Thoughts on a conference (part 1)

This past week, I attended the amazing Texas Library Association conference. For me this week was like Christmas, my birthday, and Summer all rolled into one incredible week. It's my chance to meet and learn from inspiration library leaders, snatch some great ideas and put my twist on them for my library, and geek-out when I get to meet some of my long-admired literary heroes as well as some new voices that should definitely be promoted to my students. It was exhausting and inspiring all at once. I thought I'd share some of the things I learned:

If you're not at the table, you're on the menu

This was a quote, I believe from Doug Johnson, that was used by Jennifer LaGarde, better known as The Library Girl and I can't get it out of my head. I see my role as the librarian on my campus encompass so much more than "keeper of the books". My role involves knowing the curriculum of all content areas so I can suggest materials that would be helpful. It involves advocating for proper research instruction so my students enter high school completely prepared to independently conduct a meaningful research assignment and not just a "fact-finding" paper. It involves staying abreast of recent technology issues so I can gently encourage and teach those colleagues who feel skittish about tech while fully supporting those colleagues who are exploring new and impressive tech destinations with their students. It involves promoting the explosive number of books and authors via book talks, social media and any other way I can think of , so maybe, just maybe I can reach that student who has lost his or her way with reading and bring back that spark. I certainly don't want to be on the menu, but that table sure seems like it's as long as the tables in the dining hall of Hogwarts. It's easy to get discouraged and fear that my voice is drowned out by all the others voices at the table, but I can't bear the thought of staying quiet and just letting things "be". It's not who I am, and exhausted or not, irritable or not, I'll be at that table and become a bullhorn for the all the positive contributions the library program makes in the lives of my students.


More thoughts in the next post :-)