As school librarians, we have positive interactions with students, staff, and community members. These interactions may be a positive comment, a hug, or even a thank you note. How many of us save these interactions? Are these interactions shared with others?

After 20+ years as a librarian, I do not remember many of those moments unless I saved a thank you card or another item from a student or staff member.  The stories can be helpful when explaining why students check out books or why a book is important to keep in the school library.  The past two years, I made a point to remember those interactions in the school library – either by adding a tweet to our library Twitter account or creating an electronic note system.  In many ways, it is creating a historical record of the impact of our school library.

Examples

These stories can be used to advocate for our collection or the importance of providing access for students.  Recently, I presented information about our school library collection to a group of community members.  I was able to draw on specific interactions with students that painted a picture of how learners use the library. In a time when parents are not able to visit schools as often, it is important to provide many examples of positive interactions.

Author: Becca Munson

Becca Munson, Librarian, is a National Board Certified Teacher with over 23 years of experience in education. She is currently a school librarian at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, KS. Becca continues to find ways to positively impact student learning with literacy initiatives, technology integration, and building rapport with students and staff. Follow her on Twitter to view the library in action @bvwlibrary and @beccamunson .

Categories: Advocacy/Leadership, Blog Topics, Community, Student Engagement/ Teaching Models

Tags: advocacy