As a former 6th-grade English teacher, I miss teaching kids how to be writers. As a school librarian, I realize that reading and writing go hand in hand and there is no reason writing cannot be a part of my… Read More ›
Blog Topics
Building Diverse Collections for LGBTQ+ Students
One of the values I hold most dear is appreciating and celebrating diversity in all its forms. I want this to reflect in the work I do with students, in my library as a physical space, and in my collection…. Read More ›
Curation and Collaboration Time at #AASL19
For the past three years it has been my pleasure to be a part of the AASL American University Presses Book Selection Committee. This year I will not be able to attend the 2019 AASL National Conference, but a few… Read More ›
Calvert County Public Schools and The Ruth Toor Grant for Strong School Libraries for the WIN!
What makes a strong school library? For me, that question is twofold. Strong school libraries are staffed by strong school librarians and are used utilized by strong learners. This is why I was so excited that our middle school libraries… Read More ›
Five Recommended YA Fiction Titles
Based on the new books I’ve read this year, I have to say that 2019 is an exceptionally good year for young adult fiction. In my last blog post, I talked about one of the amazing books I’ve read recently,… Read More ›
Advocacy – Something for Everyone!
I want all school librarians to be advocates for school libraries. It’s not just during budget season, and it’s not just when your job is on the line. That’s too little, too late. It’s not “just one more thing” to… Read More ›
Unable to Come to Louisville for #AASL19? … Join the #NOTATAASL Crew as a Virtual Attendee
I am super excited to be attending the 2019 AASL National Conference in Louisville, where I will have the opportunity to hear great speakers, discover new books and resources, enhance my personal learning network, further my lifelong learning, and enjoy… Read More ›
Community — Our Libraries Feel Like Home
How Libraries Make Us Feel On a memorable day a few years ago, a precious fifth grader named Joseph visited the library. I heard him breathe deeply and say, “I just love the smell of the library on a Monday… Read More ›
Using PBS MASTERPIECE Films: A Novel Approach
[SPONSORED CONTENT] Teaching the “Classics” We all know that the traditional literary classics are becoming less and less accessible to today’s students. The language can be daunting, the sentence structure complex, and the characters seem to espouse old-fashioned values and… Read More ›
Themes in School Librarianship, Part 2: Storytelling (But Not Like You Think!)
Organically Arising Themes Not long ago, I attended the School Library Journal’s Leadership Summit 2019. There were so many interesting speakers, great workshops, and amazing colleagues to learn from and grow with! But I noticed that there were several themes… Read More ›