In September, the plan is to head back to in-person learning. Since I work with elementary students, the goal is to provide fewer transitions to different locations in the building. The homeroom class will be their cohort to help limit… Read More ›
Blog Topics
Contactless Book Checkout Planning
Over the past few months we have all gotten used to contactless delivery and pickup at stores and restaurants. As we start the school year, planning for contactless delivery of library materials has been much the same. Our spaces are… Read More ›
Leadership: It Is Made from Productive Change
Last month, I penned a blog post about librarians and leadership as it pertains to school librarians being Total Leaders. My thoughts were based on the framework by Charles J. Schwahn and William G. Spady. To recap, when someone is… Read More ›
Support for School Librarian Roles during a Pandemic
In a May 22 post to the Virginia Association of School Librarians listserv, AASL Past President and Longwood professor Audrey Church posted an uplifting message urging school librarians to be “visible, vocal, positive, and proactive.” I needed to hear her… Read More ›
Embedded 2020
Embedded Librarian? The first thought that comes to my mind when I hear the word embedded is about a tick I found behind my dog’s left ear. When I asked a friend their first impression, they said a wartime journalist. … Read More ›
When in Doubt, School Librarians Take the Reins
When No One Provides a Plan… As the summer ticks down and many educators prepare to face a new school year, there are lots of questions swirling. Most of us are confronting a political and public push to re-open school… Read More ›
Whose Stories Should We Tell?
Whose Stories Should We Tell? Education in America is an ongoing struggle between our ideals and the less than optimal reality we inhabit. But where we can empower students is broadening what we teach to include more perspectives, events, and… Read More ›
Using Voice Recordings to Support the National School Library Standards
Recently I was reminded of a tool called Vocaroo that allows users to record and share their voices online. There is something more personable about leaving a message for your students, parents, and teachers that includes your voice. The best thing about… Read More ›
Using #Bookstagram to Enhance the Library
For the past three years, as I’ve incorporated Google Suite, Canvas, Kahoot, and other interactive digital tools into my library practice, I’ve seen firsthand how technology can benefit my school community. During the quarantine, my technological skills helped me communicate… Read More ›
Communication Is Key
This is the first time in my many years as an educator that I have experienced a major societal event without being with my students. Even in the summer, I had the reassurance that I would see them soon and… Read More ›