Make a Library Valentine!

Hot tip for K-5 librarians: take some time and make a Valentine for your students!

Why?

1. It shows students you care about them. Seriously. They will LOVE getting a valentine from you, their librarian.
2. Many kids go home, dump their Valentine cards, and show their loot to their grown-ups. Now imagine the grown-ups seeing a card from you, the librarian. They see that you took time to make a card for their child. This is easy, positive marketing of your library!
3. It really is EASY – the image above is a template I made in Canva! And 8 cards print per page!

The book heart photos are from Canva, save one – the blue background is my original valentine from Sockeye Library back in 2020. Want to use your own photo to make a custom card? Upload it to Canva, then drag/drop it over the top of one of the pictures, and it’ll immediately resize and replace the other image!

These are designed to print double-sided but could be done single-sided. The template includes two pages – the color image and the back, which needs to be updated with your name 🙂

I do print these in color. With 8 valentines that print per page, it averages to 3-4 sheets of paper per class. I think it is worth it.

If you make one, LMK! I’d love to see it!

🙂 arika

_{In 2023-24, I work 3 days/week as the only librarian for preschool-grade 5, serving 12 classes with ~200 students.}

What’s new in our library…

New year means new happenings in the library! Here’s some of what’s going on:

MAKERSPACES & LEARNING STATIONS

Right now, there are in-class learning stations (Would You Rather?, Keep Calm and Learn Something New, I Spy) and recess/lunch Makerspace stations (the above, with Listen Up (not Maker, but fun), Lego, Origami). More are coming, including Block Building and Post-It Up (see below).

The Makerspace open times are posted each day in the hall on a rolling white board. So far, it’s slow but growing steadily (rainy day recesses will do that!).  A huge shout-out to Mrs. Yusko in Hawaii for sharing how she makers with her elementary students. You inspired me!

INTERACTIVE DISPLAY

Pinterest success story: the Post-It Heart display. Cheap, easy, insanely popular. Teachers & students have written a book they ♥ on a post-it (on the inside windows). It garners much attention from students (especially grades 2-5) during class time. And yes, it’s unfinished. After running out of yellow notes on a late Friday afternoon, I was too lazy to get more…then decided I liked it. The not-quite-perfect display is eye-catching! Also: designing the next Post-It window will be a Maker station!

AUTHOR VISIT

Award-winning graphic novelist and illustrator Kazu Kibuishi is coming March 3, 2016! Students in grades 3, 4, 5 have an hour presentation, and 20 students will be attending a graphic novel workshop led by Kazu. In three words: This. Is. HUGE!

SKYPE VISIT

Author/illustrator John Himmelman is Skyping with all 2nd graders in mid-March! We – the students and I – are huge fans of Bunjitsu Bunny. The opportunity to ask John questions about a favorite new book series is sure to be fantastic!

TOURNAMENT OF BOOKS

It’s coming, starting March 7, 2016!  This year, 5th grade Lunch & Listen students helped create the ToB brackets (picture books, chapter books, nonfiction, graphic novels) and select the titles. Read about how we hold our Tournament of Books here.

What’s new in Valentine books

Love is (almost) in the air, according to every mass retailer.  But hold the candy, save the flowers: it’s books that foster the feeling of love that make me swoon.  Here’s are a few titles from the last two years that have me feeling the love. Can’t wait to pick these up at the local library or bookstore and share with J-girl, my boy H, and the children at #ReadAloudTuesday!