Student librarians at the British International School of Washington recently launched a podcast to foster a love of reading in the community.
Student librarians at the British International School of Washington recently launched a podcast to foster a love of reading in the community.
So often in the library, I see students struggling to choose books that match their reading interests. They love reading Princess Black stories but are exhausting every title and are uncertain which book to pick up next. They have savored every moment of the Harry Potter series, but now what? Some student are just becoming free readers, but sometimes too much freedom can be overwhelming!
I am an avid podcast listener, and I love the ease of access they provide. Knowing that my classes have a limited time in the library each week, I wanted to find a way to connect with students and provide book suggestions. I had a moment where I thought to myself, “What about a BISW Library Podcast?”
I pitched my idea to my student librarians, a group of ambitious girls that share a love for reading. They became excited, and from that moment there was no turning back.
The BISW Podcast is the collobative work of a group of tech literate students that is recorded, edited and published on campus. The podcast features blurbs from various book genres, sound effects and music that gets students at various ages excited about reading. The BISW Podcast is created on the Anchor App.
The first episode, "What should I read if I like Diary of a Wimpy Kid?", is now live on on the web. The trailer for this season is available here and is an adaptation to the BISW cheerleaders “Lions are the Best” cheer. This trailer was launched in advance to let students and families know about the BISW Podcast.
Each episode will be under five minutes , providing the opportunity for students to produce new episodes regularly.
It never ceases to amaze me that the student leadership at BISW are confident, creative and fun.
The students and I really appreciate the support from the BISW community. You can follow our adventures, other book suggestions and the remodeling journey of our second-floor library on Instagram.
You can subscribe to BISW Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Please have a look at the first episodes and check back regularly for new content!
For more information, contact Lesley McErlane .
Lesley McErlane
School Librarian
British International School of Washington
