Bookish (and Not So Bookish) Thoughts Oct.21

I am sad.  Just sad. Here's why:

1. Less students than ever (in eleven years) are reading and checking out books in my high school library. In September alone my numbers were down 500 books from the previous year.

2. I had a conversation with an ELA (English Language Arts) teacher after school and she told me she wasn't planning on bringing her classes to the library because she doesn't want to ask them to read a book unless she plans on grading something they do with the book and she doesn't want to grade anything else. I can appreciate that. I remember being swamped with grading when I was in the classroom. But when I suggested that she bring classes in for book talks to select free choice books she didn't go for that either.  Sigh.

3. This sad feeling could also be a malaise brought on by the book I am currently listening to: The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr. Argh. It is so depressing to think about what the world will be like when there is no one left willing to read a full-sized book.

On the good side of things:

1. Last week I shared a diagram of my wayward reading habits. I am happy to report I've finished three of the six books I had started but not finished as of that post and I am around half way finished with two of the others.  That leaves only one book of the six I've made no progress on and it is because I loaned it out!

2. Over thirty students have signed up as readers for my Mock Printz team at the library. In case you don't know what it is, the Mock Printz team attempts to read as many YA books published this year to determine which book should win the coveted Printz Award (similar to the Caldecott and Newbery Awards.) It is a lot of fun and generates a lot of energy among readers in the library.

3. Next week are conferences at my school and I don't have to do any unless I am called in on one, since I only have a very few students, TAs and advisory students.  Yea! I get to use my time working on the plethora of projects in the library which all feel half done right now.

4. The hubby and I got out and worked in the yard last week-end and got the roses cut down, the flower boxes cleaned out of the dead or dying flowers, and beautiful huge chrysanthemums planted to replace them.  Just in time, too.  It is raining this week.

5. Today, October 21, 2015, is the day that Marty McFly came back from the future. (Back to the Future II.)

Thanks to Christine at Bookishly Boisterous for hosting this meme.