When the Ambassador Hands Critics a Weapon: Mac Barnett, Make Believe, and the Stakes of Children's Literature

Arlene Laverde & Jennifer Sturge

2026-05-21 02:02 PM

In May 2026, Mac Barnett, celebrated children's book author and the current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, published his first book for adults, Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children. The book was met with glowing reviews from Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, and The New York Times. It was, by all accounts, a passionate [...]

Read More

Recognizing Our Contributions: Giving Ourselves Credit (Where It's Due!)

Steve Tetreault

2026-05-20 09:00 AM

Praise for Thee – AND for Me!  I am fortunate enough to get to talk to school librarians from all over. From across New Jersey and across the country, I love connecting with other professionals in this field. The joy and the engagement school librarians bring to their work is infectious, in the best way [...]

Read More

Making Space for Creative Expression

Karin Greenberg

2026-05-19 09:04 AM

As a school librarian, I try to make literature relevant to my students. I've found that incorporating exciting world events into the library curriculum is one way to catch students' attention. Like many people, I was glued to my TV during the April 10th Artemis II return to Earth. As I watched the capsule splash [...]

Read More

Let's Have a Chat: What You Need to Know About Using AI in Your Library

Helaine Becker

2026-05-18 09:00 AM

When I sat down to write Smart Machines: How AI Is Changing Our World, I recognized the huge challenge ahead. Like most of us, I knew zip about Artificial Intelligence. How did it even work? I needed to separate truth from fiction, and then explain it in a kid-friendly style that would be fair and [...]

Read More

Teacher "Appreciation:" Why Information Literacy Matters More Than Ever

Jennifer Sturge

2026-05-14 09:30 AM

Teacher "Appreciation:" Why Information Literacy Matters More Than Ever During the first and second week of May, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week and National Charter Schools Week 2026, the U.S. Department of Education's official Facebook page did something remarkable. And it was not remarkable in a good way.  At least, not in my opinion. [...]

Read More

Rethinking Assessment: A Conversation with Elizabeth Burns

Jessica Thompson

2026-05-13 09:22 AM

Assessment is a word that can make even the most seasoned and confident school librarian pause. For many, it brings to mind grades, tests, and rigid measures that feel at odds with the flexible, learner-centered nature of the library. But what if assessment in the school library isn't about grading at all? That's the central [...]

Read More

Make the Most of "the 100 Days of May"

Mia Gittlen

2026-05-12 12:04 PM

Thankfully there are many commemorations to celebrate during "the 100 Days of May" as we make our way to the end of the school year. This time of year, we often find ourselves extra busy with extra long to-do lists: making final purchases, creating end-of-year surveys or infographics, finalizing our inventories, and multi-tasking to accomplish [...]

Read More