This document summarizes Carolyn Stenzel's presentation to the VAASL conference on building strong independent school library programs. Stenzel discusses her journey to becoming an independent school librarian and some of the unique issues they face compared to public school librarians, such as flexibility in standards and evaluation. However, she notes their ultimate goals are the same - ensuring students are enthusiastic readers and effective users of information. Stenzel emphasizes that independent school librarians have greater freedom but also greater responsibility to take advantage of opportunities public school librarians do not have. She provides examples of ways librarians can stay connected through social media like Twitter, listservs, blogs, and webinars to continue learning and