School libraries are vital to any comprehensive approach to literacy instruction. School librarians directly support learners' reading success by enabling both access and motivation to read a range of texts and other informational materials. Moreover, school librarians collaborate with classroom teachers to provide resources and programming that…

According to the author, we are all creators and consumers of media. Technology has made it easy to copy, paste, and transfer anything educators might want to use in their classrooms. As educators, school librarians have an obligation to honor the law and be the role models that learners and other staff members need them to be. So many times the…

As many school librarians start their career they often feel comfortable taking on the job of instructional partner. Becoming an instructional leader in your school requires having a seat at the table. Building relationships with the various community stakeholders sets the tone for the author's school library and their leadership as an…

This article describes the partnership between Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and the Nashville Public Library (NPL) called Limitless Libraries. Through this resource-sharing partnership, learners can access the NPL collection, connecting them to books and other materials outside the walls of their schools. This breaks down barriers to…

This article is about what the future of reading looks like. Currently many districts across the country--including New York City--are adopting research-based methods called the science of reading that focus on mechanics. Leanne Ellis surmises the future of reading holds great promise if school librarians can promote, showcase, and advocate for a…

This article describes the approach to teaching and supporting learners that led, in part, to high school math teacher Sarah Zehnder and the author, Amanda Hurley, a high school librarian, being named the recipients of the 2021 American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Collaborative School Library Award. The article details the process of…

School libraries have been instrumental in the navigation of the triple-trauma crisis of 2020-21. COVID-19, national racial strife, and an economic crisis have had a huge impact on many families in the United States. In summer 2020 the Franklin Special School District in Franklin, Tennessee, was one of many districts across the nation that had to…

In 2020 the tenth edition of the "Intellectual Freedom Manual" will be published by American Library Association (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF). As with each new edition, this one includes guidance on the latest issues, the newest policy statements related to intellectual freedom (IF), and the core documents that outline the…

The actions of a single librarian can bring about district support aimed at increasing students' equitable access to a strong school library. This article shares a success story from a sole school librarian who showed evidence of the school library's value and was able to double her contracted presence as the school's librarian.

This article details the joint collaboration of a large-scale program that brings multiple middle schools and the local high school together for a mini-comic book convention. Collaboration with other librarians, administrators, and community members are highlighted.

To enable learners to seize the opportunities they will face in the future, school librarians must hold a clear vision of where they want their learners to go. Indeed, the primary responsibility of school librarians is to develop whole-child-focused library programs that engage and empower learners with the durable skills, attitudes, and…

In the author's decade-long journey as a school library media specialist, they have witnessed an evolution in the role of education. In today's increasingly interconnected world, going beyond traditional literacy and nurturing informed, empathetic global citizens is becoming a fundamental aspect of our teaching and learning. The United Nations'…

This article details how the Norman Public School District implemented Guided Inquiry Design and making at all levels of the school system. It highlights how the faculty collaborated with other educators and how learners collaborated with their peers and their classroom teachers on inquiry projects.

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…

First-year teachers require a discrete standard of practice. By mentoring and collaborating with these teachers under the Continuum of Care model, school librarians can provide supports to increase new teacher resilience, decrease burnout, and increase commitment to the profession.