Author Archives
Hello, I am the Library Director at The Webb School of Bell Buckle. I use my past experience in college and university libraries to help my current students in school libraries transition into college, career, and life. I am currently the lead Senior Class Adviser for the Capstone Project. I also served at the state level with the Tennessee Association of School Librarians executive board from 2009-2013 and was the TASL president in 2012. I am certified as a Library Information Specialist for PreK-12th grade, have a BS in Communications with a concentration in Advertising and Public Relations, a BS in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Education and Information Systems and a Masters in Library and Information Science.
-
From reading decline to reading culture
Are Kids Reading Books Anymore? Book circulation is falling in different types of libraries, and school libraries are not exempt. But we can hope that if kids are not reading print books then perhaps they are reading eBooks. However, based… Read More ›
-
Student choice in topic selection
My topic is … Aliens, Bigfoot, or the Illuminati Many of us would agree that giving students a choice in the topic selection process is a good thing. But what happens when the choices are trending towards pseudoscience and conspiracy… Read More ›
-
Curate, Curating, Curation
In case you didn’t make it to AASL 2017 An acronym to help you remember the new standards shared foundations is IICCEE. Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore, Engage Or you could hum the Vanilla Ice song “Ice Ice Baby” if… Read More ›
-
Learning from Losing
How losing taught me more than winning ever did. There are some pivotal moments in life when one experiences a loss. Most everyone has lost a job, which can be devastating and leave one directionless for a time. Many of us… Read More ›
-
Free Scholarly Resources Online
No budget for databases? Are you in a school that struggles to find the money for quality, college-preparatory research databases? A recent discussion on a librarian Facebook group sent me on a quest for free scholarly resources online. When one… Read More ›
-
Help the Teachers Teach
How to help the willing co-teachers There are many ways to help classroom teachers, but the ultimate has to be a co-teaching situation. In my experience, teaching research and library skills in a vacuum is not effective. Students may learn… Read More ›
-
Readers and Non-Readers
The Decline in Readers Over the past few years, I have been deeply concerned about declining reading scores. And despite my best efforts, there is an overall decrease in readers in my library. I always try to provide support and… Read More ›
-
A Peek into the Future School Library
Summer Reflection During the school year, I focus my time almost completely on curriculum, collaboration with faculty, and working directly with students. But during the summer I turn my focus on the immediate future of my library space and the… Read More ›
-
Summertime and the Reading Is Easy
Don’t Lose the Pleasure of Summertime Reading It seems that reading for pleasure is a lost art these days. Several years ago, I began sending out “Ms. Little’s absolutely NOT mandatory summertime reading list.” This was not a list of difficult… Read More ›
-
School Librarians Missing at Private and Charter Schools
A Private School Librarian I am a private school librarian. There is a tendency to think that those who attend private school are wealthy and elite. However, I have seen a very different picture in my current school. We charge… Read More ›