taftreads

Author Megan Miranda Highlights

2012-02-15T19:44:00.000-08:00

Taft High School was proud to host author Megan Miranda who's first Young Adult book Fracture was just released in January. Students had the opportunity to meet Ms. Miranda during an informal "meet & greet" during lunch time in the library followed by an assembly for classes in the Annex.

Click on the Prezi link for some of the photos from the event taken by Simon.

Doodle 4 Google Contest

2012-02-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

Do you doodle? Visit the library this week and pick up the entry information for the annual Doodle 4 Google contest. Prizes include a $30,000 college scholarship, trip to New York, a computer lab for your school and more.

This year the theme is "If I could travel in time, I'd visit..." More information is available on the above weblink. Your Taft High School will mail your entry if you return it by Friday, March 9, 2012. Be Creative!

January 25 Author Visit - Megan Miranda

2012-01-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

One under one week from today, Megan Miranda's first book, Fracture, will be at book stores around the country! We are excited because the Taft High School Library will be welcoming her for an author visit on Wednesday, January 25
Sign-up in the library for the lunch time "meet & greet" of Ms. Miranda. Following her visit at lunch, she will be presenting to assembled classes in the Annex during period 5. Check out her website and learn about her background and read the first two chapters of this exciting story, http://www.meganmiranda.com.

Follow the FRACTURE FEST on a Facebook page January 16 where you can participate in discussions, polls, videos and giveaways too! Link to the exciting book trailer is included on YouTube.

e-books demo trial

2012-01-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

Check them out! Read online or download the trial titles of e-books on the FollettShelf. Click on the link at the taftlibrary home page.

Features include electronic bookmarking, highlighting, adding sticky notes and more. Try the demo shelf and contact me with your comments and/or suggestions about the features. My email is krs4295@lausd.net.

Username: ksheppard Password: ksheppard

Week of October 31 - November 4

2011-10-31T13:01:00.000-07:00

My Library Practice classes have created book trailers using a Web 2.0 tool, Animoto. Students created a video slideshow with images, text and video about what they were reading.

Check these out!
Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

Teen Read Week Events-October 16-22, 2011

2011-10-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Teen Read Week @ Taft HS with special events during the week. Check out the YALSA Teens' Top Ten for 2011! voted on by teens. Click the online poll about the titles that you have read already.

Have you entered the American Library Association 2011 Teen Read Week Photo Contest! Deadline is October 31. Read the entry rules and steps to creating a visual version of your favorite book title! Author of Thirteen Reasons Why Jay Asher will be the judge. More info in the library.

LUNCH & LEARN-Yes, bring your lunch and learn a new Web 2.0 tools during the next three Wednesdays in the library.

October 19 How to access your mymail e-mail at school and Glogster-learn to make an interactive poster mix images, text and videos to share
October 26 What are Google apps and why should I care?
November 2 Destiny customizable Web 2.0 online catalog Book reviewers welcomed! Treats may appear and drawings for prizes!

Thursday, October 20 at nutrition Author and screenwriter Abby McDonald was planning to be here to promote her latest title, The Anti-Prom. Author will be rescheduled due to the California Shakeout 2011 earthquake drill.

Young Adult Authors Visit Taft

2011-10-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

Mark your calendar! Thursday, October 20 author Abby McDonald and Gretchen McNeil will visit our school. Abby McDonald, Sophomore Switch, Boys, Bears and Serious Pair of Hiking Books and The Anti-Prom is a screenwriting novelist originally from England who has written several well received adult and YA fiction novels. Originally from the San Francisco bay area, author Gretchen McNeil will share her debut novel, Possess.

Sign-up in the library for a special presentation during nutrition to meet the authors, purchase titles and have the books signed by the authors. A special assembly is also planned for period 3. Click on the links to read more about each author by visiting their own websites. Both authors have been interviewed at Teen Reads.

2010-2011 Highlights

2011-09-26T22:45:00.000-07:00

Taft Library usage continues to increase as students learn to access, evaluate information and create by integrating information literacy skills into all areas of their learning. I have utilized a Web 2.0 presentation tools, Prezi, to share some of the 2010-2011 highlights.

2010-2011 Annual Report of Highlights

Banned Book Week 9/24-10/1

2011-09-25T18:55:00.000-07:00

Every year for one week in September, the American Library Association celebrates the freedom to read by highlighting the past year's challenged and banned books.

Visit the library this week and learn more about the attempt to remove or restrict materials based upon the objections of a person or group. When a library removes a book from its shelves because someone disapproves of the ideas or opinions contained in the title, that is censorship. Librarians have always respected a parent's right to decide what their family should read----but other families should be able to decide different choices for their family.

This week we celebrate our freedom to read guaranteed under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Here are some resources to learn more, ALA Banned Books Week website and Office of Intellectual Freedom. Videos of challenged authors and celebrities will be posted on YouTube throughout the week. Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube will have more!

Click on this visual interpretation of Banned Book Week using a word-cloud creator, Wordle.

Welcome back!

2011-09-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a very enjoyable summer with lots of opportunity to read! What are you looking for next? Check out the Taft Reads blog for links to many websites and great ideas for finding your next book or download.

Did you try the free downloads for summer from Sync? Let me know what you liked and what not so much.

FREE audiobooks all summer!

2011-07-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

Sync YA literature into your earphones with two FREE audiobooks each week this summer! Click on the link to Sync!

Week of August 4 - August 10
Immortal by Gillian Shields
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Week of July 28-August 3
Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari
Rescue:Stories of Survival from Land and Sea by Dorcas S. Miller

Week of July 7-13:
Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah
A Passage to India by E. M. Forster

Get Through Tough Times

2011-05-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

ReachOut.com provides information to teens in an anonymous, non-threatening and non-judgmental space online.

Reach Out Reads connects you to fiction stories to get you through as well as live author chats-

Get the facts, read real stories, get help. Connect .Reach Out Reads is sponsored by Inspire USA Foundation.

sqo4yz7's Profile | Glogster EDU - 21st century multimedia tool for educators, teachers and students

2011-05-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

sqo4yz7's Profile | Glogster EDU - 21st century multimedia tool for educators, teachers and students

Create an online multimedia poster!

2011-05-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

Create an online poster using text, media, music and video-Using glogster Library Practice students created original book reviews for their latest reads. Here's are two examples of just such a poster.

Here's the link for the online poster book review
Here's the second link to another poster.

California Young Reader Medal 2010-11 Winners Announced!

2011-05-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

The California Young Reader Medal 2010-11 winners were announced May 1. Students in schools all over California voted by grade level category for their favorites.

The Young Adult winner is Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Are you ready to start reading the nominees for the 2011-12 award?

Graceling by Kristen Cashore
Beastly by Alex Flinn
If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Dreaming Anastasia Book Trailer

2011-03-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

Joy Preble Author Visit

2011-03-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

The Taft High School Library is pleased to announce that YA author Joy Preble will be visiting our school on Wednesday, March 16. She will be speaking during two assemblies on campus about her craft and the release of the sequel to Dreaming Anastasia, Haunted.

We hope you will take advantage of meeting Ms. Preble who will be signing her books in the library during nutrition. You can purchase either title prior to her visit through the school library. All students who purchase books will have the opportunity to meet Ms. Preble in addition to having their selection signed. The library will also have copies of her books to borrow.

Pickup the purchase information at the circulation desk @ your library on Monday.

Check out the Dreaming Anastasia book trailer on YouTube for you to learn more about this exciting contemporary fantasy. Visit her webpage and read about the next release, Haunted

Old-School Valentine Card Making

2011-02-06T18:17:00.000-08:00

Say "I Love You" with a hand-made, old school Valentine card. Come to the library on Friday, February 11 at lunch and get your Valentine on!

Paper, scissors, glitter, stamps will be provided and it's FREE!!

Funds4Books Library Fundraiser

2011-02-06T18:11:00.000-08:00

Please support your library! Staring February 1 through March 29, 2011 visit the website designed by Mackin Educational Resources to add 100 new titles to the Taft library. The goal is @2500 for titles that support recreational reading, curriculum support and various formats such as CD and needed DVDs.

Visit http://www.funds4books.com and enter our school access code, "3aad."

100% of your donation goes to our library!

Our students and teachers thank you for your generosity!

Student BookTrailers!

2010-11-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

Check out these videos prepared by library practice students using Animoto software. Animoto software includes the tools to create your own videos, incorporate text and music and photos to use in presentations. It just takes minutes to create a video!

A Child called It by Dave Pelzer created by Yanelli
Story of a Girl created by Ryann
Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton created by Gregory

Teen Read Week @ your library

2010-10-18T20:14:00.000-07:00

This week the Taft Library is celebrating Teen Read Week! Visit the library this week and vote for your favorite "top 10" magazines or add some titles to the list at the circulation desk.

Enter the "design a bookmark" contest and win a Barnes & Noble gift certificate plus find your design shared with our Taft students. Entry blanks are available at the desk and each student may enter only once. All original artwork will be due on Friday, October 30 at the end of the school day.

How many of the Teen Top 10 for 2010 have you read this year? Twenty four were nominated. Click on the link and learn more about these great favorites.

Click on the readers poll and find out the favorite "genre" to read here amongst Taft students.

Welcome back!

2010-08-19T21:52:00.000-07:00

VOYA, Voice of Youth Advocates recommends two websites that are free with recommendations for both students and teachers.

Read Print at http://www.readprint.com is a free online book library with titles by over 3,500 authors. Links include pictures, author bio, lists of titles and quotes by the author.
What Should I Read Next at http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com has more than a million recommendations from other readers! Enter one of your favorite books and the database will analyze over 70,000 titles. If you register, you can build your own list.

Author Michael Grant visits Taft !

2010-05-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

Young Adult author of over 150 books, Michael Grant will be presenting at Taft High School on Thursday, May 27 during periods 3 & 4. Michael Grant's third book in his popular Gone series, Lies, was just released. Place your order for his books either through your period 3 class or visit the library for the order from Vroman's Bookstore, Pasadena. Read about each of the books in this series:

Gone
in the blink of an eye.
Everyone disappears.
Gone.
Everyone except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not a single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Gone, too, are the phones, internet, and television. There is no way to get help.
Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents---unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers---that grow stronger every day.
It's a terrifying new world.
Hunger
It's been seven months since all the adults disappeared. Gone
It happens in the night. A girl who died now walks among the living; Zil and the Human Crew set fire to Perdido Beach; and amid the flames and smoke, Sam sees the figure of the boy he fears the most; Drake. But Drake is dead. ...or so they thought.

Check out the official site of the FAYZ , Fallout Alley Youth Zone. Would you survive in the FAYZ? Take the risk calculator quiz to find out.

Taft High School Library

2010-04-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Saturday Read-A-Thon

2010-04-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

I'm Kathleen Sheppard, Teacher Librarian at Taft High School located in Woodland Hills, CA. Taft is a comprehensive high school for 2600 students in grades 9-12. The school mascot is a toreador!

Taft High School is celebrating our 50th anniversary of academic and athletic excellence!

Taft High School has won first place in national academic decathlon competition - twice!

Taft's L'Atelier fashion merchandising & design program held their fourth annual fashion show last Friday and made the local news! Students create a professional design portfolio and share their work for an audience of around 1000!

Read a Thon update!

2010-04-16T14:31:00.000-07:00

Period 6, my Library Practice students are creating an advocacy video using Animoto, a flip camera and a digital camera. They are learning to use software by reading the instructions for each of the devices they are using to create a short video.My students last week created book trailers as their book review using the Web 2.0 tool.

California Read-A-Thon

2010-04-16T12:26:00.000-07:00

This morning during nutrition Taft High School students are reading from their textbooks, favorite magazines and books. Students visiting during nutrition checked out fiction including new fantasy titles, realistic fiction, mysteries and the newest graphic novels which were just added to the collection this week. Parents have donated to the library through our Amazon.com "wish list." The newest titles were booktalked yesterday on Teen Literature Day for National Library Week. Our students are also reading biographies and other non-fiction for both personal and academic assignments.

In addition, students are reading on the library 20 computers which have Internet access and software to prepare school assignments such as Microsoft word.

School Library Month

2010-04-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Communities Thrive @ your library is this year's theme celebrating the 25th anniversary in April of School Library Month. Special events and activities are planned for National Library Week, April 11-17, 2010 during lunch in the library.

Monday, April 12

Visit the Taft Library website and vote all week using the online poll about "What Taft students are reading?"

Tuesday, April 13

Vote! Complete the online survey about tech and reading using this Quia link during the month of April. Click here or access at: http://www.quia.com/sv/403405.html

Wednesday, April 14

Support Teen Literature Day! Listen to a Booktalk on Teens' Top Ten 2010 (Quick picks, Best Books, Great Graphic novels, popular paperbacks) and enter drawing for free books at lunch in the library!

Friday, April 16

Learn how you can participate in the California Read-A-Thon! Help Taft win prizes for the library. Surprise! Visit the library to find out all day Friday!

Support our Students!

2010-03-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

During this unprecedented time of both state and district budget issues, California School Libraries advocate for equality: access to resources, access to technology, the same chance for literacy and the same opportunity to receive a world-class education.

Strong School Libraries affect student achievement.

A strong school library program is one that provides

A full-time teacher librarian and a full time paraprofessional.

A robust, up-to-date collection of digital, print and media resources with a budget to support it.

Liberal access to the library's facilities, technology, and resources.

Information skills are more important than ever in the dramatically widening landscape of new technologies where teaching students critical thinking to identify, evaluate and use information ethically are increasingly important to help insure that all graduates are college-prepared and career ready.

California's School Libraries Make a Difference

Over 60 research studies throughout the nation have shown that "students in schools with good school libraries learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized tests than their peers in schools without libraries. Douglas Achterman's study found that the greater the number of library services offered, the higher students' scores tended to be."

"School Libraries provide equal opportunities for learning and achievement to ALL students."

Teen Tech Week

2010-03-09T22:46:00.000-08:00

Learn, Create, Share @ your library this week. It's Teen Tech Week and special Web 2.0 technologies are being highlighted during lunchtime this week. Today, students learned about wikis, what they are and examples of how they are used by teachers for classwork.

Wednesday, March 10 Blogs
Thursday, March 11     RSS oh my!
Friday, March 12         VoiceThread (add a new dimension to your presentations with this software)
Monday, March 15      Animoto (create your own music video for your images, add audio and photos)

YALSA Announces Teen Book Awards!

2010-01-04T21:18:00.000-08:00

Start off the New Year with a Resolution to read some of the award-winners that will be announced this month!

Check out the Alex, Edwards, Printz, Nonfiction, Odyssey all coming in January from the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Awards)

Morris (Nonfiction) Award created for 2010 includes a video trailer contest due January 17, 2010
Alex Award for Adult literature that appeals to teen readers.
The Michael L. Printz award is annual recognition for a book that exemplifies the best in YA literature.
Odyssey award is for the best producer of an audiobook for children or YA.

Banned Book Week 2009

2009-09-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

Banned Book Week 2009, "Celebrate Your Freedom to Read" is the 28th annual celebration of the freedom to read. The freedom to read and to select from a wide array of possibilities is grounded in the First Amendment where the freedom of speech and freedom of the press is also guaranteed.

Even if well-intentioned, censors try to limit the freedom of others to choose what they "read, speak or hear." The complete list of challenges and the reasons can be found at http://www.ala.org/bbooks.

Book Review

2008-11-26T10:55:00.000-08:00

Left for Dead by Kevin O'Brien.

What would you do if you woke up in a hospital and couldn't remember your name or your family? What if the only thing you know is that you have a gun wound in the center of your chest? What if you found out that you were the only victim of a serial killer that stayed alive? Would you feel lucky?

In Kevin O'Brien's mystery thriller, Left for Dead, Clare Shaw finds herself in the hospital with a bullet would in her chest and is told that she is the only victim of a serial killer, called Rembrandt, who managed to stay alive. Rembrandt stalks women, abducts and kills them, paints their faces, and leaves their lifeless body where someone could find it. The only problem is that she cannot remember anything and soon realizes someone is watching her.

When she starts to get her memory back she is reunited with her husband and her best friend, but quickly realizes that they are not telling her something. Her son has run away and she knows the story their telling her is a lie. She also notices a figure in a hooded jacket is stalking her every move. Tim Sullivan is placed on guard duty to watch Clair after her and her husband go back home, but after a couple attempts on his life her realizes that someone doesn't want him to be there. Claire also notices that the community is hiding something from her about her son.

This is the scariest most suspenseful book you will ever read. You will find you can't put the book down in this page turning thriller! You will alos find your self looking over your shoulder when you're by yourself. I highly recommend this book to peope who are just starting to get into reading and want to get hooked, as well as reading fanatics that want to read the best book you will ever read. Left for Dead is Stephen King meets Robert Crais. O'Brien goes beyond the suspense to the point where you just can't stop reading. -staff reviewer

If you liked...

2008-11-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

Click on the link to ATN for read alike lists of titles that you might enjoy reading. You will find lists such as "If you liked A Child Called It," "If you liked Michael Crichton" or "If you liked Speak" for example.

Choose Your Favorite Magazines

2008-10-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

Visit the library media center this week and VOTE for your top favorite magazines to add to the collection. Ballots are available at the circulation desk during the day and you may vote daily until Friday, October 31.

If your favorite isn't listed, add your suggestion for consideration.

YALSA Teen' Top Ten "Teen Choice" for 2008

2008-10-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

This year the winners for the Teen Top Ten 2008 are the following titles. Enjoy reading these titles!

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Maximum Ride: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray
Extras by Scott Westerfeld
Before I Die by Jenny Downham
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Magazine Subscriptions!

2008-05-12T15:13:00.000-07:00

Stop in at nutrition, lunch, or after school for a great read from one or more of the following magazines! We have something for everyone-

Allure, Blender, Business Week, Car & Driver, Cosmo Girl, Discover, Ebony, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Entertainment Weekly, ESPN, Essence Magazine, Game Pro, Games for Windows, Hot Rod, J-14, MAC World, Money, Motor Trend, National Geographic, New Yorker, Newsweek, PC Gamer, PC Magazine, People, Popular Science, Psychology Today, Rolling Stone, Seventeen, Sports Illustrated, Surfing, Technology & Learning, Teen Vogue, Time, Vibe, Vogue and Wired.

Taft High School Library Media Center

2008-01-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

Book Reviewers Wanted!

2008-01-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

Are you interested in reading new titles?
Would you like to share your thoughts about them with others?

The library is looking for writers to review selections and promote the information on our taftreads blog. Consider becoming a book reviewer!
Please visit the library to pick up an application today.

Collection Development

2008-01-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

Dear Students, Teachers and Staff,

The library media center collection depends on each of us working together making recommendations for books and audio-visual materials to purchase to support the curriculum and learner needs.

The focus is on nonfiction books and I'd appreciate each one of you thinking about a nonfiction book that relates to your curricular area and would be a welcome addition for our library. All suggestions will be given due consideration.

You may make your recommendations in the comment area on this blog OR you may drop your suggestion in my mailbox or deliver it to the library in person. Your time is appreciated!