Did you know students may check out digital books on digital devices? Save this info to take advantage of this free service! Check out eBooks through the Follett Shelf. (More books are added to Follett Shelf each month.) 
To find the Follett Shelf, go to http://bravesread.net and click on Follett Shelf.
To download a digital book to a device:
1. Login to the Follett Shelf using the same format used to login to computers at school. (see below)
2. Check out a digital book.
3. Search for the Follett Enlight App and download it. (One time only)
4. Login to the Enlight App the same way as to the Follett Shelf.
5. Download the digital book that shows up in the “book bag” to the device.

Initial setup instructions to locate our ebooks:
To sign in to the Follett Digital Reader app, a user will need to know the web address (or URL) of their Follett Shelf
(e.g. https://wbb09959.follettshelf.com ) and their Follett Shelf username and password.
In the first box on the app sign in screen the http:// and the .Follett Shelf.com are already filled in; the user just needs to enter our specific site information (e.g. wbb09959) and then username and password and tap Login.

User name: firstnamelastname
PW: Library/Lunchroom #
Students may download digital books to their devices through the Follett Enlight app.

I have begun the task of putting Lexile measures on book spines in the media center. I am not color coding and I am not filing by reading levels. I am also not putting Lexile numbers beside or near Call Numbers. 
Students will see Lexile codes on top of book spines. I am putting a blank label on books that do not have a Lexile measure (simply to help me  in the process of this task). 
This is the time of year that I especially miss an assistant. 
While most of our books already have Lexile information on a label inside the front cover, the spine code will assist students who browse for reading levels without using the automated card catalog or the Lexile website to search for books within their Lexile range. (Students are able to search by reading range for Lexile and Accelerated Reader in Surpass Safari).
For other media specialists who may be interested labeling books for Lexile, I am including a document that shows step-by-step instructions. 
It is, however, extremely important for a student to know how to find a book using the automated card catalog. He should know that the Call Number is the very key to something called the Dewey Decimal System. A Call Number with FIC and three letters is linked to a book in the fiction section, which is filed alphabetically using the last names of the people who write books (who are called authors). A Call Number that begins with a number, like 921 and three letters, is a non-fiction book. The non-fiction section is filed in categories from 000 to 999 primarily and then by author last names. (921 WAR, 921 WAT... 976.8 BUR). 
According to Lexile.com, the Lexile code provides information about a book "that relates to its developmental appropriateness, reading difficulty, and common or intended usage." The two text characteristics that determine a Lexile measure are "Word Frequency" and "Sentence Length."
The Lexile codes are:

• AD: Adult Directed
• NC: Non-Conforming
• HL: High-Low
• IG: Illustrated Guide
• GN: Graphic Novel
• BR: Beginning Reading
• NP: Non-Prose

For information on Lexiles, go to http://Lexile.com. I have included a photo of books with Lexile spine codes in the document. 

Students always get excited when they see the Scholastic cases arrive for a book fair.  And, so do I! Four students and a couple of staff members helped me set up this time. I'm blessed to work with so many people who support all facets of the media program. Our students behave so well when they visit, too! 
Without an assistant this year, I knew I would need to be extra organized to make things work. The Google Documents I share with teachers and staff have helped tremendously. Our language arts teachers bring all classes by scheduling with me on the Book Fair Schedule. I share a screen shot of that with teachers so everyone knows when students are shopping by class. During the "in-between" times, teachers may send a few students to check out, quiz or shop if they have money. And, when I have a few minutes, I email overdues, print posters, check student requests on the Wish List for the current book order in progress..., charge eReaders, or write a sentence or two at a time on a blog post (like this one). 
Some of my co-workers and students helped set up and arrange tables and cases. A couple of staff members come in each day to help shelve books. As I told students during orientation, "You're all my assistants this year." 
The book fair is important to students, staff and parents. Families can connect with us by shopping with their children (online or in here). "Choice" is important to teenage readers and this event includes highly recommended titles from several genres. 
For information about our media programs, follow @bravesread on Twitter or like us on Facebook. Patrons who want to review a book (like Savannah M. did to receive a book fair discount), should stop by to retrieve their pass code for Surpass Safari.
--G