Wednesday, April 3, 2019
I just spent the last three days participating in an amazing professional learning experience for school librarians and technology integrators - WEMTA Many Voices, Many Choices. This annual conference, presented by the Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association, is organized by a dedicated group of volunteers who meet weekly for months prior to the conference after full days of work in Wisconsin schools. What an incredible example of collaboration!
As a presenter at this conference, I had the opportunity to hone my own collaborative skills, too. Working with experts in technology, coaching, public libraries, and online resources developed my knowledge and created rich experiences for participants in our sessions. When working with school librarians, we often discuss the merits of collaboration. Not only does it allow us to reach a broader audience of students, but it provides a means of professional learning and develops a network of relationships. Yet, it is challenging, time consuming, and often requires some scheduling gymnastics to make it work. For me, preparing presentations for conferences is a way to model Future Ready Librarian work, and it only enhances my valued sense of collaboration.
Another fabulous example of collaboration is reflected in a recent accomplishment of the the School Library Work Group. After several discussions, revisions, and the input of a variety of stakeholders, including great work from the Education Information Services team at DPI, there is a new Common School Fund Infographic. This document is a great way to introduce administrators, accountants and bookkeepers, and other interested people to the Common School Fund without overwhelming them with details. It highlights basic information about Common School Funds and provides examples of allowable purchases. I want to express my gratitude to all who collaborated with me on this important work.
My final cheer goes out to all of you who have reached out to connect and collaborate with others. These efforts make all our work better and bring forth the best opportunities for the students of our schools and patrons of our libraries. May others be inspired by your endeavors!