Stress management is not a skill that comes naturally. It must be taught. I recall a health class early in my high school years in which we discussed stress management techniques: yelling into a pillow, writing in a journal, talking… Read More ›
Blog Topics
Leading the Way: What I Have Learned from the AASL Induction Program
As a part of the first AASL Induction Program cohort, I have been working alongside school librarians from across the country to think, create, share, and grow in leadership. Each month, we examine a different area of leadership, reading about… Read More ›
Overdue Thoughts on Lost Book Fees
In elementary school, librarians try very, very hard to start the school year on the right foot with proactive book care lessons. We remind ourselves every September that for some of our kids, this may be the first time they’ve… Read More ›
Revisiting Collection Development in a Digital Age
For California school libraries, collection development at the district level has been a fond memory. In the late nineties the state funded each district with an amazing $28 per student for library books. Once the funding dried up, library purchases… Read More ›
Why You Should Sponsor a Book Club
Two recent Knowledge Quest blog posts have focused on book clubs. Steve Tetreault shared innovative “Digital Solutions to Book Club Issues,” while Ronda Hughes wrote about different types of book clubs and shared fresh ideas for book club activities in… Read More ›
The Glass Half Full: Focusing on the Positive
Recently, I was able to attend my state library conference, the MAME Conference, for the first time. While there we heard from speakers like Colby Sharp, John Shu, and author Jewels Rhodes Parker. Needless to say, it was two days… Read More ›
Are you an advocate for school libraries? Consider applying for the ALA Policy Corps.
In 2017, I applied to be part of ALA’s inaugural Policy Corps, and honestly, I didn’t think I’d get selected. Although I’d been involved in advocacy locally and had made some fledgling attempts at the state level, I had very… Read More ›
Books to Netflix
Students now more than ever are accessing television through streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. A large percentage of programs and movies that are popular right now started as novels that we have in our school libraries…. Read More ›
Foreshadow: Reflections of an African American School Librarian
I found a small seemingly private room called the Communications Library on a huge college campus in the Midwest. It was tucked in the right corner of an old historical building where glistening concrete floors smelled of Pine Sol. The… Read More ›
How Can School Librarians Teach Media Literacy in Today’s Highly Charged Media Landscape?
I have been thinking quite a bit about media literacy for a long time now, and I have noticed that my training and career as a school librarian have really impacted how I consume media. I’m not able to casually… Read More ›