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!

It's Not Just Books and Bonbons

 by Deborah Zeman, Coppell High School 

https://ccnull.de/foto/meet-clubhouse-the-voice-only-social-media-app/1038705

Lizenz: CC-BY 2.0  Marco Verch

The last year of Covid has thrown a wrench into everything: everyday life, connecting, collaborating, you name it. As an edtech librarian, I’ve been searching for ways to collaborate more with librarians in the same boat as me: trying to build a collaborative partnership with teachers while in a remote setting. It hasn't been easy, until now. Over the past few months, I have been playing around with the Clubhouse app.

You might be thinking to yourself, “Oh great, another app to add to my already overloaded plate. What IS this thing called Clubhouse?" It is an audio-only social media platform where users can listen in to discussions or panels, start conversations, and network with other like-minded professionals.

At first when I joined, I was skeptical. Clubhouse reminded me of another audio platform that I wasn’t super set on. However, I decided to give Clubhouse a shot. After a couple of weeks of maneuvering around, making connections, listening in to panels, I discovered it was definitely a place to create a space for librarians, whether academic, public and school. For myself, I joined clubs that are all about books, such as What Are You Reading?, Diverse Shelves, Entrepreneurs on Etsy, and Education Innovation to name a few. I’ve joined chats over edtech, diverse books, young adult fiction, and even chats with Elon Musk and Ashton Kutcher. In some I have jumped up on stage and joined the discussion; during most, however, I just listen and learn. The sky is truly the limit on Clubhouse.

I made a lot of connections with other professionals in the edtech world, however, my search for fellow librarians was coming up empty. My original search came up with maybe fifteen other librarians but no librarian groups. As I became more frustrated I thought to myself, “Wait, why can’t I build a Librarians’ Clubhouse, one where librarians can discuss topics from advocacy to connecting with patrons, to favorite tech tools and books genres?” From there, with a little help from Twitter & Facebook, It’s Not Just Books & Bonbons librarians’ Clubhouse was born. (The idea for the name will come in a later post.)

First stop - Monica Burns’ blog. This helped a lot. Here are some of her best tips to get started on the app:

• First, download the Clubhouse app to get on the waitlist or reach out to a friend for an invite. (NEED to have an iPhone. Android app is coming soon!)
• Next, follow educators on the platform by searching for keywords related to your area of interest.
• Then, listen in to rooms on different subjects to get a feel for how the app works.
• Finally, check your notifications and set an intention for using the app.

These tips helped me find my way around the app and guided me with starting up a librarians’ Clubhouse. Monica started a clubhouse specifically for edtech tips. She offers weekly edtech tip chats on Mondays, 7pm EST & Thursdays, 7pm EST. I always discover some new tips that help with getting around on Clubhouse.

Tisha Poncio, my best friend and design guru, created some very helpful infographics to get started!

From there, as invites were added to my account, I started posting on Twitter & Future Ready Librarians’ group on Facebook. I invited fellow librarians who I knew would want to be a part of this growing community. My friends Amanda Hunt, Amy Hermon, & Heather Lamb moderate the rooms with me. The actual clubhouse was not yet approved, so to build momentum, we scheduled weekly chats on Wednesdays at 7:15 pm CST.

The first chat started out small, which was OK. We were new, not everyone was able to join. We were just getting our feet wet. We just got together to chat. Some people jumped in and stayed, some moved on, which is OK. There are no expectations. If people like what they hear, they will stay!

As the weeks have rolled on, and the It’s Not Just Books & Bonbons Clubhouse was approved, the group has grown. We have made connections with librarians from all over the world, including academic and public librarians. Each week we discuss collaboration, connecting with patrons and stakeholders, successes, and failures. And like Vegas, what happens in Clubhouse, stays in Clubhouse. If you want to learn more about the It’s Not Just Books & Bonbons Clubhouse, reach out to me on Twitter & I’ll send you an invite!

Examining the Impact of School Librarians

by Rebekah Friedman, Communications Manager, College of Information and Communications, The University of South Carolina, and Dr. Lucy Santos Green, Professor of Information Science, University of South Carolina

Ask Lucy Santos Green to explain Guided Inquiry Design and she’ll tell you about rollercoaster engineers and toy cars. Three years ago, Green — now a full professor in the School of Information Science at the University of South Carolina— co-taught a unit on force and motion to a class of teachers-in-training. Instead of assigning textbook chapters or drawing diagrams on the board, she brought in a rollercoaster engineer. The students made models with toy cars and tracks. And they even created videos to illustrate what they’d learned. “They were able to come out of that unit with a strong understanding of what force and motion are and how those concepts are used by an engineer when designing a rollercoaster,” Green says. GID units like these — inquiry-based collaborations between school librarians and classroom teachers — have gained momentum in K-12 education. But what type of time and support do teachers need? And how critical are librarians to their success? The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Green a $376,000 grant to explore these questions. Her findings could boost support for librarians to work side-by-side with classroom teachers and potentially prevent school librarian jobs from being cut.

 What is Guided Inquiry Design?

The GID model brings together librarians, teachers and even local professionals to design and implement educational units as a team. The inclusion of outside experts underscores how concepts like force and motion can translate into day-to-day life. “More than ever, our students need to understand that what they’re doing in the classroom has real-world application,” Green says. Students review a broad range of information sources on the topic to formulate research questions that pique their interest, a technique intended to promote a better understanding of the subject matter. That doesn’t mean they can skip over the hard parts. GID-trained educators provide enough structure throughout the unit to keep participants on track, and they set rigorous criteria for the final projects. Participants come away more engaged and better prepared to think critically beyond the classroom. “It’s not just about delivering content to your students and having them regurgitate it like a computer,” Green says. “It’s about helping them navigate the information landscape and come to strong conclusions.”

 Proving the Value of Librarians

From bolstering research skills to promoting digital literacy, the scope of what modern librarians do has seen a rapid expansion since the rise of the internet. Yet between 2009 and 2016, about 15 percent of the nation’s full-time school librarian positions were eliminated, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Previous studies have suggested that school librarians have a powerful impact on student success rates, but Green hopes hers — which will span up to 6,000 students over three years — will be exhaustive enough to prove it.

“The existing data isn’t always used by systems when evaluating their librarians and allocating resources,” she says. “We need to continue collecting hard data to advocate for our profession.”

Research team members are GID co-creator Leslie Maniotes, associate professor Melissa Johnston from the University of West Georgia and assistant professor Ismahan Arslan-Ari from South Carolina’s College of Education.

 Teachers from 60 schools comprising a diverse range of ages, geographical areas and socioeconomic classes will independently teach units in a traditional way for the study’s control data. Then, a GID-trained librarian and classroom teacher will lead the same unit to a different group within the same school. Both groups will be scored on their mastery of the content. Green will also observe instruction and gather feedback. Once completed, the study’s data will be made publicly accessible, fueling additional research for years to come.

 Kristin Fontichiaro, a clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Information, says the school library community is buzzing with excitement about the questions the project may answer. “Dr. Green’s research is poised to fill a critical gap in our understanding of how our aspirations — for students to engage in deep and thoughtful research — play out in the real-world constraints of school libraries,” Fontichiaro says. “Her analysis will help reveal how skilled librarians navigate the inquiry learning process with students, where they struggle, and where there are opportunity gaps. These insights will help library educators better target instruction for aspiring librarians and open new avenues for future research and inquiry for the profession.”

 An Incredible Opportunity for Texas School Librarians

 The EQuIP (Educational Quality through Instructional Partnerships) Research Team is recruiting thirty outstanding school librarians from the States of New Jersey, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and Texas, who would like to be a part of this groundbreaking project. If you are a fulltime K-12 public school librarian and you are interested in helping measure the school librarian’s impact on student learning, then join the EQuIP project! School librarians who are chosen to participate will receive a scholarship to complete the fully online 2022 GID summer institute taught by none other than Dr. Leslie Maniotes, GID co-designer and teacher trainer. You will also receive a stipend, and financial support to attend TxLA at the end of the grant project, along with additional opportunities to present with the research team. The best part is that all participation activities are already part of your daily school library practice!

 To secure your place follow the steps below:

      Watch this brief, 4-minute introduction video explaining EQuIP’s research goals, expectations, and why it’s a great opportunity for you and your students.

2.     Email Dr. Green at lgreen2@mailbox.sc.edu to express your interest. You’ll receive instructions on how to obtain permission from your school system and school administrator to participate.

3.      Build your school team and submit signed letters of agreement.

The EQuIP Website includes detailed information to help you become familiar with the project, and advocate with your administration. You can also access the How to Participate page for quick videos that explain the study, how to select your school team, and answer other frequently asked questions. Join the EQuIP team today and help measure the impact of school library and classroom instructional partnerships on K-12 student learning. More than ever, it is vital that we not only make sweeping declarations about the school library being the heart of the school, but that we take time to investigate our own practice to see the specific decisions we’re making that most benefit our students and are most worthy of our time! Commitment applications must be finalized by April 26, 2021.

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)

Now We Need to Promote Libraries More Than Ever

by Brooke King, Librarian at Atascocita Middle School, Humble ISD, TASL Legislative & Advocacy

The "Let's Promote Libraries!" social media campaign is more important than ever this year as we show how librarians support learning no matter what the school environment looks like.

This social media campaign encourages school librarians to show off what happens in their school libraries to stakeholders. The campaign began with the TxASL Legislative & Advocacy Committee with the hopes of encouraging school librarians to promote themselves, their programs, and their instruction. TxASL is continuing the campaign this school year as we chart into librarianship like we have never seen before.

Each month’s topic is still framed as a question organized around the revised Texas Library Standards. It begins with, “Did you know that school libraries…,” followed by one of the standards. I’m certain the standards may look a little different this year in how they are approached, but that will just show how innovative librarians are.

We will still tweet on the 1st of each month, and I will try my best to remember to tweet reminders! 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. This year is also important because we are approaching a legislative year in our state in 2021. We always want to be as proactive as possible.

Please use #TxASLTalks so it is easy for all of us school librarians to find and help share our messages. Then use #Txlege to share our message of the important role school libraries have with students and learning with our state legislators.

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 hashtags #TxASLTalks and #Txlege along with other key hashtags.

Step 5: Repost/retweet/share


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

Thank you for participating in this campaign and advocating for the work librarians do that contributes to the success of students and schools!

Because We All Have Something To Share

By Wenndy Pray, Librarian, B. L. Gray Jr. High School, Sharyland ISD

I’ve just started in my library. I haven’t even done anything yet. I’m in my “beg, steal, & borrow” phase. What could I possibly contribute? And other similar thoughts occupied my mind when I thought of making an impact in my librarian community. What advice would a brand new librarian have to give?

Lucky for me, our district librarian has always been very helpful in providing opportunities to expand our horizons, and after writing "Reflections of a First-Year Librarian" for the Texas Library Journal, I realized that I could contribute my experiences to my community and help my fellow librarians establish a strong start in their career. Shortly after I wrote this article, I read Brave Before Perfect: A New Approach for Future Ready Librarians by Traci Chun. That, along with further encouragement from my peers, provided the impulse I needed to answer an invitation that Dr. Laura Sheneman, Coordinator of Library Services and Information Resources for Region One Education Service Center, had extended to experts in the field. It was an invitation to propose topics for her new Librarian Influencers podcast. So I was brave.

Filling out the proposal was a piece of cake. I’ve always inspired my students to write about what they know, so I would do just that. I wanted to share about my successful start in the library. I was to begin my fourth year and was confident that I could share my experiences and advice over a new platform: podcasts. Frankly, it was exciting. Whether I’d be approved or not, just filling out the proposal and stepping out of my comfort zone made me happy. 

The turnaround was quick. Dr. Sheneman sent an approved message with detailed instructions on how to arrange what we would discuss. This made me feel confident and secure. I need structure, so preparing notes before our recording helped me keep my discussion and answers on topic. When I get excited about something, I tend to talk about other related topics, so this was incredibly helpful. She presented it in a form of a Google Slide. I selected a quote that summarized my vision and thoughts about librarianship and provided a picture for the podcast promo.

  

And now for the play-by-play. I introduced myself, shared about my school and student body, talked about the wonderful faculty on my campus, and expanded on the relationship I have with my school’s administration. I shared on my professional learning network (PLN), important books that keep me grounded and focused, and about how attitude is everything. I even expanded on what I would tell myself at the start of my career. (Wouldn’t we all just love a time machine?) It was a wonderful experience to share and enrich my librarian community. And although I had prepared some notes to help me answer the questions, I felt relaxed with the organic experience. And the best part is that I was chosen to be the inaugural speaker to kick off the podcast! Being the first guest speaker was indeed a special treat. (Thank you, Dr. Sheneman!)

I know I have peers whose minds are riddled with the same thoughts of not knowing what to contribute - especially those of us who have fewer than five years in the field. But you do. We do! We all have something we can share to grow, broaden our perspective, provide encouragement, or just confirm the path we’ve taken. We all do great things and can be called experts in something we do well for our students and library program. I encourage my fellow librarians to reach out. 

You can tune in to The Librarian Influencers podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify. I am one of many librarians who have provided their insight on various issues in librarianship. “It’s a time to share your professional voice. It’s a time to offer other librarians a chance to build their PLN. Especially for those who are alone in their district or area. It’s a time to connect and be empowered,” shares Dr. Sheneman.

  

Listen to Wenndy"s Podcast!

I felt just that. Was it perfect? Not by any means. But being brave enough to step out into uncharted territory has sent ripples of support into my librarian community. This experience has also given me the confidence to share through the TASL Lunch & Learn platform with short webinars. Imagine what we could all do for our fellow librarians. I encourage you to step out, search within you, your style, activities, ideas, outreach - let’s be brave for each other. Because we all have something to share.

We're Still Promoting Libraries, But We Need Your Help!

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

The "Let's Promote Libraries!" social media campaign is back for the third year and better than ever! The campaign began with the TxASL Legislative & Advocacy Committee with the hopes of encouraging school librarians to promote themselves, their programs, and their instruction. TxASL is continuing the campaign this school year with a few minor changes.


It is still 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.


The date has been changed to the 1st of each month in hopes that it will be easier to remember to participate. On the first day of each month, September through May,  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.

The hashtags have also been simplified. Please use #TxASLTalks so it is easy for all of us school librarians to find and help share our messages. Then use #Txlege to share our message of the important role school libraries have with students and learning with our state legislators.


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 #TxASLTalks and #Txlege along with other key hashtags.


Step 5: Repost/retweet/share


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

Everyone Belongs @ Your School Library - School Library Month

by Brooke King, Librarian at Atascocita Middle School in Humble ISD, TxASL Talks Editorial Board Chair

Get ready! April is school library month. It’s the time of year to celebrate your library and share your programs with your school community and beyond. The American Association of School Librarians encourages school librarians to host activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in transforming learning. Learn more about the history of School Library Month.


The 2019 theme is Everyone Belongs @ Your School Library. The 2019 spokesperson, author Dav Pilkey, knows this to be true from his experiences growing up. “Reading without judgment was a turning point in my life and that is what made me a lifelong reader. Over the years I’ve had the privilege to have met many committed librarians whose passion and dedication to literacy is life changing,” he states on the AASL’s website.

How can you show your community how central the library is to school learning? Here are some ideas.

Have students or staff display their favorite books they recommend. I like using these chalkboard hearts for students to write the reason they recommend the book.

Book Tastings are always a fun way to promote reading in the library. I have had book tastings by topics in specific genres or by multiple genres.

One of my favorite interactive displays is a selfie station where students write reasons they love their school library and then snap a selfie using the library’s iPad.

Makerspaces or book clubs are other programs you can highlight during School Library Month.

Find other ideas on the AASL’s School Library Month website. 

What do you do to celebrate School Library Month? Let us know in the comments!

10 Reasons to Know and Use Your Child’s Texas School Library

By Dorcas Hand, School Library Advocate, Students need Libraries in HISD

As the TLA and TASL Awards season gets active, I’d like to talk about a project that developed from my service for the TASL Legislative and Advocacy Committee a few years ago. Some things just take awhile to come together. The Shirley Igo Award goes to a PTA in a Texas school that collaborates with it’s school library. There are two key words in that sentence: collaborate and school library. And PTA: the award is intended to raise awareness in PTAs the benefits of school libraries, and to inspire collaboration to build stronger libraries in as many schools as possible. While Susi Grissom and I worked with TASL and TLA leadership to rebuild the relationship with the Texas PTA, we also realized that the TASL website and the TPTA website could benefit from access to information that can be handed directly to parents about school libraries.

With that in mind, Susi and I have pushed forward - and can share today one result which you can find posted to the TASL Advocacy page and linked here. In two forms.

First, a generic flyer that can be used by any school library advocate to remind parents anywhere in Texas why they should “Know and Use Your Child’s Texas School Library.” This will be posted to the TASL Advocacy page for easy access.

Also posted there will be an CUSTOMIZABLE version. Texas school librarians will be able to add their school logo at the top, their contact information at the bottom. There will also be a spot to add the TexQuest login details.

Both flyers are one page only, easy to print, even in only black and white if that’s what is needed.

Please download these flyers to put them to use in your school as soon as possible. You might even share with your local public library for display in the children's and YA areas.

https://txla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TASL-10-Reasons.pdf 

Why I'm Thankful

By Kristi Starr, Librarian at Coronado High School in Lubbock ISD

In between the stresses of a year that always brings the unexpected and leaves too much still to do at the end, we find ourselves in a season when it's common to pause for reflection. What is it that makes you most grateful when you contemplate your professional life? If nothing is coming to mind, consider these.

• I don't know about you, but I have the most amazing PLN. I work in a district with fabulous librarians and friends, and I network across the state - and even beyond - with remarkable women and men. If you haven't begun taking advantage of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook groups to expand your learning, it's time to give them a try! While it can seem overwhelming at first, you might be missing out on a professional game-changer. We are truly better together.
• As part of my PLN, I look forward each week to #txlchat and the opportunity to learn from and share with librarians at all grade levels and from different regions. Whether you join the Twitter-based chat on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM or check out the archives, you're in for a treat.
• We are part of a remarkable organization. I'm thankful for the leadership at TLA, for the advocacy conducted on our behalf, and for the folks who step up to lead and serve in divisions, on round tables, and with committees. It takes a huge number of volunteers to fill all the roles in TLA, and I appreciate everyone who sacrifices their time.
• There are so many opportunities to learn and grow! I can't imagine missing the annual conference. Annual Assembly is a time to connect and plan. Fall district meetings allow us to deepen the connections we have in our regions, both within our divisions and with librarians who work in other settings. The TALL Texans Institute provides in-depth leadership training, allows for relationship building, and opens doors to new avenues of service. And then there are the ESC-based sessions and conferences as well as a growing number of Edcamp Library events. It's enough to make any Muggle wish for a time turner and apparition abilities.
• I love working in a dynamic profession. So much is changing that we should never complain of boredom or stagnation. There are always new tech tools to learn, new students to teach, new teachers to work with, and new books to read. And each day, each week, is often different than the one before.
• We have the opportunity to work with everyone on our campuses. How many others can say that? Whether on-level or advances, special needs or gifted, students or teachers or administrators or parents, we have times when we can interact with any- and everyone.
• We are teachers first. Librarians don't leave the classroom, rather we move into bigger, different classrooms. We still teach. We help students engage and explore. Being a teacher isn't something we do, it's who we are. We love our students and we want what is best for them. We help provide physical spaces, resources, instruction, and support to help them succeed. We specialize in information literacy, inquiry, reading and digital learning - it's a one-stop shop! And even better, we love to collaborate.

So yes, I'm thankful for my job. I'm grateful to work alongside some amazing educators. I appreciate the support I get from my campus community, my PLN, and my professional organizations - especially TLA and TASL.

If you want to be the best advocate possible for your program, love what you do. Do what you can to the best of your ability. Others will take notice. Yes, there might still be a lot left on your to-do list, things you hoped to accomplish in 2018. The year isn't over and you still have time, but don't stress. Remember, you have the best job ever!

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!

Teen Read Week 2018: It’s Written In The Stars...Read!

By Lucy Podmore, Librarian at Tom C. Clark High School in Northside ISD

Next week we celebrate TEEN READ WEEK (TRW), and you might be thinking, “I celebrate teen reading everyday!” and, of course, you should, but TRW offers us a special opportunity to celebrate our reading lives in a unique way.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “It’s Written In The Stars...Read!” The Young Adult Library
Services Association, the group who promotes Teen Read Week, is encouraging everyone who works
with teens to inspire them to “think and read outside of the box, as well as seek out fantasy,
science fiction and other out-of- this-world reads.” (teenreadweek.ning.com)

What a great message to share with our young people - step out of your comfort zone and read
something different. Hear a different viewpoint, challenge your own thinking, escape to new worlds
created by the outstanding fantasy and science fiction authors who are writing for young people today.

I believe this call to “think and read outside of the box” also applies to librarians and the way we
promote reading to our students.  Change up your tactics and try new ways to reach your students this
week: use Bitmoji reviews, ask your regular readers to write shelf talkers for their favorite book, hop on
your school’s social media accounts and promote books there.  Ask your teachers, community members,
parents of students, PTA members if they would like to submit reviews for their favorite “out of this world”
reads, then publish those reviews so your whole school can see them. When our students see a
community of readers, they know that reading is something that is valued.  We know our best promotion
is modeling the behavior we expect, so consider new or different ways to have your community model
reading.

The Teen Read Week website has a great list of suggested activities to help you celebrate this year’s
event. It’s not too late to put together an “out of this world” celebration. Share your promotions online
using the hashtag #TRW18. I can’t wait to see everyone’s posts!

Good luck and happy reading!

Promotion cards we'll be using next week for #TRW18

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!