Videos and QR Codes in the Library!

 Videos and QR codes are becoming quite the rage in libraries and media centers today. They are very useful and can be time savers. A few school library/media sites are listed below, with video links that children may find helpful and/or enjoyable. This will begin to give you ideas of what you can create for your own library!

1. The Unquiet Library 

https://www.youtube.com/user/theunquietlibrary/videos 

Helpful: Mini lesson: How to register or login to EasyBib

https://youtu.be/5gwLln3tdH8 

Enjoyable: What makes a library a library, Volume 1

https://youtu.be/l9oLj8mcnUQ

2. Pikesville HS library 

https://www.youtube.com/user/pikesvillehslibrary/videos

Helpful: PHS Financial Aid Workshop 2013 

https://youtu.be/esKCAk_t6v0

Enjoyable: AVID Pimp My Binder 2021

https://youtu.be/Xg_MQe5zGn4

3. Bonnie Branch Middle School 

https://www.youtube.com/user/bbmsmedia/videos

Helpful: Online Career Resources

https://youtu.be/JZ9CxZfOFGw

Enjoyable: Overdue Games-Parody of the Hunger Games (This media specialist has created quiet a few overdue book parodies that are absolutely funny!)

https://youtu.be/xYS7t4vYsQw

These are obviously just a few examples of how videos can work for you in your library. Any kind of online training and tutorials could be created to help students when they need them, and you will not have to constantly repeat yourself as they travel in and out of your library! Videos can also help to promote your library. You can create videos monthly on newly added books, upcoming book fairs, updated copyright laws, etc. You will want to make sure that the videos are not only informational, but fun and engaging. Links to the videos can be added to your library's web page for easy access. 

Another great idea for your library, is to create video book trailers! When new books arrive, this would be an inviting way to encourage exploration of new finds and titles, or make great introductions to units for teachers. I created a video book trailer for my Third Graders to get them ready and amped up for our weekly read! Being almost Halloween, I always use "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" to discuss literary elements and character traits.

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is a beloved Halloween special with Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang, filled with spooky tricks and hilarious treats! It’s Halloween night, which means costumes, trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples…and waiting for the Great Pumpkin. Linus is certain that the Great Pumpkin will rise out of the pumpkin patch to bring toys to all the children of the world. Could this be the year that it finally happens? Scan the QR code to watch the video book trailer of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"! Scanning is simple, you can download apps, or just open your phone's camera and place it in front of the QR code as though you were taking a pic of it. It will recognize it is a QR code and will link you to your internet and the site being accesses. Here is the link as well if QR code gives you any trouble...not that that would EVER happen with technology!

https://youtu.be/f77fXRXQyfY

QR codes can be another useful tool when promoting your library and encouraging young readers. They're fast, store huge amounts of information, can be used everywhere, no additional technology required to access them, and saves paper and time! You can create QR codes easily by using the following sites: http://www.qrstuff.com/ or http://www.visualead.com/

**Ways you can implement QR codes to help the ease of access to lots of different resources and programs within your library...

• The library's OPAC
• book trailers (like I did above!)
• audio books
• tags on ends of shelves to label topics
• music databases
• research guides
• virtual tours
• surveys
• orientations
• book lists/pathfinders
• staff directories
  
  
• inventory management
• scavenger hunts
• proper Wi-Fi utilization
• promoting online audio-visual materials
• library notifications
• Library's Facebook, Twitter, YouTube links
• web pages such as the library's website
• contests
• how-to tutorials
• library promotions such as book fairs
• bringing external resources in
• group study scheduling/seat reservation

I hope that you found the information here useful! I know I certainly enjoyed finding the information! The use of technology is becoming more and more popular by the day. We must take every advantage of it that we can as librarians and media specialists. These findings are only a limited amount of what is out there. I just hope that this can get you started!