2012-2013 Year in Review

Please enjoy this short video, made with a fun tool called PowToon, with highlights of the 2013-2014 year in the library. Click the icon at the bottom right to view it in full-screen for better visibility: (If you are on a mobile device, this Flash file may not load. Get the Puffin Browser to enable Flash on your iPad, iPhone, or other mobile device.)

I love PowToon as a video-making tool, but it doesn’t allow for embedding live links in the videos. Here are links to more information on some of the topics in the video:

Geek Squad

Calculus Assignment | Calculus Student Work

Disease Project Pathfinder | Student Work Examples

Self-Paced Plagiarism & Copyright Lesson 

MackinVIA ebooks

Digital Literacy Family Night

Mrs. Lofton’s Recent Presentations

California School Library Association

Flickr page for photos of student art and more

Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year!


My goal for the Mira Costa Library this Fall was to complete the majority of textbook distribution during Registration days, so that most students would have their books the first day of school and we could begin regular library services as soon as possible. I was hoping to transition to library services by Tuesday, September 6. In fact, while tomorrow will be our first “official” opening day, we were actually able to make the transition and allow students to use the library as a library faster. The library began offering full services last Friday, the third day of school! I would like to offer a huge thank you to Cindy Gardner, our textbook clerk; Jessica Curtiss, our library volunteer coordinator; and all our volunteers who participated in making our smooth textbook distribution and quick transition back to the library possible.

The best way to find out all about what the library offers is to come by for a visit! Please come see us soon! In the meantime, you can also check our updated Mira Costa Library brochure and library orientation video. All Freshmen will get to learn about the library first-hand; we will be conducting two-day orientations for all Freshman English classes this month, starting on Wednesday, September 7.

Some news at the library this school year is that we now have wifi available, as well as a web-based library catalog accessible from any web browser. I will be writing more about these two options in coming posts.

I’m excited to be embarking on my second year at Mira Costa, and committed to making our library program the best of the best!

Get Your Textbooks Now!

It’s time to get your textbooks!
This year for the first time, students are checking their textbooks out right after they go through the registration process. Please be sure to come to the library with your schedule and ID card to check out your books once your have your schedule and ID.
Hours for textbook distribution are:
  • Seniors: Monday, August 22, 12:30 PM – 4 PM
  • Juniors: Tuesday, August 23, 12:30 PM – 4 PM (also open for Seniors)
  • Sophomores: Wednesday, August 24, 12:30 PM – 4 PM (also open for Seniors and Juniors)
  • Freshmen: Thursday, August 25, 12:30 PM – 4 PM (also open for Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores)
  • Open for all registered students: Monday, August 29, 8:30 AM – 11:30
Students who do not get their books during the above times will need to come after school opens on Wednesday, August 31. We will not be open for textbook distribution on Friday, August 25 or Tuesday, August 30.
If you have any outstanding items or fines to pay, please come to the textbook door at the back of the library at the times listed above.

Library/Textbook Returns

School is now out. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer! If you have any outstanding library books, textbooks, or fines, please take care of them now! We need textbooks back promptly so that we can accurately plan for the number needed next year.

Here are the times when you can return books and settle fines:

  • Friday, June 24: You can return books to the library from 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM or to the school office from  7:30 AM – 4:30 PM.
  • June 27-30: Returns and fines will be handled in the main office.
  • Week of July 4: Return items to the library, which will be staffed by library volunteers, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 AM to 12 Noon.
  • Rest of July: Return items to the library,, which will be staffed by library volunteers,  Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 AM – 12 Noon.

Thank you for supporting our program by returning books promptly!

Visit CSLA’s Library Gift Store

Please join me in supporting the California School Library Association (CSLA) California Campaign for Strong School Libraries by visiting the Cafe Press Library Store and checking out the terrific selection of gift items with library and reading themes. All the illustrations were donated by book illustrators to support this campaign to raise awareness about how important school libraries are to student achievement and building life-long learning skills. This illustration displays just a few of the graphics you will find there, available on T-shirts, mugs, stationery, coasters, and more.LIBRARY-STORE-URLAnd, especially, for grads, check out the store’s gifts with this cool logo designed by CSLA Vice-President of Communications, Jackie Siminitus:

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You can also learn more about the California Campaign for Strong School at this site.

Textbooks Returns & Fall Distribution

Join Amber & Johnny - Return your textbooks on  time!
Join Amber & Johnny - Return your textbooks on time!

The library is pleased to announce that this Fall we will be distributing textbooks during Registration so that students can have all their books on the first day of school. Students will come to the library to get their books immediately after they get their schedules, IDs, and lockers. To make this procedure run smoothly, it is vital that students return all their textbooks and library books and settle any fines for lost books in a timely fashion before the end of this school year. Please help to facilitate the Fall distribution and assure that you can register on time by returning all your textbooks promptly after your finals and take care of fine and lost book payments as soon as possible. Students with outstanding books or fines will not be able to complete Fall Registration.

Don’t risk having to register late this Fall — get all your textbooks and library books back to the library promptly. Thank you for your support!

Seniors: You will not receive diplomas or transcripts until all textbooks and library books are returned and lost materials paid for. Therefore, to avoid delays in diploma collection, return books and pay any fines at the end of your classes.  During the month of July, this process will be handled by library volunteers on a limited basis.  This means that if you wait until July to return books and pay fines, your diploma collection may be delayed until the dates and times that library volunteers are available.

Happy Holidays from the Mira Costa Library!

Be sure to the click each of the ! bubbles and use your mouse to rotate the book around to enjoy the entire message.

What are you planning to read during the winter break? Right now, I’m in the middle of Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe, regarded as the first English novel. I somehow missed reading it when I was young, although I thoroughly enjoyed his Moll Flanders when I was in college. Next on my list is local author D.J. MacHale’s Merchant of Death, the first book in his Pendragon series. I just finished his scary page-turner mystery puzzler, The Light, the first book in his Morpheus Road Trilogy, and can’t wait for the next installment coming out April 19.

Please leave a comment about your winter break reading plans.

MCHS Library & TLC Featured in La Vista

la vistaMany thanks to La Vista and staff writer Diane Lee for the featuring the Mira Costa Library in the latest issue of the newspaper. You can read the article by picking up a copy of the paper at school, or on La Vista’s website. The article highlights some of the changes to the library this year and my plans for further changes to come. It also highlights our new library-support club – TLC: The Library Club. The library club is now officially chartered by ASB! Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, December 14.