School Librarians United with Amy Hermon

Join me as I consider why school librarians exemplify what it means to be lifelong learners. I share feedback from a discussion board asking people from around the country to share their journey in becoming school librarians. Kelly Hincks: Knowledge Quest The Glass Half Full Khan Academy: Assimilation vs. Accommodation

Join me as I contemplate how school librarians address the issue of leveled books both in our own libraries and classroom libraries. How do we support our students who have learned to look for levels on the books they read and why we need to empower students to find books which they find both manageable and interesting. Research Like a Librarian Jim Bailey's article (August 2018) for the Nerdy Book Club Fountas and Pinnell: A Note about Reading Levels SJL interview with F & P SJL: Thinking outside the bin (August 2017) by Kiera Parrott Episode #84 How to stop killing the love of reading Episode #107: What are the best ways to use leveled texts Pernille Ripp's After Accelerated Reader

Join me as I consider the use of parent and student volunteers as well as district employees as assistants in my libraries. Also in today's episode: Dwarsliggers and the Awful Library Book Ladies! 2011 Guardian article Flipbackbook website NYT: Tiny Books October 30, 2018 Awful Library Books with Mary Kelly and Holly Hibner

Join me as I share the presentation which I gave at MAME 45 this past week: Live Your Best...Library. I will also give an overview of this conference which is the state conference for school librarians in Michigan. Don't live in Michigan? This episode is full of great ideas for any school library organization planning a conference as well as for individuals planning on attending or presenting at a conference. Google Slides: Live Your Best...Library Candy sign (Customize depending on the presentation)

Join me as I consider collaboration with building teachers, principal, school district and fellow school librarians. How does our schedule affect the collaboration and impact we can make? Amp up your classroom: Collaborate with your School Librarian By Laura Gardner Collaborating with your School Librarian By Jamie Gregory Shannon McClintock Miller's Blog The Library Voice and her post "My Tips & Helpful Google Docs for Awesome Collaboration Between Teacher Librarians and Teachers!" Levels of Libary Services and Instructional Services By J. Moreillon with Misti Werle Digging Deeper by Connecting Understandings of Collaboration By Georgina Trebbe in AASL's Knowledge Quest 10 Ways Administrators Should Be Collaborating With Their Librarians By Nader Qaimari

Join me as I delve into the divisive issue of classroom libraries and our role in supporting them as school librarians. Challenge the recommendations for teachers in creating a library of their own. Recognize the struggle for school funding and how librarians and teachers can team up to support our shared goal of growing readers. Colby Sharp's classroom tour NTCE's Statement on classroom libraries Scholastic's The 11 Essentials for an Effective classroom library Love them or hate them Pernille Ripps' Questions to Assess our Classroom Library Before Back-to-School Jim Bailey's A classroom library: If you build it, they will read

Join me as I wrestle with the contentious topic of book snobbery in the library. Aren't we trained to be selective and judicious in how we spend our limited funding? On the other hand, we are responsible for servicing all our students' reading interests - not just the ones we deem worthy. And why all our collections should have a dessert section for our students. How to weed by the numbers Book Warden slide on Twitter Books Between Podcast with Corrina Allen The Nutritional Value of Dessert Books

Join me as I delve into the thorny topic of the role school librarians play as "Book Wardens" with our checkout policies and students' book choices. Can our decisions be justified and are our interactions with students reasonable when it comes to book choices? Bookriot.com "Librarians must weed their book collection" by Sarah Ullery Bookriot.com "The House with a Clock in its Walls: Read it, then watch it" by Sarah Ullery Book Warden slide on Twitter From Striving to Thriving: How to Grow Capable, Confident Readers By Annie Ward and Stephanie Harvey Books Between Podcast hosted by Corrina Allen

Join me as I tackle the issue of purchasing materials for your collection. Avoid the pitfalls and consider how we prioritize how we spend our limited funds. I also share where I get my ideas for which titles to purchase.

Join me as I tackle the challenges of discarding books from your library collection. I'll share lots of strategies for repurposing discards as well as the mistakes I've learned over the years. Discarding is necessary but it doesn't have to always be unpleasant! Hot chocolate damage Scroll down to see slideshow