Library
Welcome to the BHS Library
What’s Happening in the BHS Library?
Reading With Rover – Looking for Dog Owner Parent/Guardian Volunteers
The Ballard HS Library is looking to add a new program to increase literacy, and offer Beaver Readers a fun chance to read while hanging out with some sweet pups. The Reading With Rover program has been established at other Seattle Public Schools (Wedgwood Elementary), and Ms. Chambers is hoping to start one in the Ballard High School Library too. Dog owners, with their pooches, would need to go through the Reading With Rover training session, and human volunteers would also, of course, need to be certified Seattle Public Schools volunteers. If you’re interested in learning more, email Ms. Chambers at tschambers@seattleschools.org.
Women’s History Month Lessons Shared
Ballard Library supported Women’s History Month learning by making buttons of Spanish-speaking women from all over the world who are incredible activists, artists, writers, and more! Students in Ms. Eileen Yardley’s Spanish classes did a station rotation with this fun craft as one of their learning spots.
Students created the colorful pins, then practiced their Spanish by discussing the women’s impact, and could then wear/share the pins to create further discussion and interaction outside of the library and classroom.
Thanks to the UW Capstone student interns who made the button templates in the Library Makerspace and PTSA Volunteer Jen Wenrick who assisted with button making throughout the morning.
Join the PTSA Library Volunteer crew! Parents and guardians, the library can always use volunteers for just a few hours a week! Sign up to help!
Evergreen Teen Book Awards
Favorite Young Adult Book
Review the nominees for the Evergreen Teen Book Awards, honoring the school year’s best young adult books!
- Winner! Iron Widow, by Xiran Jay Zhao
- Love in English, by Marie E. Andreu
- Firekeeper’s Daughter, by Angeline Boulley
- Skin of the Sea, by Natasha Bowen
- Code Name Badass: The True Story of Virginia Hall, by Heather Demetrios
- You’d Be Home Now, by Kathleen Glasgow
- Perfect On Paper, by Sophie Gonzales
- Before We Disappear, by Shaun David Hutchinson
- The Initial Insult, by Mindy McGinnis
- The Girls I’ve Been, by Tess Sharpe
Students! Have a Story to Tell? Yapping Club (Podcast)!
The Ballard HS Library and Ms. Chambers are excited to introduce UW Graduate student Andrew Quinn and Ballard HS student Cove Brammer. They are all reimagining how we do podcasts at Ballard High School. Cove is collaborating this semester with Andrew Quinn, who is a Library Science and Information graduate student from the University of Washington. They are both partnering with the ASB Club Teacher Advisor and School Librarian, Ms. Chambers, to collect and share non-fiction stories through a podcast. Storytelling is a powerful tool that is accessible to all of us. Your story can help build connections and stir emotions with your words. The only requirement is that the story is true. They are hoping to inspire all Beaver Reader students to participate in a podcasting momentum by filling out the Online Form or refer to the Podcast News post for more information.
The survey QR code is also posted on flyers around BHS. Thanks for your input!
Capstone Students Library Projects
Welcome University of Washington Capstone students to the BHS Library MakerSpace! Connor, Emma and Anna! They are thrilled to announce the reopening of the BHS Library MakerSpace, a hub for creativity, collaboration, and community-building! Look for flyers around Ballard HS announcing projects and activities in the BHS Library MakerSpace.
Current Project & Activity List
- Ongoing crafts in the Ballard HS Library MakerSpace
- Stop By & Check It Out Today!
- Screen printing in collaboration with Ms. Carlson and the Garment Club. Jewelry.
Library Clubs Information
Reading Buddies to 1st Graders Online
Reading Buddies meet at 8:10 a.m. on Fridays.
The group reads picture books to first-grade students online at Magnolia Elementary in Ms. Meck’s class.
Beaver Reader Reading Buddies earn Service Learning hours as well. They read online in the library Book Club Room. Questions? Email tschambers@seattleschools.org
Clubs That Meet at Lunch
- Library Leaders meet on Mondays. Service Learning hours available.
- That Dam Book Club meets every other Tuesday. Students meet in the Makerspace and can read whatever they want and talk about it. They have been meeting with Lincoln High School in a dual book club of Evergreen book titles.
- Comic Book Club meets on Wednesdays in Mr. Lee’s classroom.
- 3D Printing Club and Architecture Club meet Wednesdays in the Library.
- Garment Club meet Thursdays in Ms. Carlson’s room using Library Makerspace sewing machines.
- Pride Book Club meets every other Friday.
Ballard HS Clubs
Clubs are a great way to get involved. Ballard HS has over 75 clubs available for students! If you can’t find a Club that fits your interests, start your own!
Free Math Tutor Available
We are so lucky to have Ballard community tutors who come to our library every week to support students. This is math tutoring for our students and it is COMPLETELY FREE! Stop by the library circulation counter and sign up!
- Where: Ballard High School Library
- When: Every Tuesday & Thursday afternoon, 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Running Start students stop by and sign up
- Who: Volunteer community members.
- How: Drop into the library after school — or, to guarantee a 20-minute session, put your name on the sign-up sheet.
Peter Seitel
Peter has been a long-time Ballard HS tutor and is looking forward to the new school year. He had a career as a Geologist and Geophysicist before becoming an IT consultant and small business owner. He is available to assist students with all Math courses- from Algebra to AP Calculus and first year Physics. He can also assist with ACT or SAT practice.
Parent Volunteers in the Library Always Needed and Appreciated
The BHS Library and Librarian TuesD Chambers appreciates all the PTSA Volunteer support and help in the library to help all students! Thank you Ballard HS Parents/Guardians you are the best!
Parent volunteers are needed to help in the Ballard Library by signing up for regular weekly shifts during the school day. This is a great opportunity for parents who are able and interested to come 2 hours a week at the same time each week. Help our fantastic librarian Ms. Chambers with checking in books, book displays, re-shelving and other special projects! Questions? Email Ms. Chambers; tschambers@seattleschools.org
Please note that SPS requires all volunteers to complete their volunteer approval process before you can volunteer. Complete the forms needed on our Volunteer Paperwork page and email us if you have any questions at all at to Jen Wenrick and Joy Das Gupta volunteer.ballardhs@gmail.com Thank you!
Students! Hang Out & Read in the Library
Ms. Chambers Talks Hacking Digital Tools
Teacher-Librarian Ms. Chambers presented “Hacking Digital Tools” at the 2024 Washington Library Association Conference March 1-3 in Spokane.
Visit the BHS Library to get more information on how the work being done at the BHS Library is supporting teaching and learning in a time when Ai is changing so quickly.
Thank you Ms. Chambers!
More Than Books: TuesD Chambers
At Ballard High School, TuesD Chambers can barely contain her excitement.
TuesD Chambers BHS Librarian-Teacher
Her love for her role as teacher-librarian is evident throughout the library. She has made the room a place where students can connect. There is a room for arts and crafts, areas for clubs to gather, and spaces for classes to meet.
“What I believe is with any library it has to be more than books,” she said. “Your library has to be the heart of the school for everyone.”
When the pandemic forced schools to close for nearly a year, Chambers had to get creative to attract students to check out books.
She organized curbside book checkouts – but with a twist. Students with a green thumb could pick up plant starters. One check-out day had a pet parade, and another had a band playing. The excitement around the library continued once schools reopened.
With the help of students, she created a group called Library Leaders. The goal is to build a community where everyone can be included, even if they don’t like to read. “We’ve done everything from ‘Blind Date with Books’ to podcasts to playlists to decorating the library … I learned pretty quickly that a library can’t exist with just one person.”
Like Robert, Chambers also spends the bulk of her day supporting classrooms. Her library opens early and is usually packed with students before she even arrives. Once school begins, Chambers will spend four or five periods a day co-teaching a class. “I’m constantly doing the things teachers don’t have time to do,” she said. “I’m supporting staff in a way that I hope makes their lives easier and makes it more seamless for students to get resources.”
Chambers knows the value of her role as Ballard’s teacher-librarian and others throughout the district. She is proud of the way students have found their place and built a community in her library.
“To me, this is the biggest classroom in the school.” Read full article on the SPS website.
Welcome Ms. Bowman!
Ms. Bowman is the Library Assistant and Ms. Chambers is very excited to welcome her to the Ballard High School Library!
Britta has over 18 years of experience working in and with K-8 schools. She started as a parent volunteer when her daughter was in kindergarten and since then, has held various PTA leadership positions and spent many years tutoring elementary students in math. Prior to working in the BHS library, she was the registrar/administrative secretary at Salmon Bay K-8 school for six years. Working with students, staff and school communities brings much joy these past 18 years. She strongly believes in supporting all students in their educational and social/emotional needs and goals. When not working in the library, she spends time hiking in the PNW, gardening, reading, knitting and road tripping.
Talisman Article with Library Assistant Ms. Bowman!
From the Nov. 8, 2023 Talisman Student School Newspaper article: If you have been visiting the library lately you may have noticed a new face checking out books and helping out students: Britta Bowman, the new library assistant. She helps out in the library, assisting students in finding books, checking out books, assisting students in any other ways they may need, as well as serving the community. “I have always liked books,” Assistant Librarian Bowman said. “When I was little, everybody in my family were big readers, so I would find if we were together as a family, that nobody would talk to me because they were all reading, so I (knew I) better start reading a book.”
Bowman also loves helping people and the library gives her a space to do this. “My favorite part about my job is probably interacting with the students and helping them find a book that they’re looking for,” Bowman said. “It’s nice to be surrounded by books of all kinds especially genres that I’m not familiar with ….” Read Talisman Staff Reporter Phoenix E. full story. Photo by Talisman photographer Tansy V.
Students! Service Learning Hours Available!
Students have earned Community Service Learning hours for:
- shelving books, processing books
- fixing shelves
- doing computer maintenance
- reading to 2nd grade students for Reading Buddies
- organizing our Makerspace
- creating online tutorials,
- making scrolling PowerPoint
- Makerspace craft, projects for lunchtime, make book displays, weed books
- create book posters on Adobespark
- create Rubik’s Cube murals
- read first chapters aloud for Youtube channel and Schoology
- theme Picture Books, clean the library, and create Book Collections on Ballard High School Library.
Reach out to Ms Chambers at tschambers@seattleschools.org for specific details. Visit the BHS Service Learning page for school information and forms.
Students! View your Account For Books, Textbooks and Laptops Checked Out To You
Summer Beaver Reader List | Read S’More This Summer
Read books this summer and share your favorites with Ms. Chambers and your teachers in the Fall! Seattle Public Library Card Number is 990000 and Student ID (on ID card or at top of Source) and PIN is the month and day of your birth MMDD.
Ballard HS Library Virtual Tour
Take the BHS Library Survey!
Let us know how you would like to get involve, what do you like to do. How the library can support you in your search for happiness. Take the BHS Library Survey Today!
Summer Book Bingo
Every summer, the Seattle Arts and Lectures partners with The Seattle Public Library to create a Summer Book Bingo card as part of our free summer reading program. Adults 18 & up and Students 0-17 play along from May – September to be entered in a chance to win fabulous prizes. Download a Book Bingo Card