8 Ways Librarians Can Collaborate with Teachers to Support Curriculum Goals....and 10 Ways to Put It Into Action!

Earlier this year, I joined Follett Software for a special webinar, Co-Planning for Impact: How Library–Curriculum Partnerships Move the Achievement Needle.

This week, Follett shared an amazing new infographic they created, 8 Ways Librarians Can Collaborate with Teachers to Support Curriculum Goals, featuring the information and ideas I shared during the webinar.

There are SO many ways we can use this infographic and the information in our work as teacher librarians! Here are just a few ideas for how you can put it to use, spark new conversations, build partnerships, and highlight the important role we play in supporting teaching and learning.

1. Use it during teacher meetings or PD. Share the infographic at a faculty meeting or professional development session to spark conversations about how the library can support upcoming units, projects, and learning goals.

2. Use it to build new partnerships. Share it with teachers you haven't had the opportunity to collaborate with yet as an invitation to explore possibilities together.

3. Use it for curriculum planning. Keep it handy when grade-level teams and curriculum leaders are planning units, looking for resources, or brainstorming new learning experiences.

4. Use it to celebrate collaboration. Highlight examples from your own library that connect to the ideas in the infographic. Share the projects, lessons, and partnerships happening throughout the school.

5. Use it in your library newsletter. Feature one idea at a time and show how it connects to the work happening in your school.

6. Use it to start conversations with administrators. Bring it to planning meetings to discuss where the library can support school wide initiatives, curriculum priorities, and student achievement.

7. Use it as a reflection tool. Look at the eight ideas and consider which partnerships are already strong and where there might be opportunities to grow.

8. Use it to inspire new ideas with students. Think about how collaboration can create more opportunities for students to explore, research, create, read, and share their learning.

9. Use it to advocate for library involvement early. Share it with curriculum teams to encourage bringing the librarian into conversations when units and projects are being developed, not just when resources are needed.

10. Use it to share your library's impact. Include it in annual library reports, presentations, board updates, or communications with families to help tell the story of how the library supports teaching and learning.

And I especially love thinking about turning the infographic into a yearlong collaboration challenge. Choose one idea each month, connect with a teacher or grade-level team, and find a new way to bring the library into the curriculum.

I can't wait to hear how you use the infographic and information as Future Ready Librarians, friends.

You will find it here on the Follett Software site. 

 

Literati Cares: It’s the People Who Make the Difference

The best partnerships are about so much more than the products, programs, or resources we share. They are about the people who listen, take the time to understand what you need, and genuinely care about helping you bring your ideas to life.

That is one of the things I appreciate most about working with Literati.

Recently, we had the wonderful opportunity to have Megan Gray, Literati’s Creative Director, spend time with my library assistant, Natasha, and me at our school book fair. It was such a special experience, not only because Megan was there to see our fair in action, but because we got to brainstorm, create, and work together throughout the event.

As we talked about ideas and thought of little things that could make our book fair even more fun, Megan jumped right in to help us bring them to life. 

We brainstormed ideas for our marshmallow guessing game, created signs for our book fair bags, put together a preorder resource for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and made a mini-poster and an “A Gift for You” tag, and more. These were ideas that came up as we went, and Megan helped turn them into real resources we could use right away!

I loved that we could share an idea, talk it through, and watch it come together. It was such a fun and creative way to work together, and it made our book fair even more special.

And guess what, friends? I get to share these resources with you, too!

Megan put together a special collection of the assets she created for us, and now you can use them at your own Literati Book Fair. How wonderful is that? I love when something we create in our library can be shared with other librarians and schools, giving everyone a few more ideas to make their book fairs special.

You can access this special collection Megan created here.

This experience was such a great reminder of what makes Literati special. It is the people behind the books, the amazing fair themes, the creative marketing resources, and all the thoughtful details that go into making Literati Book Fairs so special. It is the willingness to listen, the excitement of brainstorming together, and the care that goes into helping schools bring their ideas to life.

One of my favorite parts of the book fair was seeing the connections Megan made with our students and families. One especially sweet moment was seeing Diana and her granddaughter, Talia, enjoy the fair together.

Diana is a Van Meter grandma, but she is also someone very special to our library. She was my library assistant in the past, so she has a special connection to our library and our book fairs. Watching her and Talia spend time together, explore the books, shop, and visit with everyone was such a joy. Moments like these remind me that a book fair is about so much more than finding your next great read. It is about bringing people together, sharing stories, and creating memories that last long after the fair is over.

And I have to give a special shout-out to our Literati sales rep, Chuck Mills, because this kind of personal connection is something we experience throughout our partnership with Literati. Chuck checks in with us well before our book fair begins, stays connected throughout the event, and follows up afterward. Whenever we have a question, need something, or have an idea we want to explore, he is there to help. That kind of consistent support means so much. It makes us feel like we have someone on our team who genuinely cares about our school, our students, and making each book fair a success.

Having Megan alongside us felt less like working with a company and more like having a creative partner on our team. And having Chuck there to support us along the way makes that partnership even stronger. It is the people who take the time to listen, build relationships, and help bring ideas to life who make such a difference.

Thank you, Megan, for spending time with us, sharing your creativity, and making our book fair even more memorable. We loved having you here, and we can't wait until you come back for our next Literati Book Fair!

And thank you, Chuck, for always being there for us, and to the entire Literati team for reminding us that it really is the people who make the difference.

Join Us For This Fun New Follett Content Webinar, Friends.... Passive Programming Ideas School Librarians Can Run With Less Effort!

                  

I am so excited about our upcoming Follett Content webinar, Passive Programming Ideas School Librarians Can Run With Less Effort, on November 17th at 2:00pm CST. 

As shared in the invite, 

You've got twenty things pulling at you before first period even starts, and "run more programming" is not what you needed on your to-do list. But your library still needs to feel alive between classes, during lunch, when kids just wander in with ten spare minutes.

Shannon McClintock Miller has spent years building low-lift, high-engagement passive programming that doesn't require another staff meeting, another hour, or another line item in your budget. She's back to walk through what actually works.

In this session, you'll:

• Identify low-prep passive programming ideas that take minutes to set up

• Build a rotating lineup so your space stays fresh without constant reinvention

• Choose free or low-cost resources that work with a tight budget

• Get ready-to-use ideas organized by grade level you can adapt immediately

Whether you're running a one-person library or leading a team, this one's for you.

You can register for the webinar here.  And don't worry if you can't make it live. The recording and resources will be shared with everyone who registers after the webinar too. 

Can't wait to see you there, friends.