Barber discusses the benefits of connecting STEM to literacy and includes both small and big ideas to integrate STEM education into your school library. As an opportunity to support learners across the curriculum, Barber encourages readers to harness the power of STEM education.

This article discusses a quest-based approach to teaching catalog skills and getting to learn more about students reading interests. Quest-based activities are meaningful and can be quite engaging, not to mention entertaining and stimulating (Snelson 2022). They provide choice and differentiate the learning experience, as well as multiple pathways…

This article describes the approach to teaching and supporting learners that led, in part, to high school math teacher Sarah Zehnder and the author, Amanda Hurley, a high school librarian, being named the recipients of the 2021 American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Collaborative School Library Award. The article details the process of…

How can relationship building and demonstrating impact on learning be done? As professionals, school librarians must seek out opportunities to lead or work with others in the area of programming. Much can be done in the library space but when the programs occur outside the school library, a librarian's willingness to be adaptable is leveraged and…

The high-quality instruction offered in the school library and in collaboration with classroom teachers helps students understand and practice the content standards. School librarians should begin by collaborating within their school building and then thoughtfully expand those connections to neighboring schools, community organizations, and state…

A growing body of research focuses on the impact of video games and coding on learning. The research often elevates learning the technical skills associated with video games and coding or the importance of problem solving and computational thinking, which are, of course, necessary and relevant. However, the literature less often explores how young…

This article will explore the basic tenets of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in relation to collaborative curriculum development and implementation; provide a case study examination of UDL principles in action; and suggest school library curricular activities that provide opportunities for multiple means of representation, action, and…

As teachers strive to make sense of and implement knowledge of creativity that is available from the research community, school librarians are called upon to help turn rhetoric into reality. Developing the creativity habit is far more meaningful and effective if the classroom activity is representative of the real-world problem-solving process.…

In "Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture" Henry Jenkins defines participatory culture as having "relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement, strong support for creating and sharing with others, and informal mentorship whereby experienced participants pass along knowledge to novices. Members believe their…

With school budgets shrinking every year, tough decisions are made by those powers that be, and you very well may be the next RIF (reduction in force) waiting to happen. Sadly, those school librarians who have stopped learning, who have become stale in their role as librarian, or who feel the newer tools and ways of doing the job are not necessary…

Discussion of censorship against books in public and school libraries focuses on intellectual freedom; First Amendment rights; and curriculum development to include lessons on the First Amendment. Offers suggestions for activities focusing on censorship and banned books. (LRW)

Suggests activities that school library media specialists can use to encourage students to think of history as fun and relevant and to want to read history books. Discusses heroism in poems and songs; writing poems based on historical figures; biographies; limericks; and publishing student writings on parchment paper. (LRW)

Describes how high school librarians refocused their time and effort to make reading an integral part of the library program for teens. Discusses ALA (American Library Association) suggestions; a program developed around the theme of banned books; providing a wider variety of booktalks; and a newsletter highlighting new acquisitions. (LRW)

Focuses on infusing technology and instructional strategies into a school library media program, aimed at K-5 students. Discusses a tool that fosters a pre-reader's independent access to resources; a button-based Web page that introduces the Internet; the "I Wonder Project"; a graphic organizer that helps students structure the collection of…

Games are one of the easiest ways to capitalize on students' learning strengths. Offers an example of how to develop games for the library. Presents ideas for teaching students the parts of a book through: cards; a board game; a dice game; a simulation game; an action game; a question-and-answer game; and a bingo game. (AEF)