Presenters
Ashley Cooksey(she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor at Arkansas Tech University where she also serves as the School Library Program Director. Throughout her time as an educator, she has served as a classroom teacher, a school librarian, and an instructional technology coach. Along with personalized professional learning and growth, Cooksey is a passionate advocate for Universal Design for Learning, technology-enhanced teaching and learning, and ensuring all students have access to a qualified school librarian and a diverse library program. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. and is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher.
Statewide School Library Lead
James Allen is currently the Statewide School Library Lead and a Digital Learning Coach for the Kentucky Department of Education in the Office of Education Technology. Previously he was a school librarian for sixteen years. James is an organizer and regular moderator of #KyLChat which gives librarians across Kentucky a place to share and explore new ideas. James is also a Google for Education Certified Innovator, Google Earth Education Expert, and a member of the ISTE Community Leader group. You can find James on Twitter @TLJamesA and his website TLJamesA.com.
Traci is a teacher librarian at Skyview High School in Vancouver, Washington. She has presented at ISTE, AASL, Future Ready Institutes, and ASCD. She loves working with technology and teenagers.
Session description
Join our panel of teacher librarians representing k-12 schools to discuss engaging hot topics facing the profession. Bring your questions on intellectual freedom, technology integration, literacy instruction, budgets, and more! Gain new perspectives and practical tips for moving school librarianship forward through an open dialogue between panelists and attendees.
Purpose & objective
In this conversational session, experienced school librarians will discuss the profession's past, present, and future to help clarify common misconceptions and outline a proactive path forward.
Objectives:
Debunk popular myths around contemporary school librarianship
Share examples and strategies to demonstrate the vital impact strong school libraries can have on student growth
Address intellectual freedom challenges and provide resources to uphold access for all
Envision the future of libraries and librarianship with a solutions-focused approach
Gather feedback on the most needed support and resources for school librarians today
By openly exploring where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed, this session aims to reignite passion for the profession and equip attendees with ideas and tools to adapt and advocate for their evolving roles.
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Outline
Introductions: 5 min
School Library Myths: 10 min
Power of School Libraries: 15 min
Current Challenges: 10
Attendee-directed Topics: 20 min
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Supporting research
https://cdn.iste.org/www-root/Libraries/Documents%20%26%20Files/ISTEU%20Docs/iste-standards-e_frl-crosswalk_6-2018_v7-2.pdf?wv1MfDhoPKserxbH7V1mM6CJT39klO3F=
https://all4ed.org/future-ready-librarians-hub/
https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2022/05/02/school-librarians-are-essential/
https://librariesresearchgroup.csu.domains/blog/2022/05/02/5-reasons-we-need-teacher-librarians-and-school-libraries-in-2022/
https://ilovelibraries.org/school-libraries/
https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180828-aasl-standards-crosswalk-iste.pdf
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