ERIC Number: EJ1307855
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 6
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1094-9046
EISSN: N/A
2020 in the School Library: The Power of Collaboration
Hoag, Joel; Wade, Dinah
Knowledge Quest, v50 n1 p36-41 Sep-Oct 2021
School libraries have been instrumental in the navigation of the triple-trauma crisis of 2020-21. COVID-19, national racial strife, and an economic crisis have had a huge impact on many families in the United States. In summer 2020 the Franklin Special School District in Franklin, Tennessee, was one of many districts across the nation that had to determine how the global health crisis would affect school reopening and develop a plan for the coming school year. As part of this planning the school librarian and the principal at Freedom Intermediate School, began collaborating on how the school library could best support students regardless of what the school year would look like. There were three priorities for the school's reopening success: (1) virus mitigation; (2) instructional integrity; and (3) creating a culture of resilience. The entire school schedule was impacted by the need to implement new processes to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many of these processes required a stark transition away from what school typically looked like for students, such as no more community supplies, no grouping of students during classes, and the district requirement of wearing masks at all times. Knowing that the entire country was living in a time of acute uncertainty, it was critical to make the most of every second with students. There was a looming sense that school could be closed at any moment, so ensuring lessons focused on essential standards and students were being empowered to be successful remote learners were paramount. This article examines the school year and the feedback the school received on its efforts.
Descriptors: School Libraries, COVID-19, Pandemics, Librarian Teacher Cooperation, Library Role, School Closing, Library Services, Social Justice
American Association of School Librarians. Available from: American Library Association. 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. Tel: 1-800-545-2433; Web site: http://knowledgequest.aasl.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Tennessee
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A