The Daring Librarian

I've talked about the Art of the Shelfie before, but I had a recent rant I just wanted to share with you. I started with "Hey girl" as a nod to the "Hey girl" meme and my preoccupation with the hit book, "Girl, Wash Your Face" by @msrachelhollis. It was really just to get your attention, I know educator guys might benefit from this rant, too! I'm equal opportunity judgey.

You know what's great about having a professional Twitter & Instagram? You can just focus on the kids. (It should already be our focus, right?) But it's sometimes kinda comforting to hide behind the kids. Social Media shy? Take pics of your kids being awesome & post them. Not sure about photo consent? Take pics over their shoulders, they'll recognize their shoulders, hair, & hands!

To quote the wise Dalton in the cinematic Oeuvre that is the movie Roadhouse: Opinions vary. Of course it's OK to take a selfie now and then! But when the focus is off t…

This One iPhone Trick Has Transformed My Life

OK, that's a kind of a big statement. You may have heard of this, but I found this out right before Christmas and started this blog then...but, you know. Holidays. So....just in case you haven't heard about this, here it is.


The Space Bar Cursor Trick on the iPhone / iPad in iOS 12 is a great time saver for every iPhone or Apple user. 

You can press and hold (long press) the space bar on an iPhone / iPad to control the cursor as mouse pointer. You can easily move over to the exact spot where you want to edit the text.
How did I go years and years without knowing this iPhone keyboard trick? (I'm so tired the overused word of hack) Apparently, it's not exactly new but little known.  If you've ever felt the frustration of trying to move the cursor exactly where you want it when correcting (my increasingly less accurate -what's with that, too?) voice to text results tapping here and tapping there, when texting or writing…

As an educator I was touched by this timeless Huffington Post article from Mr. James Perry, once mayoral candidate, and the the Executive Director of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center:
"Among the most important lessons I've learned from Dr. King is the example of servant leadership. A servant leader is one who offers an inclusive vision; listens carefully to others; persuades through reason; and heals divisions while building community.It is easy to spot servant leaders. In a room where others are jockeying for attention, they are the ones listening to someone others might consider unimportant. When faced with a problem, they look for solutions that benefit everyone. When something goes wrong, they take the blame. When things go well, they share the credit. They tell everyone the same story, even when it is inconvenient or difficult. They know that they don't have all the answers, so they seek advice from others. They work hard and inspire others to do t…

Hello Blogosphere and Edu friends! Here are some of our recent IG Highlights from the Holidays, #makermondaycrafternoon, Winter Smash, #MHTVNews, and our MHMS Memory Book Cover artist winner!

WARNING: Because this post contains a LOT of Instagram embedded posts, it may take a bit longer to load.
At the very bottom of the page I have links to why having a professional School or Library or School Library Instagram is important.
Now, most of our kids love, I mean LOVE getting their pics taken for our Instagram. They often come up and ask me to take their pics on a special day, their birthday, or when they have a cool new pair of kicks. But some are a little shy. This young lady is is an example! But I showed these pics to her Mom, and she LOVED them and gave me permission to post! Hee hee hee. Don't worry, my sporty friend here is really super outgoing!
Moms gave me permission to post this! The total cuteness of these two pictures is undeniable! A post shared by @GwynethJones (@the…

Hey dear readers, Gwyneth here!  I haven't had a guest post in 7 or so years, but I thought this was such a great idea I begged my dear fellow HCPSS Teacher Librarian, Danielle Du Puis, (and my former student teacher!) to let me share this super ....actually, ......marvelous Maker Idea!
Confession: I LOVE Pumpkins (but NOT Pumpkin Spice!)
Pumpkins are perfect for the Fall season...from September to December, a Book Page Pumpkin is great to create! Now, for the details.
Book Page Pumpkins
At the beginning of the school year I started my 9th year as a high school media specialist (14th year as a media specialist overall). I did what I do at the start of every year - unpacked my desk, ordered new books, prepped for my first week of lessons, talked with teachers to schedule media orientations, and got ready to greet our new students. However, after unpacking my things from the summer school pack up, I had some difficulty finding supplies that I needed that I knew I had previo…