Librarians' Corner News - Mar 2025

Let's 💡 ignite 💡 a passion for books, ebooks, audiobooks and magazines! Let's cultivate a 💖 love 💖 for stories, plant seeds of knowledge, and watch imaginations 🌼 BLOOM 🌼. Encourage your students to explore new genres, rediscover old favorites, and embrace the 🌱 growth 🌱 that comes with every 📖 page turned 📖. Open a new book and a new world...

Check out this month's featured titles selected by our very own Hawaiʻi librarians!

Go to: https://soraapp.com/ to get started.

Interested in presenting at the 2025 Hawaii School Library Conference? Submit your proposal today! We invite proposals that inspire fresh ideas and innovative approaches to reimagining school libraries. Share how you are refreshing library programs, spaces, and practices to meet the changing needs of students and educators.

If your school uses the Choose Love or Character Strong curriculum, there are two curated collections of available titles in Sora. A list of titles were provided by a few librarians and titles that were available in Sora were purchased.

Summer Reading Challenge dates: June 2, 2025 - July 25, 2025

The summer reading challenge includes a digital reading log, access to the Sora eBook collection, live virtual author visits, and other engaging and fun summer activities facilitated and designed by certified school librarians. Schools and classroom teachers can access reports from the digital reading log including titles, Lexile levels, and minutes logged.

Encourage your students and families to come join the challenge! Visit https://808reads.k12.hi.us/src for more information.

Printed Flyers for Families: For printed copies of the program flyer to send home with students or post around school, please complete the online request form by Friday, March 14, 2025.

2025 Summer Badge Book Hawaiʻi Edition: A limited supply of custom English-ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi badge books are available to purchase for $5 each (Reg. $12.95). FREE shipping. The badge book is a sticker and activity book that includes a reading log calendar and Hawaiʻi-themed family literacy activities and is designed to complement the reading challenge.

To purchase badge books for your students, please complete the online School Order Form by Friday, March 14, 2025. An invoice will be sent and payment can be made through the journal voucher process.

A review copy of the badge book was sent to all elementary schools in February 2025.

Last Chance!!! All schools with at least 75% participation in the Great Escape reading challenge between August 1, 2024 thru March 14, 2025 will be entered into a drawing to see Sean Petrie! Sean will visit the winning schools during the week of August 11-14, 2025.*

*Neighbor Island schools - we will schedule a virtual author visit in 1st Quarter.

Bookelicious is sponsoring a virtual author visit with Kealani Netane on Monday, May 12, 2025 at 10 am HST! Kealani will be sharing her book, Tala Learns to Siva! Recommended for Grades K-4 (but any age students are welcome!)

Title/Author: Tala Learns to Siva, Kealani Netane

Date: Monday, May 12, 2025 @ 10:00 a.m.

Cost: $149 per school

Registration and Payment Deadline: You must register by April 15, 2025 to ensure your books are shipped in time for the event. However, registration will remain open until the event date.

Registration includes:

• Virtual author event for your school!
• Five (5) hardcover copies of the book
• Engaging & interactive presentation with a Native Hawaiian and Samoan author
• Recording available for 30 days
• Spotlight Schools appear live to ask questions of the author + Q&A box open to all attendees
• Impactful, positive literacy experience that supports reading joy & skills development

Register now for the 2025 Hawaiʻi School Library Conference, “Reimagine and Refresh” on August 7-8, 2025 (Thursday-Friday) from 7:30am to 3:30pm at the Prince Waikiki Hotel!

The purpose of the conference is to equip school librarians and staff with skills and knowledge to provide effective and engaging library programs and resources. Participants will develop their personal learning networks by sharing stories, experiences and questions to learn from each other.

Missed the "Refreshing Your Hawaiian Collections" Power Hour session? Watch the recording! Join us as we explore key considerations for curating authentic and engaging Hawaiian resources. University of Hawaiʻi system librarians Shannon Alueta, UH Maui College; Hauʻolihiwahiwa Moniz, Leeward CC; Eria Dias, Kapiʻolani CC; Cindy Texeira, Windward CC; and Meera Garud, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa will discuss how to select materials that reflect diverse voices and perspectives, ensure sensitive and accurate portrayals of Hawaiian culture, and develop ethical weeding practices. Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and practical guidance for strengthening your Hawaiian collection!

Presentation | Resource Links

Covering paperback books is a simple and effective way to protect your investment, whether it's a beloved novel or a valuable textbook. It helps ensure that your books remain in good condition for years to come.

Librarian Jamie Kawamura, from Mokulele Elementary, shared that being from a small school, she has to be creative on how to preserve books without breaking the bank. Here are some reasons why she covers her paperback books in her library:

• Protection from Wear and Tear: Paperback covers are inherently more susceptible to damage than hardcovers. Covering them provides a barrier against scratches, tears, dents, spills, dirt, and moisture, as well as shields the cover from fading caused by sunlight. It also greatly reduces the amount of "dog earing" that occurs.
• Extending the Lifespan of the Book: By protecting the cover, this increases the durability of the book, extending its overall lifespan.
• Aesthetic Preservation: Covers help keep the book's cover looking clean and vibrant, preserving its original appearance. Blocking out some light and dirt, covers help to keep the covers from becoming discolored over time.

Here are a few other resources that Caitlin Ramirez (Mōkapu Elementary), Renea Ruark (Pūʻōhala Elementary), Jamie Kawamura (Mokulele Elementary) and Ruby Arita (Holomua Elementary) shared at this past year's mid-year PLCs on repairing books on a budget:

• Thermal Binder
• CoLibri Book Covering Machines
• Book Repair Tissue (use with Norbond glue)

• KAPCO Easy Cover II (Tutorial)
• Book Tape Applicator
• Hinge Tape
• Spine Wings
• Reddi Corners
• Vista-Gloves™ Adjustable Slip-On Book Covers
• Con-Tact Paper (Tutorial)

Share your favorite library hack, shortcut, or time-saving trick with your fellow librarians! Submit your tip using the link below for a chance to be featured in our next newsletter!

OR...if you would like to learn more about how other librarians do certain things in their libraries, submit your suggestions using the link below and we will do our best to feature tips/tricks that answer your questions!