Where did summer go? Whether you find yourself teaching from home or returning to school in person, September means back to school. It also means election season. As teachers, school librarians play a unique role in connecting student learning to… Read More ›
For many of us the feeling of connection in our profession has changed by the new educational world since the pandemic. We aren’t engaging with our students and staff in person, and we don’t have the chance for organic conversations… Read More ›
Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession. It is not an outdated, rarely thought about core value; it is a living tenet that allows for the promotion and protection of ideas from all viewpoints and access to… Read More ›
Underappreciated and Vulnerable “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” This line from the 1976 movie Network is spoken by a character who is losing his sanity. And yet, it is a line that continues… Read More ›
I have been a member of the Nebraska School Librarians Association (NSLA) since the beginning of my school library career (and even before that as I joined as a grad student). A few years later, a mentor of mine asked… Read More ›
Historically based picture books, while often having some type of connection to our own lives, may not always seem timely. That certainly wasn’t the case with Linda Elovitz Marshall’s new book, The Polio Pioneer. The book explores Dr. Salk’s life… Read More ›
You cannot be afraid to speak up and speak out for what you believe. You have to have courage, raw courage. The vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy. Both of the above quotes are… Read More ›
Are you looking for a fun and efficient way to introduce library resources to your learning community? I have an idea for you. Challenge learners to design a squirrel-proof bird feeder. This task will inspire learners to explore bird feeders… Read More ›
I walked into the new school library at Chatham Grove Elementary School for the first time in May 2020. There was so much space! It was incredible! We could host a square dance in between the eighteen double-sided rolling shelves,… Read More ›
As the 2020-2021 school year gets under way AASL is collecting data from school librarians across the country to gauge the status of teaching, school library use, and school librarians’ role as school/district plans continue to adapt with changes in… Read More ›
My school has been using Canvas as its learning management system (LMS) for the past three years. At the elementary level, we were using Canvas primarily to communicate with parents. Before last spring, there was limited, if any, curriculum content… Read More ›
The COVID-19 pandemic brings exceptional challenges to school districts nationwide. Do schools reopen to students in-person, online, or as a hybrid model of blended learning? And a decision made one day could change the next. Most importantly, working in a… Read More ›