Most of us know there have been large losses of school librarians over the past two decades. What is less well known—and begs for attention—is that these losses pose a major educational equity issue. In our new study (Lance and… Read More ›
Advocacy/Leadership
Three Strikes and the Truth
Last month, I wrote about how a story is shared makes a difference. I encouraged you to help your students share their stories through their viewpoints. This month, I am writing to share some factors that can impact stories and… Read More ›
If You Have It All, They Probably Won’t Come
The Having-It-All Mentality By having it all, I’m not referring to individuals with a perfect life. Instead, having it all is the old-school librarian philosophy to have a print collection covering every topic and issue known to humans. Having-it-all librarians… Read More ›
The Quiet Space Cure
Several years ago I read Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age by Sherry Turkle (2015) and found myself dismayed by her descriptions of the state of our youth, yet hopeful about what I saw as opportunities… Read More ›
What If We Were “Just Book Slingers”?
Perceptions versus Reality Okay – WE all know that school librarians are the “Swiss Army knives of education.” (Thanks for that phrase, guest on School Librarians United!) But too many people are confused about the many diverse aspects of being… Read More ›
Summer Planning – Assessing the School Library Facility
Yes, Rest and Reboot, but Plan! By the time summer rolls around each year, many of us are exhausted and in need of rest and a reboot. Every other book or article I have read so far this break cover… Read More ›
Dear School Leaders: 5 Things You Need to Know about Your School Librarian
Recently, I was fortunate to present at the Louisiana Teacher Leader Summit to school, district, and state leaders on the importance of having full-time, certified school librarians at every school. I spoke to the fact that we are one of… Read More ›
The Joy of Browsing in an Algorithmic World
After a year of placing holds on public library books to pick up (I prefer to read print), I spent a half-hour the other day browsing the shelves. I have certain go-to sections but found myself wandering over to topics… Read More ›
School Librarians Are Knowledge Builders
As an avid bibliophile and concerned educator, I try to make an effort to engage with education-based publications to examine potential connections to the school library field. One recent publication I found to be of great interest is The Knowledge… Read More ›
Are You Backable? 5 Ways to Advocate
What does it mean to be backable? You know the person who seems to convince others with ease. The person who can get up and share an idea and show others exactly what needs to be done. When becoming a… Read More ›