Welcome To The Follett Academy...The NEW One-Stop Shop For All Follett Software Training Courses!

 

Friends, have you seen the Follett Academy? 

It's the new one-stop shop for all Follett Software training courses.  This LMS enhances security, simplifies access, and offers detailed tracking for all purchased training. 

These are the things currently available on Follett Academy: 

 Follett Destiny® Deep Dive bundles (12-month subscriptions)

 Online, self-paced courses with new interactive features

 Follett Institute instructor-led public courses

 Live instructor-led courses

You will find Follett Academy here.  Check it out today, friends. 

You Can Now Watch The Recording Of Our Fifth Demco Webinar Of Season, What Gets Forgotten In Library Design?

On March 11th, we hosted the fifth webinar in our new Demco webinar series. 

You can now find the recording of What Gets Forgotten in Library Design? here, along with the presentation slides here. 

On the Demco webinars page, 

...you will find all five in our webinar series.  

We loved learning and sharing with all of you.  We have one more webinars coming up that we will announce very soon.  

Have a lovely week, friends. 

You And Your Students Are Invited To The "Be An Author Live Event With Cat Ninja Author Matthew Cody". Register Here, Friends.

Friends, I want to share a very exciting LIVE author event to join with your students next week!

On Wednesday, March 26th at 12:00pm EST, you and your students can join the Be An Author LIVE! Q&A with Cat Ninja author Matthew Cody, Cherish Mims, and David Hotler. 

As shared in the invite, 

Calling all young storytellers and Cat Ninja fans! Join us for a special Be An Author Month event in partnership with Epic! Books for Kids featuring world famous author Matthew Cody, the creator of Cat Ninja!

In this live Q&A, Matthew will read from the New Cat Ninja: A Case of the Zoomies! and answer questions from students just like yours about the writing process, storytelling, and what it’s like to be an author. Whether your students dream of publishing their own stories or just love a great Cat Ninja adventure, this is an inspiring opportunity to hear directly from a professional author!

Have a question for Matthew? We’re collecting student questions ahead of time—submit yours below when you register!

You can join this FREE event with your students here. 

This event is the perfect way to celebrate Be An Author Month, and writing all year long!  We can't wait for you to join us, friends. 

The event will be recorded and available to all who register for these events too. 

You've Been Book'd With Books For School Library Month!

 

In April, we celebrate School Library Month. 

As shared on the AASL site, 

School Library Month is the American Association of School Librarians' celebration of school librarians and school libraries. Every April school librarians are encouraged to host activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school libraries play in transforming learning. The AASL efforts for a national School Library Month were spearheaded by Lucille Thomas, chair of the School Library Media Month Committee. Thomas was appointed by President Judy King in 1983. Their work came to fruition on April 1, 1985, when AASL officials, local and national dignitaries got the first School Library Month off to a rousing start with a ceremony on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol.

To celebrate School Library Month, I brought together 33 special books about libraries and reading. 

In this choice board, you can find this amazing Titlewave® list of books.  Or click on each book to see the individual titles too. 

Enjoy celebrating school libraries and school librarians, friends. 

Season 10 of the Future Ready Podcast Series, Leading From The Library, Is Here, Friends!

 

It's here!  

Season 10 of the Future Ready podcast series, Leading From The Library is now LIVE with 12 new episodes with amazing librarians, educators and other special guests. We couldn't be more excited about this new season full of amazing stories, timely topics and inspiring conversations. 

Today, we kick off Season 10 with Heather Delouchry, and her podcast, The Love of Reading Outdoors: Students, Families and Community Members Enjoy A Storywalk."

It was so inspiring to hear more about Jill's work and story.

You won't want to miss these wonderful conversations, friends.

On the Leading from the Library podcast site, you will find all of the future and past episodes.

There are so many important, interesting and exciting topics for all of us as Future Ready Librarians and educators. You won't want to miss them. 

You can subscribe to wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

A big thank you to our friends at Follett Content for supporting our Future Ready Librarian Podcast Series. 

We hope that you join us each week for the Leading from the Library Podcast, friends.  

BIG NEWS, Friends! Adobe AI Generator Is Now In Book Creator!

 

Friends, did you hear the amazing news? 

Adobe AI Generator is now in Book Creator! 

As teachers and librarians, we need safe tools and meaningful ways to introduce and use AI with our students. I love how using Adobe AI Generator with Book Creator will give our students a place to bring their learning, thoughts, and creativity to life through AI.  

We are on spring break this week, so I went to Book Creator and used a photo we took of our dog, Louie, at the lake this week.  I added my photo and...

...followed these steps for Using Adobe Image Generator in Book Creator. 

Please note that you must have an Adobe Educator account to use this within Book Creator. 

Once the AI Image Generator was enable, I clicked on the icon and...

...it took me right to the Adobe Express to the AI Image Generator.  

I added my prompt and size. It generated four AI images within seconds. I selected one and click on Add to book in the top right corner.  It's that easy!  

Our 1st graders have been creating a collaborative book about ocean animals using Book Creator and PebbleGo Animals.  They illustrated a picture of their animals and found real photos last week to add to their pages.  

I was thinking...Wouldn't it be fun for Rae to generate an AI picture of her illustration?  I gave it a try and can't wait to show Rae and the other 1st graders next week. This is such a meaningful way for them to learn how to use AI in a research project that will showcase what they learned and created in an authentic and fun way. 

Give it a try today, friends. 

You can read this post by Randi Ahrndt on the Book Creator blog to learn more and for lots of inspiration on how to use this amazing integration with your students in the classroom and library. 

Find Your State Award Books In Titlewave! Learn How Here, Friends.

 

Today, I am working in my Follett Titlewave on the upcoming Iowa Association of School Librarians Award Book nominees for the 2025-26 school year.  

Did you know that in Titlewave, you can find your State Award Books?  

On the Library tab in Titlewave here, go way to the bottom...

...under Additional Resources.  There you will find State Resources where you can explore state award winners and more. 

I love being able to find all of the IASL Award Nominee lists right in my Titlewave.  It makes ordering our upcoming award nominee books so much easier. 

Watch this video to learn more, friends. 

Sign Up Today For These Two LIVE Book Creator Author Events With Your Students!

 

Book Creator is hosting two LIVE author events for all students in March as we celebrate Be An Author Month! Anyone can join these amazing author events.  

Let me tell you more, friends! 

This week on Wednesday, March 19th at 12:00pm EST, you and your students can join the Book Creator Authors Studio with Beth Campbell, Jill Esbaum, and David Hotler. 

As shared on the invite, 

Want your students to meet an awesome author and get ready made activities that correlate with her books? Join Beth Campbell as she shares her Authors Studio collection, and Jill Esbaum, Author of Stinkbird Has a Superpower and Bird Girl – Gene Stratton Porter Shares Her Love of Nature with the World.

You can join this FREE student event here.

And next week, on Wednesday, March 26th at 12:00pm EST, you and your students can join the Be An Author LIVE! Q&A with Cat Ninja author Matthew Cody, Cherish Mims, and David Hotler. 

As shared in the invite, 

Calling all young storytellers and Cat Ninja fans! Join us for a special Be An Author Month event in partnership with Epic! Books for Kids featuring world famous author Matthew Cody, the creator of Cat Ninja!

In this live Q&A, Matthew will read from the New Cat Ninja: A Case of the Zoomies! and answer questions from students just like yours about the writing process, storytelling, and what it’s like to be an author. Whether your students dream of publishing their own stories or just love a great Cat Ninja adventure, this is an inspiring opportunity to hear directly from a professional author!

Have a question for Matthew? We’re collecting student questions ahead of time—submit yours below when you register!

You can join this FREE event with your students here. 

These two event are the perfect way to celebrate Be An Author Month, and writing all year long!  We can't wait for you to join us, friends. 

They are recorded and will be available to all who register for these events too. 

Celebrating Women Children's Authors For Women's History Month....What An Honor To Be Part Of The Stronger Together Blog!

 

It is such an honor to be part of this special post, Celebrating Women Children's Authors for Women's History Month, from Dr. Matthew X. Joseph on his Stronger Together blog.  

As Matthew shared, 

As we continue to celebrate Women's History Month, it is essential to highlight the incredible contributions of women children's authors who have inspired young readers with their stories. These authors have shaped literature by creating memorable characters, promoting diversity, and empowering children with messages of resilience, kindness, and curiosity.

This is such an incredible group of women children's authors he has included. You must check out all of their amazing books.  You will find them in Matthew's post here.  

I love that he included Sonia's Digital World the post I wrote with Capstone and ISTE.  You will find it here too. 

Thank you for including me and Sonia, Matthew. And thank you for everything you do for education, educators and most of all, kids. 

Free Author Events Every Friday In March From Our Friends At Storyvoice!

 

There is an amazing line up of author events in March from our friends at Storyvoice. 

These events start on Friday with two live author events.  

You will find them here. 

You've Been Book'd With Books For Poetry Month In April, Friends!

 

It's Poetry Month in April, friends. 

To celebrate Poetry Month, I brought together 32 special poetry books.  You can go this choice board to find all of the books linked from Follett Content Titlewave®. 

You can click on any cover to find it in Titlewave or view the full list of poetry books too. 

You will find the You've Been Book'd With Books for Poetry Month in April choice board here. 

Enjoy celebrating poetry in April and all year long. 

Using The "Book Creator & Me" Student Templates With Our Youngest Learners As They Kick Off A New Research Project!

Our youngest learners have been learning about Book Creator this week.  They are getting ready to use Book Creator and PebbleGo Animals for their oviparous animals research project. 

Their 3rd grade buddies have been coming to their classrooms to help them as they use Book Creator for the first time.  We want them to be confident in using all of the different features before we start. 

I love using the Book Creator and Me books under the Getting Started tab in Student Templates in Book Creator. You will find them under the Discover tab circled in the picture above. 

Click here to check out Discover in Book Creator. 

These amazing book templates walk the students through using all of the different features, and even has little video tutorials to help if they have questions.  They have them for all grade levels and a great guide for teachers teaching their first Book Creator lesson too. 

To use the templates, just click on the one you want to use. You can click Read Now to check it out and click on Remix this book to add it to your libraries. 

Our kindergarteners loved learning along with the Book Creator and Me book. 

There are pages that ask them to do various tasks such as Move, Shapes, and more. 

And I love when they are done with all of the pages, they get a certificate for being a Book Creator Superstar.  How fun is that! 

As you can see, our students loved learning along with it too! 

You will find these templates and so many more here at Discover in Book Creator. 

The Read-A-Lotl: Over Spring Break BINGO! Get It Here, Friends!

 

With spring break right around the corner, I am getting a few things ready for our readers this week. 

I always share the special Spring Break BINGO cards that Capstone creates for us and this year there is a super fun new one! 

It's called Read-A-Lotl Over Spring Break BINGO and couldn't be cuter! 

On the Downloads page on the Capstone site here, the Read-A-Lotl Over Spring Break BINGO! is at the very top.  You will find English and Spanish versions in color and black & white. 

To go along with the BINGO cards, I also put together a choice board of the new Axolotls series and PebbleGo article about axolotls.  This series is already a hit with our students. It's so much fun. 

You will find the choice board template to copy for your own use here.

Our readers LOVE reading and learning about axolotls so I know this years spring break bingo is going to be such a hit! 

Here is more about the series, and a ton of fun stuff to use with Axolotls! too.  

10 Ways To Ignite A Passion For Nonfiction In Readers...My New Article In The Demco Array Magazine!

 

In the most recent issue of the Demco Array magazine, I am excited to have an article included called 10 Ways To Ignite A Passion For Nonfiction in Readers, based on our Demco webinar series. 

You will find this special digital edition here.  

This latest issue of the Demco Array is filled with practical tips for using AI, ideas for safeguarding your patrons' data and privacy, design articles and ideas, and so much more. 

You can explore all of the Demco Array Issues here on the Demco Ideas and Inspiration site.