Videos and QR Codes in the Library

 Videos can be a powerful tool in the library if done right. I looked at some channels on YouTube from a few different libraries. CalypsoGilstrap from Norman High Library posted a few videos but hasn't posted in about 5 years. The video titled "How to Use EBSCOHost" was the most helpful for students, but it was pretty boring and dry. The video that students would like the best was titled "Norman Public School Celebrates Your Freedom to Read". This video included readings from banned books and showcased teachers that the students would know. Theunquietlibrary hasn't posted in about 8 years but the most helpful for students was the video titled "How to Export a Bibliographic Data File from LRC to EasyBib". Again, it was pretty boring. The video students would like was titled "The Importance of Choice for Igniting Student Passion and Learning Through Research Projects". This one showcased a student discussing her photographs and sharing her work. Pikesvillehslibrary's most recent post was 6 years ago and the video most helpful to students was titled "2014-2015 Course Advisement" but the video students would like best is titled "Senior Party in the Library". This had seniors dancing on top of tables and having a great time.  Bbmsmedia posted about 3 years ago and had the most creative videos of all the channels I looked at. The most helpful to students was titled "eResources@BBMS" but the one students would probably like the best was titled "BBMS Fall Dance Mannequin Challenge". This channel had lots of videos created by students and pulled in current pop culture to make them entertaining. 

I saw lots of examples for using videos to promote the library. My favorites were the overdue book parodies. Book trailers are also a great way to excite kids about reading. I plan to create as many as I can and also encourage students to create some as well. Videos that can be helpful to students, like teaching them how to use library tools and research tools, are only helpful if students view them. So I plan to create these too but to make them more entertaining to students. 

I created a book trailer for Monster by Walter Dean Myers. I tried to make it gripping but tried to not include too much about the book. 

Young, 16-year-old Steve Harmon, an amateur filmmaker, finds himself facing the death penalty for the murder of a Harlem drugstore owner. A Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor Book.

"Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. It is a strange movie with no plot and no beginning. The movie is in black and white, and grainy. Sometimes the camera moves in so close that you cant' tell what is going on and you just listen to the sounds and guess."

                                   -Walter Dean Myers, Monster

Click the QR code to watch the book trailer for Monster.