December brings a uniquely chaotic blend of academic pressure, cultural celebration, and seasonal reflection. School libraries offer a powerful blend of academic support, cultural celebration, inclusive practice, and joyful reading. By honoring local traditions, fostering empathy, easing finals stress, and building excitement for upcoming awards, librarians help create a season where every learner feels supported, seen, and (hopefully) experiences some of the buzzy excitement that comes with having time to read for fun.

In New Mexico, December is filled with culturally significant events, including Pueblo Feast Days at Sandia, Taos, Picuris, Ohkay Owingeh, Pojoaque, and others. These celebrations highlight community, tradition, and gratitude. In my little library, I continuously spotlight Native-authored books, share information about local Feast Days, and update our large community calendar to feature luminaria walks, Las Posadas, and winter markets.

This month always brings some tangible excitement as learners and librarians start speculating about which titles might take home the year’s biggest honors. It’s the perfect moment to harness that book joy and channel it into engaging library experiences—whether you’re hosting a Mock Caldecott, running a Sibert Smackdown, creating a display for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities featuring Schneider Family Book Award winners, or just celebrating an abundance of great reading. With so much anticipation in the air, this month offers a golden opportunity to spark genuine buzz for truly outstanding books.

As a new member of the School Library Event Promotion Committee, I’m excited to help curate and share resources that support the incredible work school librarians do every day. December is a busy month for all of us—full of finals, winter celebrations, and planning for the new year—but our committee is highlighting just one featured event this month: International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2025. It’s a meaningful opportunity for school libraries to promote inclusion, empathy, and accessibility.

The School Library Promotional Events Page details the history of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, offers professional learning resources, learner engagement resources, and some thoughtfully curated book lists. This is a rich and valuable resource and I encourage you to check it out!

May your December be filled with great stories—on the page and in your library!