Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote in 1947, “Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.”(1) With the attack on the Capitol… Read More ›
advocacy
Helping Dr. Biden Hear Our Voices
Hope for Education In August 2020, when the Democratic Party nominated Joe Biden for the Presidency, Biden announced his acceptance from the library of the high school where his wife used to teach. And Dr. Biden addressed the nation from… Read More ›
Moving Forward to Build a Stronger Library Ecosystem
As we head toward the new year, I am already looking ahead to update and set some goals for 2021. As a new member of the ALA Library Ecosystem Subcommittee (a subcommittee of the ALA Committee on Library Advocacy (COLA)),… 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 ›
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 ›
Using the SLEI Standards to Advocate, Plan, and Discover
The School Librarian Roles I am Most Passionate About I began as a student in the online school library media program at the University of West Georgia in 2015. I was working part-time as a school library paraprofessional at the… Read More ›
How to Cultivate Powerful School Library Advocates
Cultivating Allies Too often, educators–and school librarians in particular–are reactive in advocacy, rather than proactive. But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Developing relationships with those within school districts who have both initial recommendations and ultimate… Read More ›
Access to Print Books? Yes!
In this time of virtual and hybrid learning, are print books still important? My answer is a resounding “yes”! However, what do you do if your administrator doesn’t “get it”? I received a request for advice from a school librarian… Read More ›
Embracing Our Leadership Role through Advocacy and Voting
You cannot be afraid to speak up and speak out for what you believe. You have to have courage, raw courage. The vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy. Both of the above quotes are… Read More ›
Pump Up The Volume! Boosting the Signal of School Librarians
Underappreciated and Vulnerable “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” This line from the 1976 movie Network is spoken by a character who is losing his sanity. And yet, it is a line that continues… Read More ›