I have always been drawn to Hispanic culture. For my Master’s of Library Science thesis, I wrote a 100-page study examining the portrayal of Hispanic characters in contemporary young adult books. Though I’ve never traveled to Latin America, I keep… Read More ›
Recently, I went to a school library in lower Manhattan whose neglected space overwhelmed the new librarian and me. Not only were books piled everywhere–library books, classroom titles, those annoyingly thin paperbacks–but discarded furniture, musical instruments, papers, technology, and an… Read More ›
When we mention anyone getting up on a soapbox, we generally mean that they are speaking or writing about something that evokes strong feelings within them. The term, which was first noted in print in 1907, was once a literal… Read More ›
As the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, many American children and adults do not know what to do to support the Afghan people caught in the turmoil. Throughout the pandemic, we have turned to both literature and research to guide… Read More ›
Curiosity as a Learning Tool As a curious individual, I ask myself dozens of questions every day: What type of insect is that? What did this street look like 100 years ago? How does color affect people’s moods? I’m the… Read More ›
Over three years ago, I wrote about Victor Hugo’s Green Book in a KQ post based on a historical fiction picture book. I thought Hugo’s story was amazing then. That is one reason I was so excited to read Keila… Read More ›
As the new school year begins, we know we must clean up our library spaces. But what about our virtual spaces–specifically the library catalog? Months of increasing overdue books, possible fines, and outdated lists mean a large discrepancy between what… Read More ›
Assessing the School Library Collection and the Catalog As we gear up for whatever the 2021-2022 school year has in store for us, now may be a good time to evaluate a few areas before the semester begins. This summer,… Read More ›
Are you a new school librarian? Welcome to the best job on the planet! I will be entering my seventh year as a school librarian this year and I know from experience that while it is an extremely rewarding job,… Read More ›
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 ›