Radical Collaborations for Learning: School Librarians as Change Agents by Violet H. Harada and Sharon Coatney, Editors

Whether in the library, on the soccer field, or at their first jobs, students benefit when they know how to successfully collaborate with peers. As librarians, we're no different. We thrive when we collaborate—and our students do, too. Collaborations within the school might mean working with the social studies teacher to develop an integrated research unit or partnering up with the school counselor to create reading lists targeted to social emotional learning. But what does it mean to be a radical collaborator?
It means going beyond the traditional school structure to form alliances and partnerships. It means building relationships with community organizations and agencies. It means creating transformative learning experiences for students (and the adults who work with them).

Sound daunting?

It can be...but nine librarians are here to show you that it is achievable—and that it can lead to student empowerment and transformation. In Radical Collaborations for Learning, editors Violet H. Harada and Sharon Coatney bring forward the stories of educators who have reached out to their communities and discovered powerful alliances, among public libraries, colleges, art foundations, nonprofit cultural organizations, STEM-related agencies, and more. Each author describes what sparked the collaboration, how they implemented the project, and its impact on students. School librarians will easily identify with the situations and gain insight into how the broader community of business, health care, the military, cultural institutions and others can collaborate together to provide better educational opportunities for all learners with the library being the catalyst to bring them all together. Equal parts inspirational and thought-provoking, Radical Collaborations for Learning brings the lessons learned from outside-the-box partnerships directly to you.

So why work through this book with colleagues? As the stories of these educators illustrates—when we come together, we are stronger, smarter, and more creative. By actively reflecting on the radical collaborations shared in this book, you and your fellow librarians will begin to generate ideas for your own community and students. What uncharted journeys will you embark on with these precedents to inspire you?

In this guide, you'll find the chapter "Inspiring Civic Action: Collaborating with the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii," by Violet H. Harada, as well as discussion questions and activity suggestions for each chapter of the book. Want to learn more about the topic? Check out the Additional Resources section, where you can also get information about custom PD options with the book's authors.

Happy Reading!