Author Dan Chaon

On Monday, October 29, 2012 author Dan Chaon had an amazing visit with OHS students and staff thanks to Vikas Turakhia, English teacher, who also invited teachers, students and the librarian from Copley-Fairlawn High School to participate.

Mr. Chaon read from one of his new books (I loved Await Your Reply) and then had a great Q&A with our students and teachers.

October is Information Literacy Month

Governor John R. Kasich has proclaimed October as Information Literacy Month in Ohio. Governor Kasich’s proclamation “seeks to remind all citizens of the importance of the role of all libraries and librarians - academic, public, school, and special - in teaching information literacy, which fosters educational opportunities, economic prosperity, social cohesion, democracy, and quality of life.”
According to the National Forum on Information Literacy, leaders have stated that no other change in American society has offered greater challenges than the emergence of the Information Age society. Being information literate means knowing how to find, evaluate, and use information to succeed in school, work, and society. According to the U.S. Department of Labor SCANS Report, “80% of future jobs will require skill in effec- tively using information.” 

With the Common Core standards, today’s school librarians build not only students' skills in writing, reading, research, and analysis, but also teachers' skills in teaching them. The standards include power verbs such as "analyze," "integrate," and "formulate," that press students toward more rigor and inquiry-based learn- ing. The common core, with its emphasis on explanation, complex text, and cross-disciplinary synthesis, is an opportunity for teachers to collaborate with librarians as co- instructors. Remember, school librarians have been trained as both teachers and librarians. 

Happy Teen Read Week

October 14-20 is Teen Read Week. The theme is "It Came From the Library!" 

Teen Read Week is a time to celebrate reading for fun, to take advantage of reading in all its forms, and to become regular library users. It’s the national adolescent literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. Teens are encouraged to celebrate Teen Read Week at home, as well as at their school and/or public library. Here are some suggestions for Teen Read Week:

• Visit your library and check out books.
• Set aside time each night to read 
• Share your favorite book - post a book review on the OHS Library Catalog
• Go online to learn about new books or authors.
• Join a book discussion group.