Library Resources

Now Registering: Utah’s Online Library and Sora (Ed Tech Tuesdays Pick Five Series)

September 2019Josh Whiting

Our GSD Ed Tech Tuesdays professional development sessions for teachers continue in October 2019. Join us at the GEC on October 1, 2019 or at the TLC on October 15, 2019 to dig into two incredible digital libraries available to Granite students and teachers.

Utah’s Online Library is one of the best but most underutilized resources available to Utah teachers. We’ll explore many of the incredible resources for research and lesson design available in UOL.

If your or your students are looking for eBooks, our collection in Sora has many titles available. We’ll show you how to make the most of Sora.

Click here to sign up to attend this or other future GSD Ed Tech Tuesday ‘Pick Five’ Sessions.

Library Spotlight: Student-led Maker Space at Jefferson Jr. High

May 2019Josh Whiting

Michelle Reed, Library Media Educational Technology Specialist, and students at Jefferson Jr. High were featured in the most recent episode of UEN’s PDTV video series. Watch below to find out how the library makerspace at Jefferson Jr. High works and see the students in action.

Highlights from the 2019 Granite Battle of the Books District Competition

March 2019Josh Whiting

Now Registering: Utah’s Online Library (Ed Tech Pick Five Session)

March 2019Josh Whiting

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 – Utah’s Online Library

Session location: Technology Learning Center (5300 W Cherrywood Lane, West Valley City, UT)

Time: 4:30 – 7:30 PM

Click here to register for this session.

Pick Five – GSD Ed. Tech. Tuesdays

3rd Tuesday of each month – 4:30-7:30 P.M.

All Granite educators looking to add to or improve their use of technology in the classroom are invited to attend any of our Pick Five sessions. Topics will be announced in our Ed Tech Newsletter each month.

All are welcome to sign up to attend any of the sessions. Relicensure points are available. Attend at least 5 of the sessions and complete a portfolio assignment to receive 1 USBE credit.

Upcoming Sessions:

Utah’s Online Library (March 19)
Gamify Your Curriculum (April 16)

Visit https://sites.google.com/granitesd.org/gsdedtechtuesdays/pick-five for more information and to register for any of these upcoming sessions.

From Granite Media: Best Books of 2018

January 2019Josh Whiting

Update 1/29/2019: ALA Youth Media Award Winners Added

On Granitemedia.org, our sister site where we focus on library resources and book reviews written by Granite students and staff, we are collecting links to lists of the “Best Books of 2018” and award winners. These lists come from professional library publications, teacher organizations, and general news organizations. We even have a few Granite-specific lists. School library staff use them to find more great books to add to library collections and recommend to students. You can check out the collection of lists as it currently stands below, but we will continue to update the post at http://bestbooks.edtech.fun throughout the season as more awards are announced or come to our attention. No matter your interests or focus you’re sure to find some new books for your “to-read” list.

New Books in Sora for Winter Break

December 2018Josh Whiting

Just in time for winter break we’ve added many new titles in Sora, Granite’s digital library for students and staff. Take some time to read and listen over the holidays. We have several new curated collections, including Best Books of 2018 and 2020 Beehive Hopefuls. Log in with your student number and password at https://soraapp.com or in the Sora mobile app and see what is available. (Visit sora.edtech.fun for more help with using Sora.)

Sora: Tips for Finding Books / Horror Book Posters for October 2018

October 2018Josh Whiting

Cindy Moyle, Library Supervisor for Secondary Schools, has put together some display posters featuring the latest Horror titles in Sora for junior and senior high schools. Scroll down to see them, and click on the images to download printable copies for display in your classroom or library. If scary stories aren’t your thing, try and share our quick tips on how to find books in your favorite genres in Sora. [Read more…] about Sora: Tips for Finding Books / Horror Book Posters for October 2018

Featured Resource: Sora, the New Reading App from OverDrive

September 2018Josh Whiting

Sora is a new reading and listening app from OverDrive and Granite School District. With Sora, students and staff can access a large collection of ebooks and audiobooks for independent, recreational, or teacher-assigned reading. Students can read or listen to these books using a Chromebook, desktop computer, or personal mobile device.

2017-2018 Top Circulating Library Titles in Granite School District

August 2018Josh Whiting

In the 2017-2018 school year, students and staff in Granite School District checked out nearly 1.7 million items from school libraries. Just as last year, we’ve compiled and analyzed this circulation data to determine the most popular book titles in the district, both overall and among new books published in 2017-2018. [Read more…] about 2017-2018 Top Circulating Library Titles in Granite School District

Open for Application: Library Media Endorsement Program

April 2018Josh Whiting

The Granite School District Educational Technology Department is partnering with Salt Lake City and Davis School Districts to provide a Library Media Endorsement Program for interested teachers. To become a Library Media Educational Technology Specialist (LMETS), teachers must have either a Master’s in Library Science or a Library Media endorsement.

The program is designed for a cohort of 30 teachers, with 10 teachers from Granite District. The program will take up to 18 months of graduate-level work to complete. Credit will be granted through Valley City State University out of North Dakota. Classes in the endorsement program will be taught at schools determined by the district sponsoring the course. The cost is $50 per credit ($150 per course.)

Interested teachers can apply by sending the application below to Cindy Moyle (cmoyle@graniteschools.org) by Monday, April 20, 2018.

2018 Library Endorsement Application – Fillable