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The American Association of School Librarians is an incredible network with news about trends, content areas, technology, legislation and standards regarding the world of school librarianship.

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Hello and thank you for visiting my Digital Personal Learning Network.
I am a current graduate student at Rutger's University pursuing a Masters Degree in Library Science and Information. I work at St. Anselm's College in New Hampshire as a Circulation Manager and will be starting as Assistant Director of the Taylor Library in Spring of 2020.
While I'm actively engaged on social media for personal purposes, I am a relative novice at developing a professional presence online and this is my attempt to fix that. Attached are some of the most influential players in my professional development.

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Email: hyndsje@gmail.com
Twitter:@jenthielker
Pinterest: Jennifer Thielker
Instagram: @jennithielker

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All of my professors have influenced my philosophies and practice and continue to provide a source of guidance and support. Similarly, I have had the opportunity to work with some incredible fellow students who have helped me grow and remain an inspiration to me with their online presence. Here are a few that have had the greatest influence on shaping my outlook on my professional practice as a librarian.

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Dr. Valenza is my advisor as a School Librarian student, course instructor and all around rockstar of all things school library. She has been invaluable in offering advice and inspiration whenever I need it.
Twitter: @joycevalenza
Blog: https://joycevalenza.me

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After 25 years of joyful practice as a teacher librarian in K12 education, and several more as a public and special librarian, I joined the faculty of Rutgers University where I prepare future librarians to lead cultures of literacy and engage communities.

I write the NeverendingSearch Blog for School Library Journal and contribute to several other library and edtech publications. I speak globally about the thoughtful use of technology in learning and the power of librarians to lead.

My research interests include: school librarianship, youth information seeking, educational technology, social media curation, OER, emerging literacies, social media and online communities of practice.

I am active in AASL, ALA, ALISE and ISTE.
Current Workshops joycevalenza@gmail.com
@joycevalenza
http://blogs.slj.com/neverendingsearch Pics for conferences http://about.me/jvalenza

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After 25 years of joyful practice as a teacher librarian in K12 education, and several more as a public and special librarian, I joined the faculty of Rutgers University where I prepare future librarians to lead cultures of literacy and engage communities.

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Mr. Schu travels the country promoting a love of reading and all things children's literature. His enthusiasm is infectious and makes me want to be a better advocate for the library program in my community.
Twitter: @MrSchuReads
Blog: http://mrschureads.blogspot.com

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Exploring Children’s Literature through Interviews and Book Trailers

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I had the great fortune of taking a special topic course on Making Space for Making with Laura Fleming and was so inspired and started planning a mini Makerspace in my library right away. With limited space in a 1000 sq ft library, the advice from Fleming has been extremely helpful.
Twitter: @LFlemingEDU
Website: https://www.worldsofmaking.com/makerspacebooks

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The Taylor Library in Derry, NH is my main source of inspiration and connection to the library community. I live across the street from this historic little library and have made a strong connection with the staff. I was recently asked to join the Trustees and since both Director and Assistant Director are ready to retire, I was asked to take over in Spring.

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Established in 1878 through a bequest from Emma and Harriet Taylor, Taylor Library has given 140 years of continuous service to the citizens of Derry, New Hampshire. Offering public library resources as well as children and family programs, personal reference assistance, deliveries to shut-ins, family museum passes, and so much more, Taylor Library is staffed by a trained librarian and staff, assisted by volunteers. We welcome you to our library, registered in the National Register of Historic Places.

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Established in 1878 through a bequest from Emma and Harriet Taylor, Taylor Library has given 140 years of continuous service to the citizens of Derry, New Hampshire. Offering public library resources as well as children and family programs, personal reference assistance, deliveries to shut-ins, family museum passes, and so much more, Taylor Library is staffed by a trained librarian and staff, assisted by volunteers.

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Gwen is currently the head of Acquisitions at the Tisch Library at Tufts University was introduced to me by a mutual friend and ultimately helped me make the decision to join the Rutgers graduate MLS program. When I met her, she was the Head of Collections at St. Anselm's College. She introduced me to the staff at St. Anselm's College, my current employer, and has been one of the most critical people in my professional development.

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I recently realized that you can follow hashtags as well as people and this realization has been transformative. It has lead me to meet many wonderful people including writers, teachers, fellow librarians, and readers. Here are some of the most inspiring hashtags I follow.
#bookstagram #istelibs #bookstagrammer #booksnaps #igreads #bookreview #bookaholic #booknerd #natgeo #kirkusreviews #bibliophilia #instabooks #futurereadylibs #librariansofinstagram

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International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a non profit organization that helps educators integrate technology into curriculums.

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We help educators around the world use technology to solve tough problems.

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Joining the NHLA as a librarian in NH has been wonderful. The librarians in this state are a tight knit community who are working hard to bring NH libraries into the 21st Century. This year I am participating in the NH Librarian Gift exchange for the Holidays and its such a fun way to get involved and meet new people.
Facebook: @nhlibrarians
Twitter: @nhlibrarians

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Uncategorized

Pictured with Former NHLA President, Sylvie Brikiatis Former NH State Youth Librarian, Ann Hoey, received this year's Ann Gesiel Award of Merit for her significant contributions to the New Hampshire library community. Congratulations, Ann! Read more about the Ann Geisel Award and past ... Read More about Ann Hoey Receives Ann Geisel Award

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Uncategorized Pictured with Former NHLA President, Sylvie Brikiatis Former NH State Youth Librarian, Ann Hoey, received this year's Ann Gesiel Award of Merit for her significant contributions to the New Hampshire library community. Congratulations, Ann! Read more about the Ann Geisel Award and past ...

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Ever since I attended my first ever Scholastic Book Fair in Elementary school, I have been obsessed with everything Scholastic has to offer. I recently found out that they have a pretty comprehensive blog, twitter, and facebook presence that offer resources and support for librarians and teachers.

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EDU | The official education blog of Scholastic Inc.

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Scholastic's blog about education and learning

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Goodreads is by far one of my favorite resources for finding and posting book reviews, creating book lists and connecting with my fellow book lovers. I have always referred to Goodreads for reviews, but have never really participated until this course. I love to see what my friends are reading and have joined groups to find more resources to support my students. The list of books I want to read is out of control. I am constantly finding new ones and will likely never catch up, but that's ok. It's exciting to make ambitious goals and share them with friends.
Instagram: @goodreads
Twitter: @goodreads
www.goodreads.com

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Kirkus Reviews is a great place to get reviews. Kirkus has its own award system which makes it simple to find good books quickly. I've started listening to their podcast called Fully Booked which is hosted by their Editor at Large, Megan Labrise. It's been an entertaining place to hear some author interviews, recommendations, and introductions to upcoming book releases.
Podcast: Fully Booked (available on podcastone.com)
Twitter: @kirkusreviews

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Best Fiction of 2019 by Category | Kirkus Reviews

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Kirkus' editors have sifted through all of this year's books to tell you which rise to the top. Check out the best fiction books of 2019.

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I found We Need Diverse Books in my Children's Reading and Literacy course last semester and felt really inspired by their mission "to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people." It is so important for students to see themselves in literature and the OurStory app by WNDB has been a great place to find books that honor every student in my population.

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Brightly is such an accessible way to discover new books for parents teachers. While there are many ways to discover new books using Brightly, my favorite is with the Brightly Book Club which has all of the information you might need to follow to follow along. They provide topics for discussion, descriptions, themes, reviews by students, games and suggestions for similar books.
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/readbrightly/
Instagram: @readbrightly
Twitter: @ReadBrightly

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Our latest book club selection is a Newbery Honor winner from bestselling author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley that has received rave reviews from kids and adults alike. We hope you'll find it as inspiring and engaging as we do. The story is told from the perspective of Ada, a 9-year-old girl living in poverty in England during World War II, and recounts the adventures and life changes she and her brother experience while living with an educated woman in the country. If you are looking for a gripping tale that stimulates rich discussion and provides a window into a different world, this is the perfect book club pick!

About the Book

Best For: Kids ages 9 - 13

You'll Like It If You Like: Historical fiction, Adventure, Empathy-building stories

It's About: Set in England during World War II, this is the emotionally charged story of Ada, a 9-year-old with a clubfoot who has been made to feel that she is unworthy of love and a normal life by her own mother. When she flees London, and the coming bombing raids, with her younger brother, Jamie, and the other poor city kids who are being sent to live with families in the countryside, she gets a taste of freedom she has never experienced. Living with her benefactor, Miss Smith, Ada realizes she has more value and potential than she was led to believe in her old life. Historical wartime events and facts are beautifully woven throughout this heartfelt story of transformation and redemption.

Why We Picked It: The riveting events of the story are told in cinematic prose that will capture the attention of young readers while also introducing them to an important time in history. The grit and persistence demonstrated by the main characters, despite significant adversity, inspires and builds empathy as readers put themselves in the shoes of Ada, Jamie, Miss Smith, and even Mam. This book does what all great art or literature does - provokes deep discussions, sparks new ideas, and provides a window to another time and place.

What Kids Are Saying:
"It was hard to not cheer Ada on throughout this wonderful, beautiful, and inspiring story." -Alina, age 12

"This book was amazing. It really shows the difference between poverty and regular living. This book shows that in the darkest of times there is still a way to be saved." -Amanda, age 11

"A fabulous book about family, love, bravery, and courage. I loved it because it was so detailed that I felt like I was there with Ada, Jamie, and Susan. It showed that you can learn and overcome anything. And there is always somebody by your side." -Paige, age 11

"This book made me laugh and cry! It takes you away to a different world when you're reading it. I love Ada and Jamie. I have always been interested in riding horses so the parts about Butter made me smile." -Marin, age 9

The Book Club Meeting

Reading Tips:
This book can be read aloud to young readers over a series of days or weeks or read independently by older kids in the weeks leading up to a group discussion. Since it takes place in World War II England, a time and place that most young readers are unfamiliar with, having adults provide some context about the war and this period of history will help the discussion.

This layered novel addresses serious topics including war, physical and emotional abuse, self-discovery, and the meaning of freedom. It offers a roller coaster of emotions that can cause readers to tear up one moment then wince with pain or even laugh out loud the next. The beginning of the book can be particularly hard for sensitive readers as we experience how brutally Ada is treated by her own mother. Setting aside time to let young people share how they felt while reading this book, and how it impacts their view of the world, is important.
Discussion Questions:

1. Describe Ada. Name three qualities that she shows throughout the book. What does Ada really want in life?

2. What is a clubfoot? Why did Mam think Ada was "bad" because she was born with a clubfoot? How did meeting other people help Ada gain a different perspective on her disability?

3. Describe the relationship between Ada and Jamie. Why does Jamie want to go back home to Mam?

4. Freedom is a major theme in this book. Look at page 86 where Miss Smith and Ada talk about the meaning of freedom. Why is freedom important in this story? What does freedom mean to you?

5. Describe Miss Smith. How does she empower both Ada and Jamie in different ways? How do Ada and Jamie help her?

6. Why was Butter so important to Ada? How did Butter help her learn persistence and confidence? Do you have a pet or a hobby that makes you feel like Ada feels when she rides Butter?

7. Ada, Jamie, and Miss Smith tell several small lies to each other in this story. Discuss if or when it is okay not to tell the truth. What is the difference between telling lies and being a liar?

8. How does the war change people, regardless of their social class? What role did women play in the war?

9. How did you feel at the end of the story? Which characters do you have empathy for? Who changed the most from the beginning to the end of this story?

10. The title of the book seems like a paradox since we often associate war with loss of life. Discuss how this war saved Ada's life.

Diving Deeper into The War That Saved My Life

World War II Exploration: This book is set during the time of the Dunkirk evacuations and the aerial bombings of the Battle of Britain. Help kids learn more about the history of World War II with this collection of educational videos or dive deeper into the place and time Ada lived with these photographs from the BBC, oral histories from evacuation survivors, and images of UK Victory Gardens. If you have family or friends that lived during World War II, invite them to talk with your readers directly.

Role Play Activity:From clean tablecloths to shoes that fit, everything seems new and foreign to Ada and Jamie when they move from the city to the country. What would it be like if they moved to your hometown today? Act out a typical day in your hometown and what Ada and Jamie might think and feel if they spent a day doing what you do.

Show Kindness: During the war, many people volunteered their time and money to help others, even when their own resources were shrinking. Brainstorm ways that you can help in your local community or perform a Random Act of Kindness. Here are some great ideas for the whole family from Think Kindness and more service project ideas from Kid World Citizen.

Craft a Sequel: What do you think happens next in Ada's story? Make predictions of specific plot points then write your own version of the opening pages of the sequel. Mark your calendar for October 2017 when Ada's story continues in The War I Finally Won.

Make a Book Trailer: Kids love using iMovie (or other apps) to make trailer videos. Have them make a "book" trailer video to tell others why they should read this book. Check out these tips for making a book trailer.

Explore British Vocab: Find and define some British English words used in this book that are not often used in American English (e.g. flat, loo, posh, shillings, nicked.) Check out this fun list from Time For Kids for further Brit vs. American vocabulary exploration.

Listen to the Award-Winning Audiobook: Experience Ada, Jamie, Susan, and their incredible story in a whole new way by listening to the audiobook. Winner of the 2016 Odyssey Award, and read by award-winning narrator Jayne Entwistle, this wonderful telling captures and amplifies the novel's unforgettable characters, momentous events, and emotional depths. Author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley said of the audio: "I could not have been more pleased about Jayne Entwistle's version of The War That Saved My Life. She got every nuance exactly right - Ada's grit, Jamie's innocence, Lady Thorton's upper-crust accent, Susan's cultivated Oxbridge one."
Listen to a clip:

If you loved this book, here are some other adventure-filled, historical fiction stories for upper elementary and middle school readers:

Let us know what you thought of The War That Saved My Life in the comments below!

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Brightly's Book Club for Kids: The War That Saved My Life | Brightly

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Our latest book club selection is a Newbery Honor winner from bestselling author Kimberly Brubaker Bradley that has received rave reviews from kids and adults alike. We hope you'll find it as inspiring and engaging as we do.

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Helping librarians become the leaders in future ready skill, Future Ready Librarians provides the framework that supports librarians to deliver diverse skills and literacies to students. Look here for case studies and evidence of librarians at the helm of preparing students for the future.

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As schools seek to become future ready, it is necessary to identify and cultivate leadership beyond district and building leaders. School librarians lead, teach, and support the Future Ready goals of their school and district in a variety of ways through their professional practices, programs, and spaces.

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How can you not love the Ladies who Library? Unfortunately, the podcast shut down at the end of 2016 but there is a great archive of episodes that go into detail about books they like and talking points. It is an informal discussion of like-minded individuals and its just a nice place to hear what others in the industry are thinking and talking about in a fun and casual way.

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Anita, Beth, and Erin recap the hellscape that was the Year 2016. Listen up to hear how Anita became a muppet, Erin pitches Cruella DeVille: The College Years, Beth (like hope) floats, and we speculat

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The New York Public Library has a podcast featuring Librarians Gwen and Frank and their discussions on books, culture and book suggestions. Its a bit more formal but they discuss the books they've read, their thoughts and feelings and how to share it with their patrons. I subscribed on Apple Podcasts but its available on Google Play and Spotify as well.

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The Cult of Pedagogy is run by Jennifer Gonzales, where I feel most at home being totally and completely excited about teaching. With the awesome motto of "teacher nerds, unite" I can do just that; nerd out about all things teacher with like minded individuals. The blog, podcast and social media pages all have fantastic insights into best practices and varied ways to support our students. Each social media platform offers its own original content , so I try to stay on top of them all.
Instagram: @cultofpedagogy
Twitter: @cultofpedagogy
Pinterest: Cult of Pedagogy

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“I teach the way that I wish I was taught. The lectures are coming from me, an actual human being who is fascinated by the world around him."
Salman Khan is the creator of Khan Academy. Khan Academy was my first introduction into the idea of a free online learning platform that caters to different learning styles and provides practical example and games to engage students in learning.

I follow the Khan Academy Blog at https://www.khanacademy.org/about/blog, KhanAcademy on Instagram and have recently read Salman Khan's book "One World Schoolhouse" which talks about the current state of education, what we can do to fix it and his thoughts on the future of technology in education.

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Sir Ken Robinson is Professor Emeritus at the University of Warwick and International Advisor, Speaker and Advocate for Arts Education. His work has been instrumental in shaping arts education legislation in the United Kingdom and he advocates for an education system that promotes diversity, curiosity, and creativity compared to the traditional ideas of conformity, compliance, and standardization. His website offers articles, insights and inspiration that I follow closely. He has also delivered some of my favorite TED talks ever.

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Sir Ken Robinson PhD died peacefully yesterday, 21st August 2020, surrounded by family after a short battle with cancer.

A New York Times bestselling author, he led national and international projects on creative and cultural education across the world, unlocking and igniting the creative energy of people and organisations. Sir Ken was the most watched speaker in TED's history, with his 2006 talk 'Do Schools Kill Creativity?' being viewed online over 60 million times and seen by an estimated 380 million people in 160 countries.

He was named as one of Time/Fortune/CNN's 'Principal Voices'; acclaimed by Fast Company magazine as one of 'the world's elite thinkers on creativity and innovation' and ranked in the Thinkers50 list of the world's top business thinkers. In 2003, he received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to the arts.

A loving family man, Sir Ken split his time between Los Angeles, California and London, England, with his wife Thérèse (Lady) Robinson, their two children, James and Kate, son-in-law Anthony and granddaughter.

Please follow his team at Nevergrey for ongoing updates as we begin to follow Sir Ken's wishes and honour his legacy.

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Sir Ken Robinson - The official website of Sir Ken Robinson

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Sir Ken Robinson PhD died peacefully yesterday, 21st August 2020, surrounded by family after a short battle with cancer. A New York Times bestselling author, he led national and international projects on creative and cultural education across the world, unlocking and igniting the creative energy of people and organisations.

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Sir Ken Robinson: How to escape education's death valley

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Sir Ken Robinson outlines 3 principles crucial for the human mind to flourish -- and how current education culture works against them. In a funny, stirring talk he tells us how to get out of the educational "death valley" we now face, and how to nurture our youngest generations with a climate of possibility.

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Dawn Wacek: A librarian's case against overdue book fines

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Libraries have the power to create a better world; they connect communities, promote literacy and spark lifelong learners. But there's one thing that keeps people away: the fear of overdue book fines. In this thought-provoking talk, librarian Dawn Wacek makes the case that fines don't actually do what we think they do.

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A critical look at my PLN and its progress

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A critical look at my PLN and its progress

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It was an interesting experience examining my own personal influences and making a conscientious effort to evaluate who inspires me most and how I tie into that network. My social media presence prior to this was virtually non-existent, so I had to do a lot to build it up to anything. I found my strongest connections are those I know in person. I have been becoming more entrenched with the local librarian community and have made efforts to step outside my comfort zone.
Looking at my GoodReads account, there is definitely a clear trend in the books I read personally. I read a disproportionate amount of books about British Royal History. 70% of the books I have read in the last 3 years have been about the British Royal family. Knowing these biases has helped me diversify a little bit. I want to have eclectic taste to better support my patrons so I have been trying to find books that are outside of my comfort zone on GoodReads.
On social media, Pinterest and Instagram are where I feel most comfortable but I did attempt to expand my understanding and outreach on Twitter as well. I found that many of the people I follow on one platform have vastly different content on different platforms. I have begun following people on multiple platforms to make sure I don't miss anything. Subscribing to podcasts and following different hashtags on Instagram have made a significant difference in my routine. They have let me stay in touch with my professional development on a daily basis since I already listen to podcasts regularly and am always connected to Instagram.
According to Twitter Analytics, my classmates are some of my most influential followers. I have expanded who I follow significantly on Twitter and have steadily seen an increase in my own followers. I had a Twitter account but had only used it once for a different class and hadn't made any efforts to create a network. I am now following 56 accounts consisting of mostly educational institutions and authors and have 14 followers (compared to 2 at the start of this course).
I love Pinterest and use it regularly. I made a significant effort to create and expand a professional Pinterest network. I began it by creating a new account and archiving articles on pedagogy, content, and tech I intend to use in my practice. Pinterest is a very easy place to find inspiration and build a big network. I started following 36 accounts and created 8 new boards to help curate resources to support a new Makerspace, a remodel, and new reading/ craft programming ideas. My most valuable connections on Pinterest are Dr. Valenza, John Schu and Cult of Pedagogy.
Instagram is the only social media site I used every day prior to this. Since it is already a part of my routine, I decided to turn my private account into a public one. This allowed me to share my ideas with a greater audience while not having to start over completely. I was already in the habit of sharing book related information with my close friends and have 128 followers. I started posting booksnaps and quotes that have gotten a good receptions. My most frequently used hashtags have been #yalit #booksnaps #kidslit and #igreads. I have diversified those I follow to include several new educators, authors, and librarians. The biggest difference with Instagram is following several new hashtags. This has been extremely helpful in finding new people for my PLN, programming ideas for my library, and recommendations for new books. While I think I made significant progress in developing  my PLN, I feel empowered to do more and learned a lot about new ways to get connected and learn from others in the community.

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Pinterest is my go to media for archiving articles. It is the one social media platform where I feel completely comfortable and this semester, I have worked to build it up into a robust network. I post inspiration for design, pedagogy, and programming. Below are some of the boards I use to organize my thoughts and some of the more influential people and organizations I look to for support/inspiration.

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I have had the fortune to work with some incredible people and this semester and have tried to make stronger professional connections and bonds with the professionals in my community. These contacts have been invaluable to my own development and have given me incredible insight into the practical aspects of librarianship.

Linda Merrill - Library Director at the Taylor Library

Ray Fontaine - Director of Children's Programming at the Derry Public Library and Chairperson of the Taylor Library Trustees

Martha Dickerson - Head of Circulation at St. Anselm College

Keith Chevalier - Archivist at St. Anselm College

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#Booksnaps have been one of my favorite ways to engage with students this semester. While started on snapchat, Booksnaps are a great way to share reader experiences with friends and family. Students use images, GIFs, Stickers, quotes, bitmojis, and more to express their feelings towards what they are reading.
Here is a snap I made for my YA course on Instagram. It's addictive.
Webpage: http://www.tarammartin.com/booksnaps-snapping-for-learning/

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Changing the Conversation About Librarians | Mark Ray | TEDxElCajonSalon

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Here is a list of some of the people/ organizations I follow on Pinterest in no particular order.
·     YALSA

·     Kathy Schrock

·     Goodreads

·     AASL

·     ReadWriteThink.org

·     Scholastic

·     Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

·     International Literacy Association

·     Common Sense Media

·     Joyce Valenza

·     Michelle Luhtala

·     Education.com

·     American Libraries Magazine

·     John Schu

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While this has been a difficult journey, I have definitely learned a lot about myself and what I value in this exercise. I have never been big on posting my own content to social media, fearing that what I had to say is not newsworthy enough.  This experiment has changed my outlook on that somewhat and diversified my pool of resources dramatically. I also have never considered developing a social media presence as an active activity but have enjoyed taking stock of where I am socially.
The biggest barrier to me in this exercise was Analytics. Unfortunately, many of the tools suggested were no longer in service and for some reason SocialRank could not find my information. I used the internal analytics tool for Twitter and Pinterest to gather information on my progress. On Instagram, I had to look into my own post history and followers posts to get a better understanding of its make up. I think what I learned most from reviewing the data on my posts is that the connections I have made here at Rutgers have been invaluable. I can learn a lot both in class and out from my professors and fellow students.
I know I need to be more active in my postings. I tend to lurk and admire from afar but by tying together my personal and professional accounts on Instagram, I have been able to begin to feel more comfortable and natural in developing the online persona I want to have. I chose to play to my strengths and build on the networks I know and like best and because of that, I feel my new connections are less superficial than they might have been otherwise.
I hope to be more active in reaching out to those I admire and creating opportunities for collaboration. I do plan on continuing this exercise in the future and being more mindful of the people who support me and how I can support them.