When In Doubt...Scan It!

Where will this QR code take you?

"Never judge a book by its cover."

Good advice, but how are you supposed to know if a book is going to interest you when you find it on the shelf?  Books will usually have a summary available, but there's a modern option that appeals to our media-savvy students even more.  Ms. Kelley has been hard at work creating QR codes for books in our media center and attaching them inside their covers.  Students with a QR reader installed on their devices can scan the code and be taken directly to an online book trailer for that title!  (A book trailer is like a commercial.  Click here to watch a book trailer for Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin.)

A student scanning a book's QR code using one of the library's iPads

What if a student doesn't have a device?  Well, we now have three iPads available for students to borrow!  They can ask for one at the circulation desk to be used while in the library.  (How cool is that?)












Miss DeVito has set up book displays to highlight the titles that have QR codes attached, and there are lots more on the way.  The books also have a spine label to indicate that they contain a code so the students can find them easily after they are shelved with the rest of the collection. 

We've begun letting students know about this exciting new option, and the response has been very positive!

Miss DeVito shows a class how to use a library iPad to scan a book's QR code

Check Out Our New eBooks! (literally!)

We are very excited to offer eBooks to the Chariho Middle School Library community!  Students, faculty, and staff can sign into our online catalog (OPAC) to see what's available, and then the titles can be read right on the computer or downloaded onto a number of devices.  How convenient is that?!  Miss DeVito created two screencasts that can walk you through the process, step by step:

This video will walk you through how to log into the library's online catalog, find out which titles are available as an eBook, and check out an eBook.

MackinVia is our eBook provider, so users will need to know how to navigate the MackinVia site.  This video will demonstrate how to access and use an eBook that you've checked out.  Learn how to find out when a book's due, access the table of contents, change how the book is viewed, search a book for specific words or phrases, and even make notations.

These webcasts will always be available here on the blog (click on "How do I..." at the top of the page) and also on the Middle School Library Media Center home page in the "Community" section.   Enjoy!