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Have an article idea we should hear about? We are always seeking talented writers to contribute to School Library Connection, and welcome both experienced and first-time writers. Please address your query to the appropriate Topic Center editor below.
The Organization & Management Topic Center focuses on providing tips, tricks, ideas, and strategies for the day to day running of a school library program. Often the behind-the-scene elements in the school library world, this Topic Center highlights best practices and effectively running a program to facilitate instruction and student learning.
Editor: Carl A. Harvey II, charvey@schoollibraryconnection.com
Carl A. Harvey II, MLS, MS, is assistant professor of school librarianship at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia. Harvey received his master's degree from Indiana University and is the author of six books, most recently The 21st-Century Elementary School Library Program: Managing For Results, 2nd Edition. He is a past-president of the American Association of School Librarians, and his school has been the recipient of the National School Library Program of the Year.
The Instructional LeadershipTopic Center provides librarians with ideas and inspiration to provide quality instruction supporting achievement. As instructional paradigms shift from teacher-directed to student-centered learning, it is vital for librarians to understand how millennial instruction should change, be able to model inquiry-based solutions and understand the vital connection between reading, research, standards, technology, and achievement. This Topic Center models standards-aligned lessons and inspires teacher-librarians to become part of the instructional team in their building.
Editor: Leslie B. Preddy, lpreddy@schoollibraryconnection.com
Leslie B. Preddy, MS, has been the school librarian at Perry Meridian Middle School in Indianapolis, IN, since 1992 and has served as an adjunct professor for Indiana University, Indiana State University, and IUPUI. She has presented webinars and is a frequent speaker and consultant at local, state, national, and international education conferences and events. She has published many articles in professional journals, co-created online resources for educators, and is the author of SSR with Intervention: A School Library Action Research Project, Social Readers: Promoting Reading in the 21st Century, and School Library Makerspaces. Preddy is a recipient of many awards including AASL’s Collaborative School Library Media Award and Perry Township Schools Teacher of the Year. She is Past President of the American Association of School Librarians and the Association of Indiana School Library Educators (AISLE). Preddy is a recent recipient of two grants for her school library makerspace from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Indiana State Library.
The Perspectives & Partners Topic Center examines school libraries in the broader context of education. For school library programs to uphold their status as an essential and relevant aspect of student learning, school librarians must keep current with school-wide priorities outside the library, educational policy updates and conversations, needs and concerns of community stakeholders, and the practice of teaching. This Topic Center tackles a broad range of topics, including librarians as providers of professional development, advocacy, research updates "made practical," communications with stakeholders, trends in education, certification/licensure updates, and legislative topics, among other areas.
Editor: Rebecca J. Morris, rmorris@schoollibraryconnection.com
Rebecca J. Morris, MLIS, PhD, earned her master's degree and doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh and her undergraduate degree in elementary education at Pennsylvania State University. Rebecca teaches graduate courses in school librarianship and youth library services. Rebecca has published articles in journals including School Library Research, Knowledge Quest, School Libraries Worldwide, Teacher Librarian and the Journal of Research on Young Adults in Libraries. She is the author of School Libraries and Student Learning: A Guide for School Leaders (Harvard Education Publishing Group, 2015). Rebecca is a former elementary classroom teacher and middle school librarian.
2019-2020 Publishing Calendar Themes
Summer 2019 online-only
Summer Recharge
Relax, reflect, and come back to school ready to rock. We continue our annual tradition of proposing some low-stress ways to learn and grow with our summer online issue.
August/September 2019
Nothing Beats a Good Yarn
Whether it’s seeing the world through the eyes of others thanks to a great book or engaging with curriculum in immersive ways, we’ve all seen the power of a good story for our students—and ourselves. Story connects us, inspires us, and makes us human. In this issue we explore the impact of story in teaching, learning, and advocacy.
October 2019
Humanities Back in the Spotlight
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) makes reference to a “well-rounded education” no fewer than twenty times, signaling a break with an era of near exclusive focus on ELA and math. In this issue we ask, how can the library put itself at the heart of this burgeoning “humanities renaissance” in education? Our authors explore a wide range of topics from making the library a civic training ground for students to helping educate students about career paths in the humanities.
November/December 2019
Lost in Space: Navigating the Universe of Sources
Like the universe itself, the universe of sources is ever expanding. The rapid proliferation of and increasing access to information sources is both a blessing and a curse. In this issue, we look at strategies for keeping abreast of the best new sources and new tools and tips for effective, creative curation. We point you to some hidden gems for discovering great primary sources, beyond the usual Library of Congress and National Archives, and we examine the evolution of instruction on evaluating sources in an era of filter bubbles and misinformation.
December 2019 online-only
We Found OER… Now What?
OER as a term was first coined around 2002, but seventeen years later, where are school librarians when it comes to confidence and experience in using, recommending, and contributing to OER? Educators appreciate free online resources, but what are the best ways for school librarians to distinguish these resources—and the sites that curate them—from other online content? What are examples of instruction and collaboration that incorporate OER in effective ways? And how are your library colleagues maintaining, sharing, and building OER resources?
January/February 2020
Healing the Hurt: Creating Trauma-Sensitive School Libraries
From personal trauma to community tragedies, what can we do to support our students—and colleagues—in their hour of need? We explore how the library can be a center of support and healing within our schools and offer resources for educators serving children who have experienced adverse childhood events. In these conversations, we consider empathy, mindfulness, compassion, and self-care. Unfortunately, there tend to be places in our schools where students don't feel like they belong; how do we make sure that our libraries are places where everyone feels welcome, valued, and important?
February 2020 online-only
Smooth Operators: Political Literacy 101
Our school libraries are shaped by decisions made at the local, state, and federal levels. School librarians are not powerless to guide policy makers towards favorable outcomes, however most of us lack any kind of formal training in even the most basic elements of political literacy. The good news is that the skills needed are not difficult to learn and play to librarians’ natural strengths as cultivators of relationships. In this issue, we do a deep dive on the state of play at the federal and state levels of legislation and policy, highlight recent success stories from the field, and provide ready-to-use ideas and tools for political advocacy.
March/April 2020
Research Roundup
In this first of our annual “Research Roundup” issues, we help our readers embrace their multifaceted role as producers, consumers, and teachers of research. We highlight the critical scholarly work by the winners of the 2019 ESLS research grants, sponsored by SLC, and help you unpack their findings to inform your practice. In addition, we share exemplary action research projects from school libraries around the country and innovative strategies for teaching the research process to your young scholars.
April online-only: TBD
May/June 2020
#StuVoice
We value the voice of each and every student—how do we weave those voices throughout our programs and ensure they are heard? In this issue, we hear from librarians about cutting-edge work to incorporate student voice into collection development, programming, curriculum development, and more. We explore how to ensure that equity for all students is at the heart of these initiatives, and how to build authentic audiences for student work outside the school’s walls to amplify their voices within their communities.
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