or a world without school librarians, we can only survive it together.
so... let’s begin where we began.
so... what does it mean to be a zombie librarian?
and how can we avoid becoming one?
let’s get started.
are zombie librarians born or made?
in my experience... 3 reasons.
but i also know that...
Even the least cool car in the world is not cool enough for us.
Obviously, sony had not seen anyone in this room.
stereotypes exist for a reason.
zombie librarians perpetuate the worst ones. the kind that make us seem outdated and expendable. so what can we do?
my principal
interview
not mean.
cared more about books than kids.
made kids hate reading.
wanted everything quiet all of the time.
if you don’t set the expectations, they will be set for you.
fill the gap in what your community expects with a bucket full of awesome.
book release costume parties
author skypes.
loud and messy - got kids excited about reading.
every bulletin board/display interactive.
sandra hughes hassel.
answer? who cares!
make your resources the answer to an authentic question and then they will NEED to know how the resources are organized.
walk throughs
see what they value.
1.5 million kids drop out each year.
5 million play video games.
play = essential.
play and libraries aren’t always a combo people put together
if i had a dollar.
we have to change what people expect from a “real librarian.”
full disclosure.
genre shelving fan.
makes librarians fiesty.
we went full on genrefied.
let kids and faculty inform decisions about categories.
empowered and sense of ownership.
circulation through the roof. loss DOWN. HARD WORK
cockroaches
create a narrative
map
they will NEVER EVER LEARN DEWY dewey is not a lifeskill
same thing over and over and over and over again.
boys who needed to read.
measured it - created change.
common core = primary sources.
what makes a source authoritative?
skill of evaluating sources
student voice authoritative.
we have to stop being the copyright police.
more carrot less stick.
have kids license their own works.
part of their culture.
we are all advocates.
but successful advocacy requires making people care.
only a small % care about libraries
fewer about librarians.
plus, the measure isn’t even a very good one.
unless someone is bleeding or on fire...
know your generals.
be a general.
scratch backs.
we cannot keep kids from checking out books because they owe money.
we have to be good stewars.
core values/mission
food for fines responsibility/altruism/libraries centers for social good.
for better or worse, we living in a data driven world
zombie libraries ingore it to their peril and to ours
regulary
message to teachers - i know curricula. I care about student success.
principal’s door.
connect it to student learning.
circ statistics are meaningless alone
principals don’t care - and why should they?
collaboration data.
knitting cat sweater
swing a dead cat without hitting a hashtag.
if you are not connected, you are just stubborn.
video games also a single tweet.
your PLN will help you make a difference.
this is a tough job, we cannot do it alone.
having a pln means you don’t ahve to.
be the answer to their problems
we make time for things that are important to us.
schedule it.
“i don’t have time.” No. Make time.
Or another way to put this might be that their doing technology wrong.
still “i live in a tech black hole?”
really? you live in the amazon? of subshara africa? if not, then just no.
meme
more people have access to mobile phones than to running water.
high school library.
which is more important? why might that be the problem? what is true in these place? govt vs. commericial concerns? how do we fix it?
this IS where it’s going.
even the poorest, most rural, most remote OR most over crowded and underfunded school WILL get more devices. If you are just an access point, you are about to become obsolute.
assistants were cut.
1-2 principals
that said, i know there are things we don’t have control over.
i get it.
our work is sacred.
less alone, safe, like it was okay to be vulnerable
i don’t worry about unemployed librarians.
i worry about kids like me.
look around... all of these colleagues on your side.
plus you have the world is at your finger tips.
what’s more, i believe that whether we call it the zombie librarian apocolapyse