Friday, August 3, 2012

Shelf Markers with Bar Codes

Hi friends!

Thank you Mrs. B, from 180 Views from the Library Desk, for showing us a super way to use paint stirrers in the library!

She told us about it in the comments, but I know that some of you may not have read it down there in the fine print. I want to highlight her super idea. Mrs. B has one shelf marker per student, stores them in Pringle's cans for each class, puts the student barcodes onto the stick with a super tough Demco clear adhesive label, and each student keeps it for all of the years of elementary school. It becomes a combination shelf marker and library card. Cool!

Here is the video she made for her students in kinder and first, to show them how to use their "library sticks." (The photo is a link. When you click on it, you'll go to her wiki to see the video.)

Isn't that great? I think it would add extra fun if you had the students decorate their sticks when they were in kindergarten, and maybe have them print their name with a Sharpie on one side in kindergarten, then on the other side in fifth grade. Graduation keepsake!

Mrs. B, thank you for your generosity in sharing your "library stick" idea with us!


8 comments:

  1. Great idea! As a new librarian, I can see this helping me learn names in my K-8 school too.

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    1. Thanks for the comment, Nicole! I agree. Our students expect us to know their names, and it's so-o-o-o hard to learn so many! Seeing the name on the "library stick" can help us!

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  2. I just did this with my K-2 students. They loved it!

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    1. Julia, tell us more! Did your students decorate the sticks? Did you use paint? If you have a blog or website with photos, send me the link, and I'll share it here. I know many students would love it, but how did you handle the creative mess?

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  3. I add the homeroom teacher's name and their library day/grade level onto the barcode label (because I have multiple teachers with some classes and some split classes). The sticks are reused every year grades 1-5 but I do put a new label on them each year with the new teacher/library day information... just wish Destiny would allow me to add this information to the print out version of the barcode so I don't have to hand write on 600 sticks! I also color code the end of the stick so I know at a glance if it is the correct grade level when putting them away on an individual basis. I cover the barcode with cheap packing tape since it seems to stick on the best and wraps around the edge of the stick. My students love these over the 3"x5" index cards we used to use!

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  4. I do this with my school too. Last year was the first year. However, I can't seem to find paint sticks enough for everyone, so I use multi-color cardstock you can buy from Wal-mart or Target. I cut the paper into 4 strips (long ways) and write the student's name (first and last) on one side. Then the students get to decorate the blank side. Once the sticks have been decorated, I use glue sticks to stick their barcode on one end of their shelf marker (the same side that has their name). I then laminate and sort by class. I make sure to give multiple colors to each class. This is also a way to call students to check out, as I can call a color and vary which color I call each time. At the end of the year, the students get to take their sticks home as a souvenir of the year. Here's a link if you're interested in seeing the finished product: http://vinotea.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/paper-photo-challenge/

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    1. That sounds great. I'm planning to make cardstock shelf markers this year, too. I like your idea of using the different colors to help sort students into groups!
      Thank you for sharing!
      Cari

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  5. I bought 200 paint sticks from Amazon for $21

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