SLJ asked savvy librarians to share new things they’re planning, what they’re excited about, and advice for fellow librarians. Here’s what they had to say.

Amanda Chacon, Librarian

C.E. King High School, Houston

2024 School Librarian of the Year

New things. I am very excited to transition from an elementary school to my district’s sole high school, currently serving grades 10–12. A new initiative a middle school librarian and I are starting is a monthly webinar called Empower Hour. With the goal of connecting and informing our community, each session will focus on a different topic relevant to parents, students, and community members. Students and families will explore everything from digital citizenship and financial literacy to college essay tips and responsible pet ownership, as well as connect with guest speakers. I am also starting the district’s first seed library! Students will be able to take home seeds, from daisies to tomatoes and parsley, to grow their own gardens and create a cycle of cultivation and sustainability.

Excited about… Seeing my former elementary students in a secondary setting. Serving them and all high school students in diverse capacities is a passion driving my daily decisions.

Advice? Don’t think you have to do all the things! With so many wonderful ideas and initiatives out there, it can be daunting and a bit intimidating. Pick one or two, try them out, tweak as needed based on student and staff feedback, and keep focusing on putting students first. You’ll always win.

Gabriel Graña, Teacher Librarian

Smith Middle School, Chapel Hill, NC

New things. The new things I’m planning would be better termed reboots. I will leverage TikTok to advocate for libraries. After being named a winner of the I Love My Librarian Award in December, I’ve realized that advocacy is so important. I set up a new TikTok account to share what makes libraries so special, create engaging book talks, and more.

I’m also rebooting media literacy instruction. I’ve gotten quite a few teachers on board. We’ll start with weekly, school-wide incentivized tasks (school bucks, stickers, etc.) and dig deeper in individual classes.

Finally, my library assistant program will get a facelift, with some eager rising eighth graders leading the charge. Students who’ve been assistants since sixth grade will take on leadership roles and shape the program, from scheduling, tasks, and recruitment to sharing the love of reading.

Excited about... My PLC and I have been working on research mini lessons to spread throughout the year focusing on different content areas. This way, research isn’t relegated to “that one big project” or otherwise ignored. I’m also excited to work on LitCon, our district’s attempt to create a common experience around literature (think Comic Con, but with programming throughout the year). Instead of reading the entire Battle of the Books list, we’ll focus on 10 titles and highlight them at strategic times at all four middle schools. We tried this in 2019–20 but were shut down by the pandemic. After inspiration from doing YALSA’s TeenTober and from librarians I met at summer PD, the time was right to bring back LitCon.

Advice? ADVOCATE. Share awesome things from your library. Show your mistakes. Talk about why libraries are so essential. Don’t let shyness stop you. We’ve got to let the world know why our kids, staff, and communities need us. Something as simple as an Instagram post with engaged students, book orders with student requests, or simple “caught ya reading” pictures go a long way. And if you feel so moved to speak at board meetings, the more the merrier.

Angie Manfredi, Librarian

Los Alamos (NM) Middle School

New things. Collection-wise, I’ve weeded and read up enough to finally tackle genrefying my fiction collection! I am excited and nervous and know my readers will enjoy it. I am also planning a huge refresh of the nonfiction section, specifically the 500–800s, as they are frequently overlooked. I’ve completed the weed and now comes the fun part where I get to buy new books and do new displays and promotion. I am also building an early reader/picture book collection to support class projects. Another endeavor: spotlighting and promoting our free Care Drawer, where I have stocked personal supplies middle schoolers may need, such as menstrual health products, deodorant, toothpaste, and more. I plan to incorporate this into a larger “Help Yourself” area with access to supplies students often ask us for: graph paper, glue sticks, markers, scissors, and the like. My goal is to continue messaging that the library is their space—a welcoming, open safe place for all where they can find whatever they may need.

Excited about… Continuing to build on my successes with my Lunchtime Book Club. I had a lot of passionate seventh graders this past year, and I can’t wait to watch them blossom as eighth graders and welcome new seventh graders who want to join the fun. I will also give students a chance to be the “guest librarian” for a month. I’m setting up a display area where my most avid readers will be able to select, spotlight, and display books they love. I’ll also create bookmarks with their selections.

I also love co-teaching with my fellow teachers. It’s always a thrill and a pleasure, and this year, I plan to work with the new health teacher co-leading lessons about creating and fostering healthy social media habits. I think that will be awesome to have in the health curriculum.

Requests/advice? I’ve only been a school librarian for four years, so my request is: please keep sharing! I love learning from my colleagues through blogs, social media, webinars, articles, and more. Please don’t assume anything is “too basic”—you never know who you are helping by sharing your expertise, and YES, you are an expert, don’t sell yourself short. Advice: Learn from everything. My public library experience has been a huge benefit in the school setting. Also: Ask, ask, ask. It never hurts to ask for help or collaboration opportunities with community partners, your ELA department, or your admin. We tell our students to always be learning and to speak up. Let’s take our own advice!

Laura Gardner, Teacher Librarian

Dartmouth (MA) Middle School

2016 School Librarian of the Year Finalist

New things. I’m co-teaching civics with eighth grade teachers as part of our new state initiative to do an annual civics project. Last year, we took a group to the state showcase and received an overall commendation, one of 11 groups to do so. I’m planning ways to make that process even better this year by including a school showcase and more community interviews. It’s so rewarding to work on these projects. They’re inquiry-based, student-driven, and can lead to real change!

Our school literacy committee is constantly finding new ways to encourage peer-to-peer recommendations. This year I’m planning to start a vodcast (video podcast) where I interview a different Dartmouth Middle School reader each week about books and authors they’ve loved and why. I can’t wait!

Excited about… Having fun and being fully present for students every day. We’re back in the full swing of things post-COVID with student volunteers, lunch bunch, book clubs, author visits, special programming (cardboard challenge is BACK!), and more. Making the library fun, inviting, engaging, and even surprising on a regular basis is what I love best. We are hoping to host two author visits, with comic artist and mental health advocate Cara Bean and author Dusti Bowling.

Advice? Find a way to be yourself at work and bring joy to everything you do. If you’ve having fun, then the kids will, too!

Cicely Lewis, Media Specialist

Meadowcreek High School, Norcross, GA

2020 School Librarian of the Year

Advice? VOTE your heart out! Make sure you are registered, and make your voice heard. We need to elect candidates who support the library and who will fight for intellectual freedom. Also, make voting a priority for programming activities in the upcoming months. National Voter Registration day is September 17, 2024. You’re never too young to learn about voting. Host a mock election, voter registration drive, nonpartisan voting book club, social media campaign, and more.

The late congressman John Lewis said, “Your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.” Let’s educate our young people and equip them with knowledge to make our world a better place.

Andy Spinks, Library Media Specialist

Campbell High School, Smyrna, GA

2022 School Librarian of the Year Finalist

New things. A social studies teacher and I are creating a civic engagement center in the learning commons that will encourage eligible students to register and vote, provide them neutral/balanced information on issues, and just get them involved in the community. Politics is a delicate subject in our district and state, and many teachers and librarians aren’t sure what they can say or teach. This program is being developed with support from our district staff as a model that other schools can implement without fear.

Excited about… Building out our “Zen Zone,” a sensory-friendly space in our learning commons. We have 600–700 students come into the commons every day. It can be overwhelming for those who don’t like crowds, have sensory processing issues, are experiencing anxiety, or just want quiet. Last year I converted a group study room into a quiet space with soothing lighting and a few calming activities. This year, I hope to add soft seating and other elements to set the vibe and give students (and staff!) a place to calm themselves and escape the chaos of the rest of our learning commons.

Advice? Play the long game. School librarians have been under attack for a few years, and this probably isn’t going to get better in an election year. The culture war bullies will eventually get bored and move on to other targets, so in the meantime, focus on staying in the game. Keep fulfilling your mission, but do it in a way that doesn’t cause you to get fired or to burn out. Our students may lose access to some important books, but don’t let them lose access to you. Make sure you are still in the profession—doing the critical work you do—for years to come!

Photo by daniweissphotography.com

K.C. Boyd, School Librarian

Jefferson Academy, Washington, DC

2022 School Librarian of the Year

New things. I plan to take a deeper dive into makerspace activities that are aligned with school activities and community events. I’ll use my Demco School Library Planner to brainstorm different and more engaging programming for the library and makerspace program.

Excited about… A new supportive principal who understands the importance of school libraries. The opportunities are endless.

Advice? Rest, moisturize your skin, and drink your water!

Alexandra Cornejo, Lead Librarian

Harlingen (TX) School of Health Professions

New things. I’ll host a “read-in” event in our high school library to promote the joys of reading and being mindful of making time to read. By creating a comfortable and inclusive environment with diverse and high-interest books, cozy reading spaces with stuffed animals and blankets, and fun activities, I hope to encourage a sense of community among my students and, I hope, make some core memories!

Excited about… Integrating innovative uses of our Glowforge laser cutter into the library’s programming and makerspace. I’ll use it for creating custom bookmarks, student-designed projects and prototypes, and supporting my school’s medically focused curriculum. Last year, we studied art deco while reading The Great Gatsby and designed beautiful, personalized art deco bookmarks on Canva, then laser cut them on balsa wood. The students were blown away!

Advice? Come from a place of “yes.” “No” tends to be a default answer, but when you shift that mindset to yes, new adventures begin to happen! Say yes to writing that grant, yes to volunteering with your state/national library associations, yes to learning AI….Great things happen when you say yes.

IdaMae Craddock, Librarian

Community Lab School, Charlottesville, VA

New things. I’ll be working closely with the language arts teachers to revisit our reading program. In the past few years, we ran multi-age leveled groups using independent reading, allowing students of all levels to have deep discussions around elements of literature. But leveling groups has taken a toll on those readers’ motivation and reading esteem. This year, we’ll gather multi-age and multi-level groups around a single genre. It will be a challenge to gather books at different reading levels for each genre, but I’m happy to be supporting reading esteem in the library.

Excited about… Starting to use AI with students. Last year, we dipped our toes in the water by using AI to edit student writing. It was interesting for students to go through the edits to see what was changed. While most of our AI tools will remain teacher-facing, it’s important to start integrating it into the students’ lives. They are using it all the time, and ignoring its existence seems counterintuitive. Teaching responsible use will help them understand the whole picture.

An election year is a great chance to dig deep into conversations about source reliability and lateral reading. This year, with the civics teachers and the tech specialist, we’re taking this opportunity to teach students about bots, generated news, generated images, and citizen journalism.

Our school is moving to a standards-based grading system. For the library program, that means being less focused on assignments and turning our attention to growth. I won’t ever be helping a student finish an assignment; I’ll be helping them understand a concept and passing that information to the teacher. A standards focus also lets me track data about circulation and reading growth over several years instead of using snapshots. I can not only improve my selection process, but also strengthen relationships with students and teachers. I will be focused on competencies like research, but also thinking, creative problem solving, and connecting with the community—all projects that are right up the library’s alley.

Advice? Be brave in trying new things, because new technologies can be scary. Trying and failing is so much better than teaching from a place of trepidation. Continue to support one another in working against this wave of book bans. We are making progress. Let’s keep going.

Ali Schilpp, Media Specialist

Northern Middle School, Accident, MD

2018 School Librarian of the Year

New things. I will focus on writing in my media courses. I’ll provide journals to all students, so they can reflect on the information and stories we explore during read-aloud and research activities. I’m also planning a new collaboration with the public library to introduce students to the art of creating zines!

Excited about… The launch of our student-led initiatives. These include the engaging podcast “Middle School Minds” and a grant-funded healthy living initiative. Students will promote play and recreational activities and encourage unplugging from cell phones and avoiding vaping. We are excited to see how these new programs foster creativity, community, and well-being.

Advice? Always highlight student work. I display their creations in the school library and on our school news/social media, showcasing students’ projects, artwork, and writing. Also, provide assessments and feedback. I share more about student work (infographics, poetry, History Day projects, Innovation Challenge creations) and highlight their growth and accomplishments. This reinforces the importance of thelibrary in their educational journey.