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 ›
Community/Teacher Collaboration
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 ›
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 ›
Welcoming Students with Special Needs to the Library
As I presented my database introduction lesson to a class of ninth-graders, I wondered if I was going too quickly for them. I looked at their focused faces and continued speaking, making a decision not to simplify my words. When… Read More ›
Picture Books and Primary Sources: Interview with Donna Janell Bowman, Author of King of the Tightrope
As we continue to explore picture book authors who utilize primary sources in their research, I was excited to interview Donna Janell Bowman who, in her newest book, writes about one of my favorite lesser-known historical figures, The Great Blondin…. Read More ›
Stations in the Library Part 1 – Choosing Your Stations
Want to create stations or centers in your school library but don’t know where to start or what to use? My friend Leigh Hopkins, instructional technology facilitator for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, and I tackled that topic in a recent workshop…. Read More ›
Themes in School Librarianship, Part 1: Advocacy
I was recently at the School Library Journal’s Leadership Summit 2019. I was very excited to check out the many amazing learning opportunities over the course of a weekend. As the weekend rolled along, I was surprised to realize that… Read More ›
Collection Development: Meeting the Needs of Our Emerging Readers
A few years ago, when I began my current position as a school librarian, the most regular library users in my building were our CDC-A (Comprehensive Development Classroom – Activity Based) students. These students receive special education services that are… Read More ›