One of the things I look forward to every December is the release of all the “best books” lists. Like all librarians, I try to keep up with newly published titles throughout the year by reading professional review journals,… Read More ›
books
Co(mmunity)-Constructed Library
We Make Our Library Great. Together. I’m the steward of the school library. It’s my job to make the library a place that reflects our learning community, and responds to the community’s needs. Since our population of users is always… Read More ›
Meaningful Displays: 4 Examples of Displays with Purpose
In November 2015, Jennifer LaGarde wrote a blog post called “Six Tips for Building Book Displays That Matter.” In the post, she shared how her philosophy around displays had changed since starting as a librarian. She questioned, “Why would we… Read More ›
The School Wide Love for The Hate U Give
I am never one to turn down a free lunch. So when the invitation was extended by Khristi Jenkins (school librarian) and Wrenn Heisler (English teacher) at Patuxent High School to come and join in a lunch-time book discussion, I… Read More ›
Building a Reading Community, One Reader at a Time
This spring, one of our 9th graders found a safe spot with us in the Camden Hills Regional High School Library. Erica is a self-proclaimed non-reader. She’s not a member of our Student Library Advisory Committee. But she is… Read More ›
Some Lesser-Known Features of GoodReads, a Great Book-Minding Tool
In January, I wrote about Library Extension, a tool that can inspire some powerful literacy moments. Another great digital resource for sparking powerful literacy moments is GoodReads, which offers some fancy features that aren’t always well-known. Let’s dive in! GoodReads: What… Read More ›
Popcorn and the Power of a Great Book Trailer
There’s nothing like seeing a great movie in a theater. First of all, there’s the popcorn. Movie-theater popcorn is unlike anything you can microwave or cook on the stove. There’s the anticipation of a great film and spending 2 hours… Read More ›
A Season for Reading–One Book I Loved
As school librarians, we are all busy. There is never enough time to do it all, much less do it all well. One area that has demanded my attention lately is reading kids’ books. A school librarian must read books… Read More ›
5 Things I Love about Author Visits
Each year I am responsible for scheduling the author visit for my school. Preparing for these visits can be a lot of work. There are many factors to consider such as finding the right fit for your audience, budgeting, book… Read More ›
Gallery Walk, A Novel Idea!
During the last six weeks of school, the ELA department has a novel of choice unit. Each English teacher does novel of choice differently; while some allow their students to simply choose whatever book they want, others want to create… Read More ›