Library Books about library books, librarians, and all things library.
Check out these books and more! Come down to YOUR School Library and join us as we celebrate International School Library Month and Canadian Library Month.
Celebrate Libraries in October
October is a big month for libraries.
October is International School Library Month.
October is Canadian Library Month.
October 15 is Canadian Library Workers’ Day
October 22 is the BCTLA Conference
October 25 is BC School Library Day and Canada School Library Day
October 25 is Drop Everything and Read
Check back here for more info, and visit us in person, as we party all month in the School Library.
Should teachers set aside time during the school day for kids to read for pleasure?
Yes.
Should schools do more to encourage kids to become recreational readers?
Yes.
Will there be enough of a payoff for our education system even if it means less time spent on other things?
Yes.
The answer to all these questions is most certainly yes.
Reading for pleasure, recreational reading, free voluntary reading, personal reading– whatever you want to call it– is built upon the intrinsic goal of reading because it directly benefits the reader: Reading for the sake of reading. Yet there are myriad indirect benefits that come from recreational reading, many of which lead to profoundly positive educational outcomes.
A teacher should care that a student reads for pleasure, because reading brings pleasure to the student! However, more than that, a teacher can also point to so many other benefits that come from recreational reading that will pay off in terms of academic achievement, social learning and character education.
If teachers (or parents, or administrators) are worried that the kids are missing out on valuable educational lessons, please remember this: Students who read more for pleasure will do better in school. Recreational reading has many, many indirect educational benefits to students. Students who do more recreational reading will see improvements in vocabulary, writing skills, grammar, spelling, comprehension, critical thinking, concentration and so many other skills that are essential to one’s overall education.
Moreover, students who read more for pleasure will grow in social and emotional learning, as students can share in the experiences of different people, growing in empathy and understanding for people all backgrounds, ages, genders, orientations, beliefs and cultures.
As if those weren’t enough reasons for reading, here are some more. Reading books can help mitigate against the harmful effects of too much time spent on phones and in front of other screens. One simple and yet important example of this is that studies show that people who read from books or magazines before bed will sleep better than those who are looking at screens before trying to fall asleep.
There are so many reasons to read.
Schools need to do more to encourage kids to read for reading’s sake. In doing so, the school will reap the rewards of having kids who do better in school.
October is International School Library Month
and Canadian Library Month.
Happy New Year! Be sure to come visit us soon to see what is happening in your school library in 2020.
As October draws to a close, so does International School Library Month and Canadian Library Month. We hope you learned something about the vital role that libraries play in our country, and that school libraries play in education around the globe. Most importantly, we hope you were able to celebrate the wonderful gift of libraries by visiting some, including your local public library, and especially, your school library.
Come down to see us in person, or visit online– even though October is ending, you can make use of your school library all year long.
Today you have been challenged by the BCTF and BCTLA to Drop Everything and Read! The DEAR Challenge is issued every year for BC School Library Day, in conjunction with Canadian Library Month and International School Library Month.
Every person in British Columbia, including every student and every teacher, is challenged to drop everything else and read a book. Read for pleasure. Read for entertainment. Read for knowledge. Read for escape. Read for experiencing other places, other times, other lives. Read for the joy of it.
There are so many reasons to read.
Drop Everything and Read! 
In keeping with the continuing celebration of all things library during International School Library Month and Canadian Library Month, here are some links to some interesting library themed content. Enjoy!
October is International School Library Month
and Canadian Library Month.
Canadians go to the polls today to to elect our federal government. Voting is just one aspect of the democratic system, but it is a vital one. Canadians must cherish the right to vote, and must accept the serious responsibility to vote. It is the responsibility of each citizen in a democracy to get informed, think critically, and exercise the right to vote.
Our students are too young to vote now, but they will be eligible for the elections of the near future. And yet even without voting, our students are participants in the democratic system. High school is important for many different reasons. None is more important that preparing our kids to take on the responsibilities of democratic citizenship. We want our kids to be Canadians that exercise, celebrate, and protect their rights as citizens in a democracy.
Libraries, including Public Libraries and School Libraries, can play a vital part in the equipping of our students for democratic citizenship. Canadians must have access to reliable sources of information. Just as importantly, Canadians must be information literate. They must have the tools to be able to recognize unreliable sources, including disinformation, fake news, propaganda, etc. They must be able to have confidence in recognizing and using reliable information to think critically and to make educated decisions about the issues facing our country, our cities, our neighbourhoods, and our world.
October is International School Library Month
and Canadian Library Month.
Ziggy Marley was born on this day in 1968. One of the children of reggae legend Bob Marley, Ziggy would go on to become a famous musician in his own right. Many might disagree, but some feel his best work was “Believe in Yourself.”
“Believe in Yourself” is the theme song for “Arthur” the beloved animated program based on the books by Marc Brown.
ISLM and CLM Connections: Arthur gave us a library anthem, the “Library Card Song.”
October is International School Library Month
and Canadian Library Month.
Join with us in celebrating International School Library Month. Come down to the School Library to check out our display of non-fiction books about libraries.
School Library Day and the annual DEAR Challenge are coming up in a few weeks time. Start planning the party!
Monday, October 28, 2019
BC School Library Day
Canada School Library Day
Drop Everything and Read
Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library 