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Publisher’s description A heart-expanding novel about four Latinx teens who make New Year’s resolutions for one another—and the whirlwind of a year that follows. Fans of Erika L. Sánchez and Emery Lord will fall for this story of friendship, identity, and the struggle of finding yourself when all you want is to start over. From […]
Publisher’s description This tender story of friendship, music, and ferocious love asks: what will you fight for, if not yourself? You Don’t Know Me But I Know You author Rebecca Barrow’s next book is perfect for fans of Katie Cotugno and Emery Lord. Who cares that the prize for the Sun City Originals contest is fifteen grand? […]
Publisher’s description In 1955, eighteen-year-old Janet Jones keeps the love she shares with her best friend Marie a secret. It’s not easy being gay in Washington, DC, in the age of McCarthyism, but when she discovers a series of books about women falling in love with other women, it awakens something in Janet. As she […]
When I talk about doing a diversity audit, one of the first questions I get asked is how I know whether or not a book is diverse. There is no easy answer that does not involve doing a small amount of research. Though over time, because I tend to deal exclusively with YA, I gain […]
Publisher’s description A fresh, charming rom-com perfect for fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Boy Meets Boy about Nathan Bird, who has sworn off happy endings but is sorely tested when his former best friend, Ollie, moves back to town. Nathan Bird doesn’t believe in happy endings. Although he’s the ultimate film buff and an aspiring […]
Famed actor and activist George Takei will kick off School Library Journal’s annual Summit. This year’s theme: Making “good trouble.”
Publisher’s description Tasia Quirk is young, Black, and fabulous. She’s a senior, she’s got great friends, and a supportive and wealthy family. She even plays football as the only girl on her private high school’s team. But when she catches her mamma trying to stuff a mysterious box in the closet, her identity is suddenly […]
How valuable is a master’s degree in library science? Opinions from the field have fluctuated, along with the fortunes of the profession.
The International Literacy Association invites librarians to support their newly-launched Children’s Rights to Read campaign.
Tips on language and presentation to get administrators to listen (and act) when advocating for the library.
A look at the titles, data, a round up of recent related content, and more, as the literary world focuses the spotlight on censorship.
New initiative focuses on equity and social justice.
A frequently challenged book club pick; insisting on the Pledge of Allegiance
A climb up Mount Kilimanjaro and a mission to improve a district's libraries while motivating others to advocate for themselves.
AASL has launched two eagerly anticipated crosswalk documents on the new page of AASL's National School Library Standards Web Portal.
Tone policing happens during conversations or debates when one person, typically of greater privilege, thwarts a speaker's thoughts or opinions by reacting to their emotional tone.
The author of So You Want to Talk About Race spoke with SLJ about what educators, and specifically librarians, can do to better serve students of color and change institutional bias and patterns of systemic racism in U.S. education.
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In a recent white paper, Gale, a Cengage company, explored eight best practices on how leading librarians across the country are building relationships with administrators, changing perceptions and sharing their stories to better serve students.
Displays are a place where libraries are not being neutral. What is chosen to highlight or not makes a statement.
Erin Entrada Kelly creates illustration as part of the Raising Our Voices Today advocacy effort.
I am just back from ISTE in Chicago where I shared in some very interesting developments and experiences. 1. Following input and feedback from more than 1300 educators from the US and around the world, ISTE released its new Standards for Education Leaders, formerly known as the ISTE Standards for Administrators. According to the official press release, These […]
New framework connects to ISTE standards and a guide helps librarians work in a collaborative, practical way.
Librarians joined their colleagues across the country at rallies and protests, but as they fight for funding and change in public education, they must continue to battle for respect and understanding of their role in schools.
The news is full of horrific stories of young children being taken away from their families for the sin of wanting to come to a new country to flee the extreme poverty, violence, and whatever else it is that one flees from. There are pictures of babies crying, audio of children wailing and crying out […]
Jakari Singleton was moved to action when he heard his school might lose its long-time teacher-librarian.
Strategies for adaptability, financing, and assessment are key to the movement’s future.
Educators look at coding in a new context, with computational thinking and basic computer literacy as the goal.
From before eliminating positions is proposed to getting those jobs back when they’re gone, Elissa Malespina gives you a plan of attack.
The Washington Library Association (WLA) advocates helped secure a line-item allocation for school library supplies in a school funding bill that is now headed to the governor's office for signature.
In these changing times, librarians must take action to build community, foster equity, and develop a rich and resilient social fabric.
A school district superintendent describes school libraries as "a model of the type of learning space towards which education is evolving."
The comments section enables readers to provide feedback and engage in conversation. In this case, we’ve far exceeded the standard function of comments on a news story.
The White House budget proposal to eliminate federal library funding would adversely impact all children, particularly those in at-risk communities.
A recent conference at the Brooklyn Public Library focused on “Interrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline.”
Susan Grigsby has embarked on the adventure of a lifetime, leaving the U.S. for a school librarian position in Singapore. Here she shares some prized new finds as she begins to explore a whole new world of children's literature.
Manage the money, amplify student voice, and more tips from SLJ's 2017 Hero of Equitable Access.
When did you last think deeply about why you are a teacher librarian? I challenge you to articulate that. You will be empowered.
It’s one of AASL’s Shared Foundations in the new National Standards. It’s identified as a leadership area on the Future Ready Librarians Framework. But what does it look like when the school librarian really dives into digital curation? A little while back I had the opportunity to create a video on school librarians and social media curation […]
Four tech experts recommend a selection of websites and applications.
Teens, as a culture, are pretty maligned and misunderstood. They’re loud, they’re lazy, they’re disrespectful, they’re dangerous – pick your stereotype. They like to travel in rabid packs, that’s my favorite. I believe lots of adults sit around and visualize teens as actual packs of wolves in their minds. Teens get a bad rap. In […]
As a member of the AASL National Standards Implementation Taskforce, I was honored to take part in the rollout in Phoenix. Whether you were in Phoenix or were #NOTATAASL, you will need to get your arms around the Standards and share them with your colleagues or stakeholders, I’d like to highlight a few of my personal […]
I have worked in public libraries for 24 years now and every few months (weeks? days?) it seems like another think piece or post on social media comes out proclaiming that we should just shut down and stop funding our public libraries because no one even uses them anymore, or everyone just uses the Internet, […]
Move over, John Green. In an event featuring star authors, a group of Oregon high school students stole the show at SLJ's 2017 Summit. Here's video of the teen panel.
Author John Green opened School Library Journal's 2017 Leadership Summit in Nashville, TN, with an emotional keynote. Here's the video.
Tools are on-hand to help children cope and thrive, socially and emotionally, and combat hateful and bullying behavior.
As the new director of library services for New York schools, Melissa Jacobs plans to attract more educators to the library profession, expand maker spaces, and create more opportunities for librarians in public and nonpublic schools to learn from one another.
Ways to help hard-hit libraries recover after Hurricane Harvey and to win literary swag and stand up for reading—and more.
Since 2014, when SLJ conducted its first maker survey, maker activities have increased by four percent at the elementary and middle school levels.
The five individuals cited in this year’s competition for our School Librarian of the Year award illustrate today’s state-of-the-art approach to the work, and point the way forward for anyone who wants to make a positive impact on kids’ lives and learning.
Publisher’s description Calling all Raina Telgemeier fans! The Newbery Honor-winning author of Roller Girl is back with a heartwarming graphic novel about starting middle school, surviving your embarrassing family, and the Renaissance Faire. Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with two parents working at the Renaissance Faire, and she’s eager to begin her own training as a […]
As school leaders, you’ll want to dig into the NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2017 K-12 Edition. The annual K12 Horizon Report regularly identifies and profiles six key trends, six significant challenges, and six developments in educational technology likely to impact teaching and learning.
I loved the movie Labyrinth as a little kid. Aside from being fascinated with David Bowie, I liked the main character, Sarah (Jennifer Connelly), whose baby brother is stolen by Jareth (Bowie), the Goblin King. The only way to get him back is to defeat a formidable labyrinth, with traps and twists that render it […]
Three recent titles on providing literary instruction to all students, making the best use of children's literature, and taking a leadership role in schools.
2017 School Librarian of the Year Finalist Alisha Wilson’s library “Spark Lab” has all the supplies kids need—including a writing lab for one-on-one help.
An ALA committee has designed a set of professional competencies that emphasizes leadership and growth.
Advocating for equitable tech access and participating in professional learning are among the mandates of the new standards.
As the 2017/2018 school year approaches, it would be good to know about a couple of documents/frameworks that will be influencing the ways we teach with, learn with and support our classroom educator and coach partners. First ISTE’s refresh of its Standards for Educators impacts our practice as educators as well as the practice of our […]
A strategic district media specialist “re-professionalized” school librarian positions in Georgia schools.
Save School Librarians, a project of EveryLibrary, Follet Learning, and state library associations, is an online activist site for librarians, parents, and others.
A public librarian gathered teens, school leaders, and parents for community forum on the controversial adaptation of Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why.
A Texas school district's strategic design plan includes a digital citizenship program to accompany a 1:1 rollout.
Neal, who assumes ALA leadership in June, will bolster support for school libraries, while also prioritizing equity, leadership, advocacy, and partnerships with other organizations.
With the help of Kickstarter and Capstone Publishing, Rhode Island school librarians are producing a video to highlight the critical importance of well-funded and properly staffed public school libraries.
Change in your school administration may derail your library program—but only if you let it.
The Lilead Fellows program is a long-term professional development opportunity for a select group of school district library supervisors.
Strategic positive exposure for school libraries in her district helped this Lilead Fellow gain recognition for teacher librarians.
Earlier this week, the newest proposed federal budget was introduced and it included massive cuts to many services (see link below for a complete look at the budget in the Washington Post). Included in those potential cuts would be a complete elimination of the IMLS, the Institute of Museums and Library Services. The IMLS provides […]
A survey of youth by the Human Rights Campaign found bullying more prevalent since the presidential election. Here's how to help.
In an age of ESSA and regulation unknowns, the best thing to do right now is to advocate for yourself.
A popular high school senior relives the same day over and over again, caught in a repetitive time warp.
A district coordinator’s dream of hiring credentialed librarians finally came true. Here's how she did it.
Dozens of titles that help promote a deeper understanding and acceptance of our human differences, selected and recommended by the Bank Street College of Education.
SLJ chatted with the Lee Bennett Hopkins honor award winner about what led him to the creation of the striking poster included in our February 2017 issue.
Final state plans are due by April 4. Here's the advice that came out of the Lilead Fellows community meeting at Midwinter.
A Library Journal Mover & Shaker looks to further empower librarians.
These powerhouse librarians leveraged their experience to shift careers midstream, after decades on the job, or post-"retirement." They're still giving to the profession.
When I’m reviewing books for professional publications, I stay quiet about them on social media. I’m always really excited once a review comes out to be able to talk about the book, finally! Here’s one of my most recent reviews, which originally appeared in the November 2016 issue of School Library Journal. Sadowski, Michael. Safe Is Not Enough: […]
Four influential superintendents see libraries as catalysts for school success—and librarians as change agents in a disrupted learning landscape.
Perhaps you feel unworthy or unready to be a leader. But you can do it. You must: people are counting on you.
Emboldened attendees left Washington, D.C. with a fresh perspective, new energy, and actionable ideas.
State education agencies are trying to find solutions to problems in this new ESSA environment. If you don't bring the librarian perspective to the next version of the draft, no one else will.
Restricting books with controversial content is on the rise in school libraries, according to SLJ’s 2016 Controversial Books Survey, which explores self-censorship.
When Lilead Fellow and former district library services supervisor Leslie Yoder faced staff cuts and low morale, she kept fighting. Here's how.
The Lilead Project, established in 2012 to support and build community among U. S. school library supervisors, has received an IMLS grant to continue its Lilead Fellows program and to create the Lilead Leaders initiative for advocacy and activism.
Laura Gardner brings out the best in students at Dartmouth (MA) Middle School with outstanding volunteer, tech, and reading programs.
When you have the ear of an administrator, use your time well. Here’s how.
The Every Student Succeeds Act is all about implementation now, and it’s critical that media specialists have a place at the table.
The inspiring story of Just. One. Book. The effort rebuilt a school library for the benefit of some very deserving kids in Greenville, CA.
The way to success for this district librarian has been to start small, build a network of library advocates, dream big, and never stop working for transformative change.
The Future Ready Librarians initiative launched at ALA and ISTE this week. We heard the buzz at AASL sessions, in the ISTE Librarians Playground, at the ISTELibrarians breakfast, and more importantly, at sessions at both conferences where others outside our little tent could hear the message. The Future Ready Schools (FRS) initiative itself launched at the White […]
Future Ready Librarians aims to further position librarians as the forerunners in the digital transformation of learning.
In this first article in our series on library leadership, Lilead Fellow Priscille Dando suggests how librarians can connect with principals on instructional challenges.
Publisher’s description After a hate crime occurs in his small Texas town, Adrian Piper must discover his own power, decide how to use it, and know where to draw the line in this stunning debut novel exquisitely illustrated by the author. Adrian Piper is used to blending into the background. He may be a talented […]
It's not too late to lobby for attending the ALA and ISTE conferences in June. Here's a strategy, including ways to keep costs down.
It’s hard to make sense of the current climate for school libraries. In some areas, school districts recognize our value and are struggling to find the best qualified, well-prepared professionals to fill multiple positions. I get letters and see postings seeking excellent candidates nearly every day. In other areas, library programs are being cut because […]
It’s just the beginning of School Library Month. Tweet it out! If you happen to be struggling for a few new ways to celebrate, don’t worry. AASL has been doing some seriously creative thinking about how we might use the month of April to celebrate the 2016 theme: the essential role that strong school library […]
I’d venture to say that most of us could stand to learn a little more about ESSA and its potential for school libraries and the communities we serve. On the SchoolLibraryAdvocacy.org website, Deb Kachel offers some clarity. Deb’s presentation ESSA: Every Student Succeeds Act: Implications for School Library Programs, shares critical background on the ESSA […]
A petition to urge implementation of ESSA provisions is gathering steam, while serving an important additional function.
Tired of reading assigned books about “white boys and dogs,” 11-year-old Marley Dias decided to collect 1,000 books with protagonists who are black girls and send them to Jamaica. The hashtag #1000BlackGirlBooks has spread the word and spurred donations.
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