High School Librarians as Community Collaborators

High School libraries are in a unique position to reflect on and connect services to the community: students, teachers, public libraries, religious organizations, local businesses, and more. AASL 2019 National School Library of the Year recipients will share how our six schools work to meet the needs of not only our individual communities but the district as a whole, bridging boundaries to create integrated learning. We will provide examples that are replicable -- including how we implement a variety of communication styles to share our work--and how we advocate for library budget and services at the district level, in each school, between buildings, and in the community to continue to explore areas of need and increase our support. We will share examples of collaborations across curricula from Physical Education through English and AP Seminar classes and how we curate a robust collection to meet the diverse needs of the students in our buildings and across the district--especially in the areas of College and Career Readiness.

Speaker(s):

  • Katie Alexander, School Librarian, John Hersey High School
  • Dawn Ferencz, School Librarian, Elk Grove High School
  • Barry Hanrahan, School Librarian, Wheeling High School
  • Mike Kic, School Librarian, Rolling Meadows High School
  • Kim Miklusak, School Librarian, Buffalo Grove High School
  • Christie Sylvester, School Librarian, Prospect High School