As one of the most culturally diverse schools in New York City, the Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School (MELS) serves about 850 students in grades 6 through 12. MELS is "A School for a Sustainable City" and a New York City Outward Bound School. MELS uses the Expeditionary Learning education model, which focuses on student…

School libraries are no longer solely repositories for the information that has traditionally been published in books. School library professionals are providing education and access to information in many different formats and technologies. The role of the school librarian is much more than just literacy; it is about visibility, culture, and…

A large district has some unique challenges when planning support for a reflective growth process around implementing the "National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries." This type of setting typically has a wide variety of school demographics, budgetary constraints, school library staffing…

School libraries are places where people seek solace--not just by burying their heads in books to see themselves in the characters or to look up information on a topic they can't bring themselves to ask friends, but as a safe haven, or third space, from those who have prejudices based on one's sexuality. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,…

2018 was a difficult year for Washington state school librarians. The state's changes in the funding formula for school districts coupled with new regulations on how the money was spent caused many districts to react harshly and reduce certified school librarian and library support staff positions. Unfortunately, school librarians are always at…

School librarians can still support readers with the school library space is closed. Even though it might take some creative thinking, "the school library has the ability to provide continuous access to resources" and can ensure that the love of reading and access to materials continues (AASL 2018, 56-57). This article details ways…

The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) offered a significant opportunity for school librarians; it also created opportunities to partner with school librarians on their efforts to be included in their states' educational plans. This three-part article explores the development and rollout of the American Association of School…

The collection in a school library should reflect the community it serves. When curating information and ideas for new books and materials in the school library, the school librarian should communicate with students, faculty, parents, and administration through a variety of digital tools and resources. Input from your school community is crucial…

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…

As part of the national Future Ready Librarians initiative at the Alliance for Excellent Education, Mark Ray and Shannon McClintock Miller serve as national advocates for school library programs and librarians. Mark and Shannon began their library advocacy careers in school libraries. For eight years, Shannon was the district librarian in Van…

In this article, the author examines the need of the Future Ready Librarians (FRL) initiative. The FRL Framework helps define how librarians might lead, teach, and support schools based on the core research-based components defined by Future Ready. The framework and initiative are intended to be ways to change the conversation about school…

Kelly Klober, the school librarian for Danville's (Arkansas) sole elementary school, provides school library services for the school's three hundred and twenty-five students. With the help and support of the learners, faculty and staff, and the community-at-large, together they have transformed the school library from a place that houses books…

One of the issues connected to the use of standards in independent schools is the varying approaches to an astonishing variety of school missions. Independent school administrators and teachers often see national standards to be the purview of the professionals they hire. As a result, teachers and department heads work to select standards that…

Suzanne Sannwald is the school librarian at West Hills High School in the Grossmont Union High School District, in San Diego's East County region. While working for a couple of years in a corporate setting prior to her current position, Sannwald learned about everything from organizational development and leadership to marketing and customer…

While many of the digital tools and pedagogical tactics the author learned prior to the pandemic offered her insight into the successful implementation of a library's resources, the question of how she would leverage school library's services has evolved into opportunities of reevaluation, growth, and transformation during a global pandemic. Her…