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.

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!

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!

#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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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!

Let's Promote Libraries!

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

As school librarians, we need to do a better job of promoting ourselves and all the amazing happenings in our libraries. Many stakeholders may not fully understand all that we do. The TxASL Legislative & Advocacy Committee wants to change that.

The Let’s Promote Libraries initiative is a monthly social media campaign to encourage school librarians to promote themselves, their programs, and their instruction. It is organized around the revised standards and each month’s topic is framed as a question. We might ask, “Did you know school librarians train staff?” or “Did you know we celebrate diversity in all its forms?”

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.

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