Be a part of School Library Connection!
We are always happy to welcome new members to our community of contributors, and we encourage both experienced and first-time writers to consider joining us. We have a variety of opportunities to suit your interests and availability.
"Your Name Should Be Here." In this article from the SLC archive, Carl A. Harvey II has encouragement for anyone who wonders if they have what it takes to be published.
"Writing for Library Publications." In this excerpt of a webinar for the Association of Independent School Librarians, Rebecca J. Morris and Jessica Gribble discuss how—and why—to write for SLC and LU.
Our goal is to offer our readers reviews with an important perspective: yours. Our reviewers are school librarians and other educators who work in school, public, and academic libraries. The editors seek reviewers who can write concise descriptions and evaluations of the contents, quality, and curricular applications of books and other media available for school library purchase.
If you're interested in reviewing for School Library Connection, please contact us at reviews@librariesunlimited.com.
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 in the magazine. Please address your query to one of the editors below.
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.
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.
Editor: Rebecca J. Morris, rmorris@schoollibraryconnection.com
Rebecca J. Morris, MLIS, PhD, is teaching associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Computing and Information. She earned her master's degree and doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh and her undergraduate degree in elementary education at Pennsylvania State University. 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.
Here are our upcoming magazine themes. We welcome articles for consideration regardless of whether they are related to these themes, but article proposals related to them are especially desired and encouraged.
Having a tough day? A tough year? Are you struggling to find your joy again? A lot has been written about self-care, motivation, and burnout, not to mention what educators can do to address the root causes of the challenges they are facing. But, how do you find what works for you? How do you find time to take care of yourself and remember the small victories and quiet successes all around you?
We’ve all been talking about the rise in challenges – to books, to curriculum, to policies. How can you be prepared? How can you find the silver linings? Is there a way to turn complaints into positives? From connecting to newfound interest in the library and its collection to seizing the opportunity to discuss intellectual freedom, how are you navigating the challenge?
"This was a great book, and it's all true!" That’s a paraphrase from author Candace Fleming, but haven’t we all heard something like that from a student? Informational texts are vital for learning and research, but they can also be fun. In this issue we explore nonfiction in all its forms. How do you support student sensemaking and deep reading? How do you use informational texts to support inquiry? How do you promote and celebrate the amazing variety of nonfiction that’s available now?
Families are a crucial part of the school community. How do you get students’ families involved in the library program? From newsletters to programs to collections, what are you doing to reach the parents and caregivers in your library community? How do you work with volunteers, reach out to community members, and involve the whole family in supporting student learning?
Students. How do you channel all that energy into productive learning? How do you get them to care about the lesson of the day? In this issue we’re discussing student engagement and classroom management. What are your strategies for gaining and sustaining students' attention during instruction? How do you draw in the students who are less likely to participate (and what do you do when one student dominates) in your class discussion? How is conducting a lesson in the library different than a classroom, and how to you leverage that to promote learning?
Share your victories! Sometimes taking the time to tell everyone about how great school libraries are can seem overwhelming when you’re just trying to keep your own library functioning and looking at that long list of dreams you haven’t reached — yet. We’re taking time this issue to reflect on the victories, large and small, along the way. Whether it’s finally connecting with that hard-to-reach student, revamping a longstanding library tradition, or a legislative win, tell us about the mile markers on your path to a great library program.
On SLC's monthly podcast One Lesson at a Time, school librarian Courtney Pentland talks with practicing librarians about inspirational lessons or units they’ve taught, ranging from media literacy to science collaborations to project-based learning and more. Do you have a library lesson or unit that has been particularly successful? It might be a fit for a conversation with Courtney!
Throughout the year, SLC hosts dynamic one-hour webinars. We’re always on the lookout for thought-provoking presentations from librarians. Maybe you’ve delivered one at a recent local conference and are ready for a wider audience? Our favorite types of topics balance theory and practical advice that can be directly applied by attendees.
If you’re interested in talking to Courtney or you have a webinar idea, please reach out to webinarSLC@abc-clio.com.
SLC’s Educator Guides for recently published YA literature and nonfiction. Books are selected by SLC's editing team based on advanced copies of the titles, and librarians share general ideas for teaching with the book, other resources that would pair well with it, and one or two detailed lesson plans. If you love teaching with new books and would like to apply to be on our list of writers, please reach out to webinarSLC@abc-clio.com.
Find our book proposal form and more information about writing for Libraries Unlimited, the premier publisher of professional and educational resources for librarians and information services specialists at https://www.abc-clio.com/lu-authors