Beautify Your Library--Webinar: Chalk it up to Imagination!

I would like to thank the AASL for a wonderful opportunity afforded me to share my idea, “Chalk it up to Imagination” via a webinar presentation.  “Chalk it up to Imagination” was a webinar segment that introduced participants to a variety of D.I.Y. projects using Chalk Board Paint to beautify any surface.

Thank you also to my colleagues,  from across the US, who also shared their ideas in creating library environments that lend themselves to student success.   

Main ideas have been summarized below:

Purpose of Using Chalk Board Paint:

•  accent and beautify an area with minimum cost and maximum impact
• to serve as instructional zones

Recipe:

Materials

• acrylic paint( use a variety of colors)  or  latex paint, non-sand white tile grout, foam brushes, painter’s tape, chalk, sander
• 1 cup of paint + 2 Tbsp. of grout covers approx. 8’x2’

Purchase from Home Depot or Consider

• Magnetic Chalk Board Paint 

Instructional Video  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51mPLGqw-2I

DIY projects:

• Create a border around the library and post weekly “my favorite Web 2.0 tool” and Quote of the Week.
•  Filing Cabinets to act as activity center and the starting point for group brainstorming and storage of print material related to the topic. A digital copy of brainstorming can record results to upload to Google Docs or Library Moodle or Blog for future reference.
• Paint End Plates on shelving units, or a portion of a wall, plaque or large cork board. These surfaces can serve as an instructional zones to invite dialogue and interaction. Post  a statement that students can  complete…based on research projects, or topical  issues.

          Eg. I do not smoke because…

          Cats make better pets than dogs because...

• Table Tops can serve as a brainstorming session or game centre to review ideas/research via the rules of “Hollywood Squares”.
•  For signage, use tin plates, trays, glass picture frames—for “New Books”
•  Plaques can also serve as a daily calendar
•  Boxes for storage of material eg. “Markers”, “Crayons”

Shopping List--Supplies

Thrift

Up cycle old furniture: filing cabinets, tables,  tin plates, trays, wooden plaques, picture frames,  cork board, household paint left over from projects, wall paper borders

Dollar Store

Acrylic paint, sand paper-coarse grit, foam brushes, paint rollers, picture frames, paper bags,  contact paper, vinyl/plastic trays, wooden plaques

Hardware Store

Chalk Board Paint, Magnetic Chalk Board Paint, Non-sanded grout,

For further ideas:

http://pinterest.com/                                                    

or www.youtube.com     

**search “Chalk Board Paint”

Check this out!
Dry Erase Paint

Hopefully these ideas will serve as the starting point for your “mindful creatively”.

 All the best.

Resourcefully yours,

Julia Andreacchi

Copyright 2013, All Rights Reserved.

Chalk it up to Imagination!

Ideas to Beauty your Library on a Budget…

Good News!
I have been selected as one of five speakers to deliver a webinar segment, sponsored by the American Association of School Libraries (http://www.ala.org/aasl/) entitled:
                             
                    "Ideas to Beauty your Library on a Budget"
                                             Join us...

                                         May 9th, 2013
                                         9:00 p.m. EST
                   http://www.ala.org/aasl/ecollab/upcoming

My segment will introduce participants to a variety of D.I.Y. projects using Chalk Board Paint that can beautify any surface. Inexpensive finds from the dollar store, existing furniture, scrape wood, thrifty finds and a variety of surfaces are used for the projects. Painted surfaces can create accent walls, signage or areas that can serve as instructional zones.

Mindful creativity is essential to create a big impact.

See you then!

Resourcefully yours,

Julia Andreacchi