Back to School

Tiffani Roltgen brings a fresh perspective to the YSS Blog. With blogs from the school library side of things in Verona, WI, we are always excited to hear from Tiffani!

Dear Youth Librarians,

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 love my local public library and am thrilled to share some suggestions to help build partnerships between schools and libraries.  

Back to School season brings with it a variety of emotions. Here are some simple and engaging ways to help families with the transition. 

• Set up a Back to School paper chain countdown craft station. Support math and fine motor skills with a simple passive activity that allows students and families to create a way to count down the days until school begins.

Photo by Tiffani Roltgen

• Display Back to School books featuring a wide variety of characters and families. Include titles about the range of feelings students may experience from excitement and anticipation to nervousness and sadness that summer is coming to an end. Be sure to include Your Name is a Song, The Magical Yet, First Day Around the World, The Proudest Blue, and The Day You Begin.

• Create an interactive “Summer Memories” board where students and families can post their favorite activities and stories from the summer months. This will jump start those narrative writing skills and help mark and celebrate the transition from summer to school.

• Offer helpful handouts for caregivers such as information about ways to ease the school transition, how to adjust bedtimes, or laminated morning routine or backpack checklists for families to post and use during busy mornings. Consider hosting a freezer meals or lunchbox workshop to inspire quick and creative nutrition.

• Don’t forget the teachers and staff! Help reacquaint them with public library resources including classroom library cards that allow them to check out materials without worries about charges for lost items, time saving services like placing holds on multiple copies of a book, field trip opportunities, or kits that support classroom activities such as science or mindfulness. 

Photo by Krista Brinkmeier Photography

But until that first bell, enjoy these last days of summer sun! 

Tiffani Roltgen

roltgent@verona.k12.wi.us

It’s Almost Time for Battle of the Books!

Photo Credit:   

Krista Brinkmeier Photography

Dear Youth Librarians,

In case you missed it, 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. 

As a school librarian, one of the most fun and engaging reading activities my students participate in each year is Wisconsin’s very own Battle of the Books organized annually by the Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA). Elementary, middle school, and high school students compete by forming teams and reading from a list of 20 books in a wide variety of genres. In February, they take a school-level quiz to test their knowledge. The top teams from around Wisconsin complete the state-level test and are then ranked. The Battle booklists, released annually on June 1, often overlap with Wisconsin’s Golden Archer Award program where only students (no grown ups allowed!) vote on their favorite books in primary, intermediate, middle, and senior levels. The winning books are rewarded with a Golden Archer award seal on the cover and the admiration of young adoring fans. 

Photo from wemta.org

There are many ways public libraries can support these initiatives from displaying and promoting books from the Battle and Golden Archer lists to offering book clubs featuring the books with related activities. You can even form Battle teams, facilitate Golden Archer voting for students who are not participating through their schools, or provide book trailer creation opportunities for the annual contest. For additional ideas on how public libraries can support these programs, see this helpful list compiled by WEMTA. As a school librarian, Battle and Golden Archer have helped build a strong culture of reading among my students and pushed them into genres they may not explore on their own. We have shared countless laughs, literary connections, and community building moments. Every year we look forward to celebrating with over 500 readers from across our district during our Battle of the Books field trip day that includes a Zoom session with one of the authors, Kahoot competitions, a take-home craft, lunch at the high school, and a friendly game of Pictionary. All students in grades 4-12 in our district are invited to be part of Battle, and those who say “yes” to the challenge are already winning regardless of the final test scores! 

Cheers,

Tiffani Roltgen

roltgent@verona.k12.wi.us

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 

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

Once or twice a month on weekends, YSS posts round-ups of ads that are sent to us or that we come across. If you have a position opening up and would like to see it on the YSS blog, please forward the job ad link/descriptions to the YSS blog at the email address listed in the header above the day's blog post.

Here are early August listings:

Boscobel Area Schools             PK-12 Library Media Specialist Consultant (part-time)

The Boscobel Area School District is excited to announce an opening for a Part-time Library Media
Specialist Consultant for the 2025-2026 school year! We’re looking for a passionate and innovative educator to join our team and make a meaningful impact on our students and community.

Why Choose Us?
✅ Excellent Schedule – Flexible Schedule(1-2 days per week)
✅ Competitive Salary – Offered to qualified candidates.
✅ Supportive Environment –Work in a district that values collaboration and continuous improvement.

What We’re Looking For:
✔️A licensed educator(Wisconsin-certified Library Media Specialist (1902 or1900) preferred).
✔️Ability to manage the Common School Library Fund
✔️ Prior experience in this position or experience through an internship/student teaching or training and experience supporting students with disabilities in an inclusive preschool/school setting is preferred.
✔️Adedication to establishing effective partnerships with students, parents, and colleagues.

If you are qualified and are interested in the job opening, please apply on the WECAN website at
wecan.education.wisc.edu. Please include a Boscobel Area School’s job application, letter of interest, resume, 3 current letters of reference, copy of license and transcripts. If you have any questions, please contact: Shannan Aspenson, 608-375-4164/608-375-2378, aspeshan@boscobel.k12.wi.us

--------------------------------

Shorewood Public Library        Youth Services Librarian (full-time)

The Shorewood Public Library is seeking a customer-focused and creative librarian to join our team. The Youth Services Librarian provides high quality reference service to all ages with a focus on ages birth through six grade, caregivers, and teachers. The position also includes collection development, programming, advising on policy, and advocating for youth. The ideal candidate is a team player, empathetic, self-motivated, and willing to help without prompting. Complete job description can be found here: https://www.shorewoodlibrary.org/discover/who-we-are/join_our_team.php.

This is a 40-hour per week position that requires evening and weekend shifts and reports to the Director of Library Services. Benefits include paid holidays and vacation, health and dental insurance, and Wisconsin Retirement System enrollment. The pay range for this position is $27.42-$38.38 per hour, and the starting pay depends on experience and qualifications.

TO APPLY: Submit a cover letter, resume, and three references to Confidential Secretary/Office Manager Angela Andre - angela.andre@mcfls.org - by Friday, August 22, 2025.

School and Public Libraries: What You Need to Know workshop

 From Jeni Schomber:

This summer, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is planning a two-day in-person workshop on August 1^st and 2^nd – School and Public Libraries: What You Need to Know. This workshop will provide an introduction to essential skills, resources, and strategies for working in school and public libraries.

On the first day, new school library media specialists and public library staff new to serving youth will work separately, focusing specifically on their role in each institution. In the evening, the groups will join together to begin networking and building relationships for future collaborations. On day two, guest presenters will address the full group, including speakers from CCBC, PBS, and Beanstack.

There will be no registration fee for this event and space is limited to 50 public library staff attendees. Priority status for registration will be given to public library staff new (five years or less) to serving youth in Wisconsin libraries.

Tentative topics for public library staff include:

• Collection Development Basics
• Programming 101
• Childhood Development and Early Literacy

The workshop will be held at a central Wisconsin location (to be determined). As details are confirmed, further information regarding registration will be shared.

Makerspace Made Easy

Over at Knowledge Quest (AASL journal), Colleen Lee has shared some great tips and tricks for getting a dedicated makerspace going in your library.  Highlights include suggested materials and where to find them, as well as how to link books and stories with makerspace activities.  While the post is intended for school librarians, the advice and suggested materials are definitely universally applicable.  OR use this as inspiration to develop a new collaboration with a school librarian!  Find the full makerspace article 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.

Monarch Library System Hosting Mock Elections for Caldecott, Newbery & Printz Awards 2019

You're invited! Join youth library staff from Monarch Library System, school library colleagues and other library staff serving youth at this exciting one day event.

I've already started my reading and invited my local school library colleagues. Ashley Pike, one of the hosting library's staff, has invited hers. Please consider joining us and inviting your local counterparts, too. If you are interested in attending, please try to register by Monday, November 19.

If you can't make it, the list of titles for consideration makes a great collection development tool. More details including the schedule, information on how to register, and booklists can be accessed here.

Book Lists and the Love of Reading

I've seen a couple of interesting articles/blog posts about reading and am curious what y'all think:

• Killing the Love of Reading
• Neil Gaiman and Libraries
• Sucking the Fun Out

After all that heady stuff, a little fun from the Ohio State marching band! Harry Potter is in the middle of the performance:

White House Petition on School Libraries - Rest of the Story

In February, we sent out a plea from Allison Kaplan for library folks to support and sign a White House Petition for school libraries. 25,000 signatures were needed to trigger a White House response.  Over 28K were received.  Carl Harvey, YALSA president and the initiator of the petition reported out the results on April 13 in this blog post. 

It's good to know that we have support from the POTUS on school librarians. But of course the devil is in the details - and the details remain in solidifying funding and real-world commitment for our school librarian colleagues.

White House Petition - President's Council on the Whole Child

A message to Wisconsin colleagues from Allison Kaplan, Faculty Associate at UW-Madison SLIS:

Dear Colleagues,

In view of Governor Walker's educational reform bill that requires reading testing in kindergarten, I am forwarding a message from Education Advocates that requests signing a petition to President Obama that reads (in part):

The true measure of student success is more than just a test score and such success requires support well beyond effective instruction. The demands of the 21st century require a new approach to education to fully prepare our nation’s youth for college, career, and citizenship. A whole child approach to education enhances learning by addressing each student’s social, emotional, physical, and academic needs through the shared contributions of schools, families, communities, and policymakers.

25,000 signatures are needed for the petition to go to the President's office. You do not need to be a teacher to sign the petition, only a concerned citizen. The message is below, thank you in advance to taking the time to read the petition and to help stop this testing madness. Allison

More Testing & More Sanctions Are Not the Answer

We need your help. Congress is on the verge of making the same mistakes they made with NCLB: a narrow focus on reading and math at the expense of other subjects, relying on standardized state test scores as the measure of a student's abilities, and paying lip service to the importance of classroom teachers while providing them little support.

What we need—and what Washington needs to grasp—is a new vision for education that meets the comprehensive needs of students. In other words, a whole child education.

You already know the success that can be achieved when each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. Unfortunately, after more than a decade of NCLB, the politicians still don't get it. More testing, more sanctions, and more blame are simply not the answers.

We need to tell the Beltway crowd about what's working in schools and how they can best help you. Add your name to the petition asking the White House to create a President's Council on the Whole Child.

It's a small step, but it's a start. A President's Council will give our leaders the advice they need from actual practitioners about what matters most. Imagine, politicians relying on the input of experts! Without your support, things won't change. 

Every voice, like every child, counts so please forward this message to your friends and colleagues.

More on the 21st Century Librarians

Look...there's a video to go along with the NYT article I posted on Monday.

The 21st-Century Librarian - Video Library - The New York Times

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/02/15/arts/1194837851726/the-21st-century-librarian.html
Published: February 19, 2009

The Future of Reading: In Web Age, Library Job Gets Update

Check out the article from Sunday's New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/books/16libr.html?emc=eta1

Any thoughts or comments?