This document outlines strategies used by a middle school library media specialist to increase student engagement and participation in the library. Some key strategies include: 1) Offering daily activities and monthly special events centered around themes like gaming, robotics, comics, and holidays to attract students. 2) Promoting events through posters, emails, and word of mouth. 3) Ensuring activities include games, instruction, prizes, and food to keep students interested and engaged. 4) Focusing on student interests by taking suggestions and introducing new books and authors.

1. Feed Them and They
Will Come
Getting Middle School Kids Into the Media Center
Presented by Rose Hagar, Library Media Specialist, Absecon Public Schools
Lib 2.0 Media Specialists Symposium
October 19, 2015

2. Why I Need to Feed Them…
 District Media Specialist for PreK – 8
 See all PreK – 4 classes once a week
 Middle School not in teaching schedule
 Despite my pleas teachers do not bring them down as a class
 Homeroom or after school
 This year all 5 days during homeroom

3. What We Do…
Daily Schedule
 Monday – Library Assistants
 Tuesday – Book Clubs – rotate
 Wednesday – Library Assistants and
Library Ambassadors
 Thursday – Makerspace Day
 Friday – Free Friday – Special
Events
Open to all students in 5-8

4. Monthly Events
Calendar
 October – Teen Read Week and /or
Halloween
 November – National Gaming Day
 December – Book Event
 January – Books to Movies
 February – Blind Date with a Book
 March - Robotics/Maker
 April – TBA
 May – Graphic Novel/Comic Con

5. How We Get Them to Come..
 Posters in all homerooms
 Posters displayed in common areas
 Teacher emails
 Word of mouth
 Sign up in the Media Center
 Take permission slips if the event is
after school

6. Why They Come…
 They want to be there
 Begged me when not in the
schedule
 Interact with students not in their
social circle but with similar
interests.
 My regulars are readers
 My event participants vary with
the theme

7. What We Do…
 Activities
 Games
 A Little Bit of Instruction – not
enough to make them realize you
are teaching
 Prizes – every students gets a
ticket when they enter – Number
of prizes vary with events
 And FOOD!

8. Enter if You Dare…and…
Mystery and Mayhem in the Media Center
 Library Scavenger Hunt
 Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich
 Mystery, Monster, Vampire, and
Zombie books
 Halloween crafts
 Halloween treats
 Zombie Librarian

9. Book Clubs
 Introduce new books
 Suggestions from students
 As a prep for visiting authors –
 Blue Balliett
 Peter Lerengis
 Jude Watson
 Chris Grabenstein

10. National Gaming Day

11. Robotics Day

12. Graphic Novel Day

13. Comic Con

14. Thank You!
http://bit.ly/1kdKrDh
rhagar@abseconschools.org
@RoseHagar