Awe is a feeling of reverence and wonder. We experience awe when we see, hear, taste, or smell something that gives us goose bumps. When you feel a sense of awe, soak it all in. Relishing in this feeling nourishes… Read More ›
Perceptions versus Reality Okay – WE all know that school librarians are the “Swiss Army knives of education.” (Thanks for that phrase, guest on School Librarians United!) But too many people are confused about the many diverse aspects of being… Read More ›
Yes, Rest and Reboot, but Plan! By the time summer rolls around each year, many of us are exhausted and in need of rest and a reboot. Every other book or article I have read so far this break cover… Read More ›
During the pandemic, something I discovered about myself was that I absolutely adore live webcams. Whether it was laughing at baby kittens play with each other, watching the sunset in Croatia while eating lunch, or experiencing heavy snowstorms in other… Read More ›
Data Driven Data has always been around us, but recently it’s taken center stage in all areas of society. Earlier this month I attended the virtual Empire State Library Network Pillars Symposium. During the conference, I gathered valuable resources and… Read More ›
In the 2020-21 school year, I utilized technology more than ever–from Zoom to Canvas to all Google products. Some technology tools were used for teacher or library use while others were used to engage students. Of all the tools used,… Read More ›
The Having-It-All Mentality By having it all, I’m not referring to individuals with a perfect life. Instead, having it all is the old-school librarian philosophy to have a print collection covering every topic and issue known to humans. Having-it-all librarians… Read More ›
Several years ago I read Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age by Sherry Turkle (2015) and found myself dismayed by her descriptions of the state of our youth, yet hopeful about what I saw as opportunities… Read More ›
I find that collaboration between homeroom teachers and the school librarian can happen naturally in subjects like language arts and social studies, but other subjects like math can be a bit tricky to fit together. However, every once in a… Read More ›
One of my favorite units with my first-grade students is the Long Ago and Today unit. Students compare and contrast several aspects of culture and civilization in the U.S. from today and different moments in history. Technology, communication, and transportation… Read More ›
Since waking up this morning, you have probably viewed, shared, or posted dozens of pictures or videos. Our daily lives seem to be bombarded with visual imagery. For example, I regularly view YouTube videos to solve problems, watch documentaries to… Read More ›
Since the pandemic I’ve wanted to be able to make changes to my library website. The way that students and teachers access the information the library has to offer has changed. I wanted to build an updated site that gave… Read More ›
Recently my daughter and I finished reading the heavy-hitting, middle-grade novel-in-verse Starfish by Lisa Fipps. My daughter’s words were flowing a mile a minute, the kind that make a librarian’s (and mama’s) heart sing. “This is the best book I’ve… Read More ›