Between the Pages…

As a former Technology coach at an LAUSD middle school, I have experienced first-hand the post-Covid edtech boom. LAUSD ITI, under superintendent Alberto Carvalho, jumped in with lead feet investing in all the latest technology. After my first year as the technology coach, the school no longer had money to fund my position, so I formally moved into the library and proceeded to earn my MLIS degree. At the same time, I continued to be involved with our school’s technology plan. Three years later, with funding vanishing and increasing parental pressure over excessive screen time, we are now seeing the pendulum swing in the other direction as LAUSD reduces screen time and no longer offers 1:1 devices for students. As a former tech coach, this was rather disappointing, but as a librarian, it has brought me great joy to see this renewed interest in reading.

According to Tænketanken Fremtidens Biblioteker, regarding a new national reading initiative in Denmark, “The joy of reading and the reading culture among children and young people is under pressure, and it requires that they encounter literature in new ways. A special national effort is needed to bring the joy of reading back into the lives of children and young people and to foster collaboration between professionals, researchers, parents, and the most knowledgeable experts: The children themselves. Therefore, the goal of this national initiative is to create a strong reading culture in the everyday lives of children and young people” (2024).

LAUSD has posted a new webpage called Read to Lead Literacy Movement. They state “The LAUSD Read to Lead Literacy Movement is designed to instill the love of reading in our students. The movement develops common expectations, builds awareness about the importance of literacy, and the habits of reading throughout the District. The movement includes suggested reading materials for families and a reading contest for elementary and secondary schools. Also as part of this effort, Los Angeles Unified is providing information and resources to destinations that expose and grant access to unique learning opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom. Below is information on some of these wonderful offerings and destinations for families.” This information is intended for families to access outside the classroom. 

Getting students to read in school is a different thing entirely. Our school is a Priority 3 school because our test scores are so low. The district requires teachers to use a literacy program with fidelity. Our particular program is composed of excerpts from stories, so students go an entire year without reading a novel. Unfortunately, it leaves no time for reading activities that build reading habits and vocabulary growth. No more Sustained Silent Reading, no more class visits to the library, and no more reading for pleasure. We want students’ reading test scores to improve, yet we don’t give them time to enjoy a good book.

According to Donaly Miller who teaches 6th grade language arts and social studies at Trinity Meadows Intermediate School in Keller, Texas, and author of the book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child, “Without spending increasingly longer periods of time reading, they won’t build endurance as readers, either. Students need time to read and time to be readers.” Without time to read in class, one of the biggest challenges we educators face is getting our students to read on their own for fun. We can blame it on technology, a shortened attention span, the pandemic, or simply lost learning. While there are the occasional students who come into the library weekly to check out new reading material, for the others, it feels like pulling teeth. Who can blame them? Even I struggle to find time to read for pleasure. So, now what do we do? How do we create a culture of readers? Well, first, we need to stop killing the love of reading.

So how can we bring joy back to reading for these students? We have options. We can create fun reading challenges that help libraries connect with readers and help readers easily decide what to read next. Readbrightly.com offers reading challenges for kids for each month September through May. 

Reading lists are a great way to engage students and help readers to decide what to read next. The booklists like the 2026 NoveList Reading Challenge offer ready-made prompts with curated book lists in NoveList Plus. March Madness School Reading Competition creates teams within a school to promote reading and excite kids about reading. The media specialists support students by coordinating book introductions. Teams then compete against each other to earn points for their team.  

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Once our students learn to enjoy reading throughout the school year, public libraries can continue to engage students by offering summer reading and creative opportunities. Building a community of readers is important for our students’ future and through engaging experiences, we can create a strong reading culture in the lives of children and young people.

The joy of getting lost in a good book is invaluable, and if we want to develop lifelong readers, we must give students the opportunity to read. Librarians, educators, families, and administrators must work together and allow students the time and resources in order to build a community of readers. 

 

References

Gonzalez, J. (2018, September 20). How to stop killing the love of reading | cult of pedagogy. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/stop-killing-reading/

Læsekultur i forandring – Danmarks Biblioteksforening. (2026, June 10). Danmarks Biblioteksforening. https://db.dk/bladartikel/laesekultur-i-forandring/

Miller, D. (2009). The book whisperer: Awakening the inner reader in every child. John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Read to lead. (2026). Lausd.Org. https://www.lausd.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=4461107&type=d&pREC_ID=2728637&tota11y=true

Revamp your bookshelves: Monthly reading challenges for kids | brightly. (2020, September 18). Brightly. https://www.readbrightly.com/monthly-reading-challenges-for-kids/

Sabat, Y. (2026, June 3). Reading challenges help libraries engage readers. EBSCO Information Services, Inc. | about.Ebsco.Com. https://about.ebsco.com/blogs/novelist/reading-challenges-help-libraries-engage-readers

Smallwood, B. R. (2015, June 23). March madness school reading competition | programming librarian. Programminglibrarian.Org. https://programminglibrarian.org/programs/march-madness-school-reading-competition

Smith, B. G. (2016, August 4). Maker monsters | programming librarian. Programminglibrarian.Org. https://programminglibrarian.org/programs/maker-monsters

Summer reading strategies for school librarians – library learners. (2018, May 9). Library Learners. https://librarylearners.com/summer-reading-strategies-school-librarians/

Summer with the Library | Los Angeles Public Library. (2026). Lapl.Org. https://www.lapl.org/summer

 

Libraries aren’t what they used to be. At least they aren’t as I remembered them being, which is fantastic, because I wouldn’t be pursuing a career in librarianship otherwise. No longer do you see an old lady in a cardigan sweater looking over her reading glasses shushing everyone.  

They say libraries only have books… 

But this is no longer true. 

In Module 4, Participatory Service & Transparency, I stumbled upon the Oodi Library tour video and I was immediately enamored with what is possibly the world’s best library. 

According to the author of Helsinki Built a Library That Brings a Whole City Together, the library’s success is the result of more than two decades of participatory planning and consultation that put the public at the center of the discussion, creating a library not designed for them, but with them (Yeung, 2022).

The Hyperlinked Library Model stands out to me because it satisfies the needs of the people. It is built on human connections. The Core Pillars of the model , as outlined in the framework, include the 4 Cs: Connect, Collaborate, Create, and Care, putting human interaction in the forefront. My initial reaction to this model is that it simply makes sense. I see what this model looks like in the public library, but I work in a public school library which is a very different setting. When looking at my middle school library, I asked myself if I am implementing the Core Pillars. And if not, what would I need to change?

According to Stephens, “Presenting the model to assembled teacher librarians at the Australian School Library Association conference in Perth in 2009,  I argued that school librarians could use the model as well to extend support for learning beyond the walls of the school library and engage with students, teachers and administrators in an open, transparent manner wherever the learning takes place (Stephens, 2011).” So I asked myself, can school libraries be hyperlinked? And, if so, in what ways?

One area where we have brought in activities and services is through our new Maker Space and Technology Lab. LAUSD has been a leader in supplying technology learning experiences. As the school’s technology coach, I invested a significant number of hours in educational tech training, working with a committee to create an eSports and Computer Science club. I cleaned out a room adjacent to our library and have received a gracious amount of materials to create a Technology Lab. I think of it as an annex to the library. Create: Users get access to modern tools and tech to make and share their own content.

We are supporting girls by creating a club called Girls Who Code. 

Collaborate: People meet in physical and digital spaces to work on projects together.

A couple of years ago, a Los Angeles Public Librarian reached out to collaborate with our school. Unfortunately, It was my second year and I was not ready to add this to my plate. Last year, I made that commitment to connect with our local teen librarians. It has been a huge success and this is only the start of a bright future for the library.

Care: Transparent, playful service builds a deep emotional bond between the library and its community.

An area of growth for me is to work on the Pillar Connect: Users and staff link freely to share knowledge and needs. Having said that, the evolution of the library, in general, is fascinating. I look forward to creating a space for our students, staff, and community that satisfies their needs.

References

Best in hel app on instagram: “Free activities you can do at Oodi Library in Helsinki 📚.” (2026). Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/DVHAk39DQoY/

Kempe, Y. (2023, November 17). Not your mother’s library: How book-borrowing institutions are evolving. Smart Cities Dive. https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/city-public-libraries-changing-services-education/700069/

Stephens, M. (2007). Web 2.0, library 2.0, and the hyperlinked library. Serials Review, 33(4), 253–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/00987913.2007.10765134

Stephens, M. T. (2016). The heart of librarianship : Attentive, positive, and purposeful change. Ala Editions, An Imprint Of The American Library Association.

Student union rec library on instagram: ““They say libraries only have books…” who told you that 😭 📚🎧🎲💿🎨✨ #LibraryLife #BookandMore #MSA #monashstudentassociation #SURLY.” (2026). Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdIzH9nSR2z/

TheRuudy. (2022, December 13). Is this the world’s best library? 🇫🇮 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvyXjAI5_VI

Yeung, P. (2022, December). Helsinki built a library that brings a whole city together. Reasons to Be Cheerful. https://reasonstobecheerful.world/oodi-library-helsinki-future/

Hi everyone. My name is Danielle, and I am delighted to be taking this course with you. I live in Los Angeles, California, where I currently work as a middle school teacher librarian. I taught in the classroom for twenty-seven years before moving to the position of technology coach, and then into the library where I am starting my fourth year. I have completed the California Teacher Librarian Services Credential, and this is the first semester that I am able to take only one course. I will wrap up my MLIS with the e-Portfolio course next spring. 

I chose to take this course because I had heard so many wonderful things about both the course and the professor. I tried to register for the course last year, but was unsuccessful, so I am really delighted that I was finally able to get the class. My understanding is that there is room for creativity in assignments and the professor encourages students to grow personally and professionally. 

My hobbies and interests include travelling, art, and architecture. I spent my early adult years living and working in Italy, where I started my family and career. I now have five adult children and have the time to continue my learning journey. I look forward to getting to know you and working with you over the semester.