I miss students coming to the school library asking for a good book to read. We could scan the shelves together to find the “right” one. Once we went to online learning, the library’s social media accounts provided book links… Read More ›
books
Summer Reading Family Packs
As school librarians we often provide summer reading recommendations to our students. This year our libraries wanted to provide something to support the entire family regardless of age or level. We came up with six different family packs. Each pack… Read More ›
School Libraries and Antiracism
For Black people, and people of color, the systemic racism, the oppression, and the acts of aggression that have taken place for the entire timeline of our country is a never-ending stain on our society. As I write this, sitting… Read More ›
Thoughts about Navigating Our Strange New World
As president of AASL, it is an honor to have this space to share my thoughts with you. Please bear with me as I ramble through some of the thoughts and issues that are on my mind as we shelter… Read More ›
2019 Best Books Lists: A Chance to Discover Titles You May Have Missed
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 ›
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 ›