As part of the December newsletter for our Maryland Association of School Librarians (MASL), I sat down to write my thoughts for the column I pen as the 2020 president of MASL. I had just gotten my first holiday card… Read More ›
Blog Topics
Part 2: Polarization and New Techniques for Information Evaluation
Do We Need a New Technique for Information Evaluation? For years information professionals have created catchy ways to teach students systems for evaluation of information. School librarians have focused especially on websites and other online sources. Acronyms of all sorts,… Read More ›
Picture Books and Primary Sources: Beautiful Shades of Brown: The Art of Laura Wheeler Waring by Nancy Churnin and Felicia Marshall
Earlier this month I co-hosted a webinar on behalf of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) for librarians. In addition to highlighting the amazing collection that the NPG had to offer, we focused on how students could analyze and learn from… Read More ›
Your Partner Down the Street: School and Public Library Collaboration
It seems obvious, right, to collaborate with your public library partner, especially during this challenging pandemic year. But like all partnerships under crisis, it’s easy to fall into our respective silos. So I thought a post reminding us about this… Read More ›
Part 1: Polarization and Resistance to Fact-Checking Information
What Is True? Another presidential election is in the books. Or is it? The electoral college met on December 14, 2020, with its 538 electors officially casting their votes in the 2020 presidential election. However, before then, media organizations such… Read More ›
Collaboration: 3 Lesson Ideas with Picture Books
What does collaboration look like during a global pandemic? All around us, we see examples of people finding ways to work together to solve problems. Collaborators understand the power of listening to different perspectives, trying things out, and working with… Read More ›
What 2020 Has Taught Me about Advocacy–A Simple Way to Toot Your Own Horn
2020 has been a roller coaster of emotions for so many of us. It has caused us stress and worry about so many things, from the health and safety of loved ones during the pandemic to the election to the… Read More ›
A School Librarian’s Reflection of 2020
A Look Back at March To say the past 10 months have been rough might be the understatement of the year; however, it has also been a time of reflection and a time for school librarians to shine. Back in… Read More ›
Navigating New Subscription Rollouts
Technology in schools has changed in the blink of an eye. What was a hard sell to school boards all over the country has now become a quick approval if it supports remote learning. I’m sure many of you are… Read More ›
4 Things Being a Mentor Taught Me
Recently, a local university was looking for mentors for Librarian and Information Science students. The e-mail went something like, “Help the next generation of school librarians…” My first thought was I am not sure I am qualified! I mean I… Read More ›