Collaboration

Welcome!

Suzanne Sannwald
The true power of school libraries and librarians is not in the resources that we amass, but in the relationships that we build and the connections that we foster. On this page, we will highlight ideas for collaborating with various stakeholders and explore ways to ensure that these experiences are effective and meaningful. By sharing the models and best practices implemented by other librarians, my hope is that you will be inspired and find fresh ideas to take back to your community as conversation openers for potential collaborations. I invite you to visit this page throughout the year for more ideas and updates as we connect across our shared professional community. Thank you for joining me!

Suzanne Sannwald
Teacher Librarian, West Hills High School, Santee, CA

Engaging Your School Community in Social-Emotional Learning

by Suzanne Sannwald

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is among the top educational buzzwords of recent years, but when looking at what it encompasses, I would argue that school libraries have historically and consistently been one of the strongest supporters and sources of SEL in our schools for a long time. The branding of libraries is generally around literacy, and when trying to demonstrate our impact, we typically find ways to tie our programs to gains in academic achievement, which is understandable since test scores do hold capital in our educational systems. However, from my own experience, some of the most powerful contributions of my own school library have been those related to students' general wellbeing, their sense of belonging and self-discovery.  Read More >>