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.  

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!

What is Project LIT All About? Two Secondary Librarians Share their Experiences

By Kara Johnson, Librarian at Hendrickson High School, and Kimberly LaMarre, librarian at Park Crest Middle School, both in Pflugerville

First of all, what is Project LIT? 

Kara: Project LIT began in 2016 when English teacher Jared Amato from Nashville, Tennessee, recognized that something had to be done about book deserts. He organized a huge book drive to distribute books to readers of all ages. He quickly realized though that the books needed to be high quality, relevant, and culturally sustaining. That is how Project LIT evolved into what it is today: a large network of Project LIT chapter leaders who commit to work together to empower readers, promote reading, and celebrate books. Each year Project LIT releases its list of book titles one by one through their social media accounts. There is a YA list and a middle grade list. One thing I learned is that you don’t have to be reading from the current year’s list. This is very helpful in implementing the program because there are dozens of titles from which to choose! And you can wait until books come out in paperback to help save money. 

How did you hear about Project LIT?

Kimberly: I’m at a middle school and I heard that the cool high school librarians were offering Project LIT...I wanted in for my students, too.

Kara: I first heard about Project LIT from Twitter. I started following their account and liked the titles on the lists. 

What made you decide to join Project LIT?

Kimberly: I’ve been booktalking our state reading list for years but when I saw the titles on the Project LIT list I was impressed that it was curated by students and reflective of today’s issues.  I wanted the conversation around books to be ignited--not just read and move on.

Kara: I decided to join Project LIT because the titles on the list are high interest, relevant, and inclusive. At the high school level it is hard to get students to want to read. I thought the PL books would help solve this problem. 

How are the books chosen?

Kimberly: Jared Amato’s students helped create the first list. Today, members of the Project LIT network from all over can submit nominations -- students, teachers, librarians etc. A giant list is compiled,narrowed down and sent back to the Project LIT chapters. They then submit their ballots on the books they are most excited about. Finally, the Project LIT educators meet to review votes and finalize the lists. Currently, my campus is reading the nominated lists and discussing.  We have not taken it to the level of finding a great title and sending in a nomination.

How does Project LIT benefit students and teachers?

Kimberly: Anytime you can get students to read, it’s a win.  If you can get them to discuss the books with others, then the learning is deeper and changes can be seen.

Kara: Agreed - It is hard to get high school students to like reading. If we can get the students to find at least one book that speaks to them we can possibly make a difference. The program also involves hosting events. I have shared live and taped interviews with PL authors with my ELA teachers. When the kids can actually hear from the authors, it helps them become more interested and connect in a deeper way to the books. 

How have you implemented Project LIT during this strange and virtual year?

Kimberly: We launched Project LIT this school year, so providing the books for my in-person students and my virtual students was important. Diverse reading is my goal initiative this year. I had the financial support of my administrators as well, so we were able to purchase the titles in print and digital. We also added MP3 players of audiobooks and the digital audio as well. Many avenues to get these great titles read. Our campus uses Canvas, so I added Project LIT to our programs area. Students can link to book talks on the titles and then participate in silent discussions as they finish a title. Since we aren’t meeting in person, it was great to use the online platform to discuss. It also allowed my students to finish the titles at their own pace and add to the conversation when they were ready. I do have a special display for Project LIT titles right now but I also will keep the titles shelved in the regular fiction genres. To kick off the program we had gift cards from local places donated and when students participate in a silent discussion for a title, their name goes in a drawing for the gift card. It’s been fun to make the videos and spin the wheel of prizes.

Kara: HHS is implementing PL in the ELA classrooms. I received a $5000 grant at the end of last year to purchase ebook copies of the PL titles since we knew this year was going to be a challenge with print books. I originally was going to run virtual PL book clubs with our reading class, which is a class for struggling readers. The program quickly evolved though when our ELA teachers were able to acquire new novels for their classrooms through a textbook adoption. 9th, 10th, and 12th all chose titles that were on PL lists. I knew then that I would be helping them implement the PL within their ELA program. I switched my focus from small reading groups to purchasing large numbers of titles that the teachers were reading in their classrooms so that the virtual learners had digital access to the books as well. The ELA department purchased the print copies from their budget. It has been a partnership with the English teachers from the beginning of the year. I have shared resources with them for the titles they are reading and have shared interviews and poetry readings from the authors as well. I hope the program expands more next year to 11th grade. Since I was awarded a grant, I did a pre PL survey and will do a post PL survey about whether or not the students like to read and what their favorite book was that they read in English class. I have a feeling a lot of the PL titles will be the favorite of this year. Stay tuned….

How could it be implemented in a typical year?

Kimberly: I would continue what we have set up even if we were all in person.  The online format allows my students to read the words and thoughts of other students to help them select their next book.  It allows them to read at their own pace and not keep on a schedule with a group.  And it also allows my younger and older students to discuss all together instead of divided out by their grade level.  Since I don’t see my students in large classes I am doing most of the book talking through Google slide decks.  Each title has its own cover pic and then includes links to book talks by me, YouTube book trailers, author interviews and other fun media I can find.

Kara: Since we have used the program in the ELA classroom, I see it continuing for many years. My hope is that when we can gather again, we can hold in person meetings or events related to the books each grade level is reading. Maybe we could even get one of the authors to visit our school--fingers crossed! Virtual visits have not panned out this year but it is not due to a lack of trying.

How can librarians be a part of Project LIT?

Kimberly: Follow Project LIT on Instagram ( @projectlitcomm ) and Twitter ( @ProjectLITComm ) first; watch the posts and you’ll get how they disperse information.  You then can apply to lead a chapter at your school.  It’s all about reading and getting conversations started.

Kara: I second what Kimberly said!

Visiting with Authors, Virtually

By Susan VanDeWater, Librarian, Wieland Elementary, Pflugerville ISD

This school year has been full of new experiences, and buzzwords like "unprecedented” and “pivot.” Buzzwords I’m happy to never hear again. But it’s a year that has pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Hosting an author visit in a normal year can be daunting. But in a year full of restrictions and new rules? Yikes. Technology fails frighten me, and the thought of Zoom not working in the middle of a school-wide event makes my stomach turn.

But my desire to bring something fun and engaging to my students outweighed my fear. My principal often tells me that things don’t have to be perfect. Everything is a learning experience, including Zoom fails!

A local, independent book store, BookPeople, works with area schools to organize dynamic author visits. I was able to take part in two this year--one pre-recorded and one live. They were amazing. And easy!

First up was Kwame Mbalia, author of the recently-announced 2021-22 Bluebonnet, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. I hosted a live visit with him via Zoom Webinar. (I was able to use the District’s Zoom Webinar account. Check with your district to see if that’s an option.) I hadn’t run a webinar before so I recruited a few of my fellow librarians to help me test it out. My campus IT Support guru joined in and we worked through various scenarios--promoting people to co-hosts or panelists, sharing my screen, spotlighting speakers. It helped me get a feel for the application and gave me greater confidence.

On campus students joined as a group from their classrooms; virtual students used the same link as classrooms to join from home. I chose the Webinar option because it allowed greater control of the crowd. No one was on camera unless I promoted them to panelist.

Students listened to Kwame and then had an opportunity to submit questions through the Q&A. I monitored the questions and fed them to Kwame. My principal and our library coordinator helped me monitor questions, too. That was helpful since it meant I could listen to Kwame while the kids continued to submit questions.

At the end of the visit, I promoted everyone to panelist and invited them to turn on their video. This gave students a chance to wave to Kwame and allowed him to see everyone at once. The students and teachers loved it!



The second visit I hosted was pre-recorded. There was definitely less stress associated with that event, but of course it wasn’t as interactive. This time I was able to bring Mac Barnett to campus. This was a dream come true for me. My students fell in love with him after I introduced them to Triangle.

His timeline for a live visit didn’t work with our schedule, so a pre-recorded visit was the best option. Students submitted questions, which I sent to Mac (via BookPeople). A month later, we received two videos -- a generic video where Mac discussed his newest book, talked about the writing process, and showed us his original Gameboy. The second video was Mac reading and answering our questions.

I showed the video in two groups. All of the questions came from students in 2nd-5th, so I set up a regular zoom meeting with those grades. We watched both videos together.

Kindergarten and 1st grade watched only the generic video, which was still fun and engaging, and perfect for their attention spans.



Both author visits were free through BookPeople; I merely had to sell a certain number of books. I’m at a Title 1 school, so I didn’t meet the sales minimum either time. I ended up buying several copies and donating them to classroom libraries. It was less expensive than bringing any author to visit, though.

The feedback I received from students and teachers was so positive. The kids were especially pumped about the live visit but also loved Mac’s hilarious videos.

Hosting a virtual visit was so much easier than I thought it would be. I just needed a little push and some support. I really can’t wait to do it again!

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. 

The Power of Community

by Shirley Robinson, TLA Executive Director

The days leading up to March 11 were some of the most stress-filled I’ve ever experienced professionally in my 25-year nonprofit and association management career. Our incredible TLA staff were in full-on two weeks out from conference hustle-mode. Concerns over the threat of COVID-19 and what its impact could be to our conference were looming with dozens of calls and emails a day from members, exhibitors, and suppliers. When we ultimately made the decision with our Executive Board to cancel the conference that morning of the 11th, it was a relief that we had made the very painful but correct decision to protect the health and safety of our members and their communities. Ultimately, that same day the City of Houston banned all large events and the rest of the State and nation were all facing similar decisions. It was a time of uncertainty and shared commiseration of loss and mourning as we began the journey of the unknown.

Today, just a little more than four weeks later, the TLA Executive Board, membership, and staff are excited to be launching our first ever Virtual Conference. We’ll have more than 40 hours of pre-recorded content, live sessions and chat rooms for members to interact on April 21- 22, with even more fun surprises to come throughout the summer with an expanded learning series! A good quarter of the programs are targeted to our school library community with many more that may pique an interest you didn’t know you had. We’re thrilled that many registered attendees have chosen to convert their conference registration over to the Virtual meeting where they’ll receive many more hours of CE than they could have in a face-to-face conference. We’re also excited to see many members registering from far reaches of the state (and even some out of state) that haven’t previously been able to make the trip for time or budgetary reasons. If you know a school librarian who hasn’t attended TLA before please encourage them to register at https://txla.org/annual-conference/attend/schedule/.

Since joining TLA in early January I’ve already come to know and love the resiliency and spirit of collaboration of our library members. Even in my interview process I could see that the level of engagement and support of the association comes from an incredibly passionate and active base of members. This is a unique attribute that you don’t always find in associations, and it was exciting to see and has been even more exciting to experience. As we all navigate through the next few months, this resiliency will be a hallmark that not only helps the association to survive but we will thrive and grow through these lessons of innovation and creativity.

I can’t wait to meet more members from our school library community in the coming months. As a Mom, I thank you for the tremendous work you’re doing to support our educators and students, and as TLA’s Executive Director, I thank you for all you do to enrich this association. I am here for you – just a phone call or email away.

Shirley

Shirley Robinson, CAE
Executive Director
Texas Library Association

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.

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!

Getting Creative: Collaborating With Your Fine Arts Department

by Nicole Cruz, Lead Librarian, Sharyland ISD

TCA Touring Artists pictured: Outspoken Bean-Slam Poet, Donna Ingham-Storyteller, and Ruby Nelda Perez-Actress. 

Sharyland High School Theatre Director Christopher Fernandez is pictured with the students in the bottom left corner.

On Thursday, September 5th, a joyous squeal was heard at the Penny Payte McLeaish LRC. A very happy librarian had just opened her email and read the following message: Congratulations! Your Arts Respond Performance Support application was reviewed by our board today and approved to receive this amount - $1,350. Grant number 85748 was funded. 

The mission of the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) is to advance our state economically and culturally by investing in a creative Texas. TCA supports a diverse and innovative arts community in Texas, throughout the nation and internationally by providing resources to enhance economic development, arts education, cultural tourism and artist sustainability initiatives. Even though this is not my first TCA Arts Respond Performance Support Grant, every time I read those words - grant funded, it is always a euphoric feeling. It means quality performers will be entertaining, informing, and connecting with the students and staff of the campuses that I serve. It means that successful teacher and librarian collaboration has been achieved. It means that the arts are alive and well at the school that I serve. Students will cultivate an appreciation of the arts when they are exposed to quality dancers, illustrators, musicians, storytellers, authors, and actors. The arts encourage creativity, innovation, and self-confidence—essential skills for a 21st century workforce. The Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster is comprised of talented and professional performers. 

The news was received in September, but the initial collaboration and planning was done in July to meet the August 1 deadline. This application was a collaborative effort between teacher and librarian. The Sharyland High School theatre director Christopher Fernandez and I have built a professional collaborative relationship over the course of four years. I credit Mr. Fernandez's successful theatre program as being the partner for the matching portion of each grant. In order to apply, applicants must commit to funding half or a little more than half of the total cost for performance fees, per diem, travel, and hotel expenses. School librarians can find partners through parent organizations like PTA or PTO; booster clubs, art department funds, principal accounts, or community organizations. I’m also grateful to have a supportive campus principal. Lori Ann Garza has provided the necessary approval and assistance with logistics, scheduling, and audience recruitment.

The fall round of grants were awarded to 111 sites across the state. Non-profit sites include community theatre programs, museums, symphonies, fine arts councils, public libraries, development boards, and schools. The total funded is just under 9 million. The TCA staff are supportive and helpful when it comes to questions during the application process, after receiving the award, and follow-up on necessary documentation at the close of the program. Anina Moore, Director of Communications for TCA, is a constant source of wisdom and support. 

How can you apply for a TCA Arts Respond Performance Support Grant? I want to encourage librarians to collaborate with art teachers, music or band directors, theatre directors, or dance instructors to bring quality performances to their campuses. The applications and attachments are due November 1, 2019. The application is straightforward and easy to complete online. Applications are for performances and activities by artists from the Texas Touring Roster occurring December 15, 2019 - March 14, 2020. Go to the TCA website to learn more or email Anina Moore at anina@arts.state.tx.us 

#txlchat, or Yes, Virginia, you really should be using Twitter for professional development

by Kristi Starr, librarian at Coronado High School in Lubbock ISD, TxASL Chair-Elect

August and September always bring lots of excitement and renewed energy. It’s a time of new beginnings and reboots. With September comes a new season of #txlchat - a weekly 30-minute Twitter chat each Tuesday evening at 8:00PM Central. Each week you will find a topic of discussion applicable to librarians and library settings. You can lurk (observe) or contribute as much as you’d like. From seasoned veterans to first-year librarians to those still completing certification, all are welcome!

#txlchat, like most Twitter chats, follows a Q&A format. Questions will appear every 5 or so minutes, noted by Q and the question number. Responses should be preceded with A and the question number. Each response should contain the hashtag #txlchat For a more in-depth guide to engaging in #txlchat, check out this document if you plan to follow from a mobile device or this guide for participating on a Chromebook, laptop, or desktop.

We know that it’s difficult to set aside time every week for a chat. Family takes priority, work can get in the way, and sometimes we just plain forget. That’s why each chat is archived using Wakelet. Sharon Gullett sends out the archive Tuesday night or Wednesday morning via the TLC listserv. You can also access all the archives at http://txlchat.weebly.com/archives.html Want a reminder 30 minutes before each chat? Sign up to receive messages via Remind. You may also preview the topics and questions for the week prior to the chat. If you want to share ideas but know you won’t be available, use a site like Twuffer to schedule your tweets.

#txlchat has been one of the best, most consistent learning platforms I’ve encountered. The weekly chats have allowed me to expand my professional learning network (PLN) through contact with other librarians across the state and country. For 30 minutes each week, we come together - learners and sharers from disparate locations and time zones, each seeking ways to improve our practices, to engage and impact our communities.

Topics for September include

September 3 - Welcome Back with the Power of TexQuest
September 10 - Falling into Programming
September 17 - Libraries Transform
September 24 - I Can’t Live Without ...

Join the #txlchat team tonight for a fast-paced half hour of learning. You’ll be glad you did!