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 ›
literacy
Recognizing School Librarians in April and All Year Long
School Library Month April is one of my favorite months. My mom was born in April. April showers bring May flowers. Spring is in full swing and the winter blahs are being chased away by the promise of warmer weather,… Read More ›
Exploring Equity with Those Shoes
Making Connections As librarians implementing the AASL Standards, we often find inspiration in those who work around us and among us. We celebrate the work of other librarians and find joy in being part of an effective, innovative profession. Making… Read More ›
Tips for Starting a Makerspace Program and More
Once upon a time, I started my own free after-school program for elementary and middle school children. I worked with a few neighborhood children in a donated space. After I arranged for the room, I talked with local parents to… Read More ›
Library Writers
As a former 6th-grade English teacher, I miss teaching kids how to be writers. As a school librarian, I realize that reading and writing go hand in hand and there is no reason writing cannot be a part of my… 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 ›
Expanding Family Literacy Night with the AASL Inspire Special Event Grant
Griffin Middle School is located in a suburb on the northwest side of Atlanta, Georgia. The population is diverse; approximately 60 percent of the students are Hispanic. Two years ago, my principal asked me to take on the role of… Read More ›
Collaboration with Choice Novel Studies
English Class: Choose Your Own Book Really? In English class?! We get to choose? Choice Novel Studies (CNS) are beginning to ripple into our high school English department, with great benefits. Our circulation numbers in the library increased by over… 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 ›