students are a part of the creative process and have the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas online. I feel like that makes this site stand out in a unique way.

What could have been done better or what is the site missing?
Honestly, I can't think of anything they could possibly add. This is an example of a superior Web site in general, let alone one for a school. This serves as a great model for others to learn from and get some great ideas from. It really has it all.

What evidence is there that the site supports school and learning goals?
There is clear evidence that this school and its site support school and learning goals. Everywhere you look there are resources abounding and sharing of innovative and creative ideas. There is a clear system of support for students and just so much available to them.

Is the site organized in a clear and logical way?
Absolutely! This site is very well organized. It is so easy to navigate and it has all the main features you would want to see on a library Web site.

Does the site appeal aesthetically to its audience?
Again I have to say, ABSOLUTELY! As a student, I would be drawn to this site and want to check out what it had to offer. It's completely suited to students and adults.

To what level can viewers interact on the site? Is there an opportunity to collaborate?
Viewers of the site can subscribe to the RSS feeds as well as by email. Viewers can post comments and also write in questions they have for the library staff. Student work is displayed on the Web site so students have the opportunity to show off what they have been up to and what they can do. Collaboration can occur by posting comments and sending in emails. Book reviews are also posted on the site. Students could use this tool to discuss a book in common or several books with the same theme.

==WHS Library [] ==

===**What was the first thing I noticed about this blog Web site? ** === The first thing I noticed is that the site looks a lot more like a blog than the first Web site did. It has the traditional narration streaming down the main page which users can subscribe to via RSS feeds. Along the upper portion of the page there are still links for databases, online catalogs, great books that people are reading, and tools for research and teachers. That portion looks pretty standard compared to most library sites. Something else that I noticed and thought was pretty cool was a little survey widget on the left-hand side of the page asking students about which Web 2.0 tools they have used for projects. That seemed like a nice little unique feature.

**How is it a door to the library resources?**
This site is a great door to library resources because students and staff can immediately get to whatever resource they need immediately. There is a link to the databases that the library has access to and the librarian has even made a few comments next to the links to try to give viewers an idea of where they will be going and what the databases is typically used for. There is a link to the library's online catalog and also two different links for information about some great books. The "Cool Reads" page has links to the library assistant's own page for books and book trailers and then there are also links to Reading Rants, Good Reads, Teen Reads.com, and 50 Best Blogs for Readers. The other link for books is just about new books the library has to offer. There is a link just for teachers which gives them some links to Web sites out there to help support and meet their needs.

**What do I like about it?**
I truly do appreciate the simple nature of this site. It's not too busy and it still covers the most important information. I also really liked their "Talk to Us" page. It has a lot of information on it and provide users with a way to contact the library staff easily. Plus it has a personal feel to it- which helps make viewers feel like the staff are real people.

**What could have been done better or what is the site missing?**
Some of the pages don't have much information and look like they are lacking something. For example, on the "New Books" page there is only a picture of the book and nothing more. I think students would appreciate some feedback from either the librarian or student who have read the books and liked them. Viewers need some information about why these are great books and a reason for why they should read them. The site could "sell" books more efficiently. On the page for teachers, I would have liked to of seen more of a variety to the links. The information presented is mainly just related to library standards. There should be a ton of links listed by category and all related to other content areas as well. The library needs to focus on students but it should also do whatever it can for teachers. Something else the site could use would be a higher level of user interaction. There needs to be a place for viewers to get on a share their ideas. Maybe the staff could add something like Wallwisher or something similar- just something to get students and staff a presence as well.

**What evidence is there that the site supports school and learning goals?**
If a viewers is getting on the site and reading the blog entries then there is clear evidence of school and learning goals, however, and at first glance it just looks like a typical library Web site. That's not to say that libraries don't support school and learning goals, I just mean that there isn't any other evidence other than the obvious support that is typically in place. For example, there isn't a page for the mission statement or the philosophy of the library- having something like that would make the evidence more clear and help connect to other goals the school might have.

**Is the site organized in a clear and logical way?**
Because they have kept the site clean and simple the organization is obvious. It would be impossible to get lost on this site and whatever you're looking for is either clearly marked or it simply doesn't exist.

**Does the site appeal aesthetically to its audience?**
This is a question that I am torn on. On the one hand, the simple nature of the site makes it look very clean and that would appeal to many users but on the other hand, this is a site from a school right? I would have liked to have seen some more color or a little bit more life to the page. Maybe the pictures they have need to be more prominent or maybe they need to group things differently with some colors. I'm not sure exactly what would do the trick but right now it's ok but a little boring. ===**To what level can viewers interact on the site?** **Is there an opportunity to collaborate?** === Viewers can post comments to the blogs and they can also write to the staff to ask questions. There isn't really a great way to collaborate on this site. This is mostly because the site's main purpose seems to be information and not so much the sharing of that information.

==Sedgwick Library <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">[] ==

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">What was the first thing I noticed about this blog Web site? ** === <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px;">VOKIS! The first thing I noticed was a nice use of this online tool of Vokis- these are little animated versions of the viewers and it provides them a way to share their thoughts about what they see on the site. I like the way Sedwick has used these on their site- on the main page off to the side there is one advertising the poem of the day and then there are others making comments about book trailers and the like. This is a great way to make a site stand out.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**How is it a door to the library resources?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">There are of course links to databases and research- this seems to be pretty common with any library site. Something that I noticed was different about this site that I hadn't noticed missing from the others is a "How To" section. This is a great tool and an excellent way to open the door to the library's resources. There are different videos on how to do different things- like searching on a database or taking notes using NoodleTools. This is a great way to reach students and teach them how to use what the library has to offer.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**What do I like about it?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">I definitely like the Vokis (if I haven't made that clear :) I might have mentioned it though). I haven't really seen a library site use them like this before. I like that it provides viewers a way to share their thoughts and ideas. I also like the use of Google Calendars- they have added a widget to display important dates that are coming up. It also shows who is using the library- what a great way to communicate that information! <span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">I also like the page dedicated to the different content areas. There is a table with all the different types of classes and when you click on a subject the link takes you to a page with information about who teaches what as well as some links that go with that class. <span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">I would like to also point out that on each page, there is also a place to post a comment or leave a message. This is awesome since it makes the viewer feel like their input matters on each and every page.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**What could have been done better or what is the site missing?**
Sedwick really does cover all the important bases and even if they don't go into detail about something on the site then there are still links provided to get you the information you need. One thing that I would change though is making book a little more prominent. The site just doesn't really have a special section for books. I know not every librarian loves books, nor do I think they should but I do think it's important that the site take time to point out some good reads. This should be personal and have input from students.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**What evidence is there that the site supports school and learning goals?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">This is very evident since there is such a connection to what the classes at the school are doing and what the teachers are teaching. There is just so much support on this site for anyone and everyone.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Is the site organized in a clear and logical way?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">At first glance, I didn't really like the way everything was organized but once I got more familiar with what kind of information they were trying to share then I really started to like it. There is a menu across the top as well as commonly used links down the side of the screen- both of these help students and staff get to where they are going.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Does the site appeal aesthetically to its audience?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">I do have to say that the site is lacking in its aesthetic appeal. I don't really like the color scheme- it looks too cheap to me, I would want something more professional. I also don't like the font size. There are several important sections that aren't seen very well because the size is too small and again the colors don't work very well for the site. The look and feel could really stand some improvements for me.

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**To what level can viewers interact on the site?** **Is there an opportunity to collaborate?** === <span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Viewers get to interact at every point of this site. As I mentioned before, each page has a place for viewers to leave a comment and these can be viewed once posted. I also mentioned the Vokis and how they are used on the site. This is also a way for viewers to interact on the site. I suppose viewers could also use these tools to collaborate as well.

==Roosevelt Middle School Library <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">[] == ===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">What was the first thing I noticed about this blog Web site? ** === <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px;">More Vokis!! :) These things are so fun! The ones on this site have little introductions from the librarian and her student teacher assistant. The librarian's shares with listeners about new things in the library and also about feedback she needs from students about different things.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**How is it a door to the library resources?**
The Roosevelt site is complete with links to resources for all the main content areas as well as the standards and databases.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**What do I like about it?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">I love the constant interaction on the site with the comments and Vokis. It gives me a clear picture as to what this school is like and what the students think. I really feel like the students have taken ownership in this. There tag line is even "All About Student Access". I couldn't have said it better.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**What could have been done better or what is the site missing?**
I would probably change the top menu bar so that it is a little easier to see and after seeing it in another site, I think having a calendar available on the Web so that viewers can see what is going on is an important feature. It just clears up communication and helps to spread the word about important events.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Is the site organized in a clear and logical way?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">There is definitely organization to this site and it is common to other sites which makes it easy to get around but I do have to say that the top bar is a little hard to read and I think it could be re-situated to make it easy to show what the site has to offer.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Does the site appeal aesthetically to its audience?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">I really like the color scheme this site has. Red highlights with black text and a white background make the site easy to read. The red is a great way to note important items. Aesthetically, Roosevelt really did a nice job here. Plus the videos and Vokis add some nice color.

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**To what level can viewers interact on the site?** **Is there an opportunity to collaborate?** === Viewers DEFINITELY get to interact on this site! The Vokis are EVERYWHERE~ there are also opportunities for students to leave a reply on each page again like on the Segwick site. I think this is so important. In this world, viewers want to be a part of a site and not just by-standers. I love that students and teachers get to play such a big role on their library's site. This is one great way that collaboration can happen in a Web 2.0 world.

==Sacred Heart College Middle School Library <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">[] ==

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; padding-right: 10px;">What was the first thing I noticed about this blog Web site? ** === <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px;">At first glance, the site looks professionally done. It has a great color scheme and everything seems to be neatly laid out. The next thing I saw was the use of Shelfari widget- these are great to have especially for a library Web site. I think it's so important to share information about books and what everyone is reading. It's a beautiful visual tool as well. The site is just very simple and easy to navigate- everything is summarized down to just a few tabs.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**How is it a door to the library resources?**
One of the main tabs is teaching a learning resources- this tab is a page dedicated to the different content areas. When you click on an area, the link will take you to different resources for that subject.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**What do I like about it?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">I really like the "Book Review" page. I like that students are getting online and sharing about what they have read. This is something that I really want to incorporate into my own curriculum so I am glad to see another school using this idea. It will help me structure how I want to see it in my own classes.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**What could have been done better or what is the site missing?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">The site has links to Web 2.0 tools down the side but I would like to see them more prominent. I was also surprised that the school's databases and the online catalog wasn't featured on the top main menu- this is something I haven't seen on a library's site yet. I think these are important enough to place in a more noticeable location.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**What evidence is there that the site supports school and learning goals?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">As I mentioned before, there is a clear section for learning and teaching resources. This clearly shows the connection to the school goals.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Is the site organized in a clear and logical way?**
<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">I would agree that the organization works for this site. I like how the main ideas are grouped together so that viewers aren't overhelmed by a bunch of different tabs.

<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**Does the site appeal aesthetically to its audience?**
I definitely think so- the site looks so professional, that just doesn't seem to happen as often as it should.

===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**To what level can viewers interact on the site?** **Is there an opportunity to collaborate?** === This is another example of a site where viewers can post comments on each and every page. This must be a more common practice than I realized but I really like it. I think that viewers really need the opportunity to speak their minds about the information they see on each page. On the "Book Review" page students can get on and post comments about books they have read. There are several comments posted already so this shows that this section is great for interaction and collaboration.

Reading 2.0
http://readingtech.wikispaces.com/Home

This site was outstanding in many ways! First off, I love that their philosophy is bringing the books and computers together. This has been something that I have been thinking about over the last year and they have a ton of great ideas for how to use Web 2.0 tools to get students excited about reading and also different ways for them to share what they are reading.

One thing I will for sure take away are the Wordle Book Ads. The creators of this site use Wordle to advertise books. They even have instructions and resources on their wiki if you decide to use this lesson. I also enjoyed the information they shared about apps available for books. Our school is looking into ordering iPads for next year and one of our principals main selling points was the use of apps for the classroom. Reading 2.0 has many resources for apps and ways to use them for reading. They have a separate section to discuss Shelfari and Librarything both of which are great tools!

International School of Amsterdam
http://www.isa.nl/library/library2010/home.html

First off, I really like the layout of this page. It is set up using a pathfinder organization- for me this is visually appealing and I like that everything you want to highlight gets its own special box to showcase the information. The examples of blogs we've seen were amazing too but I like that this is a little different. I also like that the librarian has a space for students to get into direct contact with her- you can also leave her a message. It's kind of like having a little whiteboard on the site- a great way for students to get the information they need.

Westmont Middle School Wiki
https://westmontwiki.wikispaces.com/home

I also picked this one because of its unique format. This school uses a wiki format (an idea that I have been toying with lately) and it also uses Glogster- I've pretty much fallen in love with this tool and I like how they have used it as their main page. This site also had link to news sites. Middle schoolers especially seem to just get their news from their friends and family- I would like to incorporate a virtual space for students to see what's going on in the world and give them a chance to voice their own views and thoughts on the different subjects.