Here is the link to my presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZOjZolEl_zCJ5UeheY9VeXqdUqPM6QBYZzE7B9x_1jw/edit?usp=sharing
Category: Uncategorized
For this module, I chose the Hyperlinked School Library adventure. Something that was very eye-opening to me was the notion that perhaps children are not necessarily the adept “digital natives” we view them to be. In general, they understand concepts related to internet use, but may not always be able to apply them correctly. The article “Digital Natives or Naïve Experts” points out that many children know what a password is, but cannot always remember them for different devices and apps (Digital natives, 2019). As a teacher myself, I have seen a surprising number of students request help logging into platforms that we use regularly (although this is something I have compassion for, since most of us have a lot of passwords to keep track of). I would say that this is perhaps less of a technology skill to be learned than it is an issue of organization; perhaps teaching children how to use various password tracking systems would be beneficial.
Student privacy on the internet is another issue to be aware of. In general, children understand that certain dangers exist, but may not fully understand the root of them. The article mentioned that children know they shouldn’t send photos of themselves to strangers, but don’t see a problem with uploading a video of themselves to TikTok or other social media platforms (Digital natives, 2019). This would indicate that privacy and online safety instruction may need to be revisited often at school, and it seems the library would be an optimal place to make that happen. Children need to understand how social media operates, who can view their content, and why there may be privacy issues related to what they share and with whom they share it.
Image: Klik Solutions
Something else on this topic I wanted to mention is student usage of search engines and the now-ubiquitous AI technology. In particular, my colleagues and I have had to focus heavily on research skills with students, emphasizing that “Chat GPT”, “Google”, “AI Summary”, etc. are not acceptable to list as sources for a paper or project. These tools can absolutely be used to help guide students toward quality sources they can use, but I’ve had to repeatedly show them where to go on the screen to find the links to actual sources that the AI platform is taking the information from when it answers their queries. The students have struggled a lot with this concept; they know how to use these tools to find answers and are fairly proficient at wording their search queries to find what they need, but in general they do not understand the process that AI uses to provide these answers. It’s been an adjustment for them as I’ve had to explain, “Here is where the information you are seeing actually comes from. These are the links to the articles you should be reading and using as sources for your research”. I think this is such new territory for educators, and it’s both amazing and also slightly terrifying to think that it’s only going to continue advancing and progressing, which means we will need to adapt our instruction to keep up with these changes. None of this is to say that AI is a “bad” thing for students to use; it has SO many fantastic and revolutionary uses in education. But, wow, it’s going to keep us all on our toes! I think it would be highly beneficial for the school librarian to coordinate with and perhaps offer instruction to the staff on strategies for the appropriate and ethical use of AI, thus ensuring consistency across the board.
Image: Aptara Corp
Reference
Digital natives or naive experts? Exploring how Norwegian children understand the internet. (2019, February 13). The London School of Economics and Political Science. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2019/02/13/digital-natives-or-naive-experts/
My thoughts on Hyperlinked Communities are divided into two parts. First, I want to discuss a couple of the fantastic community-building activities that caught my attention from the Hyperlinked Communities lecture (Stephens, 2025), along with possible utilizations in a school setting. Next, I’d like to reflect on the information in the article “The Healing Power of Books” and how I feel it relates to curating a diverse and inclusive collection in the school library.
Part 1: Hyperlinked School Library Community-Building Activities
Stop-Motion
I think hosting stop-motion projects in the library is a fantastic idea! The students in my film studies class did a stop-motion project with clay and had such a blast putting those together and then viewing all of the finished products. In a library setting, this would be a great way to bring students together and give them a chance to express their individuality and creativity, as well as to build teamwork. I know that students especially love being able to view and share their finished products, so I’m sure there would be fun ways to showcase their work in the library (perhaps a TV screen or other digital display that cycled through their videos for a day or two so that everyone could enjoy their work).
Here are some of my students in the beginning stage of their claymation projects, and some of the figures they made:
Craft Groups
The knitting group idea is another great one! I think a modified version of this would be a big hit with middle schoolers. I’ve seen teachers in the past who have done craft time at recess (i.e. “crochet club”) and I’ve also seen librarians do read-aloud time at recess for students which they can choose to attend in lieu of going outside. I’m thinking…perhaps there’s a way to combine the two? I can envision students being thrilled to have a variety of crafting supplies or even just a variety of coloring tools they could use while they listen to the story. With their busy schedules and limited time to visit the library recreationally, I think this could give them a great chance to unwind and enjoy some relaxation and story time with their peers.
Part 2: Curating an Inclusive Collection
Having worked in education for many years, I’ve heard so much about social and emotional learning and how important it is to a child’s overall well-being. In her article, Klinker (2020) talks about the power that books can have in enabling a reader to to walk in the footsteps of characters that they may feel a personal connection with due to similar lives or experiences (“mirrors”) and to explore different or unfamiliar viewpoints (which she calls “lenses”). These lenses can also be referred to as “windows” or “sliding doors” in the sense that readers can proverbially enter a different world or setting in their imaginations as they are reading, allowing them to connect with people who may be different from themselves (Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, n.d.). My school community does not have a lot of diversity, and I think it’s so important to give children not only the chance to see themselves represented, but to explore other communities and cultures, as well as diverse thoughts and viewpoints through the types of books and materials provided. In one of my MLIS classes, I completed a sample “diversity audit”, tracking the types of representation present within a collection of books, and I feel that this is such an important thing to do regularly in the school library to ensure that the collection is inclusive and sensitive to the social and emotional learning needs of each member of the community.
(Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors, n.d.)
References
Klinker, J. (2020, July 24). The healing power of books: Using reading to address social and emotional needs. Gale. https://blog.gale.com/the-healing-power-of-books/
Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. (n.d.). Rise up against racism. https://ruar.org/blog/mirrors-windows-and-sliding-glass-doors-rudine-sims-bishop
Stephens, M.T. (2025). Hyperlinked communities. [Lecture recording]. Panopto. https://sjsu-ischool.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=3eacdb23-84fd-49e5-9975-aef3014b3ed2
Assignment X: Participatory Service in the Middle School Library
*For full size graphic, please click here
Introduction
As a middle school teacher, I have noticed that teachers and students seem to utilize our school library very little. As my own path will likely lead to the school library, this has led me to ponder: “How can we make students and staff feel enthusiastic about coming to the library?” “How can we improve services so that each user feels the library has value to them on an individual level?” The concept of “Participatory Service” in Module 4 resonated with me as there are so many fantastic ways to encourage participation from everyone in the community, giving users a sense of ownership in the library and fostering excitement in being connected with what the library has to offer. It’s important to keep in mind that “participation requires engaged participants who feel welcome, comfortable, and valued” (Stephens, 2016, p. 81). Of all the changes discussed in “Redesigning Library Services: A Manifesto” (Module 1), I believe one of the most important ones is shifting “from a library-centered world view to one that is user-centered” (Buckland, 1992). Herein lies the opportunity to truly transform a school library from a static and isolated entity into the dynamic, beating heart of the school with the power to bring people together in powerful ways.
Connections with Staff Users
Something that struck me from @michael‘s Hyperlinked Library Model lecture is the concept of a “silo”: a person or department keeping their knowledge and expertise to themselves rather than connecting and sharing with others (Stephens, 2019). I have certainly seen school librarians who stay in their domain and rarely make efforts to reach out to others. They are usually happy to help anyone who comes to them directly, but have shown little desire to reach out and connect with other staff members to collaborate and brainstorm. I loved reading in Module 3 about the librarians who regularly meet with groups of teachers to plan assignments together, thus increasing faculty buy-in at the library (Mathews, 2010). In my experience, teachers often make little use of the library simply because they aren’t aware of what it has to offer, or are hesitant to “bother” the librarian by asking for assistance with something they’re teaching. By taking down the proverbial silo and reaching out to teachers in an expression of camaraderie, barriers to staff utilization of the library can come down as well.
Connections with Student Users
It is essential to give students ways to communicate and share their thoughts and ideas in order to give them ownership in their library. There are virtually limitless ways to foster this connection. One idea that @michael mentioned in his Participatory Service lecture that I loved was the “Tell Us What Makes You Happy at the Library” wall. This would provide a fantastic opportunity to see what students are enjoying so that these services or practices can continue to be offered or expanded. Other students could see how their peers are interacting with the library, leading to increased awareness of resources and services. Another way to utilize this concept, would be to have a digital version, where students could scan a QR code to add to a virtual comment board to be displayed on a TV screen. I can picture this being especially effective if placed outside the library in the hallway, where those who use the library less often may have their interest sparked as they read the comments from their peers.
In planning for new services, resources, or programming, librarians could give students the chance to (anonymously if they wish) share ideas on an online platform for the new things they would love to see or experience in the library.
Inspiration from a Stellar School Library
Recently, the Scotts Ridge Middle School library in Ridgefield, CT was named “Library of the Year” by the AASL (Fox, 2025), and the reasons for this distinction are tied into their exemplary participatory service. Their teachers feel welcome to discuss their ideas with librarians and brainstorm together, thus keeping the library directly involved with what is happening in the classroom. A recent collaboration between librarians and teachers resulted in interactive collages (in French!) that were written, designed, and recorded by students. The library also boasts a maker space where students can record podcasts, and a “Read and Ride” area where students can ride a stationary bike while reading (it’s unclear if this idea came from the students or was simply inspired by an observation of their needs, but what an amazing way to reach students who benefit so much from being able to move throughout the day)!
Podcasting!
(Fox, 2025)
Read and Ride:
(Fox, 2025)
Reflection/Conclusion
It’s exciting to think about the many ways school librarians can connect staff and students to the library. The goal is for all users to be able to feel that the library is truly THEIRS, that it’s not just “a place to go check out a book you need” but exists to enrich their lives in exciting ways and foster valuable connections with people and information. To me, the concept of Participatory Service provides the pathway to reaching that goal, and it is something to keep at the center of our thought processes as we continue to find ways to shift from a materials-centered world view to one that is truly user-centered.
References
Buckland, M. (1992). Redesigning library services: A manifesto. American Library Association. https://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/sunsite/Redesigning%20Library%20Services_%20A%20Manifesto%20(HTML).pdf
Fox, S.D. (2025, June 18). Library at Scotts Ridge Middle School in Ridgefield earns national honor: ‘Vibrant hub’ for learning. ctpost. https://www.ctpost.com/news/ridgefield/article/ridgefield-school-library-national-scotts-ridge-ct-20360563.php
Mathews, B. (2010, June 21). Unquiet library has high-schoolers geeked. American Libraries. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2010/06/21/unquiet-library-has-high-schoolers-geeked/
Stephens, M. T. (2016). The heart of librarianship : attentive, positive, and purposeful change. ALA Editions, an imprint of the American Library Association.
Stephens, M.T. (2019). “Historic” hyperlinked library model. [Lecture recording]. Panopto. https://sjsu-ischool.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=a0569381-4d66-4e0a-a7fa-aab3010a8f3e
Stephens, M.T. (2025). Hyperlinked library participatory service and transparency. [Lecture recording]. Panopto. https://sjsu-ischool.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=2a19a4b6-e945-4d2e-abf1-aef3014172a5
Hello! Here is a little about me:
I am currently in my second-to-last semester of the MLIS program and plan to graduate in December! Getting my MLIS has been a dream of mine for so many years now, and I’m excited to be so close to having it in hand. I currently teach middle school math and science, as well a film studies elective course at a K-8 charter school in Utah. I’ve been teaching for well over a decade and have taught pretty much everything from 1st to 8th grade over the years across a few different locations (Phoenix, Vegas, and now Utah). Though the classes I teach now don’t relate as much to reading, I very much enjoy seeing what my students are reading and chatting with them about books (I love middle grade and YA literature)! I think getting into a school library position would be a natural next step for me, however I think a public or academic setting would be fun as well, so I’m really open to anything. I love that this degree has so much versatility and so many options!
In my spare time, I love to go shopping, travel, visit vegan restaurants, run, hike, and last but not least: read! I also love attending fan conventions and have dabbled in a bit of cosplay in the past (pictures below). I am a huge fan of anything fantasy or sci-fi. I am currently reading a lot of YA fantasy, and am hoping to tackle the Wheel of Time series soon. My first fandom as a child was definitely Star Wars. I started getting into it around the time the special editions of the original trilogy came out, and I remember being so excited to receive the VHS box set for my birthday that year (which I now have on display in my classroom…I suppose it’s now considered a bit of an antique, which just makes me feel old to think about…). I am also a huge fan of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, and more.
As far as animals go, I am a cat person. I don’t currently have any pets myself, but my family had several cats over the years that I enjoyed visiting even after I moved away. One was named Whizbee (after “Fizzing Whizbees” in Harry Potter), and another was named Eddie after Edward in Twilight (though we later decided Eddie Munson from Stranger Things was a cooler namesake for him).
This is me at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany in 2023. My dad was a high school German teacher, so I can speak the language a bit (although I haven’t kept up with it as well since high school, so I let him do most of the talking):
A few of the cosplays I’ve done:
My cats, Eddie and Whizbee:
