In the spirit of the open source movement and wonderful world of Web 2.0, comes italki a social networking portal for language learning. The site currently boasts more than 200,000 members and addresses the needs of learners of a wide variety of languages.

On italki, you can find a language partner; join groups; ask questions of the community in italki's Answers area; grab, share, and contribute knowledge in a variety of wikis on various languages and levels. In ...Read More

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Sometimes it's the unexpected that blows you away at a conference.  One of the highlights of our state conf occurred during the presentation of the ...Read More

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A report released on Thursday questioned the effectiveness of President Bush's 6-year-old, billion dollar early intervention initiative for low-income elementary schools.  Reading First is a cornerstone of No Child Left Behind.

Through Reading First, states and districts receive support to apply scientifically based reading research—and the proven instructional and assessment tools consistent with this research—to ensure that all children learn to read well by the end of third grade.

The large-scale study examined reading skills for nearly 40,...Read More

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At conferences you will find conversations directly related to the critical issues at hand. You will also find subtext. 

For those of us with curly hair, this subtext has become a sisterhood, an underground network. 

How do you look good no matter what you hair has planned for you?  Can you ever be in control? 

In a world where product rules,  . . . ...Read More

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Today we hosted our first legislative breakfast.  I share some of the highlights in the hope that these speakers might inspire others to speak up and help us further a grass-roots movement.  I am delighted that students acted as leaders in this event!

Deb Kachel, our legislative chair did an amazing job organizing the event.  I share some highlights in the hope that some of our eloquent speakers might inspire others. 

My job was to ...Read More

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The SLJ blog folks believe that my blog is doing well, but that it might be enhanced by video of the interesting events and people I meet at conferences. 

I decided to begin with the stress I experience pre-...Read More

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While I am delighted that the students I teach write far more than students who came before, it seems that when they are not writing for us, when they are emailing or IMing, they don't really think they are writing.

Students separate their formal and casual writing.  Electronic communication is associated more with phone calls and between class hallway greetings.

Yesterday, the Pew Internet & American Life Project released its latest study, Writing, Technology, & Teens.  The national study was conducted with 700 teens and parents through telephone conversations and focus group discussions.  It confirms the worry expressed by Librarian of C...Read More

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I was going to share two cool little stories but the ones that make me angry cry out to be heard first.  The Washington moms absolutely started something. 

But I am afraid it's going to take a movement, a national mobilization to stop the insanity.  What will it take to get folks to recognize that libraries are NOT just nice extras they can trim when money is tight?  What will it take to get folks to recognize that libraries are core learning spaces, essential elements of school culture?

This week, two friends (veteran professionals I truly respect) from two different states, told me their jobs were being eliminated.  On our own Pennsylvania state listserv, yet another librarian shared that this coming fall, she will ...Read More

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Bloggers and other regular Web publisher folks can now register for free access to the full content of Britannica Online through Britannica WebShare.

The Britannica folks explain their offer to a product that would normally cost $70 a year for individual subscribers.

Britannica covers a wide range of topics with thousands of articles and multimedia features. They’re relevant and useful, and we’d like more people to be able to take advantage of them. You get complimentary access to the Encyclopedia Britannica online and, if you like, an easy way to give your readers background on the topics you write about with links to complete Britannica articles.

This access to background information comes in the form of widgets.  Yesterday Britannica also annou...Read More

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For quite some time I've been excited about the use of Nings for professional social networking. I love the energy and the collaborations I see on TeacherLibrarianNing and Classroom 2.0 Ning. 

We recently launched a Ning for our 12th grade Global Studies class as a vehicle for discussion, sharing ideas, and media.  (Ning is ad-free for student networks!)

If you visit the GlobalStudiesNing,


you'll see our ...Read More

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I bumped into the very amazing Alice Bryant in Reno way back last fall.  We chatted about lots of stuff including the unique daily challenges faced by independent school librarians. 

Having never worked in an independent school, I am largely ignorant of the differences between the public and private school environments.  I wanted a peek into this other school library world.  I asked Alice if she and her independent school colleagues would share that peek in this blog. 

Alice recently hosted a meeting of her colleagues from the Nashville area and the librarians compiled concerns.  Some items on this list will resonate clearly w...Read More

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Huh?  

Join the party!  The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is developing a presence on ALA Island in Second Life just in time to celebrate National Library Week during the week of April 13-19. 

Our AASL Web 2.0 Taskforce is forging ahead under the able SL leadership of committee members Lisa Perez and Robin Williams.  I am completely blown away by the creative talents of my virtual world colleagues! (I am still bumping into everything and everyone, but thanks to Robin, I now have pretty hair.)

Lisa and Robin are building information kiosks on ALA ...Read More

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