Dr. Kip Wilson, Library Technician @ Concord-Carlisle High School

​How I worked with the public library to plan a Young Adult Author Symposium, free and open to all this November. ​

​We began our planning in the fall of 2023 for the Young Adult Author Symposium (YAAS), which we’re launching this fall. A year of planning might sound like overkill, but we needed the lead time for writing grant proposals, figuring out permissions to use spaces, commissioning student artwork, and ordering swag. Probably not surprisingly, my favorite part has been reaching out to authors to see if they could attend. 

​​YAAS will take place on
Saturday, November 16, 2024
10am-2pm at Concord-Carlisle High School

Jenna Wolf, Library Director
Cambridge School of Weston is a day and boarding school in Weston, Massachusetts  for students in grades 9 - 12 + PG.​

Promoting reading with personalized posters.

Lawrence Academy is an independent day and boarding high school with an international and diverse community.   https://www.lacademy.edu/academics/mcdonald-library 

Last year, when access to the library was severely restricted due to our school’s health protocols, I needed to find a way to foster student connections with me and the library, provide instruction, and set up collaborations with teachers. One answer to this challenge came in the form of virtual escape rooms.

An escape room is basically a scavenger hunt, where, by solving clues, you move around a space until you can “unlock” the door and escape; a virtual escape room is a digital version of the escape room experience.

Librarian Luke Steere and the students in the Library Advisory Committee used podcasting as an innovative way to build community and to reach out to students and teachers when the school pivoted to remote learning. 

Millis Middle/High School
Patsy Divver, School Librarian

​With a little creativity, wise spending,  and organization, ​YOUR library can be brand NEW!  The Millis Middle/High school library definitely needed a change. When I started here in 2002, I updated the books but they hadn't been updated since.  The 8’ high shelves were out of place and we hadn't changed tables for about ten years.  The 30 year old rug had seen better days and the library was just not as inviting as it had the potential to be.  Other than a new cafe table, the space needed some work. ​

McDevitt Middle School Library/ Ms. Clerkin's Tech Literacy Class 
Lucy Clerkin, Librarian 
Barbara Walsh, Library paraprofessional 
​
​When you have a library full of kids long before the start of the school day, it’s time to get creative, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. About three years ago, Library Teacher Lucy Clerkin and Library Paraprofessional Barbara Walsh, like many other library professionals, decided to build a MakerSpace. For us, that meant a space stocked with stuff mostly borrowed and found that we hoped would someday and somehow be transformed into something.

​Sarah Bickel, Librarian  
Greenlodge Elementary School Library 

​After many iterations of school announcements, we have found success (for now)! We have a great crew of fifth grade news reporters who create a weekly video called Greenlodge News. This has allowed the school to cut down on the length of morning announcements, and more importantly, gives fifth graders the chance to become news reporters! In addition to collaborating with peers to interview and write up news reports, produce a video product, and use a green screen, students are much more confident because of the experience!