Author Archives

I am an educator, school librarian, writer and wellness advocate.
This is my 23rd year with Columbus City Schools. Currently I serve as the head librarian at Eastmoor Academy, a college prep high school. Although memoirs and biographies are my favorite, I am not afraid of sci-fi and fantasy. Using my role to promote social justice and culturally relevant literature is one of my favorite things to do.

• You Are Never Too Old for a Good Story

  By Chiquita Toure on 05/20/2019 • ( 0 )

  The Storyteller As a child I loved good storytelling, whether told by a professional storyteller or an elder in my family. As a young student I can recall meeting Ella Jenkins, a national storyteller who visited my elementary school. Through… Read More ›

• Poetic Expressions: Slamming in the Library

  By Chiquita Toure on 04/18/2019 • ( 0 )

  

  Nine years ago I transitioned from my position as an ELA teacher to school librarian. Eager to make an impact in a new environment I applied for and received the Ingram-White Castle Foundation Grant, which enabled me to create the… Read More ›

• Visual and Media Literacy for Deeper Learning

  By Chiquita Toure on 03/18/2019 • ( 1 )

  

    The Venting Just recently I was talking with a colleague at an education conference. We discussed how to create and develop better ways to engage students in reading at the intermediate level. I will admit we vented to one… Read More ›

• Community Building and Learning through Curation

  By Chiquita Toure on 02/07/2019 • ( 1 )

  

  Curate is one of my favorite Shared Foundations. According to the AASL Standards school librarians should have a key commitment to “make meaning for oneself and others by collecting, organizing, and sharing resources of personal relevance.” Oftentimes, when we think… Read More ›

• Encouraging the so-called “non-readers”: Fine-tuning book displays

  By Chiquita Toure on 01/22/2019 • ( 0 )

  

  Reaching out to Non-readers As a high school librarian it is important yet challenging to encourage students to read books. This is particularly true for our students who consider themselves non-readers. They are intimated by hardcover books with hundreds of… Read More ›

• Afrotopia: Culturally Relevancy in Science Fiction, Who Knew?

  By Chiquita Toure on 12/05/2018 • ( 1 )

  

  As a school librarian I am proud of the evolution and expansion of children and young adult literature throughout the years. My goals are to increase literacy and make my excitement about books contagious. However, as an adult reader I… Read More ›

• Foreshadow: Reflections of an African American School Librarian

  By Chiquita Toure on 11/09/2018 • ( 3 )

  I found a small seemingly private room called the Communications Library on a huge college campus in the Midwest. It was tucked in the right corner of an old historical building where glistening concrete floors smelled of Pine Sol. The… Read More ›

• Collaboration: Building Relationships One Person at a Time

  By Chiquita Toure on 10/11/2018 • ( 2 )

  Let’s admit it: collaborating with fellow educators can be a rewarding experience. After attending conferences or participating in professional learning communities, we are excited about sharing new titles, the latest tech tools, and/or trends in social emotional teaching and learning…. Read More ›

• Hooked at the School Library: On Becoming a Reader

  By Chiquita Toure on 09/07/2018 • ( 0 )

  OK. I’ll admit I was not the child who devoured books. In fact, reading books was the least of my interests. Instead I was an only child with a great imagination who spent most of my time with imaginary friends… Read More ›

• A Serendipitous Moment Sparks a Writing Club

  By Chiquita Toure on 08/03/2018 • ( 0 )

  The culture of a school library is sometimes seen as a space of boredom and monotony. However, as a librarian, I am open to new ideas, and this is how I came to dream, organize, and create the Warriors Writing… Read More ›