Figuring Out How To Be A Librarian In A Virtual World: Challenge Accepted

This post is week 1 of 8 in the #8WeeksofSummer Blog Challenge for educators.  2021 was such a pivotal point in my career.  It was filled with ups and downs, challenges and excitement.  I found myself faced with figuring out how to be a school librarian in a completely virtual setting.  

How do you engage students and staff when you don't have the physical library space they are used to engaging with you in? 

This was the challenge I faced this year; and I realized some things that truly changed me as a teacher librarian.  I saw my school community with new perspective.  In July of 2020, I realized I wanted to reinvent my role as the school librarian.  I wanted to engage my school community in ways I never had before.  I decided to fall back on my library science degree and research as much as I could about technology integration, blended learning and technology support.  Impactful technology integration was need at my campus and throughout our district.  Teachers were amazing and inspiring as they charged forward and set up their virtual classes and planned their lessons.  I saw that they needed support to grow in their technology integration to engage students.  I decided to challenge myself to step up and fill the need. 

Challenge 1: Growing My Skill Set

I set a challenge for myself to become a certified Google Trainer and I am so glad I did.  It pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me grow in my technology integration.  It prepared to me to confidently train others and to use what I learned in the training modules to engage students and staff.  If you haven't worked on getting Google certified level one, level two or trainer status, I highly recommend it.  I believe this helped me grow tremendously in my role as a teacher librarian.  You can learn more about Google certification by checking out the Google Teacher Center.  

Challenge 2: Growing My PLN

I decided to grow my PLN.  I got active on social media and connected with other Google Trainers and Google Innovators on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.  I found people I was inspired by that were willing to share what was working in their libraries and classrooms.  I knew I needed to think outside of the box and look at what my peers were doing and figure out how that could apply to my campus/ library/ and my teachers' classrooms.  I also knew I wanted to share back.  When ever I could, I challenged myself to learn from my peers, create my own take on the concept and then share that out to others.  I want to send a heartfelt thanks to those generous leaders on Twitter, who have inspired me and countless others.  If you haven't followed the following leaders on Twitter, I highly recommend you check them out:

@mrshowell24

@TxTechChick

@DebZemanLMS

@AmandaSandoval

@WPray_

@GlobalGEG

@MrsParkShine

Challenge 3: Making Connections

I wanted to connect with my teachers in a way I never had before.  I proposed to my principal that I could take what I learned from my Google Trainer certification and create a weekly Tech Tuesday training session during teacher conference periods.  I felt conflicting emotions about it, I was so excited to share and help prepare teachers to embrace and make the most of virtual learning, but I knew that teacher time was very valuable and I didn't want teachers to feel like this was "another thing" they had to do.  I valued their time and started by asking for their input on what they needed training on.  I was flexible with my training sessions, tailoring them to what my staff needed for that particular week.  I asked for feedback along the way and followed up with teachers between session to see how they were doing.  I would use my PLN to find resources that I knew my teachers would enjoy and I shared those with them and got them excited to try new ideas, strategies and tools.  

Challenge 4: Finding Allies

I attended our Thursday teacher CLC meetings each week, so I would know what teachers were working on with our Collaborative Learning Leader (CLL).  I took what our CLL was doing with the teachers and I tried to incorporate that into what I included in my Tech Tuesdays.  I also worked closely to support her in technology integration, offering her ideas, strategies and tools that would help her during her Thursday sessions.  We became allies and she attended my Tuesday sessions and often took what we talked about Tuesday and incorporated it into her Thursday CLC sessions.  It built buy in among the teachers for both Tech Tuesday and Thursday CLCs.

Challenge 5: Embracing My Role As A Leader

I began to envision myself as a campus leader, librarian and a technology integration specialist.  I started reading the book How To Lead by Jo Owen.  I pushed myself to continue to grow by applying to present at TCEA's 2021 Conference.  I was able to present with a fellow librarian and dear friend, Narda Lugo, for Google at the conference.  We presented on Google Jamboard for over 300 live participants!  It was exciting and it went so smoothly.  If you'd like to view our presentation you can check it out here "Pump Up Your JamBoard".  

Challenge 6: Reinventing the Library Space

I reinvented the library space.  I worked with teachers to go into their virtual meetings and host library time.  I modeled during the sessions, new tools I had shared with teachers during Tech Tuesdays.  I also implemented many strategies to engage students through out library class.  This was a great way for me to still be able to work with students, to collaborate with teachers and to model technology integration all at the same time.  I came up with a variety of challenges to get students participating in this new virtual world.  I also hosted virtual literacy events for our students and community.

Challenge 7: Finding What Works

I met students and teachers where they were at by providing recorded tutorials, social media posts, Google Classroom Announcements and even in person events.  I hosted book drive up events so students could have physical books in their hands.  I planned six weeks reading celebrations for the top preforming grade level.  I set up virtual literacy events with all our teachers/ clubs hosting booths.  Student engagement skyrocketed!  

What I Learned

It wasn't always perfect and there were always things I wanted to improve for the next event.  It was overwhelming at times and exhausting.  It was thrilling and so gratifying to see my students and teachers excited to learn and try new things.  I pushed myself to think outside of the box, to try new things and take risks.  I decided that if I failed I would "fail forward" and keep my head held high.  I realized that I love educational technology and working with adult learners.  I felt so grateful and blessed my principal supported me and allowed me to run with my Tech Tuesday idea for our campus.  My teachers reached out to tell me that they really looked forward to the weekly sessions I was hosting and that they learned so much.  Most importantly, whether I have the physical in person space of the library or not, the library is the heart of the school and I can make it thrive regardless of the limitations.  I owe it to my students, my staff and myself.  

I became a librarian to help students develop a life long love of reading and learning, to be self sufficient and productive members of society.  And now I know, I also am a librarian to empower and support my teachers to leverage technology to engage learners.