The Spokane Moms are asking for your help.

[Lisa Layera Brunkan]

We're on the hunt for stories that highlight librarians and programs from all over the country! Help us share best-practices and help build the case that not only do libraries and librarians matter, they are fundamental to flourishing in the 21st century.


In advance of the Saturday keynote, we're hoping folks will take a few minutes to reflect on these questions.

1. Quantify this year's cuts to library programs in your community - are they up? down? stable?

2. Do you feel more hopeful or more beleaguered than you did 5 years ago?

3. Do you live in a region that you'd describe as experiencing a library renaissance? Are budgets up? Staffing increasing? Legislature passing policy that buoys school libraries? Are your state and district coordinators playing leading roles at the top echelon? Why do you think this is happening?

4. Can you share stories with us about a time when your work may have changed the life of a student or colleague? In short, recount the days where it was palpable that your lifework has great meaning.

5. Describe what you do in 2 sentences. End with a third that makes the case that what you do is integral to kids in the 21st century.

6. Do you feel that your principal, superintendent, and state leader’s ‘get’ what you do and support you in your work? If so, please share how you’re getting the word out and why you think they’re listening. If not, we really want to know.

7. What do you think of the term 'webrarian'?

8. Tell us if you're a peer coach for technology and describe how it's working. If you’re not, what do you think of the idea of librarians as peer coaches for technology.

Thanks so much!!

[Carolyn Foote]

IT's interesting but I actually feel more like teachers/administrators/superintendents in our district are "getting" it completely compared to five years ago. There is much more acceptance and encouragement for innovation and the library role in that.

However, I do think there is still a lot of divide between technology departments/librarians and their roles when I think the roles should be more collaborative. My perception is that librarians are more aware of that than tech staffs.

Our area (Austin, tX) definitely supports libraries, and we are a community of readers.

[Karen Hornberger]

1. Luckily, they've been stable and the forecast looks stable.

2. More beleaguered - I feel that some disturbing trends in library staffing are coming closer to home than ever before.

3. I believe that our school district is valuing the library program more than ever before. I think this is the result of a curriculum coordinator that has put us on the five year review plan and the unification of top notch librarians within our district meeting with the goal of publicizing the importance of our programs and highlighting the services we provide.

4. I believe that, as teachers, evidence of positively impacting a student's life is subtle. I believe that by providing a welcoming atmosphere where all students are respected is the cornerstone of building such settings for making an impact. My favorite experiences are when students have sought advice in research and you can tell that they are grateful that you have helped them and really taught them authentic skills that they will be able to continue to apply.

5. I am a bridge, connecting staff to useful resources that will authentically enhance learning, connecting students to advancing their understanding of information literacy, and a constant analyst and collector of tools and technologies and literature that will help our students and staff develop. My students and staff need me to take the time and dedicate serious thought to guide them in the effective and responsible use of 21st Century applications.

6. I do feel that they do get it. Joyce V. shated with me the annual report. That has been esceptionally helpful in communicating with people who don't live the day to day world of the libarian.
Mine is on my homepage: www.palisadessd.org/phslibrary

7. I love the term 'webrarian'!

8. Informally, I am. It's an ideal job for a librarian.

[SherriLibrarian]

My high school of 1700 went from 2 certified library media specialists to 1 LMS this year. Our budget was also cut 50 percent, and the state budget is looking worse for a few years to come. Also many elementary schools went from 1 fulltime LMS to a 1/2 time LMS. Kansas is one of the 21st Century Skills Leadership states, but no one in our district seems to know about it. We haven't had a certified Library Media Specialist in a district leadership role. Our new library coordinator for the district has worked as an aide/para in the library, but the lib. coordinator is a classified position. At least she just received a degree in library sci and knows a lot, but she hasn't worked as a school librarian.

I don't really like the term webrarian (don't know why). I do love the idea of libs as peer coaches for tech. I'll write more later. I have to go to cub scouts.

[Karen Burns]

1. Gig Harbor (Peninsula School District) experienced more cuts. All middle and elementary schools are now covered by classified staff and only the two of us at the two high schools are certified teachers and certified librarians.

2. I still feel more hopeful because of the work of the Spokane Moms in our state!

4. I had a TA who really enjoyed working in the library. He was homeless at the time and living in a tent trying to finish school. It's been three years now and he is doing better and I have gone on to work with him above and beyond the school connection, but the groundwork was laid because of the library setting. In a more direct way, Brent Hartinger's book The Geography Club has had a great impact on students at our school, especially on the GLBTQ students and Hartinger's (local Tacoma, WA author) visits to our school a few years back really helped our conservative student body stretch their thinking.

5. I create connections with readers and the staff to great books of all kinds through library display, one-to-one advisory, and web showcasing. Research is supported in the library and computer lab as well as on the library website.
This year my goal is to connect all 9th graders to Google Apps and social networking tools that support learning through collaboration with the 9th grade social studies and science staffs.

6. I have a brand new principal and have had good luck increasing his support.

7. Not crazy about the term webrarian.

8. I do some peer coaching and think it's a good idea as long as it doesn't take over all aspects of the job.

[SherriLibrarian]

I wanted to answer the questions more thoroughly now that I have more time.

I wasn't a librarian 5 years ago, but I am very hopeful about the future. There are opportunities there to become an intregal part of the educational system. I think networking such as this will help considerably.

I am lucky to work with wonderful teachers and students who make my work very satisfying. I love the aspects of being a librarian that deal with new technology, young adult literature and research.

[LaDawna Harrington]

Dr. Ann Flynn is the Director of Education Technology, I think has one of the best suggestions: present at other conferences. We also need to write in other publications. If we stay in "library land" then we are only singing to the choir and only feeling dispare in our own little world.

I fought for the retition of our elementary librarians this past year. I did everything I knew how to do and still 100% of the positions were cut (10 librarians covering 18 schools). We now have volunteers that are "running" the show. When I found out cuts were in the air I contacted Ann Martin, she wrote letters to our Superientendent, Commissioner of Education and the Governor of our state. She also blogged to our local papers. Jim Rettig did the same. Our State Librarian also wrote letters and posted to the State Libary Web Site. I attended board meetings and townhall meetings along with my elementary librarians. We rallied parents and children to attend and they spoke. Our budget passed and still with all that our assistant superientendent in charge of curriculum had made a decision and we lost the fight. What more could we have done?

I am a positive person and I choose to look forward. I love what I do and I love being involved. I feel in my own building wonderful things are happening but I am sad for the program as a whole.

[Marla Yudin]

Lisa,
It was wonderful to hear you at the SLJ summit. I am a bit late in telling you that. I was so impressed by the video you had from the librarian in which she listed all the things she was doing. I recall that only the audio portion of that was available. I am wondering where I can listen to that again as well as watch the other video's that you showed us.
I appreciated you help. I thought I might find them here on the ning, but don't see them.
Thanks, Marla Yudin