Thursday, October 2, 2014

Starting the year off with Video Orientation

One challenge I have always faced as a high school librarian at a school of 1600 is how to provide Media Center Orientation for all students at the school. Last year, our school started holding grade level assemblies for at the beginning of each grading period, so over the summer I worked up a short video orientation that could be shown at each assembly.

The video was simple. At the beginning, I recorded an introduction so that each student could see my face and get to know their librarian. The majority of the video was comprised of my voiceover narrating the expectations and procedures of the Media Center over a slideshow tour of the Media Center. It wasn't anything flashy, but it was a way to be sure that as many students as possible heard about the Media Center, its services, and the procedures for visiting.




I'm not completely satisfied with the video. I think I can do better next year by making it more visual and less of a recorded lecture. My voice is fairly monotone -- I think I need to try to be more dynamic. However, I am pleased with the results. Right after it was shown, freshmen recognized me and we able to greet me by name the first time they entered the Media Center. Upperclassmen, now aware that the Media Center is open during lunch, started coming by to get lunch passes. The exposure definitely had a positive effect, and was a satisfactory solution to my orientation dilemma. I can say with 100% certainty that more students are aware of Media Center expectations, procedures, and services than have ever been in the past.

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