Shelf Managers

​It's so Cool to be a Shelf Manager @ HCMS!​​

Shelf Managers are a HUGE part of the media program at Heard County Middle School. Not only do they keep books in proper Dewey order on their shelves, they promote reading and literacy to their friends! 
Here's how the Shelf Manager System works:

• A student asks a teacher for permission to manage their shelf.
• The teacher sends the student to the media center, where he/she signs in on the iPad Sign In System to track time into the media center. 
• The student checks a double shelf, using a "shelf list" of titles in Dewey Decimal order for their shelf or shelves. 
• The student pushes all books to the back, then pulls them frontward, one at a time, keeping them in order by the printed shelf list.
• When the shelf is done, all books should be in order by the list; all titles should be arranged neatly -- about an inch from the edge of the shelf.
• The student puts a Shelf Manager label near above the shelf just managed.

Often, students come after eating their lunch to manage shelves. If they finish their own shelf, they may manage another shelf not labeled, or check a shelf for a friend (who was unable to come to the media center for the day/week). 
If you are a media specialist in Georgia with no assistant, you will want to pay attention to this part. Take photos --- lots of photos --- of students reading. The photos need to be good quality, cropped well, edited in Picassa or similar program, and filtered with a warm, comic book style.  I take two poses for each Shelf Manager and Shelf Manager Team. The first pose is to advertise the book they like. They hold the closed book, cover toward camera, and smile. The second pose is to promote reading. They hold an open book, with the cover showing to the camera. They look down at the page and do not smile.
I edit both shots and create small labels, which are printed on the color printer. The labels are trimmed tightly and covered with clear book tape on both sides. It's a quick way to laminate!
I use the same photos and print them as 5x7s or 8x10s. These are placed throughout the media center -- on tables, shelves and the display case in the hall. They are true stars! 
I file all Shelf Manager photos in the Shelf Manager folder on the desktop and use these photos in a slide show on the media center's web page and on the TV Info-Loop just behind the Circ Desk. See them at http://bravesread.net. Just watch the photo slides. I am very proud of them!
#bravesread, #ShelfManagers, @bravesread