The Pennsylvania School Librarians Summer 2023 Series is a trio of webinars specifically for school librarians looking to deepen their practice on providing quality literature that meets the needs of all students. Each session provides advice and guidance on engaging students through access to literature, understanding how students interact with library collections and reading materials, and how school librarians can advocate on meaningful access to collections for all.
“Book Access for All” Webinar: Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Children with continuous access to books achieve higher academic success and experience greater engagement with reading. Unfortunately, too many children live in “book deserts” without meaningful, consistent access to reading material at school or home.
In this workshop, reading advocates Donalyn Miller, bestselling author and independent reading expert, and Colby Sharp, author and fifth grade teacher, invite participants to
- Examine the current research on book access in schools, libraries, and homes
- Consider the influence of librarians and educators on access; identify access barriers
- Explore resources and strategies for developing and sustaining high-quality, engaging library collections that support students’ reading lives
“Book Access for All” is the first webinar in the Pennsylvania School Librarians Summer 2023 Series. The session will not be recorded. This session is eligible for 1.5 CE credits and 1.5 Act 48 credits (for individuals with a PA Teaching Certificate).
Register for “Book Access for All” Webinar: Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
“Mirrors, Windows, and More in the Library,” Webinar: Wednesday, June 21, 2023, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
Rudine Sims Bishop coined the concept of windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors as a way to explore and expand on the importance of literature. In this session, Erica Snowden, Executive Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, PA, shares about this concept and how to thoughtfully communicate about and prepare your educational experiences in the library for students that will affirm them and also help them to learn about and affirm people different from them. Participants will also be introduced to some other concepts that help us to explore the ways in which we interact with literature in intersectional ways. In this session, participants will reflect on ways in which their libraries offer a space and perspective of multiple identities.
In this session:
- Participants will learn about critical literacy concepts such as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.
- Participants will reflect on ways their libraries affirm multiple perspectives.
- Participants will reflect on questions to use when considering texts for inclusivity of perspectives.
“Mirrors, Windows, and More in the Library” is the second webinar in the Pennsylvania School Librarians Summer 2023 Series. The session will not be recorded; however, a recorded video of the concepts covered will be available via the Pennsylvania Library Staff Academy in the near future. This session is eligible for 1 CE credits and 1 Act 48 credits (for individuals with a PA Teaching Certificate).
“Book Bans: Hints from Hindsight” Webinar: Wednesday, June 28, 2023, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
After multiple high-profile bouts with book banners in two years, Martha Hickson, school librarian and recipient of the American Library Association Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity, shares tips from her chapter in the forthcoming book “The Fight Against Book Bans: Perspectives from the Field” from Libraries Unlimited. She’ll discuss what happened, what she learned, what she wished she’d known, and what she’d do differently. Although book banning is an experience you’d want to avoid, attend this session to hear how to handle it from the voice of experience.
“Book Bans: Hints from Hindsight” is the final webinar in the Pennsylvania School Librarians Summer 2023 Series. The session will not be recorded. This session is eligible for 1 CE credits and 1 Act 48 credits (for individuals with a PA Teaching Certificate).
Register for “Book Bans: Hints from Hindsight” Webinar: Wednesday, June 28, 2023, 6:30 – 7:30 PM
These projects are made possible by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.
Questions and comments can be sent to Corri Hines (cohines@pa.gov), School Age Services Advisor, Bureau of Library Development, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.