As any elementary librarian knows, kindergarten teachers deserve a special place in heaven. Out of all the grades that I teach, nothing makes me as nervous as the kindergarten classes, especially in September. Forty-five minutes with tiny humans wandering around… Read More ›
Blog Topics
Projects, Deadlines, and Stress, Oh My!
I hope that you had a wonderful break. There is so much to get done during the holidays. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy it all. But taking care of the holidays is a demanding job. By the time New… Read More ›
Lessons Taught and Lessons Learned: School Library Students Share
Learning about School Librarianship This fall, I was privileged to be able to work with amazing students at the University of Maryland’s iSchool as an adjunct professor in their college of information science. I taught one of my favorite courses,… Read More ›
Organizing High School Research Using Database Tools
High school students often get a bad rap. They’re accused of being lazy, wasteful, immature . . . the list goes on. Through my experience working with adolescents, however, I’ve found that what most people interpret as irresponsible behavior is… Read More ›
2020 Vision – Goals for My School Library
Happy New Year Hello from the library at the Highland School of Technology in Gastonia, NC. January provides us with a wonderful opportunity to take stock of library services and evaluate their effectiveness. As with personal goals for a new… Read More ›
Picture Books and Primary Sources: A Place to Land by Barry Wittenstein and Jerry Pinkney
Earlier this school year, I interviewed Barry Wittenstein about his newest book, A Place to Land. In the interview, he shared stories about his use of primary sources in the research for his book and the role that they played… Read More ›
Librarianship Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint–Mid-Year Reset
I don’t know about you, but I am ready to hit the January reset button. For most educators, August is the time when we set our goals and intentions for the upcoming school year, which makes January the perfect time… Read More ›
Moving from Content to Process in Instruction: How Educators Can Make the Shift
2019 was a big year for New York state librarians with the relaunch of the Empire State Information Fluency Continuum (ESIFC). Dr. Barbara Stripling, the principal author, defined the changes as “increased or new attention to pre-kindergarten, multiple literacies, digital… Read More ›
Advocacy Mindset
Advocacy. It is the job that is not officially part of my job as a high school librarian. It’s a mindset for me. Sometimes I don’t even realize I’m “doing” advocacy because it informs so many aspects of my work…. Read More ›
Get Uncomfortable and Learn Something New
Have you ever read an inspiring social media post that got you thinking? Check out the post below. Tori Arsenault, a pharmacist, wrote that she is dedicating 20 minutes a day to learn something new. Her note stuck with me… Read More ›