Interview with a School Librarian: Part 3 of 4

Today I will continue my series where I speak with school librarians and how they incorporate the shared foundations in the AASL standards into their programming. Today's interview is with Merri-Anna Allred, the school librarian at New Providence Elementary School. We examine the shared foundation of "Explore."

Mrs. Allred begins by saying that materials should match the school population, but also include other groups. For example, the Indian and Asian populations at her school have been growing so she has been adding materials to reflect that. It is interesting to note that both Mrs. Jorgenson and Mrs. Allred brought this up, even though they focused on different foundations. This is because a strong, diverse collection is vital to be able to support all the AASL standards.

When collaborating with teachers, Mrs. Allred takes it on a case-by-case basis. For example, 4th graders were researching the American Revolution and wanted support for students creating a bibliography. 1st grade students were studying animals and needed support putting information in their own words. The gifted and talented classes were researching for a math project and needed support finding resources. When it comes to teaching responsible use of technology, she relies on resources from Common Sense Media and collaborates with the STEM teacher. She also creates collections with DISCUS or using the physical collection. This reminds me that each teacher and student will have different needs so my lessons cannot be one-size-fits-all. 

Mrs. Allred mentions several leaders within school librarianship that she follows on social media to get ideas from: Colby Sharp, Andy Plemmons, and The Book Wrangler. She also relies on local leaders from SCASL. This is a reminder that it is important to have a diverse group of trusted leaders to help inform your decisions.

One challenge that Mrs. Allred raises is making sure that the lessons you teach or resources you provide don't feel like "one more thing" to teachers. This reminds me that presentation is important, but so is timing. A lot of professional development at the beginning of the year can be overwhelming.  It's best to sprinkle it throughout the year, or better yet, stay connected to your teachers so that you can offer it at the point of need. 


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