Interview with a School Librarian: Part 2 of 4

Today's interview is with Sarah Jorgenson, the school librarian at Carolina Spring Middle School in Lexington, SC. We focus on the shared foundation of "Include" and how she implements this into her library program. 

Something that is obvious as soon as you walk into the school library at Carolina Springs Middle School is their commitment to inclusiveness. This is the poster that greets you:

I knew that Sarah would be perfect to have a discussion with about the shared foundation of "Include." She begins by discussing that she wants her collection to be reflective of the students she serves, but also reflective of a wide representation of people. I am reminded of Dr. Bishop's phrase of literature being used to serve as windows and mirrors. She wants to make sure her displays reflect this as well. Not only does she feel it's important to make sure the collection is inclusive, but the library space as well. The CSMS library includes different types of seating to accommodate different learners.

Besides her print collection and furniture, Mrs. Jorgenson makes her library is stocked with games, crafting materials, ebooks, audiobooks, a green screen and recording devices. This reminds me that the library is not just a space to check out books or conduct lessons. It's a space to create and participate in activities that support the curriculum and ones that don't. Students also need a space to gather for leisure and the library is perfect for this.

Mrs. Jorgenson admits that the staff at her school isn't used to using the library as an extension of their classrooms (this is her first year at CSMS), but they are beginning to see the possibilities and enjoying the results. They now use it for gallery walks, presentations, recording audio or video responses, and book tastings. This reminds me that it's more important to build relationships with staff so that they will feel comfortable coming into the library with and without their students so that it can be used to its full advantage. 

Students are also beginning to see ownership in the library space because teachers are displaying student work in there. Right now, there are fun candy art projects as well as shoebox dioramas representing colleges. This is a reminder that you don't have to worry about covering the walls yourself. Reach out to teachers who may have work that can be displayed in a highly visible area.

Finally, Mrs. Jorgenson says that it can be a challenge to find books and resources that are representative of different types of people. She points out that We Need Diverse Books is a good source to consult and that she hopes these types of movements are growing and help continue the push to make diverse materials more accessible to school libraries. This is a good reminder to stay involved in professional development through organizations and social media so that you are made aware of resources as soon as they become available. 

I hope you learned some valuable ways to implement the shared foundation of "Include" in your school library programming. Thank you, Mrs. Jorgenson!