Taking a Turn Behind the Circulation Desk


This post was written by Meghan Dietsche Goel, a children's book buyer and programming director at BookPeople in Austin, Texas. The original post was featured in the Publisher's Weekly blog, ShelfTalker, but has been edited to fit length guidelines.

I wrote over the summer about the wonderful experience of hosting April Stone, a local middle school librarian, for a three-day internship at BookPeople. I jumped at the chance to welcome her into our space and only asked for the opportunity to return the favor. I’ve worked with so many librarians through the years, so I was curious to see what a day in the life of Four Points Middle School library really looked like—and to see what I might learn. Since she kindly shared her thoughts about her time in the store, she asked if I would answer a few questions about my time on the other side!
Meghan was invited to the FPMS library for a day.

AS: What made you want to spend your time in a school library?

MG: I work with school librarians all the time and have popped in and out of so many of your spaces. But I’ve never actually watched the flow of kids in and out throughout the day. I was mainly curious what that felt like and how kids interacted with the library space.

AS: Was there anything you found surprising or different from what you expected?

MG: It was fun to come on a day when so many classes came through one after the other—both because I could see the variations between groups and because I got to watch the orientation repeat so many times. That element of predictable repetition is not common to a bookstore experience. Even for events at the store, where we create systems for parents and kids and babies and authors to all interact smoothly, we don’t really redo that interaction back-to-back in the exact same way. While I know the school library space also welcomes unexpected traffic every day, the bookstore is almost entirely oriented around the free flow of customers in and out.

I also think our systems are generally created to solve different challenges. In your interview, you talked about seeing how “every time a book moves it needs to be accounted for to make sure other booksellers can find it.” At the library, while you don’t have librarian colleagues to communicate with about placement, you had many systems in place to make sure that the books AND kids that flow in and out are all accounted for as they come and go—and (ideally) return again.

AS: So after this window into the school library world, what do you think librarians and booksellers have in common? Where do you our approaches diverge the most?

The FPMS library has a collaborative media table for students
                to use throughout the school day.

MG: I think that we are both just trying to engage. We are looking for any opportunity to connect with readers, to turn a passing interest into a passion, or help a kid find just the right book at just the right time.

Going in, I suspected that the biggest difference between our approaches would be technology, but WOW was I impressed by the integration of technological expertise and digital literacy into the library space. With a green screen in one classroom for filming class projects, a maker space in another, a media table for groups to collaboratively work together on a big screen—technology was everywhere. I learned that the librarian serves as tech support for the school-issued laptops given to the kids every year.


AS: Were you able to make any book recommendations to any students?

 
Ghostopolis
An 8th grader recommends a graphic novel.
MG: I did get several recommendations from kids, which I always love. I heard all about Kiersten White’s Bean Stalker, which looks really fun, but which I’ve never read. And I got turned on to the totally creepy and hilarious graphic novel Ghostopolis.


AS: Did you have or witness any fun or memorable (or weird) interactions with students or teachers?

MG: I had a great time hanging out with a lunchtime book club of eighth graders. This was their first meeting of the new year, and it was really fun to hear them talk about their literary plan. They compared notes on books read over the summer (the record was 55!) and strategized their upcoming book rotation by genre. They told me how much they love Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah series and Holly Goldberg Sloan’s Counting by 7s, and then we unexpectedly bonded over Amar Chitra Katha comic books (which my Indian American husband has been introducing to our second grader).

AS: Is there anything else you want to add?

MG: I feel like I absorbed a lot. After sitting on the sidelines for multiple rounds of library Jeopardy, I’m going to have to look into that Jeopardy game for bookseller challenges or even field trips (for prizes??)! You can make your own game using a Google spreadsheet extension called Flippity. The best part is that I didn’t even have to look at my notes for any of orientation information. The rumors are true: Librarians know how to make information stick.
  

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