Be careful what you start!

In March of 1999 my son and I discovered angelfire.com. This site provided a free website with only advertisements in the editing window. We decided to make a website for our cat. I felt that if the cat could have his own site than why not create one for my middle school library. I then taught myself basic HTML to accomplish this.

I wanted a website that would be a one-stop educational shopping experience for the students, teachers and parents of my school.

My library website was launched on April 11, 1999.

The original site included the hours of the library, the library layout, the mission of the library (…to encourage students to read, share ideas, and to learn to do research), a PTA page, the origin of the name of our school, a page about our Health Careers Program, the Email Around the World project we participated in and a link to our district site. Later, I would add subject area pages. I checked every link that I added to the website to make sure it was educationally sound. On many of these pages I listed the books that the library had in that area (call number and title).

I devised a library website scavenger hunt to enable the students to learn how to get the most from using this site. Students who completed the 10 question hunt got a certificate, their names listed on a poster in the library and their first name & initial of their surname on the website.

One important thing that I strongly believe in is constantly updating a website. Too many websites are put up and never change. I wanted to make sure the information was current for the students, teachers and parents. As I feel this is important I make sure that my Educational Portal today contains the main events for the current and following month.

When I retired I had to take the site down as the incoming teacher-librarian had no computer skills or interest in keeping it up. I decided to take a lot of the information and expand the site for all grade levels and subject areas. Thus, began Cybrary Man’s Educational Web Sites.

A lot has changed since I started the original website. You literally have to learn a new language and try to keep up with all the advances that seem to take place at warp speed. What has really helped me is my awesome global PLN (Professional Learning Network) who supply me with great sites and information.

I enjoy learning new things and trying to keep up with the changes taking place inside and outside the classroom. My dream of teaching machines in the classroom that I wrote in a college term paper in 1967 has far surpassed my idea.

So, I am here still going at it with a site that has grown to over 500 pages and more than 30,000 links. Twelve years ago as I was creating the website, I would never have imagined the places this website would take me in the educational world and the people I would meet (online and in person) who have used the website in their lives (personally and professionally), I am happy to continue my journey as Cybrary Man and see where the next 12 years take me!

13 thoughts on “Be careful what you start!

  1. Pingback: It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane, No It’s Cybraryman! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!

    • Wow! Thank you. You made my day as sometimes I feel I share too much and it might annoy people. I just want to provide useful information for busy educators, students and parents.

      I enjoy helping because when I started teaching three veteran teachers were nice enough to show me how to teach and supported me. They became life long friends.

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