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 tool that allows for quickly and easily designing posters, signs, fliers and more, allowing for a variety of customizations with backgrounds, clipart, and text, while also allowing users to upload and use their own pictures.  My own high school kids have used it to complete one page posters referred to as visual book reports.  Their end products were printed for display purposes in the library, and used for visuals for book-talks done by both the librarians and the students. We even use them in digital frames that loop through pictures at our circulation desk, and students have responded to the "book-reports" created in Poster My Wall by checking out those titles.   The site does not require an account though that is an option, and those opting to use the free version can create professional looking posters and download for printing in minutes.  My school secretary was so impressed with the site she has even used it to create fliers for events and activities at school.   The site is easy enough for even elementary school students.  Like Wordle, my collaborating teachers are finding some very interesting uses for Poster My Wall. Cons?  It is not a replacement to Glogster by any means, but a poster app none the less. (Rec by Cathy Jo Nelson)

"This paper explains the key role that school librarians and libraries should play in state- and districtwide efforts to transition to digital learning, or the effective use of technology to improve teaching and learning. The report calls for district and school leaders, policymakers, and boards of education to support, encourage, and fund the evolving role of librarians and libraries as facilitators of content creation, personalized learning, and professional development."

Novel Conversations is a free statewide lending library creating conversations across county lines and within communities. Through Novel Conversations, Indiana Humanities lends sets of books to Indiana book clubs, offers program and discussion suggestions, arranges author speaking events, and extends social sharing opportunities. We lend more than 360 titles, primarily fiction and biography, to reading and discussion groups at libraries, senior centers, schools, and other organizations, free of charge. Books include classic titles such as Little Women and To Kill a Mockingbird , as well as contemporary titles such as The Poisonwood Bible and The Time Traveler's Wife. View the book list for a complete listing.

Great Websites for Kids (GWS) , the Association for Library Service to Children's (ALSC) online website directory, has been completely redesigned. The updated site boasts a fresh and colorful kid-friendly look and interactive social media enhancements. Clear, bright icons display subject categories and appear on every page, while eye-catching thumbnail images provide a visual preview of each great site represented. Special sections highlight Sites of the Week and Month, Most Popular pages and Top Rated selections. Prompts for each site offer "more selections like this." Visitors can actively connect with the site and further their online experience by rating sites; sharing their favorites on social media sites such as Facebook; and emailing recommendations to friends.

On this site, you will find message templates (sample e-mails, letters, newsletter blurbs, brochures, and even videos) containing taglines and targeting specific stakeholder audiences in order to promote school librarians as 21st century skills experts. CASL hope that these sample templates will be used by school librarians and school library advocates to inform their communities about the vital and irreplaceable role that school librarians play in teaching and learning.

Huge repository of videos and ideas for use in primary classrooms.  From the UK.  Here's the description: "The Literacy Shed is home to a wealth of visual resources that I have collected over my 10 year career as a primary school teacher.   I trawl youtube, vimeo and other sites looking for suitable resources to use in the sheds. The sheds are broadly thematic but sometimes a resource could go in 2 or more sheds, I slot it in where I think it works best. Most of the resources can be used in KS1 and KS2 but some do lend themselves to the upper age group and above. The aim is to provide high quality resources that can be used in stand alone literacy lessons, can form the basis for a whole literacy unit or can support literacy units that you already have in place.   With the many book based activities I would advocate using the book alongside the digital resource.  "

Happy Banned Books Week! Banned Books Week is celebrated during the last week of September. This awareness campaign for protecting and exercising our 1st Amendment rights is sponsored by many professional organizations including the American Library Association. If you look on the left side navigation bar, and click on Ideas and Resources, you will find many free downloads including brochures, images, PSA's and lesson plan ideas. Take a look at the books that have been banned or challenged over the years. I think you will be surprised!

I have found a new favorite podcast "how to" site. I learned about this a few weeks ago and have been going through a lot of their videos. Common Craft take the old fashioned "paper doll" or puppet theater methodology and basically creates a podcast out of it. Instead of a children's story, they try to explain more difficult concepts. \n\nThe one on Twitter is still their most hit podcast, and it is really great too.\n\nI liked to the podcast on RSS feeds because of my webinar. I was looking for quick ways to get across the concept of RSS feeds and personal learning portals. This podcast helped me to do that. Enjoy!

Great post from summer 2014 (tweeted by Sherry Gick). Includes several sites useful for integrating tech and collaborating with teachers (and students) This could also be useful as we work on correlations between Indiana College and Career Ready Standards and our own standards.

Gene and Bill were our keynote speakers for 11-16-11 at ILF, and thoroughly entertained the crowd.  You can sign up to have their comic strip emailed to you; they also have books and other merchandise.

This article helped me quite a bit.  I bought the external battery pack she recommended and have been thankful many times over (model she linked to no longer available) Her tips can apply to many other conferences and trips.

Lots of creative and interesting design ideas, everything from displays, brochures to handouts and more. Includes both school, public, and special libraries

Questions and Answers on Intellectual Freedom from the Cooperative Children's Book Center.   There are already many pre-existing questions and answers, and you may also send a question privately.

Great list and explanation of hashtags and chats.  I didn't know about @HideChat and @HideTag

These are wonderful, free webinars.  Generally, they are every Saturday at noon, and they include teachers who are using various technology tools.  The moderators are great, and Elluminate is my favorite platform for webinars.  The links are all collected (now in livebinder), and the archive is even available in iTunes as an mp4 or mp3 (some people listen weekly on their iPods).

This site looks like a lot of fun for younger learners. On this site, kids, parents, teachers, librarians can create, share, and access reading logs, have access to a digital dictionary, and practice spelling and vocabulary. It appears like you can even use this tool for online or hybrid book clubs. Share this with your librarian.

Detailed article from Alfie Kohn, complete with many suggestions and examples. Includes bibliography and links to research.

Recording in several different formats and great livebinder from 4-1-17 Classroom 2.0 Weimar with Marialice Currant and her son. it was truly a worldwide audience

This includes lessons for tech and library activities, K-5.  Very comprehensive, if not a bit dated.  Just looking at their scope and sequence may be helpful.

Have you tried Second Life yet? Are you afraid to do so? This link with a auto vide on the home page may either entice you to try it or scare the heck out of you. I am revising Second Life for my new role in ISTE. I ceated an avatar about a year ago (I am Maureen Mocha, they give you a list of sur name options and because of my coffee habit, well you get it...). Look me up if you try second life. I have been lurking around on the ISTE island. You should check that out too. There is a lot of free virtual professional development going on there. To participate in Second Life, you will need to download the viewer onto your computer. It is free. Go ahead and give it a try. I dare you :-).