Information and digital literacy in education via the digital path

Julie Stivers writes: "Is there anyone more equipped to meaningfully speak on the concept of inclusive libraries than our students or patrons? Of course not. Of course not. To leverage students’ experience, perspective, and wisdom—and to create student-driven PD—I worked with three of our amazing 8th grade students at Mount Vernon Middle School to develop student-led training for librarians."

A lot of imagination, a little elbow grease, and the right tools can yield dramatic results like these.

ONE Access is a unique partnership between Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools that allows over 147,000 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade to use their Student ID number in place of a library card to access public library resources in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Hannah Byrd Little writes: "Seven recognized factors impact or influence the user experience. Though some of the factors seem similar, I hope to explain the nuanced differences.  Since school librarians are the librarians who “do it all” in their libraries, they need to be concerned with the user experience."

Kathryn Roots Lewis writes: "What’s on your school library back-to-school checklist? Do you have a learner-ready school library?

I’m kind of like a second-grader when it comes to a new school year. I love new school supplies and the excitement of seeing all the people I’ve missed over the summer. My feelings about a new school year may resonate with you, but sadly they do not resonate with all of our learners.

As I thought about posting a blog at this time of year, I contemplated what I share with new teachers, principals, and administrators about school libraries in my district. I began to rethink what it is that they all need to know. What do our learners need to know? What do you want them to feel when they come to the school library?"

Photo via Cathryn Lavery, Unsplash.com

Caroline Roche, founder of the Heart of the School website, writes about the need to advocate for and share stories from school libraries — and what makes them the heart of the school.

That the library is the ‘heart of the school’ is a commonly accepted phrase nowadays, certainly in the United Kingdom. You see it in ads for a new librarian, you see it in tweets, you see it in newspaper articles, and it is even the title of the All Party Parliamentary Group white paper on school libraries: ‘The beating heart of the school’. But where does this phrase that is so ubiquitous now come from? Well, actually, I know. It is a phrase that fills me with pride, because it is the name of the website I set up seven years ago to celebrate the work of school librarians. You can visit the Heart of the School website and follow the Twitter feed @HeartOTSchool. There is also a Facebook page.

New Library Learning Commons helps to blaze a trail for deeper learning with 3D printers, green screens and new skills curriculum.

Despite the general rule for quiet demanded by libraries, they’ve been the subject of some fairly significant noise this week. 

Children’s Laureate, Chris Riddell, with eight former Children’s Laureates, have written an open letter to Justine Greening, the Secretary of State for Education, demanding an investigation into school library service closures.

Some school libraries are reinventing themselves as makerspaces, but this Ohio library took a slightly different approach and has seen incredible results.