I know what you must be thinking: I am late to this party! If you complete a quick Internet search you find many, many posts from librarians who have been using self-checkout for years. I mean, years! So now I… Read More ›
When school libraries are safe spaces, we model the Include Shared Foundation, and school libraries can transform their school communities as learners feel not just safe, but also seen, included, respected, and appreciated. While the many ways school libraries serve… Read More ›
A few months ago, I wrote about Books of Our Roots, an idea I came up with to celebrate diversity in my high school library and facilitate conversations among students. The goal was to survey students about their families’ backgrounds,… Read More ›
A few years ago a conversation started in my library that was prompted by a student reading Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give. The student in question identified as a person of color, but in our extremely homogeneous community she… Read More ›
Happy New Year Hello from the library at the Highland School of Technology in Gastonia, NC. January provides us with a wonderful opportunity to take stock of library services and evaluate their effectiveness. As with personal goals for a new… Read More ›
Earlier this school year, I interviewed Barry Wittenstein about his newest book, A Place to Land. In the interview, he shared stories about his use of primary sources in the research for his book and the role that they played… Read More ›
I don’t know about you, but I am ready to hit the January reset button. For most educators, August is the time when we set our goals and intentions for the upcoming school year, which makes January the perfect time… Read More ›
2019 was a big year for New York state librarians with the relaunch of the Empire State Information Fluency Continuum (ESIFC). Dr. Barbara Stripling, the principal author, defined the changes as “increased or new attention to pre-kindergarten, multiple literacies, digital… Read More ›
Advocacy. It is the job that is not officially part of my job as a high school librarian. It’s a mindset for me. Sometimes I don’t even realize I’m “doing” advocacy because it informs so many aspects of my work…. Read More ›
Have you ever read an inspiring social media post that got you thinking? Check out the post below. Tori Arsenault, a pharmacist, wrote that she is dedicating 20 minutes a day to learn something new. Her note stuck with me… Read More ›
Getting Better I have a bad back, and I have to exercise so my core muscles can compensate for it and keep me (mostly) pain-free. The problem is, I am consistently embarrassed by how few push-ups and planks I can… Read More ›
You might have seen a press release from AASL back in November about the newly approved ALA/AASL/CAEP School Librarian Preparation Standards. And you might have thought, “What is this? Another new set of standards?” Sometimes all the different sets of… Read More ›
I’m a minimalist at heart, and technology is truly perfect for minimalists! A single laptop or tablet meets my needs thoroughly! More often than not, though, I’m conflicted. I don’t always enjoy using technology like I know I should. While… Read More ›
Welcome to the new year! As I write this, I am halfway through my term as AASL President, and I am loving the journey. I’ve met wonderful people, visited amazing places, and have contributed to school librarianship in many ways… Read More ›