YouTube

I had fun with YouTube. I just wanted to see what it had to offer, in terms of library stuff. I watched a Dewey Decimal Rap. It was very entertaining and informative. Instead of my fourth graders watching my PowerPoint presentation, I might use this instead to reinforce what the Dewey Decimal system is. I just have to get the IT people in my district to unblock YouTube for me.

I also saw a librarian give a tour of an elementary library. Wow! I would love to forward this video to one of my superiors. She had a lot of space in her library. I wish I could have that kind of space. This was a good idea though! It was a quick way to show the different areas of the library. This would take very little time to make, and it would help me not to have to walk around the library at least 18 times in one week when we discuss the different areas. Plus, think of how much it would save my voice from repeating it. Instead, it would be taped once and shown to the kiddos.

Then, I looked at the 2007 ALA book cart competition. This is great entertainment, and it also provides an idea of what a book cart competition is for anybody who has not seen one before. I participated in the TLA book cart competition in 2008, and I wish that I had gotten on to YouTube to see one of these done before I did it.

I think videos to teach library skills are great. Instead of hearing my voice, the children get a different format to teach the same thing. I also think that these are great to use in staff development. In the past, I have watched the copyright video that uses the Disney clips to explain copyright, and I have always wanted to use it. The only thing that has held me back is that it is a little hard to hear, especially if you are hearing the information for the first time.

I'm not sure of other uses for videos in the library except those mentioned above. It is hard to tape a large group of kids and show it on YouTube with making sure that all kids have permission to be taped.