Sharing Our Stories and Support

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Welcome to the Washington Library Associations School Library Division's brand new blog!  We hope to use this site to share information, to promote opportunities for networking and professional growth, and  to highlight the fantastic work being done every day across the state.

We are all working during an incredible and challenging time.  With students and families at the center of our school library services, Washington State Teacher Librarians are focused on continuing to provide safe and healthy library and information literacy services.  Working collaboratively with our school communities, district leadership, and following state guidelines, we continue to provide critical services that are integral to the educational, social/emotional, and mental health of our students.

As we move through the challenges of the 2020-21 school year, our school libraries and librarians are now, more than ever, vital to the educational experience of every student in Washington  State.  School libraries continue to provide critical access to reading materials (both print and digital).  They collaboratively plan and teach in support of the informational and reading lives of students.  Librarians continue to connect teachers, students, and families with resources that support learning.  For school libraries, building a sense of community and strong reading culture are foundational to the nimble and responsive services being provided.  The WLA and the ScLD continue to support our teacher librarians with resources, networking, and professional growth opportunities and advocacy.

We want to hear from you.  What fantastic things are happening in your school library programs?  How have you advocated for students, supported teachers, and enriched learning?  How have you been meeting the needs of your school communities during the pandemic?  Please take a moment to share your story in this google form.  We would like "Stories from School Libraries" to be a regular feature of this blog so that we can celebrate our successes and learn from each other.  

I truly believe that strong school libraries make for strong learners.  Thank you for everything you do for your students, and thank you for making this profession stronger by sharing your practice and supporting each other.

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Sarah Logan is the current chair of the Washington Library Association School Library Division.  She serves as Teacher Librarian at Dorothy Fox Elementary in Camas, WA.

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