This article describes how school librarians in Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) in Georgia addressed a concern regarding the performance evaluation tool that stemmed from the passing of House Bill (HB) 244, which was passed in response to the state's Race to the Top (RT3) application requirements. The bill became law on July 1, 2014, and the…

As the future arrives faster and faster one must ask continually, what do kids actually need from their formal education today and tomorrow? Continuous innovation of method and strategy must be integral to the practice of all teaching professionals. Equitable educators must take a look at the learners in front of them, when and where they stand,…

In a climate of increased interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), school libraries have unique opportunities to grow collections and cultivate partnerships in the sciences. At the federal level and in many states, STEM initiatives encourage hands-on exposure to technologies and open the door for student-led discovery of…

Collection development is the core of every school library, and successful school librarians know that meeting all learner needs can contribute to their success. When curating their collections school librarians must consider learners with visual, hearing, physical, and cognitive impairments. The school librarian should work with a team (other…

Many educators may view use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) as a new trend that has emerged in various school districts, especially those OERs that are (Common Core State Standards) CCSS-aligned. However, OERs certainly aren't new to education. Many educators have been using these types of materials since the late 1990s (Godwin 2016).…

The Colorado Study (Lance, Wellborn, and Hamilton-Pennell 1993) and its many replications in other states have demonstrated that when educators and learners had access to a qualified school librarian in the context of a thoughtfully built, adequately resourced, technology rich, and widely accessible school library, learners tended to flourish on…

A new teacher enters the classroom for the first time equipped with teaching strategies, technology-integration models, and classroom experiences acquired during his or her teacher preparation program. These new teachers are often unaware that down the hall exists their greatest resource for today's technologies and their strongest potential…

In today's struggle for recognition of the importance of school libraries, it is especially important to make it known that school libraries are essential components of education. In Henrico County (Virginia) Public School libraries, the American Association of School Librarian's National Library Program of the Year, school librarians have taken a…

Heather Turner is school librarian at Solvay Middle School in Syracuse, New York. She states that "a school library is a space that continues to evolve with the needs of its users. It is unique among spaces in that it impacts the entire school." Creating a space for the needs of all students is a mighty undertaking, and the…

Matthew Lighthart and Creedence Spreder, librarians, describe a partnership that proved successful for the school and library in their community of Pungo, nestled in Virginia Beach's vast but sparsely populated agricultural center. This community was facing a dual challenge: their only elementary school (Creeds) was in dire need of renovation and…

When the challenge of adapting curriculum to meet the requirements of the Common Core State Standards were presented, this author immediately sought out the assistance of experts in another field: the school library staff. It was apparent that staff needed to practice the beneficiation of the current curriculum to meet the CCSS requirements.…

In this article, the authors describe an undercurrent to the school librarian's public professional narrative, a silent but steady divide between what should happen and what "does" happen. Increasingly, rich collaborative planning is the exception, not the rule. Many library collaborations, when they do occur, happen in minutes over…

In this article, Summer Creek High School (Harris County, Texas) librarian, Louise Lankau shares a formula for successfully integrating technology via the school library and reaching every department and teacher in a school of 2,500 students and 170 teachers. The challenge is that the teaching staff at Summer Creek increases each year to…

School librarians are accustomed to their position as a unique species in their school environment. The ratio in a typical school is "everyone else" to one, or perhaps two. On the one hand, being not only the leader of the pack but the sum total of it is a point of pride, serving as "the one" to everyone else. Too frequently the unique position is…

Using technology in the classroom for learning is no longer new and innovative; it is expected and even demanded. K-12 teachers have a responsibility to employ technology tools in multiple ways to teach and foster students' development of 21st-century skills and enhance researching, learning, and creating. School librarians can be instrumental in…