Core Values in the Library

When principals are faced with teachers who say, "We need more time," he or she should consider the twelve numbers on a clock and encourage teachers to collaborate with the most valuable resource within the school—the school librarian. Kelly Gustafson develops twelve time management lessons for use with administrators and educators.

PreK-12 school librarians can be leaders in working collaboratively to close the early childhood literacy gap. Parents, family, and community members who talk, sing, play, and read to infants and young children prepare them for success in school and in life. In a series of vignettes, elementary and secondary librarians share how they are collaborating to help ensure that all children have a strong start in literacy learning.

When we live our core values, we also develop an authentic identity. We take actions based on our beliefs. We are true to our calling and to ourselves. And, when we combine our core values with authenticity, we have the opportunity to serve as effective and respected leaders in our learning communities. The co-authors of Core Values in School Librarianship: Responding with Commitment and Courage (Libraries Unlimited, 2021) are school librarian leaders who have a deep commitment to the core values of our profession. They have also shown courage in holding true to our shared values

In this lesson, students activate prior knowledge to analyze song lyrics from the civil rights movement and then create an EP to represent a specific event in that history, while also creating accurate citations for the music.

I used to think of leaders as those people who were out there doing things that I wasn't capable of. I finally realized that leaders were actually just like me and that in order to lead, I needed to believe it. I see this as leading from within—believing that I am good enough and brave enough to voice my opinions and passions and to show up.

My job has changed in ways I never could have imagined ten, twenty, and certainly thirty years ago. The one thing that hasn't changed is my role as a leader in my organization.

I want to share some ideas, thoughts, and what I have learned about what works and what you might need to consider, as you and your school-based librarians move bravely into what is for many a new world of virtual and hybrid learning.

We sought to investigate practical ways that the school librarian and classroom teacher can collaborate at deeper levels to improve student learning and create equitable and meaningful learning experiences, within the constraints of systems that naturally impede collaboration. What follows are some tools, tips and resources for developing a culture of collaboration between classroom teachers and school librarians.

These days, while I am always reading a book for my own enjoyment, I find that I spend just as much time reading for professional development. I read to learn. One way to do that is through the book club model. School library supervisors, this article is for you! Keep reading to learn more about book clubs for professional development that will save you time, energy, and genuinely benefit your district.

The proclamation "the libraries we work in are safe spaces" makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside. Yet, the question we should really be asking ourselves is, do our learners feel invited enough by the library to determine for themselves if the library is a safe place?

The Unspoken Quota sees white is "normal" and color is the "other" or "extra," so we're fine with diversity being limited to a lesson or a month. We need to do better.

In this article, I share how our advocacy team built support with the district's superintendent, school board members, and the community at-large in order to move this advocacy appeal forward. Through strategic planning and action as well as serendipity, the lessons learned from the TUSD School Librarian Restoration Project offer field-tested guidelines that can be applied in your school library advocacy appeal.

Judi Moreillon invites you to reflect on your own experience and the experiences of others while engaging in the study kit; preservice and practicing, novice and veteran librarians can ignite and renew their passion for the core values of school librarianship. Read Chapter 9, "Collaboration," and dig into concepts from the whole book through corresponding discussion questions and activities.

Peter Langella, Suzanne Sannwald, and Kristin Fraga Sierra share how they have integrated social justice practices into their school librarian core values. Join this lively conversation moderated by Judi Moreillon.