Author Archives

Courtney Pentland is the high school librarian at North Star High School in Lincoln, Nebraska. She is adjunct faculty for the University of Nebraska-Omaha School Library program and has served on the Nebraska School Librarians Association board as board member at large, president, and chapter delegate to AASL. She is the 2023-2024 AASL President. Follow her adventures on Twitter @livluvlibrary

• WE NEED YOU! Get Involved Today!

  By Courtney Pentland on 02/15/2023 • ( 0 )

  

  This is your friendly nudge to fill out the AASL Get Involved form! One of the best professional decisions I have made is to get involved at both state and national level in professional associations. After a decade working as… Read More ›

• Use your Voice! We Need Accurate Narratives of the School Library

  By Courtney Pentland on 06/08/2022 • ( 2 )

  

  We need to celebrate school libraries all year long. School Library Month should not be the only time school libraries and school librarians are celebrated. School libraries and school librarians take center stage in April, but we should celebrate and… Read More ›

• The Art and Science of Collection Development

  By Courtney Pentland on 01/11/2022 • ( 0 )

  Collection development is a science and an art that certified school librarians are specifically trained for. In addition to the preparation provided during graduate courses, school librarians continue to learn about collection development via conference sessions, webinars, journal articles, professional… Read More ›

• What 2020 Has Taught Me about Advocacy–A Simple Way to Toot Your Own Horn

  By Courtney Pentland on 12/14/2020 • ( 4 )

  2020 has been a roller coaster of emotions for so many of us. It has caused us stress and worry about so many things, from the health and safety of loved ones during the pandemic to the election to the… Read More ›

• Share Your Story! How Professional Writing Supports Yourself and Others

  By Courtney Pentland on 11/17/2020 • ( 1 )

  Once upon a time, when I was a wee library school student, I was also working on my Master’s in secondary education. (At my university in Omaha, NE, you earn a Master’s endorsement in school library, but with a few… Read More ›

• Revitalizing Our School Library Collection

  By Courtney Pentland on 10/19/2020 • ( 3 )

  

  Back in January, my very first blog post for Knowledge Quest was all about how librarianship is a marathon, not sprint. I wrote about the importance of pacing yourself and not trying to tackle big changes all at once. I… Read More ›

• Don’t Just Join–Engage!

  By Courtney Pentland on 09/17/2020 • ( 0 )

  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 ›

• Getting to Know Your School Librarian from a Safe Distance

  By Courtney Pentland on 09/03/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  I am starting a new position in a new school in a new district this fall after working for 16 years in my previous district. With safety guidelines related to the global pandemic, I know that the way I have… Read More ›

• Searching for the Next Right Thing

  By Courtney Pentland on 07/15/2020 • ( 0 )

  Last month, I wrote that selecting a topic for my blog post was difficult, because the world is a different place than it was a few months ago. Critical conversations are happening in many areas related to systemic racism. I… Read More ›

• Tips for Virtual Job Interviews

  By Courtney Pentland on 06/16/2020 • ( 0 )

  First of all, I want to share that I truly struggled with the focus of this month’s blog post. The world is a different place than it was a few months ago. Critical conversations are happening about topics that will… Read More ›