Live from Silver Creek

Silver Creek
High School

Horizon Circulation Tips

Our first topic will be Circulation. We'll start with this one since we all use it every day. To start off, you all know that you can access the HELP files on Horizon at any time by hitting the F1 key. This will bring up the Horizon Screen -- click on Horizon Basics and you will get 158 pages of everything you ever wanted to know about the Horizon automation system! Don't worry, you dont' have to read all 158 pages, you can also do a search for what you need.

I know that you are all busy and referring to this resource may be too time consuming -- that's what we're here for! Leave a comment if you have any specific questions and we'll get an answer to you as soon as possible. Also, leave tips for others or let us know of a great new discovery you have made using the circulation features of Horizon.

Introductions

I have invited each of you, by email, to participate on this blog. I think we can save time, ultimately, by collaborating on training ideas, questions/answers, and topics. But, we need to get to know each other first. Add a comment and tell us about you...

Welcome to our new blog!

Let's jump right in and start a topic list for things you, new media clerks, would like to learn about. Any of the mentors, when time permits, can comment on your questions affording us a great forum to exchange ideas, information, and tools. We can access, read, post, and comment at any time. You can access this web-based blog from school computers or any browser at home. All of the posts and comments will be organized by topic in the archive and you can refer to them all year. I'll start a preliminary list of topics I, and the other mentors, will be posting about. We will need to post and comment on a timely basis in order to cover everything we want, so check it often! I will start a new topic post every week. For starters (just some ideas...we'll start wherever you want to start):

• The mentor/mentee process, skill blocks, records...
• Our basic job description -- what you will be doing and need to know.
• Circulation -- Horizon and the basic features
• Circulation Advanced features
• Processing of books
• Computer issues -- Citrix, thin clients, student computers & accounts, logins, resources, etc.
• How to Blog! We will start simple and learn new features as we go (for now, just hit the comments link below the post and start typing)!
• WebReporter -- what it is, what it does, and how to make it do what you want
• Books! Reader advisory ideas, great book reviews, and what kids like...
• DMS services and WebMax
• Library organization and administation
• Email and Microsoft Outlook issues
• Copyright issues and Fair Use Guidelines
• Budgets, supplies, ordering
• Discipline, rules, and library guidelines
• A/V equipment
• Marketing your library services and collection
• Calendar of library tasks (what you should be doing and when)
• Vendors and vendor websites
• Will any of you be using SMS (Student Management System)? Questions?
• Professional Development
• Technology in the Library -- Web 2.0 and beyond
• Whew! ...that's a lot. Your turn to add topics, or start with a question...