In this Library, We Believe...

We are excited to welcome a new contributor and fresh perspective  to the YSS blog with Tiffani Roltgen, a school librarian in Verona , WI. Thank you for joining us! Here's Tiffani's first column:

Dear Youth Librarians,

Photo by Krista Brinkmeier Photography

Happy 2026! I am excited to be a contributor to the YSS blog this year. My name is Tiffani Roltgen, and I am the library director/teacher librarian at New Century School and Verona Area International School in Verona, WI. I completed my MLIS at UW-Milwaukee and transitioned to school library work following several years as a youth services assistant at the public library. 

You may be wondering if a school librarian will have anything relevant to say related to your work in youth services. Fair question! There are certainly things I miss about the public library, namely being able to really dive into readers’ advisory and work with youth and families to find in-depth answers and resources. The elementary library is a fast-paced environment. My laser pointer is a lifesaver to help direct large numbers of students to sections they are interested in while saving steps during our limited time together. 

However, I wanted to share something I’ve been working on over the past several years. In the school library, there is often a myriad of volunteers, guest teachers, principals, educational assistants, and other resource professionals who may interact with students and help with library tasks. Since I am a department of one, I’ve created a list of guiding principles to help everyone understand what I am trying to accomplish during library classes. 

You can think of these as a North Star but also as a way to heal some of the library trauma I’ve encountered among caregivers, students, and family members. These beliefs are posted throughout various library work areas so all adults who enter the space can use words and actions that help change the library from a place of fear and anxiety about fines and due dates to a sanctuary of welcoming and inclusivity. 

In this library, we believe:

• All are welcome, seen, heard, loved, and celebrated.
• Everyone in this space is a reader, dreamer, critical thinker, creator, and teammate. 
• Physical and emotional safety are important. We walk, we take turns, we share, and we listen to understand. 
• Everyone has the freedom to read and the right to choose. We never make fun of anyone for their reading choices. There is a book for every reader. (Credit: Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan) 
• We would rather lose a book than a reader. We always err on the side of allowing more access to books.
• We are all storytellers, authors, and illustrators. We respect the copyrighted work of ourselves and others. 
• Books can be mirrors (see ourselves), windows (peek into another person’s experiences), and sliding glass doors (step into another person’s life and perspective). We connect students and staff with books that fill these needs. (Credit: Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop)
• We all make mistakes, but we can also all problem solve, apologize, and ask what we can do to fix it. 
• We are human so we sometimes judge books by their covers, and we often check out books we can see. Please tidy up the shelves and put books on display to spark interest in various topics. 
• We strive to be book rich! We surround ourselves with books at all times and check out the maximum number of books offered. 
• Language matters. There are no fines or overdue books. Instead, we try to bring back items on time to share with others. We sometimes choose to enjoy our books for another week and are able to renew them. We do our best to take care of our books and let the librarian know if they need a repair.  
• We care for our community space by cleaning up after ourselves and leaving the library better than we found it. 

What beliefs guide your library or department? Is there anything missing from this list? Would you consider posting your guiding principles for all to see? I’d love to hear from you if you have comments or feedback on this topic.

Cheers,

Tiffani Roltgen

roltgent@verona.k12.wi.us 

Connecting Wisconsin Libraries Online Meeting

Monica Treptow, DPI School Library Media Education Consultant on the Library Services Team writes: "On Tuesday, December 13, at 3:00-4:00 PM, please join us for Connecting Wisconsin Libraries. This group brings public and school librarians together to share ideas and learn from each other."

This networking group, which originated in 2018, was originally formed to facilitate collaboration with WLA stakeholders and WEMTA stakeholders, foster collaboration between school and public libraries on a statewide level,  share information pertinent to school and public libraries, share ideas/events/best practices related to youth services, develop cooperative support for the youth we serve.

Since then, the group has presented at WLA and WEMTA conferences, provided information links and resources statewide and supported collaborative projects throughout the state between school and public youth librarians.

Please join us on Tuesday to contribute to and continue these partnerships

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89694234236?pwd=aktKbGNCaXlWTDlReTBtdzVudFdLZz09

WEMTA Virtual Conference: Registration Open, Request for Proposals and More!

YSS folks, many of you attended this conference in this past. And many YSSers have submitted and had proposals accepted presenting innovative ideas of service for our school colleagues. There's still plenty of time this year to propose programs - you may be lucky and be a picked to be a presenter!

And now a word from our friends and colleagues at WEMTA with the details!

The WEMTA (Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association) Conference brings together current, future and past educators to share knowledge of library, literacy and technology topics. Nine concurrent sessions over two days offer a wide variety of choices. Many sessions will be recorded and available for conference attendees to view asynchronously. 

 

We’re excited to announce attendee registration is OPEN for our virtual WEMTA Conference February 7th-8th 2021. Special student, retiree, bring your administrator pricing & presenter discounts. Early bird pricing ends November 7th.

 

Have an idea for a general session? Check out our proposal submission directions and how to submit your session/s (due September 30th). More information on our website including: Case to Attend, Schedule Overview, Registration Information and more. We look forward to seeing you at #WEMTA21!!! 

 

Renee Deschard & Malena Koplin, #WEMTA21 Conference Co-Chairs

conference@wemta.org   and conference-co@wemta.org

Public Library & School Library Collaboration - Feedback Needed!

In the spirit of work at the national level through ALA’s State Ecosystem Initiative and the new Public Library & School Library Collaboration Toolkit done through collaborative efforts of AASL, YALSA, and ALSC, WEMTA, WLA, and DPI are working together to support and foster communications and collaborations among Wisconsin public and school librarians in order to better support the communities we serve. Each quarter we will share a resource, strategy, or example with you that could be used as a talking point in your community. Please use these ideas to initiate or continue to build relationships with public and school librarians.

Looking for Your Feedback - Supporting Collaboration Survey

Almost two years ago a small group of librarians started thinking about the great things happening with public and school libraries and wanted to find a way to both promote these efforts and encourage even more collaboration. We began with great conversations and created this “Tidbit” column, which has become part of the WLA and WEMTA newsletters. Now, as we look toward the future, we are looking to all of our colleagues throughout Wisconsin to participate and help channel our group’s energy in the most productive, and effective direction.

We began gathering feedback at the WLA Conference this fall where we interviewed and surveyed people who visited our table in the exhibit hall, which was hosted by the Department of Public Instruction. As a way to say thank you, each participant received a sticker proudly announcing, “I’m Connecting Wisconsin Libraries.” In March, we hope to do a similar activity at the WEMTA Conference. 

Since not everyone is able to attend these conferences, and we truly want to hear from as many public and school librarians as possible, here is a link to our survey. Please consider filling it out so that we can get a clearer picture of what public and school collaboration looks like in our state and begin to find ways to overcome some of the challenges that may be standing in our way. We will be analyzing the data and sharing the results of these surveys in spring of 2020. 

Thanks, in advance, for sharing your thoughts with us. And, if you want that super awesome sticker for your laptop or water bottle, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Monica Treptow, School Library Consultant, Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning, 2109 South Stoughton Rd, Madison, WI, 53716.

This message brought to you through the collaboration of Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA), Wisconsin Library Association (WLA), and DPI School and Public Libraries. If you are interested in working on future tidbits or have other suggestions for collaborations, please contact Marge Loch-Wouters (WLA) or Micki Uppena (WEMTA) .

UW-Madison Online CE Classes

Looking to up your game? There are a number of youth services-focused classes offered by UW-Madison iSchool COntinuing Ed Dept. coming in early 2020 perfect for you. Here's the  line-up. Click on the title for class details and description.

Online Classes

Register two weeks before the start date for a 10% discount!

Groups of 5 or more? Contact us about a reduced rate: ahpalmer@wisc.edu

NEW! I’m a School Library Media Specialist… Now What?!

Feb 3 – March 15

Amanda Struckmeyer successfully made the switch from public to school library and has a wealth of experience to share.

Babies in the Library 

Feb 3 – March 15

Join YSS member Brook Newberry sharing all the things on service t babies and their caregivers.

Reinvent Your Summer Library Program

Feb 3 – March 1

YSS member Sue Abrahamson gives practical, do-able tips to create change for your SLP

Solving Copyright Dilemmas for K12 Libraries

Feb 3 – March 1

All you need to know when working with your students

Questions? Contact Anna Palmer

Big Opportunities for Small Libraries: IMLS Launches New Special Initiative

The Institute of Museum and Library Services has launched a new special initiative, Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries (APP), and is accepting grant applications now through February 25, 2019. This new funding opportunity is designed specifically to strengthen the ability of small and rural libraries, archives, and related organizations to serve their communities, and awards sizes range from $10,000 to $50,000.

Three categories of APP grants are available to applicants:

• Transforming School Library Practice: School libraries support learning and the development of critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration skills. IMLS is interested in furthering how school library professionals can serve as integral instructional partners to classroom teachers. Grant projects could include programs and services that prepare students for success in college, career, and life, or foster early, digital, information, health, financial, media, civic, and other types of literacies.
   
• Community Memory: Libraries and archives not only serve as stewards of our nation’s knowledge and collections, but also as trusted spaces for community engagement and dialogue. This project category centers on engaging local communities in the collection, documentation, and preservation of their local histories, experiences, and identities. Proposals could include events and programs to digitize materials related to community histories, such as photographs, artifacts, or texts, or oral history projects that involve community members in the documentation and preservation of local histories.
   
• Digital Inclusion: Libraries have an important role in promoting digital inclusion and increasing access to information, ideas, and networks. This category focuses on projects that support the role libraries play in promoting digital literacy, providing internet access, and enabling community engagement through civic data and civic technology. Grant proposals could include programs supporting broadband access and wireless networks to address the homework gap, increase small business development and entrepreneurship, or plan for emergency preparedness.

Find out more HERE.

School Libraries at the Heart of Transformation

Check out this short video from AASL's YouTube to discover the many ways that school libraries and school librarians stand at the heart of transformation as learners become thinkers, explorers, collaborators, and inventors preparing for college, career, and life.

Reflections of a Public Youth Librarian Turned School Librarian

For those of us looking for Emily Zorea, late of Brewer Public Library in Richland Center, never fear. She has transformed into a school librarian for the Ithaca School District's K-12 school. 

Emily shares some important comparisons and reflections on the similarities and differences between the worlds of a public youth librarian and a school librarian in her return to her blog Sowing Seeds Librarian.

Read all about it here in her latest blog post School and Public Librarians: Warriors for Literacy.

LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries

Stemming from an Affiliate Assembly concern, the 2018 ALA Emerging Leaders team was charged with creating a guide for AASL to support school librarians in addressing challenges related to censorship and patron privacy issues, particularly with LGBTQ+ materials. Defending Intellectual Freedom: LGBTQ+ Materials in School Libraries is more than a collection of resources. This work uses the AASL Standards framework as scaffolding to help users explore LGBTQ+ materials and needs in their own communities.

Find links to the resources and more information HERE.

Collaboration Between Public & School Libraries: Partnering for Summer Reading Success

The ALSC blog had a post about something I'm excited to have happening in Wisconsin - collaboration between public and school libraries. School Library Connection has the free webinar presented by Jen C. Cannell and Mary Fellows on their site. You can access the webinar titled "The Perfect Equation for Summer Reading Success: School + Public Librarians" HERE for ideas on partnering to keep youth reading all summer long.

The School and Public Library Connection

Summer's winding down and school may already have started in your neck of the woods. A recent School Library Journal article by David Blattner on August 23, 2016, discussed the five guidelines quoted below that school media specialists should follow in connecting with the school principal:

• Be ready
• Be solution-oriented
• Be connected
• Be succinct
• Be student-centered

These guidelines are equally effective for public librarians who want to connect with teachers, principals, or school media specialists.

Other insights into building school-public library connections can be found at these links:

WiLibraries for Everyone: "Public Library and Public School Connections" This 2015 post covers the interactive Department of Public Instruction resource Public Library andSchool District Service Factors Map, the WISEdash portal, and links for the supporting videos and webinar recording from the Division for Libraries and Technology.

The book Library Partnerships: Making Connections Between School and Public Libraries by Tasha Squires looks at areas and strategies for effective partnerships to the benefit of the community as a whole.

Finally, this 2014 brochure from Millis Public Library (MA) and Millis Middle/High School Library covers ways to begin and enhance communication, connection and collaboration.

Gimme a C (for Collaboration!): Let’s Talk

We know school collaboration and outreach to schools are both important.  But how often do we take the time to stop and talk about the specifics? Why is it a priority and how are we building these important relationships?

The Youth Services staff at the Sacramento Public Library spent the month of February exploring outreach to schools and what to prioritize with their outreach efforts.  The topic at the heart of the discussion was "building relationship with schools."

Why not take a moment in the lead-up to summer to talk with your colleagues about your strategy for building relationships with schools?  Read the conversation starters HERE.

Common Core Standards

As librarians, it is important for us to acknowledge shifts in education standards and how they might affect the way students find and engage with information at the library.  The Common Core State Standards Initiative has become a large part of the education realm, meaning that as librarians, we should have a solid understanding of the standards.
A wonderful resource for understanding Common Core is corestandards.org.  The site allows you to explore the standards from a basic walk-through of the highlights to an in-depth reading.  A great tool for building non-fiction and fiction collections that will complement the work being done in schools!

Don't Miss These Two WLA Programs

PRECONFERENCE Tuesday, October 23^rd 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

♦Youth Services Information Exchange - FREE
Sponsored by Department of Public Instruction and WLA Youth Services Section

Take part in a special pre-conference hosted by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Youth Services Section (YSS). The Youth Services Information Exchange is open to anyone interested in discussing youth services trends, issues, and ideas for public libraries in Wisconsin. This mega-session will offer attendees the opportunity to share, show, talk, meet, and connect. Discussion topics might include collaborations with school libraries or local agencies, grant opportunities and success stories, program sharing within systems, and professional development on a budget. DPI and YSS hosts will emphasize the structure and role of youth services networks in Wisconsin and how these networks can improve support and leadership to youth services librarians. The preconference conversation will be top-down, bottom-up, and every direction in between. Please join us—your voice matters! (Note: Attendees do not need to be members of YSS)

http://wla.wisconsinlibraries.org/wla-annual-conference/events-conferences/annual-conference/program

 Wednesday, October 24^th 4:15 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
♦It Takes Two…Partnerships Between Schools and Public Libraries
La Crosse Center - South Hall

In an environment of shrinking budgets and staff, new mandates and increasing emphasis on school readiness, public libraries can be amazing partners with their K-12 colleagues. Join a panel of seasoned pros and learn about successful collaborations, service models for bringing school and public librarians together, important updates about Wisconsin’s “Read to Lead” initiative and information about the new State Common Core Standards for curriculum. If you are a youth services librarian, you cannot afford to miss this discussion.

 

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt, Youth and Special Services Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Public Library Development Team, Madison; Nancy Anderson, School Library Consultant, Department of Public Instruction, Madison; Jamie Matczak, Continuing Education Coordinator, Nicolet Federated Library System, Green Bay; Marge Loch-Wouters, Head of Youth Services, La Crosse Public Library, and Blogger at Tiny Tips for Library Fun

Tessa Michaelson Schmidt

Youth and Special Services Consultant
Wisconsin DPI, Public Library Development

DOE Zeroes Out Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program

From School Library Journal Online

By Debra Lau Whelan May 19, 2011

It's official. Media centers around the country won't be getting one cent from the Improving Literacy Though School Libraries program in FY2011.

For the first time since it was created in 2001, the federal grant program is being zeroed out, following a decision on Monday by the Department of Education (DOE).

"This decision shows that school libraries have been abandoned by President Obama and the Department of Education," says Emily Sheketoff, executive director of the American Library Association's (ALA) Washington Office.

Some say the writing was already on the wall. In April, Congress failed to appropriate federal funding for the program and gave authority to the DOE to make a final decision.

And for two consecutive years, President Obama has proposed wiping out a line item that created the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program, suggesting that it be consolidated with several other literacy programs—all of which would then vie for the same pool of money, says Jeff Kratz, assistant director of ALA's Office of Government Relations.

Improving Literacy Through School Libraries is a federal program exclusively designed to help school libraries boost academic achievement by providing students with access to up-to-date school library materials, expanding Internet connections, extending library hours, and providing professional development to media specialists. As a result of the DOE's decision, school districts with 20 percent or more of their students who come from families living below the poverty line will no longer have dedicated federal funds to specifically pay for school library materials.

"The [DOE] has withdrawn funding for numerous successful literacy programs in order to launch new initiatives to bolster science, technology, engineering, and math education," Sheketoff says. "Apparently, what the Department of Education fails to realize is that the literacy and research skills [that] students develop through an effective school library program are the very building blocks of STEM education. Withdrawing support from this crucial area of education is an astounding misstep by an administration that purports to be a champion of education reform."

The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries grant program—which was authorized at $250 million in 2001—has never been appropriated at that level. In 2002 and 2003, Congress allocated about $12.5 million for the program. In 2004, that number went up to $19.8 million, and it has since then seen a slight decline, with President Obama proposing to keep 2009 and 2010 levels the same at $19.1 million.

Technically, the program still exists—it just doesn't have any money. That's why ALA is asking its members to contact lawmakers to restore funding at least to 2010 levels, says Kratz. ALA is also asking for a dedicated funding stream for school libraries when Congress reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, previously called the No Child Left Behind Act.

Nancy Everhart, president of the American Association of School Librarians, says school library programs provide students with the skills they need to meet the demands of a competitive economy and 21st-century workplace.

"Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that students in schools with strong school library programs learn more, get better grades, and score higher on standardized tests even when differences in socioeconomic factors are taken into consideration," Everhart says.

"School libraries are there for every child. They are the great equalizers of society and by making this cut, it's taking away the opportunity for all children to excel in every area of education, especially science and math. The school library has traditionally been the place where low-income students gain access to the resources and learning experiences that make STEM subjects relevant and rich."

This article originally appeared in the newsletter Extra Helping.