Blog Archives

Managing and Leading – A Powerful Combination

Those of you who collaborate or cooperate regularly with teachers, who introduce new technology resources, and who use your library website and social media to promote your program are being leaders.  Many more of you are doing much of this

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Career, Librarian Life

Elevator Communication

Librarians in their efforts to meet their customers’ needs have an inclination to provide an overabundance of information.  Even when the patron is satisfied and has left the library, we frequently continue the search to ensure we have uncovered all

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Librarian Life, Professional Development

Discovering and Using Your Emotional Intelligence

I mentioned in last week’s blog (and with Inside Out from Pixar earning big bucks at the box office), Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a major factor in your success as a librarian because it affects your ability to communicate.  I

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Career, Librarian Life

Do You Self-Assess

Most of you deal with SGOs (Student Growth Outcomes) or SLOs (Student Learning Outcomes) as a way to measure your effectiveness. These are specific performance measures relating to how you do your job.  By their nature, they are about one

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Professional Development

Join the Library Eco-System

As you read this, I am attending ALA Annual in San Francisco.  While I normally think about school libraries on the state and national level, being at ALA reminds me to think on a larger scale.  ALA Past-President Jim Rettig

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Librarian Life

20/20 Vision

Last week I blogged about the importance of a Mission Statement and how to create it if you didn’t have one.  A Vision is equally important, yet many who have Mission Statement don’t have a Vision Statement. The reasons are

Tagged with: , , , , , ,
Posted in Librarian Life

It’s Your Mission

The school year is over—or just about for some of you.  How do you feel as you look back on it? Do you have a sense of accomplishment over what you have achieved?  Or are you tired and exhausted, able

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Career, Librarian Life

Managing Students

For the past two weeks I have been blogging about classroom management for librarians. Part three of this discussion is the hardest challenge –handling disruptive students and classes. There is no silver bullet.  No quick fix.  And nothing works perfectly

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Career, Librarian Life

Classroom Management – It’s Not About Control

Last week I blogged about “Entrance and Exits” and how to manage them for a smooth transition. This week my focus is on what happens in-between the coming and going.  You have many roles as a librarian—information specialist, instructional partner,

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Career, Librarian Life

Entrances and Exits

I was speaking with a colleague and friend who was having some difficulties with classroom management in the library.  It is a challenging task for many—even for former classroom teachers.  From elementary through high school, the open space along with

Tagged with: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Librarian Life