Instructional leadership from the school library happens when school librarians make known their areas of expertise, proactively pursue opportunities to teach, and continue to learn new technologies and strategies for student success. Knowledge of grade level curriculum is essential for offering meaningful collaboration to K-12 instructors and…

A few months ago, the largest school district in Texas announced plans to close twenty-eight elementary and middle school libraries, claiming it was part of an effort to combat low test scores and discipline problems. Unfortunately, this troubling trend seems to be spreading. According to the author, multiple studies have shown that effective…

The Bitmoji classroom craze swept education during online teaching and learning in 2020-21. Was that just a fad for pandemic times, or do they retain value in post-pandemic K-12 education? In a recent survey of 72 educators that included 45 school librarians, 71%, mostly at the elementary level, reported that they still use them. The purposes…

In a time where social-emotional learning (SEL) and best-practice initiatives can be found plastered over any and all education-related resources, how can one ensure that school librarians are living up to those expectations? School librarians are tasked with helping students to build a positive relationship with their library spaces and see the…

This qualitative exploratory study sought to investigate and uncover how Virginia K-12 school librarians define leadership and discover how they balance their roles and responsibilities of librarianship without the support of a district library supervisor during periods of complex challenges and organizational change. The American Association for…

Pennsylvania school librarians have ongoing professional learning opportunities to build compelling and inclusive experiences for learners in their libraries and within the school community. From learning the basics about the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Integrated Standards Frameworks to building innovative curriculum and…

2018 was a difficult year for Washington state school librarians. The state's changes in the funding formula for school districts coupled with new regulations on how the money was spent caused many districts to react harshly and reduce certified school librarian and library support staff positions. Unfortunately, school librarians are always at…

Genrefying a library's fiction collection is a common practice in school libraries. However, there is little research to explain the benefits or drawbacks of this practice. Using a within-subjects/time-series action research design, this study was conducted to understand more about the impact of genrefying the fiction collection in a single…

Project-based learning (PBL) allows students to identify and find solutions to real-world problems using inquiry-based learning. While increasingly used in the K-12 classroom, PBL has not had widespread adoption in higher education. With the exception of Correll and Bornstein (2018), very little has been written about using PBL to redesign college…

This paper reports findings of a qualitative collective case study and single case study that explored student reading motivation. This research focused on school librarians' perceived value of one children's choice award--the Bluestem Award--and its effect on school librarians' promotions and student behavior in the school library. Data were…

What are ways to draw attention to the need for an annual library budget? How can school library leaders advocate for equitable library budgets across a school district? These are questions the library services team of three district librarians researched before taking the first steps toward making transformational change in the Beaverton School…

In this Teaching Tips article four time-saving systems to organize an elementary classroom library for successful inquiry instruction are shared. These systems include: Topic, Genre, Author, and Craft. Examples to assist teachers in organizing their own classroom libraries using one or more of these systems are also provided.

Digital disparities have been a concern among different communities across the U.S. The lack of an integrated approach to evaluate digital connectivity limits our understanding of where and what the differences are to address digital equity. This research utilized broadband internet open data and other government datasets to evaluate the status of…

This mixed-methods study explored the impact of cinematic virtual reality (CVR) on seventh-grade students (n = 66) in a school library. The research was comprised of two phases, integrating data from questionnaires and student/teacher interviews. The study focused on "The Displaced," a documentary about child refugees, presented in two…

As K-12 schools strive to enhance education for their students while enabling educators to focus on core competencies, schools must look toward strategic partnerships with outside groups and organizations. Partnerships with families, libraries, museums, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and subject matter experts hold the promise of a brighter…