“How To” Expert
Create a video using the following guidelines:
- Identify yourself as a Metropolitan Library System volunteer.
- Videos should be 2 to 5 minutes long.
- Videos may be posted or viewed at later dates, please do not include any time-sensitive information.
- Video quality should be 1080p optimally, but not less than 720p.
- Use a tripod.
- Use additional lighting – natural or through a ring light. However, avoid having a window or light source behind you– you will look silhouetted.
- Film in front of a bookshelf, a white wall, or another professional-looking background.
- Always shoot in landscape mode (not portrait mode like you are taking a selfie).
- Do not zoom in or use the iPhone digital zoom.
- Use the exposure lock.
- Take advantage of time-lapse and slow-motion video features.
- Clean your camera lens regularly.
- Put your phone in Airplane mode.
- Follow the rule of thirds:
- The frame is divided into nine imaginary sections, as illustrated above. This creates reference points which act as guides for framing the image.
- Points (or lines) of interest should occur at 1/3 or 2/3 of the way up (or across) the frame, rather than in the center. Like many rules of framing, this is not always necessary (or desirable), but it is one of those rules you should understand well before you break it.
- In most "people shots", the main line of interest is the line going through the eyes. In this shot, the eyes are placed approximately 1/3 of the way down the frame.
- Please speak directly to the camera.
- Camera should be at eye-level and on a tripod if possible.
- Audio should be clear and audible.
- Closed captioning may be added, so please keep the bottom of the screen open for captions.
- Title: Keep it short.
- Fonts: Suggest sans-serif, due to ease of reading like Arial, Calibri, Verdana, or Helvetica.
- Provide a list of supplies needed if applicable.
- Please ask your music creator for permission, before including music. Do not use licensed music.
- Please note that some videos may be saved by the Library for future use and not uploaded immediately.
- Add captions to your video.
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Send your review in an email to your supervising librarian. The librarian will ensure it meets the guidelines and submit for inclusion on the library’s social media.
Coloring/Activity Sheet Creator
Create a Coloring or Activity Guide following these instructions:
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Please indicate the intended audience age level (Adult, Teen or Child)
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Coloring/Activity Sheets should be easily reproduced and fit on a letter sized page (8 ½ x 11)
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Include instructions.
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If possible, include information about the program or book that inspired the sheet.
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Please do not use copyrighted material. Submission must be your own original creation.
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Activity sheets could include mazes, word finds, crossword puzzles, word puzzles, connect the dots drawings.
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Possible websites and resources to use: http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/
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Send your Coloring/Activity Sheet in an email to your supervising librarian. The librarian will ensure it meets the guidelines and submit for inclusion.
Take and Make Kit Assembler
MLS Material Reviewer
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Posts must be one paragraph long (less than 250 words)
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Include a short summary of the DVD, CD, Book, Magazine or other material that you think others may not have heard about
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Please review something you have read/enjoyed within the last year
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Write about what you liked or disliked about the material
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Avoid spoilers
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Don’t know what to read? Ask your supervising librarian.
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Send your review in an email to your supervising librarian. The librarian will ensure it meets the guidelines and submit for inclusion on the library’s social media.
You will receive 1 hour of volunteer credit for each review submitted. You may complete up to 10 reviews each quarter (Jan – Mar, April – June, July – Sep, Oct – Dec).
The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
GOOD EXAMPLE
At the age of nine, Ada has never learned to walk and has never left her London apartment. Her twisted foot embarrasses her mother and she is too ashamed to let her be seen in public. Her brother Jamie, however, attends school and is loved by their mother. When World War II begins, their mother wants to send just Jamie to the countryside to keep him safe. Ada decides that she will learn to walk in secret and escape with her brother rather than staying with their cruel mother. When they arrive at their destination, no one chooses them from the train full of displaced children. Even though she doesn’t want to care for them, the children are taken in by a woman named Susan who ends up being kind and trustworthy to the children once they all get to know each other. After being abused by her mother for many years due to her disability, Ada begins to wonder if she could truly be loved. What will happen when the war ends and they are expected to return to London and the mother who doesn’t want them?
BAD EXAMPLE
There is a girl who isn’t allowed to leave her apartment during WWII because her foot is messed up. Her mom is really mean and only likes her son. She sends the boy away but wants the girl to stay. The girl runs away too and when they get there no one wants them. Susan takes them and feeds them and takes care of them even though she is sad because her friend died. The girl learns to ride a pony. Then the mom comes to get them and they don’t want to go back, but they have to. A bomb hits their apartment and kills the mom so they get to go back to Susan. The End.
WORSE EXAMPLE
In WWII a Girl has a messed up foot. her mom is really mean and locks her in the cabinet. She sends her son away but the girl run's away to. Susan takes care of them even though she doesn't want to. The girl rides a pony alot. Then the mom comes to get them and they don’t want to go back. A bomb kills there mom so they go back to susan. The End.
Bookstagram Influencer
Create connections of your favorite media using one of these examples:
- Between a book or material from our library catalog and a library program
- Between two books or materials such as to compare a book to the movie adaptation of the book
- By creating a soundtrack for a book
- By creating a meme for a book
- Other!
Video Guidelines
Content
- Include a short summary of the materials or program or music
- Talk about the connections and what you’ve learned
- Avoid spoilers
Video Production
- Videos need to be one minute to three minutes long.
- Videos may be posted or viewed at later dates, please do not include any time-sensitive information.
- Video quality should be 1080p optimally, but not less than 720p. Use a tripod or stabilize your phone.
- Use additional lighting – natural or through a ring light. However, avoid having a window or light source behind you– you will look silhouetted.
- Film in front of a bookshelf, a white wall, or another professional-looking background.
- Always shoot in landscape mode (not in portrait mode like you are taking a selfie).
- Do not zoom in or use the iPhone digital zoom.
- Use the exposure lock.
- Take advantage of time-lapse and slow-motion video features.
- Clean your camera lens regularly.
- Put your phone in Airplane mode.
- When filming, leave space at the top of the frame. When adding IGTV to Instagram, they cut off the top portion of the IGTV to fit within the square frame.
- Please speak directly to the camera.
- Camera Placement: should be at eye-level and on a tripod, if possible.
- IGTV videos need to be the dimensions: 1080 x 1920 (filmed vertically)
- Sound: Audio should be clear and audible.
- Add captions to your video.
- Send your video review in an email to your supervising librarian. The librarian will ensure it meets the guidelines and submit for inclusion on the library’s social media
Image Creation
- Photo, mood board or image for playlist
- Photos, mood boards and playlists will be shared through feed or stories.
- Use high resolution images.
- For Instagram posts create images in dimensions 1080 x 1080.
- For Instagram stories create images in dimensions 1080 x 1920.
- Use a free photo editor like Canva to create images.
You will receive 2 hours of volunteer credit for each book review video submitted. You may complete up to 10 reviews each quarter (Jan – Mar, April – June, July – Sep, Oct – Dec).
Reels & TikTok Content Creator
Content
- Include a short summary of the material
- Talk about what you liked or disliked about the material
- Avoid spoilers
Video Production
- Videos need to be 15 seconds long.
- Videos may be posted or viewed at later dates, please do not include any time-sensitive information.
- Use a tripod if possible.
- Use additional lighting – natural or through a ring light. However, avoid having a window or light source behind you– you will look silhouetted.
- Film in front of a bookshelf, a white wall, or another professional-looking background.
- Always shoot in landscape mode (not portrait mode like you are taking a selfie).
- Do not zoom in or use the iPhone digital zoom.
- Use the exposure lock.
- Take advantage of time-lapse and slow-motion video features.
- Clean your camera lens regularly.
- Put your phone in Airplane mode.
- When filming, leave space at the top of the frame. When adding Reels to Instagram, they cut off the top portion of the Reel to fit within the square frame.
- Please speak directly to the camera.
- Camera Placement: should be at eye-level and on a tripod, if possible.
- Reels & TikToks need to be the dimensions: 1080 x 1920 (filmed vertically)
- Closed captioning: Add captions to your video by recording your video in the Threads app and turn on the auto closed caption feature. Threads will allow you to record 15 second videos that can be saved with transcriptions right on top. Here’s a quick tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uuBwISUxdc.
- Send your video review in an email to your supervising librarian. The librarian will ensure it meets the guidelines and submit for inclusion on the library’s social media.
Complete and document your posts of 3 of the 8 activities below:
- Use the Library’s Summer Reading Facebook Frame on your profile photo for June and July
- Use the Library’s Summer Reading effect in Instagram and share on your stories. Be sure to tag the library in your stories.
- Book spine poetry post - use the titles of books in a stack to make a free verse poem with the spines
- #Bookface post - find a book cover with half a face and take a selfie to make a whole face
- Favorite book-related selfie/shelfie or pet post
- Favorite reading spot post (nook at home, park, etc.)
- Share 10 favorite Metro posts on the platform of your choice.
- Fill in and share a Summer Reading fillable story on your Instagram stories
To document your participation and receive three (3) volunteer service hours:
- Screenshot and submit to supervising librarian during June and July.
- Send a link (if possible) to your supervisor.
- Tag the library @metrolibraryok or “Metropolitan Library System” and use hashtag #ireadbecause.
- You may complete once each quarter (Jan – Mar, April – June, July – Sep, Oct – Dec)
School Liaison
- Connect with your school librarian – make sure they know about Summer Reading, offer to talk to staff and students in the library about the program, leave flyers or rack cards in the library for other students
- Hang flyers about Summer Reading around school
- Sidewalk chalk drawings and slogans outside school to promote Summer Reading. Examples:
- Summer Reading June 1 – July 31
- Tails and Tales (animal theme and drawings)
- For all ages! Free!
- Earn prizes for reading this summer
- Distribute rack cards and other marketing materials
- Make morning/lunch/afternoon PA announcements or speak during school assembly promoting Summer Reading
To document your participation and receive five volunteer service hours:
- Take a photo of your participation and submit to supervising librarian or provide a note from your teacher, library media specialist or other school official to receive five service volunteer hours
- You may complete once each quarter school is in session (Jan – Mar, April – June, July – Sep, Oct – Dec)