I’ve been a fan of Austin Kleon’s work for several years now. Steal Like an Artist had a huge impact on me as an educator and I frequently quote it in my conference presentations. Show Your Work helped me to better understand the importance of sharing what I’m doing (like right here on this blog). … Read more
I’ve been studying library space design a lot the last few months. I’m currently working on a book for ISTE, tentatively titled Reimagining Library Spaces, that will be out sometime in the fall. As I’ve been going through research, I thought it would be great to share some of my favorite learning space design books … Read more
The Language of School Design The Language of School Design: Design Patterns for 21st Century Schools, is a fantastic, well-designed book that takes a broad look at what makes a 21st Century School a modern learning space. They break these ideas down into 29 well-researched Design Patterns. Included with each of the patterns are examples … Read more
Library Design Inspiration: How to Find it When rethinking and redesigning our library spaces, many of us tend to focus on looking at other school libraries for ideas and inspiration. However, there’s quite a few other learning environments and resources we should consider when planning our spaces. Some are more traditional than others, but all … Read more
The Complete Do-it-yourself Manual When I was growing up, the 1973 edition of the Reader’s Digest Complete Do-it-yourself Manual sat on a shelf in our garage. I was born in 1984, so the book was well over a decade old by the time I was reading it. I wasn’t really that into the handyman section … Read more
As I’ve been reflecting on all that’s happened this year and I look ahead to next year, I’ve been thinking about how things have changed for me and how I’ve grown. Learning to put yourself out there When I first started working as a school librarian just over five years ago, I was treading water, trying to … Read more
I’m working through Austin Kleon‘s amazing Steal Like an Artist Journal (Check out my review of his book Steal Like an Artist here). As I’ve been working through the various exercises designed to boost creativity and help you get new ideas, I was struck by how beneficial these types of exercises would be to our … Read more
Recently, I had the unfortunate experience of dealing with criticism. I was told (not to my face) by a visitor to our school that our library makerspace is not a “real makerspace”. This same person stated that our woodshop is a “real makerspace” because it has power tools. She suggested that I “do some research” on … Read more
That’s a picture of my paternal grandparents, Howell and Irene Loper. My grandmother, Irene Garris Loper, was a school teacher in the same district I work in now. She got her education degree at Florida State Women’s College (now Florida State University). She taught in other counties before she settled with my grandfather and my … Read more
My very first library related job was as a library page shelving books at the Seminole Heights Public Library. The same branch that my dad went to growing up in this area. I was only at that branch for a couple of months, but I loved it. Now I live in the neighborhood, and … Read more