This book provides practical strategies and step-by-step plans for developing advocacy initiatives for school libraries. School libraries provide an essential service to the community, but without proper funding few libraries stand a chance to maintain the resources they offer—or to survive at all. School librarians can play an instrumental role in the survival of their programs. This how-to book provides school librarians with effective advocacy and activism strategies for promoting and improving their library programs. Activism and the School Librarian: Tools for Advocacy and Survival offers straightforward, practical approaches for creating advocacy programs. This guidebook examines the characteristics for becoming an advocate, explores the meaning of advocacy/activism as an effort that is ongoing and proactive, and provides the steps required for initiating a successful program. The contributors address the various types of advocacy and activism, including legislative advocacy at the local, state, and national levels; school and district level programs; and community-based initiatives. The book includes expert advice from successful advocates and provides helpful reproducible tools.

One of the only books to offer a behind-the-scenes look at the role of school librarians in student success, this guide offers everything you'll need to develop, align, and evaluate curriculum with your library collection in mind. This reference provides school library professors with strategies and tips for creating future school leaders out of current LIS students. Drawing upon her extensive experience as a school librarian, author Jody K. Howard heralds the library professional's role as information specialist, instructional partner, and curriculum advocate. Her insider's perspective is rich with tested strategies to help students seamlessly integrate the responsibilities of their multiple roles into daily activities. The work explains the process of curriculum mapping and collection development with an eye on teaching these tools to those new to the profession. The content provides methods for developing guided inquiry lessons in collaboration with teachers, illustrates ways to develop leadership skills while aligning the collection with the curriculum, and offers strategies for working alongside curriculum committees and classroom teachers to build a cohesive educational program. The final chapter explores the roles and responsibilities of school librarians at the district, state, and national level.

Step into the dynamic world of school library management and discover the transformative potential of an effectively managed learning hub. This compelling guide weaves together a broad range of topics and insights, making it a vital read for library professionals at any stage of their career. Filled with practical advice, real-world case studies, and forward-thinking strategies, the book takes you on a journey of discovery. It moves from the nitty-gritty of everyday operations to the wider strategic considerations, with every chapter serving as a building block in the creation of a vibrant, modern library space. Explore the possibilities offered by technology integration, learn the ins and outs of designing spaces that foster active learning, and delve into the practicalities of crafting effective policies and procedures. The book also provides critical insights on meeting future challenges, and a variety of resources to enhance your professional journey. But this guide doesn't stop at theory or general advice. It also features tangible examples from the field, sharing success stories and lessons learned from accomplished library managers. Additionally, it includes practical tools like budget plans and lists of professional organizations. Get ready to embark on an illuminating journey and elevate your library to new heights of success. This book is your map to creating a library space that is not just a place for books, but a cornerstone of learning, a catalyst for curiosity, and a hub of community engagement.

By working through these cases and the accompanying learning exercises, both pre-service and practicing school librarians will strengthen their readiness, expand their perspectives, and build confidence for solving problems and making informed, thoughtful decisions in their school libraries. In their preparation for school librarianship, library students learn foundational ideals and observe best practices that center and guide their work. However, discussions of aspirational versions of school librarianship often leave out sufficient practice in managing the many challenges and decisions school librarians face on the job. In this book, veteran educator Rebecca J. Morris uses stories of day-to-day librarianship to empower school librarians as they navigate and manage the complex interactions, decisions, and opportunities of their work. The book's alignment with the AASL/CAEP standards makes it helpful to school library educators planning curriculum, syllabi, and course activities. Perfect for reading or study groups, graduate classes, and professional development, these stories invite reflection and lively conversation.

The world of the school librarian has changed significantly over the past ten years with the proliferation of technology into all phases of education; this book attempts to address these issues. What does a school librarian need to know about technology? Technology for the School Librarian: Theory and Practice is an introduction to all aspects of technology in the school library and provides a starting point for further study of this wide-ranging—and critically important—field. The only book that addresses both the theoretical and the practical aspects of the subject, Technology for the School Librarian is organized into 13 chapters describing the most vital topics in technology for school librarians. Within these chapters, school librarians (whether practicing or prospective) will be introduced to the practical aspects of technology in the school library and presented with a theoretical framework that will allow them to continue their research and learning. Case studies facilitate understanding, as do the study questions included with each chapter.

Using concrete examples, The School Librarian's Technology Playbook offers strategies for school librarians to initiate and support innovative practices throughout their school community. The role of school librarians has evolved: no longer do they primarily support teachers with reading and literacy resources. Many librarians now support teachers in integrating technology tools and innovative teaching practices in their classrooms. At her school, author and learning coordinator Stacy Brown has pioneered the transition to innovation and technology use in the classroom. In The School Librarian's Technology Playbook, she showcases different technology tools and innovative strategies that can be incorporated into the classroom, such as 3D printing, augmented reality, green screen applications, gamification, coding, makerEd, and more. She details the many ways in which school librarians can support teachers as they implement these new practices into their curriculum. School librarians will learn how to collaborate with teachers and how to empower them to step outside of their comfort zones to try new tools and teaching methods. Readers of this book will also learn how to support teachers as the technology continues to change in this dynamic educational landscape.

Designed for courses that prepare LIS students for school librarianship, this title teaches basic reference processes, sources, services, and skills and provides authentic school library reference scenarios and exercises. This fourth edition of Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips acknowledges the vital importance of reference skills in school libraries. It focuses on new reference skills for school librarians and includes more online materials such as Webliographies and a glossary. Teaching reference skills and providing reference services to students and staff in schools are extremely important tasks and are required of librarians on a regular basis. Aimed at pre-service and in-service school librarians, this book covers all types of reference materials including almanacs, dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, and other standard information sources, giving extra emphasis to the online sources to which students increasingly turn. This edition addresses more online reference resources than previous editions and offers practical suggestions for use in K–12 student instruction.