MSLA President Anita Cellucci is the Library Teacher at Westborough High School
The past few months have offered much to keep up with in the world and libraries are responding in amazing solidarity. One of the reasons that I’ve spent a good chunk of my working life in libraries is the overwhelming energy of inclusiveness. Libraries are for everyone as this artwork from Hafuboti indicates.
MSLA has spent the past several years working toward providing the research and advocacy to support this belief. In the last couple of years that work has been taken on by the Legislative Commission. Over the past year, it has included work on the new Federal Legislation for ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act). You can read about what our committee has been up to here and here. There is more work to be done and it is imperative to answer the call when the call comes for school librarian involvement. Successful Legislative Breakfasts were held this year as in past years at school libraries - getting legislators and community members into your building and libraries is an effective way to demonstrate the difference a library makes in our students lives. There are so many resources at our fingertips and when we join forces we are indeed a force.
MSLA has spent the past several years working toward providing the research and advocacy to support this belief. In the last couple of years that work has been taken on by the Legislative Commission. Over the past year, it has included work on the new Federal Legislation for ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act). You can read about what our committee has been up to here and here. There is more work to be done and it is imperative to answer the call when the call comes for school librarian involvement. Successful Legislative Breakfasts were held this year as in past years at school libraries - getting legislators and community members into your building and libraries is an effective way to demonstrate the difference a library makes in our students lives. There are so many resources at our fingertips and when we join forces we are indeed a force.
Many libraries are responding to alternative facts and fake news by creating resources to share with colleagues. School libraries have also joined in this. I’ve seen many shared on our Facebook Group page. Here is a LibGuide with resources for fake news from Massachusetts Library System. Collecting these LibGuides and resources to share would help us all combat this issue. Consider submitting your links here. Other resources I’ve noticed being gathered in abundance are for creating a more diverse collection with resources to teach students about refugees and cultures. Here are a couple of articles that I’ve recently come across: Books to help kids understand what it’s like to be a refugee and Spotlight on Diversity: Are Your Library Shelves White-Washed?
Keep sharing links on social media. It’s powerful what we can accomplish together!
Lastly, I’m really looking forward to the MSLA Conference 2017 - Beyond the Binding in May. The MSLA Professional Learning Committee has been diving deep to create a really exciting two days of learning, sharing and growing together! I hope to connect with many of you there.
Keep sharing links on social media. It’s powerful what we can accomplish together!
Lastly, I’m really looking forward to the MSLA Conference 2017 - Beyond the Binding in May. The MSLA Professional Learning Committee has been diving deep to create a really exciting two days of learning, sharing and growing together! I hope to connect with many of you there.
