Podcasting in the Library and Amplifying Student Voice

By Alexandra Cornejo

Alexandra Cornejo is a high school librarian in Harlingen, TX. She is a member of the Texas Maverick Reading List Committee and hosts a booktalk podcast Allie the Librarian Booktalks. She is an enthusiast of comics and graphic novels and can often be found reading them late into the night with her booklight. Twitter @allie_cornejo

iPod + Broadcast =Podcast, this was the concept that was born in 2004 to offer the world radio on demand. Podcasts are usually audio only and meant for entertainment or news, but have since evolved to provide content on a multitude of subjects. There are actually about 750,000 podcasts or 30 million episodes available today!  It's not surprising that educators have found their niche within the podcast sphere and some of my absolute favorite podcasts are Cult of Pedagogy, Overthrowing Education and Educhange. However, my love of podcasts doesn’t stem from listening to them or even hosting my own. I really knew I loved podcasts when I realized they were an essential tool for providing students choice in the classroom or library. 

I've been listening to podcasts for years and I've always preferred them over YouTube or even music on the radio. Being an auditory learner, listening to thoughtful conversation has always aided in my comprehension of information. This served as an inspiration to bring this way of learning into the library; an innovative way for students to demonstrate evidence of learning or using it as a method of internalizing information. Choice boards have become popular and education technology is now essential to a quality education, so my hunt for a user-friendly way of recording a podcast was urgent. I needed an app that wouldn’t be hard for students to grasp and made the product easily shareable. Synth was an app I found on library Twitter that offered everything I needed to carry out podcasting for the classroom. Synth, at the time, allowed 4 ½ minutes to record and students could respond to their classmate’s podcast through voice comments. I immediately brought it into my library and had students begin creating their own podcasts by summarizing informational texts and having their classmates, or audience, respond with thoughtful commentary. Podcast projects grew to include reflections for expository writing, book reviews, interviews and eventually, even my Tech Team had a weekly podcast they were publishing. Podcast presentations became a fixture on my student choice boards and after I conducted podcast PD with my teachers, this presentation method was a common tool in my teachers’ digital toolbox. 

The benefits I’ve seen from podcasting with students have been numerous, indeed. Podcasts are immersive, which appeals to our sociologically trained ear that is inclined to listen to a story from start to finish, which also diminishes opportunity for distraction. Students develop valuable skills in articulating their thoughts effectively with the limited time they are allowed. Also, my students are their own harshest critics, so when they listen to themselves, they notice every “Um”, “Well”, and “Like” and quickly make the necessary adjustments. One of my favorite benefits, though, has to do with Emergent Bilinguals and the fact that they’re using their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills required for language proficiency when a podcast project requires script writing, voice recording and audience participation. And while Synth is still my preferred way of producing podcasts in the library, the trend has grown and increased in availability on a number of platforms, including Flipgrid, Garageband and Anchor. 

It’s a joy to witness my students become expert storytellers and savvy debaters, and I have, especially, enjoyed being able to effectively communicate with parents and teachers through an audio newsletter podcast I embed on my website. Podcasting has become such a passion of mine that I created my own podcast, Allie the Librarian Booktalks, which is available where you listen to your favorite podcasts. Conveniently, recording a podcast is fairly easy to carry out using a variety of devices. Chromebooks, laptops, iPads and smartphones are all great choices for recording. Earbuds with mic capabilities eliminate a lot of noise pollution which increases sound quality but are not necessary. 

I do hope you’ll give this a try in your library, as many of our students tend to be anxious creating a video response in class. Let podcasts serve as a way of easing a student out of their comfort zone to create something just as effective and entertaining. This is a trend that will not be going away anytime soon and I’m positive that it has found a permanent spot on our choice boards to amplify student voice.

Advocacy Doesn’t Stop When Retirement Begins

Jennifer Rike, Retired Librarian

In May 2020, I retired from my high school library position and have spent the past school year trying to figure out how to be retired.    During COVID, I stayed in touch with former colleagues, and realized my former peers were experiencing a hard time.  It wasn’t just Covid struggles, this went beyond that.  One friend could not even talk about it.  But sometimes, your gut just tells you to reach out to someone.  I’m so glad I did.

We began with a conversation about the past year.   But then came a shocker.  My friend mentioned that in April all elementary principals had been told it would be “okay” to put all their librarians in rotation.  My friend’s principal was going to follow that advice.  Sadly, the elementary librarians in my former district had no advocate at the district level.  My school district of 49 schools doesn’t have a library director.  And the person who had suggested rotation?  Their district level advocate.  

My anger and frustration at the situation forced me to step up.  This was a Thursday afternoon and the next school board meeting was the following Tuesday.  So there were about four days to pull together some sort of presentation for the board.  

So just how do you advocate when you are retired?  First, I recruited some other district retiree friends.  This allowed me to build a “brain hive”.  Secondly, I reached out to library administrators I had worked with through TLA and in advocacy work over the years.  This not-so-subtle plug reminds us of why we need to work with our professional organizations.   The Texas Library Association has been a large part of my professional development and advocacy training.  

The TLA hive was powerful as I prepared my presentation. My local hive helped craft and deliver the message.

The benefits of the hive included:

1. Help researching talking points 

2. Curating links to documents.

2. Perspective in what would resonate with the school board.

3. Valuable suggestions to improve my presentation.

The most valuable suggestion was never, ever surprise your superintendent.  Send an email with your intent to speak at the board meeting.

 Besides not surprising the superintendent, it gave her an opportunity to have an Area Superintendent and the Directors of Elementary Education to call me.  This allowed for a conversation.  While not extensive, it was a start.  

Next, I constructed 3 focused questions for the school board.  Then I sent an email to my school board with these questions.  This variation of the one sent to the superintendent shifted the focus to the board as the audience.  It also allowed for continuity of thought.  By sending the board an email prior to their meeting allowed them to “listen” more critically.  It also allowed me to provide resources for the board to review both prior to and after my presentation.

Lastly, another retired librarian and I spoke at the school board meeting.  We prepped dividing the information so we maximized our 3 minute speaking time.  We distributed to the school board, superintendent, top administrators copies of the advocacy piece created by Dorcas Hand.  I sent a follow-up email thanking everyone for the opportunity to speak.

How effective was this advocacy work?  One of the school board members spoke to the superintendent the next day for 30 minutes. Later, two additional school board members thanked me for letting them know what was going on.  Will that result in keeping the librarians from going into rotation?  I hope so.  

More importantly, I know that advocacy works.  Our school board and administrators know there are people in the community who are interested and knowledgeable about how librarians benefit learning and student outcomes.  And I have built a “hive” of support for the future.

My advice for current librarians includes:  

• Reach out to the TLA advocacy folks when you need them.  Ask them to become advocates or recommend options.  

• Cultivate your retired peers.  The more members of your hive you have, the better your response to the issue.  We care and there are no consequences to our job.  This is one perk of retirement.  

• Reach out to parents.  

• Lastly, remember you are not alone.  The phrase “the hive is powerful” is true.  

Together the hive can create a voice of advocacy.  Start building your hive today so it can spring into action when needed.  

Editor’s note:  As a District Level Supervisor I can attest that while district leadership will speak on your behalf, parents, retired librarians, and others speaking up through emails, petitions, and talking to Principals, Administrators, and School Board Members is more powerful.  Look to district leadership to provide guidance and help with statistics.  

Looking Ahead: Words from Texas Association of School Librarians Chair 2021-22

by Jill Bellomy, TASL Chair 2021-22, Librarian, Highland Park Middle School Library and Lead Librarian, Highland Park ISD

We did it! We made it to the summer after one incredibly trying school year. Last August, did you wonder how we would make it through the first semester yet alone the year? I certainly did. Yet here we are! Throughout the months, we were challenged and stretched. We learned and grew. We creatively met the needs of our students and staff in brand new ways. We served as technology troubleshooters daily. We helped teachers discover different ways to engage students in person and online. We ran our homes while also focusing on the needs of our schools. We kept kids reading and learning. We have so much to be proud of, school librarians!

That said, our experiences looked very different from school to school. Many of us could perform the essential functions of a circulating library, but not much else. Some operated full curbside service to get books to large numbers of remote learners. Others could not even circulate materials as administrators called us to serve other duties. Some welcomed students back into their spaces, and others were never able to do so. Most felt they existed in survival mode, facing challenge after challenge and just trying to get to the finish line.

Whatever your situation, TASL recognizes that you endured a year like no other. We want to support you as you look ahead. We hope to help all our members take the necessary steps toward running engaging library programs that are again the hub of the school. To move from surviving to thriving!

TASL will continue to strive toward our mission of promoting library services and librarianship in Texas school libraries. We will pursue that in many ways that include connection, advocacy, and professional development. These are more important now than ever!

CONNECTION.

We encourage you to reconnect with colleagues in your area and across the state to form and grow your PLNs.

• Thank you to the many members who volunteered for TASL Committees!
  You will form new connections and will help us do the vital work of the division. If you missed the chance to volunteer this time, watch for another opportunity to assist in the spring.
• To stay up on the latest, be sure to follow @TxASL on Twitter (if you aren’t already.) Heather Hornor and our exceptional Social Media Team
  keep us in the know, and the TASL members are constantly posting innovative ideas. So follow for inspiration and new connections!
• Watch for an exciting new online community coming soon to TLA. This community will replace the listservs and will allow members to engage in more dynamic, meaningful conversation. Some TLA members are beta testing the platform this week, and it looks very promising.

ADVOCACY. 

TASL continually promotes librarians as valued teachers and leaders on our campuses, advocates for strong school libraries at the state level, and fosters advocacy skills in our membership.

• You will find advocacy resources curated for you on the TASL website. Bookmark these to help you stay proactive in your efforts!

• Brooke King and the TASL Legislative and Advocacy Committee do an excellent job of providing additional resources throughout the year. For example, last year’s School Library Bingo was fun and effective.

• One meaningful way we advocate each year is by presenting and exhibiting at the PTA Launch Annual Conference. This year’s conference is July 30 - August 1 at The Gaylord Texan, Grapevine. Watch for a chance to sign up to work a shift (or two!) at the TASL booth. Serving at this conference is a great way to champion school libraries and to sharpen your advocacy skills!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 

We provide professional learning at conference and throughout the year to help our members grow in the many roles we play in our schools.

• We are already hard at work planning for TLA Annual Conference 2022! This year’s theme is perfect: Recover. Rebalance. Reconnect. Start making plans to attend April 25-28 in Fort Worth in person, if you can!
• Thank you to all who submitted proposals.  There are many innovative submissions!  We will be in touch as we evaluate the submissions and select the best learning opportunities for our members. 
• Watch for more learning offerings from Lakeisha Branch and the TASL Membership Committee in the months to come.

Echoing the sentiments of our TLA President Dan Burgard, it is now time to take a much-needed breath. You deserve some self-care after serving so many for so long. Rest, recharge and reflect over the upcoming weeks. If you think of ways TASL can help you or have ideas to strengthen our division, please share at https://bit.ly/TASLfeedback or reach out to me at jillbellomy at gmail dot com.

This year, we rose to the challenge before us, gathered strength and knowledge from each other, and persevered. Now, we can take the lessons learned and move forward stronger than ever. With smoother waters and sunnier skies ahead, the future is bright, school librarians!

Nooks and Crannies: Claim Every Square Inch of Your Library Space

by Julie Brem, Librarian at Weiss High School in Pflugerville ISD, TxASL Talks Editorial Board Co-Chair

A/V Storage Turned Quiet / Collaboration Room

Name it and claim it! We often associate this phrase with a sweaty televangelist in a gilded chair, but these are actually good words for school librarians. Currently, most of our spaces sit sadly empty of the children and young people we love to serve in person. Unfortunately, when spaces sit idle, administrators begin to sniff out...heavens, no! ...office and storage space. In the words of that televangelist, we must demand they “get behind me!” Okay; maybe I’m getting a little carried away by the spirit here. 

As many of our districts are experiencing an influx of one-to-one student devices and other tech, in addition to changing needs due to the pandemic, we must be wary of “temporary” solutions utilizing our spaces becoming permanent. I have served as librarian at schools old and new, yet from a storage room filled with outdated equipment to empty rooms with uncertain purposes, as librarians we are always thinking about how these spaces can be used for KIDS. Over the years, here is what I have learned and observed about maximizing every square inch to meet the varying needs of our patrons. To continue with my church lady theme, we must exorcise the demons! That is to say...get rid of obsolete equipment and weed, weed, weed. Free up those spaces. Can you consolidate your storage to one particular area? Can you *gasp* relocate infrequently used items to an unused closet in the building?

Storage Closet? Nope. Maker Room.

Now that you have spaces freed up, think about your congregation--er, patrons. Do you have students (in a “normal” year) asking for a quiet space? Do you have students asking to eat in the library? Do you need a space for board games (chess is extremely popular right now!)? What about a makerspace? A room for clubs and groups to reserve? A study session room? Consider administering a brief needs assessment survey to a sample of your patrons. Bring in thinking-partners for fresh, out-of-the-box ideas for your space--colleagues, your PLN, etc. This could be done virtually. Don’t forget about visibility. Will you be able to supervise the space? Do you need a convex mirror, camera or other equipment? Once you have determined various desired zones, invite your learning community in on the process. Are you designing a sensory area? Perhaps your special education team can give tips, or students can vote on sensory items like bubble lamps and rainbow lights, etc., that bring them calm. A kindness rock or meditation garden? Ask around to see if student clubs or organizations would be willing to take on the project for community service. I’ve had two green screen walls painted by Eagle Scout candidates and an outdoor table area facilitated by a Girl Scout for her Gold Award. Lastly, publicize these exciting changes through school newsletters and social media. Order or print attractive and professional signage. This is really important. If an administrator walks in looking for an office for a testing coordinator or parent liaison, but he or she sees a sign that this office is actually a student podcasting/green screen studio and set up as such, they may be more hesitant to commandeer the space. We want each and every student to sing “hallelujah!” with joy when they have found their “home” in the library, so have fun reimagining your spaces for that glorious day when our students fully return to our spaces.

Do you have ideas or examples of reimagining nooks and crannies in your library to meet the needs of students? Do you have “problem areas” that could benefit from fresh insight? Please email me -- I would love to incorporate your examples or problem-solve in my virtual “Nooks and Crannies” session at the upcoming virtual TLA conference! (Juliebrem at gmail dot com)

Teacher Day @ TLA: Teachers + Librarians = Dynamic Duos

 by Joni Harris, School Librarian in Garland ISD, Garland, TX

Collaboration is an important part of every school librarian’s job description. While collaboration can take on many different forms, every form of collaboration has a goal of supporting and enriching learning opportunities for our students. However, collaboration with our teachers does not happen overnight. Spark a collaborative partnership and create a new dynamic duo with a teacher by attending the virtual Teacher Day at this year’s TLA conference! 

The TLA Annual Conference will be held virtually for the 2021 year, but will continue to be made up of books, authors, technology integration, makerspaces, curriculum connections, and supportive librarians. This is a teacher’s dream!  Connect with your teachers, encourage their innovation, inspire them to greater collaboration, and impact their instruction by inviting one or two of your teachers to join you at this year’s Teacher Day @ TLA!

Teacher Day @ TLA will take place on Saturday, April 24, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. through 12:00 p.m. This year's Teacher Day will provide classroom teachers with the opportunity to experience a special one-day event during the virtual TLA conference. With pricing designed for the teachers, they will have access to the full virtual conference experience. 

This is your chance to inspire your teachers and spark a new dynamic duo collaborative partnership! You, as the sponsoring librarian, will play a crucial role in identifying interested teachers, and helping them secure permission to attend and secure funding. You, the librarian, will also help guide them through the registration process and ensure that our guest teachers have a positive experience. 

The planning committee is already at work putting together a fun, interactive, virtual day for the teachers who attend, as well as the sponsoring librarians. Now is the time for librarians to put a plan in place to identify strong candidates among the educators they know to attend and experience the TLA annual conference.

The focus of Teacher Day is to provide an opportunity during the conference for educators to learn about strong school libraries and their potential impact. The goal is for the teachers that experience Teacher Day to return to their districts as library advocates - or perhaps even become librarians themselves. 

Details and application information can be found at www.txla.org/teacher-day. This event has become an annual highlight, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to increase collaboration on your campus. 

Teacher Day @ TLA - Teachers + Librarians = Dynamic Duos!

By Jennifer Eckert, Library Specialist in Northside ISD, San Antonio

Collaboration with teachers is a large part of any school librarian’s job. We are always looking for ways to inspire and encourage collaboration in order to meet all our students’ needs. Let that inspiration come from facilitating an experience at the Texas Library Association's 2020 Annual Conference!

The TLA Annual Conference – made up of books, authors, technology integration, makerspaces, curriculum connections, and supportive librarians – is the stuff of teachers’ dreams. Connect with your teachers, encourage their innovation, inspire them to greater collaboration, and impact their instruction by inviting your teachers to join you at this year’s Teacher Day @ TLA!

Teacher Day @ TLA, which will take place on Thursday, March 26, 2020, provides classroom teachers with the opportunity to experience a special one-day event during the TLA conference comprised of speakers, activities, and pricing designed just for them.

This is your chance to inspire your teachers and form a dynamic duo! You, as a sponsoring school librarian, will play a crucial role by identifying interested teachers, helping them secure permission and funding for their attendance, guiding them through the registration process, and ensuring our guest teachers have a positive experience.

The planning has begun for a fun, interactive day for the teachers who attend, as well as the librarians who sponsor them. Participants are welcome to stay for the full conference. Now is the time for interested librarians to:

a) identify motivated classroom teachers and

b) start to lay the groundwork for conference attendance and travel funding.

The focus of this program is for classroom teachers who experience a TLA conference to return to their districts as library advocates and collaborators - or perhaps become librarians themselves. Details and application information about Teacher Day @ TLA, an event that has become an annual highlight, can be found at http://www.txla.org/teacher-day. You can also follow us on social media for updates using the hashtag #TDTLA. Don’t miss this opportunity to increase collaboration on your campus!

TLA Conference 2019: Connecting to Innovate, Inspire, and Impact

by Nancy Jo Lambert, TASL Chair, Librarian at Reedy High School, Frisco ISD

The Texas Association of School Librarians has some outstanding programming in place for the 2019 Texas Library Association Annual Conference in Austin!

We hope that you will make plans to purchase a ticket and join us for Tech Camp this year! The time to register for Tech Camp is NOW! Check out this pre-conference experience for the forward-looking, technologically curious librarian: http://bit.ly/txla19tc and be sure to follow us on Facebook for updates http://bit.ly/techglamp2019

One of the new featured programs this year is the TASL Maker Playground! The Maker Playground, sponsored by MackinMaker, will feature 8 nationally recognized presenters who are expert makers! The Maker Playground will be open on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10-4. You can see the full playground schedule, presenter information, and videos here http://bit.ly/taslmaker

TASL is offering some amazing programs Monday-Thursday of conference. Mark your schedule now for the programs and presenters you most want to see! You can see program information by day here: http://bit.ly/tasl19programs and you can see the Flipgrid videos for all the TASL programs here https://flipgrid.com/tasl2019.

TASL is also hosting 2 Hands On Labs on Monday. You must purchase a ticket for these by March 31st. These nationally known presenters will guide you through the 3D design process using TickerCad and show you how to inspire creativity through digital storytelling using Book Creator and CoSpacesEDU.

And finally, our 39th Annual Texas Bluebonnet Award Luncheon, sponsored by Bound To Stay Bound, will be Wednesday at 12:00 and will feature the award winning book Sergeant Reckless by Patricia McCormick, Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno! You are cordially invited to purchase your ticket and come celebrate with us!

I am beyond excited about this year’s TASL Programming and I can’t wait to see you at #TXLA19! This year’s conference promises to be rich with learning and will provide many opportunities to innovate, inspire, and impact your school library!


Nancy Jo Lambert
Texas Association of School Librarians Chair 2018-2019
You can find me on Twitter @NancyJoLambert

Teacher Day @ TLA - Take your collaboration to the next level!

By Jennifer Eckert, Library Specialist in Northside ISD, San Antonio

Collaboration with teachers is a large part of any school librarian’s job. We are always looking for ways to inspire our teachers to collaborate with us and utilize the library. Let that inspiration come from facilitating an experience at this year’s TLA Annual Conference!

Our annual conference – made up of books, authors, technology integration, makerspaces, curriculum connections, and supportive librarians – is the stuff of teachers’ dreams. Connect with your teachers, encourage their innovation, inspire them to greater collaboration, and impact their instruction by inviting your teachers to join you at this years’ Teacher Day @ TLA!

Teacher Day @ TLA, which will take place on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, provides classroom teachers with the opportunity to experience a special one-day event during the TLA conference, comprised of speakers, activities, and pricing designed just for them.

This is your chance to inspire your teachers! You, as a sponsoring school librarian, will play a crucial role by identifying interested teachers, helping them secure permission and funding for their attendance, guiding them through the registration process, and ensuring our guest teachers have a positive experience.

The planning has begun for a fun, interactive day for the teachers who attend, as well as the librarians who sponsor them. Participants are welcome to stay for the full conference. Now is the time for interested librarians to:


a) identify motivated classroom teachers and


b) start to lay the groundwork for conference attendance and travel funding.


The focus of this program is for classroom teachers who experience a TLA conference to return to their districts as library advocates and collaborators - or perhaps become librarians themselves. Details and application information about Teacher Day @ TLA, an event that has become an annual highlight, can be found at http://www.txla.org/teacher-day. Don’t miss this opportunity to increase collaboration on your campus!

This is Us

by Nancy Jo Lambert, High School Librarian in Frisco ISD, TASL Chair

Do you watch the show This Is Us? I love this show. The Pearson family is amazing! I feel like I am a part of their loving, often dysfunctional, but beautiful family. (If you aren’t watching this show, I would highly recommend it!) This summer I had the pleasure of hearing Joyce Valenza keynote the ISTE Librarians Network Breakfast in Chicago. She chose This is Us as the theme for her talk. As she weaved her presentation in and out of the show, she chronicled her journey as a librarian in a humorous, touching, and poignant keynote (linked here). She emphasized that our librarian groups are like a family. They change and grow over time; we have moments of triumph and setbacks, but ultimately we are here to support one another and share in this journey of librarianship together.

Her message inspired me to reflect on my own journey thus far in school librarianship and the impact that professional library organizations have had on me. As an active member of several organizations (ALA, AASL, ISTE, TCEA, TLA, & TASL) I can say without a doubt that the educator and librarian I am today is a direct result of my participation and service to these groups.

The Texas Association of School Librarians (TASL) is an organization that I passionately serve. The purpose of TASL is to promote library services and librarianship in school libraries in Texas and to cooperate in the promotion of general and joint enterprises with the Texas Library Association. With more than 4500 members, TASL strives to meet the unique needs of school librarians forming ties with librarians throughout the state.

TASL and TLA feel like a family to me. Being part of this family has brought so much to my librarian life. I want to encourage all Texas School Librarians to join TLA and TASL and become part of our family. If you are already a member of TASL, but your membership doesn’t feel like a This Is Us experience, I want to encourage you to get involved! We have tons of opportunities for you to get involved and serve.

TASL Website: http://txla.org/groups/TASL


TASL Advocacy: http://txla.org/groups/TASL-Advocacy


TASL Volunteer form: https://goo.gl/OM3Wkm


TASL Committees http://tinyurl.com/TASLcommittees


TASL Committee Appointments


TASL Google+ Community


TASL Advocates for you! Did you know...



TASL advocates for librarians as teachers who are essential components of a robust educational system. We actively share emerging information and technology with the legislative, administrative, and learning communities.

TASL advocates to the state legislature and other decision-makers on behalf of school libraries.

TASL uses the division's awards to increase understanding beyond the library community of the integral role school libraries play in the successful education of the state's children.

Let's Promote Libraries (Again)!

by Brooke King, Middle School Librarian in Humble ISD, TxASLTalks Editorial Board Chair

Last school year, the TxASL Legislative & Advocacy Committee began a social media campaign, Let’s Promote Libraries!, with the hopes of encouraging school librarians to promote themselves, their programs, and their instruction. The campaign is back for the 2018-2019 year, and it has been tweaked and improved to help showcase all the fabulous happenings in school libraries.

It is organized around the revised Texas Library Standards, and each month’s topic is framed as a question. Each question begins with, “Did you know that school libraries…,” followed by one of the standards.

On the 17th of each month, we’re asking school librarians to send a social media message about what we do. You can post on any social media outlet or even send an email to a stakeholder. We want to focus on local stakeholders first, and then at the state and national levels.

It’s easy to participate!

Step 1: Look at the current month’s question.

Step 2: Snap a photo and write your message showing how your library shows that standard.

Step 3: Post your message and photo on any/all platforms of social media.

Step 4: Be sure to use the hashtag #txaslleg along with other key hashtags.

Step 5: Repost/retweet/share

There are two infographics to guide you. One explains the full campaign. The other only shows the monthly topics.

So gear up and get ready to showcase those great programs, instruction, and collaboration that contributes to the success of students and your school!

Top 10 Reasons to Attend Conference

You’ve seen that beautiful new edition of Texas Library Journal encouraging you to register for this year’s conference, Perfecting Your Game, in Dallas, but you haven’t opened it. Or maybe you’ve seen a few postings that include the #TxLA18 hastag, but you still can’t commit to registering.  Here’s a handy dandy guide just for you:

Top 10 Reasons Why you Should Go To Conference:

1. It’s THE BEST place to network and expand your professional Learning Network.  You will meet THOUSANDS of librarians, who are all ready and eager to talk about every detail of library world.  It’s lonely being the only person on a campus who cares and understands about circulation rates, the latest 2X2/Bluebonnet/LoneStar/TAYSHAS lists or the pros/cons of self-check out, so it’s good to meet others in the know!
2. Learn new strategies to bring back to your campus that will help improve your overall library program.  You get to attend hundreds of sessions presented by librarians currently working in successful libraries and see/hear how they have made a difference on their campus.
3. Recharge! By the time April rolls around we’re all running a little low on energy and dreaming of the late night reading sessions of summer.  This conference will help you power through the final few weeks of the school year and get you ready to go for the following year.
4. MEET SUPERSTAR AUTHORS! If you have yet to meet and hear from some of the giants in children and teen literature, then this is your best chance to do so.  The only librarian conference bigger than TLA is ALA so ALLLLL of the publishers attend and bring along their top authors.  These authors appear on panels to discuss their work or some are available for book signings in the exhibits hall. There is nothing like reading a book written by an author you’ve met and sharing some insider details with your students.  Getting them to sign a book for you or your students = PRICELESS!
5. BOOKS! Like I mentioned before TLA conference is so big and Texas librarians are so widely respected the publishers make a great effort to share newly released or soon to be released books from both debut authors and well established authors at our conference.  Many times those books are passed out FREE OF CHARGE!  It’s a great way to get a sneak peek at tomorrow’s best sellers. Look for all the big and smaller publishers in the exhibit hall - it’s like several mini-bookstores in one place!
6. Exhibit Hall - the first time I attended TLA I was not yet a librarian and could not afford the full conference registration. I purchased a daily pass for the exhibits and was absolutely blown away by what I saw.  17 years later, I’m still blown away.  You know all those catalogs you see with beautiful looking furniture or have you heard about some interesting makerspace pieces or new database features? You can put your hands on all of these things and more in the exhibit hall.  There are also little mini-sessions in some of the vendor booths so you can hear from librarians on how these products are used in their libraries. It’s such a great way to really examine items you are considering for purchase before spending those limited funds. Save several hours for a thorough examination of the exhibits.  Bonus tip - there are always pretty awesome library T-shirts for sale and who doesn't need a new shirt??;-)
7. F2F meet-up! You know all those awesome ideas you’ve seen posted on #TXLchat oe read about in #TxASLTalks blog? Chances are you might might meet some of your fellow chatters and bloggers in person!  It’s always good to finally thank someone face-to-face (F2F) for their great ideas or inspiration and develop a professional collaboration. Who knows, that conversation might lead to virtual collaborations among your schools!
8. Library Specific Technology  - sure there are technology only conferences, but this is one that is geared specifically with the librarian in mind.  Learn about the latest tech tools that will help you energize your students, teachers, and broader community.  Hear how librarians are adapting these tools to support our library standards as well as the classroom TEKS. You can also register for Tech Camp and have the ENTIRE day dedicated to library programming and technology.
9. It’s Good to Get Away - I used to work on a campus that held a yearly leadership team retreat.  We would gather at a ranch, far away from campus, telephones, and computers, and discuss our plans and priorities for the upcoming year without the distractions or interruptions that would occur if this was held on campus.  While TLA conference isn’t quite the same experience, it’s a great way to move out of our everyday routine and reflect on your library experience with new voices and perspectives.  
10. Strength in Numbers - As mentioned previously, it can sometimes be lonely to serve as the only campus librarian and you may feel all the data you share on the importance of your program is falling on deaf ears. It’s an indescribable feeling to actually see thousands of fellow librarians who truly understand your job and may share similar experiences. We are stronger together and by gathering at conference we can provide each other the encouragement to continue to promote the necessities of our programs.  TLA is a strong vibrant community and having the support of that community is something no professional librarian in Texas should do without.

The TLA Experience: A First-Time Attendee's Review of TLA

This was reprinted with permission from Wenndy Pray, Librarian

B. L. Gray Junior High – Sharyland ISD, Mission, Texas

Library Science Graduate Student – Sam Houston State University  

Anticipation. Expectation. Authors. Books.

These ideas and many others gurgled inside me as I concluded my four-hour drive to San Antonio.  My mentor, Nicole Cruz, accompanied me; we had both signed up for Battledecks on Wednesday and were worried we would be late.  I was definitely excited – Impromptu Speaking and I go way back.  (I also looked forward to seeing Becky Calzada, Martha Rossi, Jan Hodge, and many other awesome library administrators I had met as an intern during the Texas Association of School Library Administrators, or TASLA, conference last June.)

We picked up our badges and headed toward room 221CD. My nerves kicked in when I saw the room filled with librarians.  Here I was, a first time TLA-er and already participating in Battledecks. I was nervous and excited. Rules were explained, and names were drawn.  I was sixth in line. As I walked toward the front of the room and took the microphone in hand, I could feel the lump in my throat. There was the first slide. “What does is cost to own your profession?” was the theme of my presentation.  I connected every single one of those random slides and rocked that performance! I had the room laughing slide after slide, and although I didn’t place, it was the most fun.  Laughter is a huge part of how I teach in the library, and I would gladly participate again.

First task at #TxLA2017 : #BattleDecks ✔ Made the crowds laugh in. every. slide. Victorious!🏆#WinnerAtHeart Thx for this, @Cruz23Mac 😊

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 20, 2017

After Battledecks, my mentor was invited to the TALL Texan Social.  I was incredibly honored to accompany her and be among the “Who’s Who” of the TALL Texan Leadership Institute.  My mentor was class of 2005 and will serve as a TALL Texan mentor this summer. It fueled me with aspirations to one day be among them. It was also a treat to see Susi Grissom, another 2005 alumnus, be awarded the 2017 Standing TALL Texan Award. As a first-year librarian, I will be pursuing this prestigious honor in the years to come (four to be exact).

We made our way to the enormous exhibit hall. As I got past registration, I had the privilege to meet and take a picture with TLA President Walter Betts. That was excellent!

#TxLA2017 w/ Mr. Walter Betts, TLA President. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/HWvnsAzMiq

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 20, 2017

General Session I kicked off my Thursday. Being received by the mariachi gave me a flavorful welcome.  I also found the urgency in Cory Doctorow’s message encouraging.  A quote that struck a chord in me said something like, “Libraries are the clubhouse of the resistance.” His presentation made me think about the future of my profession and filled me with ideas on how to become indispensable in my library.

#txla17 First time attendee and Mentor @ General Session. Owning it! pic.twitter.com/zLoZ6sNgxS

— Nicole Cruz (@Cruz23Mac) April 20, 2017

Another personal highlight for me was visiting with my Sam Houston State University professors.  I will be graduating in August and had a fabulous time visiting with Dr. Karin Perry, Dr. Teresa Lesesne, Dr. Holly Weimar, Dr. Robin Moore, and Dr. Rose Brock. These ladies have been instrumental in my librarian journey, and I was grateful to see them there.

With my child and young adult lit professors @kperry @ProfessorNana. @SHSULIBSCI #TxLA2017 So much knowledge!!! #goals pic.twitter.com/2ucwn8OC32

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 20, 2017

With one of my beloved professors! Dr. Weimar. @SHSULIBSCI #TxLA2017 #OnlineBearkat pic.twitter.com/sy8vXoXruu

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 20, 2017

Friday was filled with sessions, authors, and books. The exhibit hall was one of the attractions I was looking forward to as well.  To be quite frank, I wanted to be everywhere at once.  I discovered the “galley” and was incredibly happy to meet authors DJ MacHale, Janet Taylor Lisle, Ruth Behar, Margarita Engle, and Isabel Quintero. I was looking forward to seeing these authors and wanted to meet more.

I'm thrilled to have met @DJMacHale. I'm still a HUGE fan of Nickelodeon's "Are You Afraid of the Dark?"#Pendragon #Snick #txla17 #awestruck pic.twitter.com/v3chNxxv1I

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 21, 2017

With author Ruth Behar #TxLA2017 @ChildrensPlus @ruthbehar pic.twitter.com/fQOrzFWBY2

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 20, 2017

Margarita Engle, author of Enchanted Air: Two Wings, Two Cultures: A Memoir signs #Bravo for me. Great poet! #Txla17 #goals #awestruck 😊 pic.twitter.com/GPg4xkFJpz

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 21, 2017

Reading Gabi A Girl In Pieces makes me want to write! So happy happy happy to have met @isabelinpieces. Totally made my day #txla17 #beaming pic.twitter.com/jgksZYg2Ch

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 21, 2017

I also attended sessions about volunteer programs, middle grade authors, and middle school reading programs. A high school administrator from our district was able to attend as well.  This was incredibly exciting because she was able to tap into how other administrators are supporting libraries, librarians, and advocating for literacy alongside them.

Janet Taylor Lisle talks about writing books for different audiences & being free to write a book she cares about. #TxLA17 #MiddleGrade pic.twitter.com/rJEsMQ4sPy

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 21, 2017

I highly anticipated attending the TASL Business meeting, where I would listen to student winners of the Letters About Literature competition.  One winner is from a neighboring district.  I was also recognized as one of five state-wide recipients of the Texas Association of School Librarians Scholarship. Being selected was an honor and a privilege. It felt quite awesome to take a picture with TASL Chair Becky Calzada, TASLA President Nicole Cruz, and fellow librarian and recipient Denisse Ochoa.

Celebrating my TASL Scholarship award 🏆w/ TASL Chair Becky Calzada @becalzada & TASLA Pres Nicole Cruz @Cruz23Mac #TXLA2017 #txlchat @TxASL pic.twitter.com/WEiX6wp89L

— W Pray (@WPray_) April 21, 2017

I missed some great events due to becoming ill in the afternoon, but read about them on Twitter.  I read that Carmen Agra Deedy’s presentation during General Session II was amazing! I was also able to listen to tidbits of the TLA band and the Spazmatics concert.  Thank God for social media! Although I was recovering in my hotel room, I was constantly plugged in.

Saturday’s grand finale for me was attending the Texas Youth Media Award ceremony at the Grand Hyatt with fellow librarians from Sharyland ISD. Our students won state recognitions in 8 of 10 categories and placed 1st in 5 out of 10 categories for grades 9-12.  It was refreshing and encouraging to see that librarians from across the state, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, are guiding students to create in areas of coding, photography, animation, video recordings, and music. I plan to encourage students in my middle school by partnering with teachers and promoting and facilitating project-based learning.

Although it was a bit overwhelming for a newcomer, I will definitely return to TLA.  The networking, professional development, and personal growth that I experienced is of great value.  It is an excellent place to recharge, interact, and reconnect with librarians from all over the state. I thank everyone who took part in making TLA a success this year and look forward to the greatness to come.


What were some of your favorite #txla17 hightlights?  Please share in the comments below!

Leadership Opportunity: TLA's TALL Texan's Program

How many of you set professional goals?  I always have; they give me something to strive for and keep me focused on growing as a professional. Becoming a school librarian was one goal that I accomplished in 2001.  But there was still more to do.

2009 was a pivotal year for me as a school librarian and as a leader.  I had just finish my 8th year as librarian and had crossed off the professional goal of opening a new school.  During this year, I also decided to apply to the TALL Texans Institute, a leadership development institute.  I had always been fascinated and curious about leadership so applying for this just seemed like a natural next step.

Attending the institute truly changed me as a leader-it also allowed me the opportunity to connect with other librarians in the public, academic, special, and school library fields while also connecting be to the larger network of library leaders in Texas. But hey, don't take it from me; let's let other TALL Texans share their thoughts.  I reached out to past Tall Texan attendees Priscilla Delgado (San Marcos CISD), Christy Cochran (Austin ISD), and Lisa Kulka (Northeast ISD) to get their insights:

What initially caused you to submit an application to attend Tall Texans?
Priscilla:
TALL Texans had been on my radar since I was in library school.  I remember one of my professors talking about it in class one day, and I took an interest and made a mental note to look into it once I became a school librarian.  A few years later, after graduating from the School of Information at UT and teaching for 3 years, I was at a conference and there was a session about TALL Texans, which I attended.  Again, I made a mental note to apply for the program once I had 5 years of library experience under my belt.  This past year was my 5th year as a school librarian so I applied, and was fortunate to be one of the 24 librarians selected for 2016.

Christy:
I heard of TALL Texans my first year in the library and I wanted to get as much PD about being a librarian as possible. Unfortunately, I had to wait a few years to get my feet wet, but it was always in the back of my mind. Recently, a friend and colleague of mine was a part of TALL Texans Class of 2015 and personally invited me to apply because she saw the value in the program and knew I would feel the same. I wanted this opportunity to become a better library leader and more familiar with Librarianship at the state level as well as greater exposure to TLA and its offerings. 

Lisa:
In the first few years of being a school librarian, you learn SO MUCH!!  However after being on the job for a while I felt that I wasn't growing professionally as much as I did in those early years.  Because of that, I'm always looking for opportunities for growth.  The opportunity to "Accelerate my leadership skills" really appealed to me, but I'll be honest, the application was daunting!  I'm glad a pursued it and so appreciative of those who pushed me to apply for this opportunity. 

How has attending Tall Texans impacted you in your library profession?Priscilla:
TALL Texans came at the right time in my career; it has allowed me be more vocal and successful in advocating for not only my school library, but the libraries in our school district as well as our public library.  It has deepened my partnerships with the greater San Marcos community and has opened doors with other opportunities in my field of work.  

Christy:
First and foremost, the professional connections with so many different librarians with diverse library backgrounds   has been invaluable. As a school librarian, I have the privilege and honor of now collaborating with public, academic, and special librarians to continue vertical alignment of information literacy at all ages and stages of life. Second, I feel I have more confidence and information on how best to advocate for my program and the field of librarianship

Lisa:
The biggest impact of TALL Texans has been through the relationships that I made during those 5 days.  I REALLY feel that my fellow TALL Texans are "my peeps" for life!  They are some of my main "go to" people when I need to bounce ideas off of someone.

What has surprised you most about the training you received?
Priscilla:
One thing they told us on the first day was to "lean into your discomfort." Before attending TALL Texans, I very much stayed in my comfort zone.  However, after the TALL Texans institute, I have really taken that phrase to heart, and I have found that I am embracing any discomfort I might feel and looking at it from a different perspective.  Leaning into my discomfort allows me to grow and experience things I otherwise wouldn't. It's been quite liberating and satisfying!

Christy:
The thing that surprised me the most was the immediate collaboration and involvement we all had in the program. As a group we bonded very quickly and challenged each other to stretch past our comfort zones in a safe and encouraging manner. This is so important for such a limited time period! Also, I was surprised by the consistency and cohesiveness of the entire training over the 4-5 days of learning that was happening. Everything built on each other and was relevant, no matter where your background in librarianship. 

Lisa:
I loved the Strengths Finder tool that we explored.  It has helped me understand the way that I work with others and evaluate changes I need to make in the way that I operate.   

So there you have it-3 perspectives from past TALL attendees-it is readily apparent that their take-aways will carry them forward in their leadership development!

Curious to learn more?  Click HERE to obtain additional information about the TALL Texan application process.  You can also sign up for the online program on October 24 to learn more about the application process. Also, if you've attended TALL Texans, please share your thoughts about attending and what you gained-we'd love to hear from past attendees!