Episcopal Knightly News

  EPISCOPAL
  • Home
  • Blog and news
  • About us
    • Who We Are
    • Episcopal Identity
    • Leadership and Governance
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Our Program
    • Academics
    • Athletics
    • Arts
    • Spirituality
    • College Counseling
    • Student Support Services
  • Admission
    • Welcome to Admission
    • Affording Episcopal
    • Dates & Deadlines
    • Visit Episcopal
  • Reopening Plans
  • Giving
    • Spirit Mind Body Campaign
    • Quest Center
    • The eFund >
      • 2019-20 Donor List
    • Tributes and Memorials
    • Give Online
    • Development Team
  • e-Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Parent Resources
    • Teacher Resources
    • Library Resources
  • School Store
  • Alumni
  • Parents' Guild
  • Squires
  • Lunch Menu
  • Contact

Breaking Tradition

11/10/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture

Picture
Over the past several years, I’ve been privileged to speak at many state school library association conferences around the country. In addition to the opportunity to network with other passionate school librarians, I serve as a leading voice in the conversation about the evolution of our profession. My most popular presentation, “Examining the Sacred Cows of School Librarianship”, focuses on questioning commonly held perceptions and stereotypes relating to school libraries and librarians. When adults remember the libraries of their youth, silent spaces, stern librarians, and dusty books often come to mind. Today’s libraries are vibrant, active learning spaces that are constantly adapting to meet the needs of students.

“Libraries are always quiet.” The reality that we have come to understand is that learning is not always quiet. If libraries are places of learning, which they definitely are, then libraries are NOT always quiet. Visit Aldrich and Pollard Libraries on Episcopal’s campus and you are guaranteed to see active learning take place on any given day. Whether it’s a class playing a game of Breakout EDU, a Skype visit taking place, or students using MakerSpace resources to create, the learning experiences in the library can be exciting, engaging, and often noisy.

“Libraries are traditional spaces.” If you walk into either library on campus, you will see many traditional elements of a library space: a circulation desk, books, magazines, computers, printers, tables, and chairs. A closer look will reveal designated spaces for collaborative work, an abundance of technology resources including 3D printers and video equipment, and a robust digital resource space. Students no longer use their school libraries to merely consume information; libraries are now laboratories for creation and innovation. Libraries provide learners with a resource-filled space that is safe for exploring new ideas, collaborating with peers, and creating new content.

“The Dewey Decimal System.” Most adults remember learning about the Dewey Decimal System, but don’t actually remember how to use it. The use of the Dewey Decimal System is one of those non-negotiable for many more traditional librarians. Some libraries, however, are seeing the tide turn and are looking for ways to make their collections more accessible and easy to use. Living in the Google age, students are used to having access to the information they need instantaneously. Episcopal’s libraries are working to make the collections more accessible to students by introducing a genre-based organizational system. Our middle and upper school students quickly took to the new arrangement of fiction books in the collection this school year.

​
Although school libraries still focus on basic pillars such as fostering a love of reading, developing strong research skills, and providing quality resources to learners, libraries continue to evolve to reflect these ideals. Episcopal is proud to provide students with libraries that strive to be an innovative space that meets the changing needs of today’s learners, with librarians who are dedicated to connecting students and teachers with the resources they need.


Picture

Tiffany Whitehead

Tiffany has been an educator for nine years and joins the Episcopal faculty this year as the Upper and Middle School Librarian. A lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Southeastern Louisiana University and her Masters in Educational Technology Leadership from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. She has served as the President for ISTE’s Librarians Network and was recognized as one of ISTE’s 2014 Emerging Leaders. Tiffany is National Board Certified in Library Media and was named one of the 2014 Library Journal Movers & Shakers. She was the 2016 recipient of the Louisiana Library Media Specialist Award. Tiffany speaks regularly at state, national, and international conferences on school library and technology topics.
​

2 Comments
Gwyneth Jones link
11/20/2016 12:31:55 pm

This is a brilliant blog post Tiffany! So proud of how you've transformed our profession and practice and are now one of the leading voices in American Librarianship. Your new school looks lovely & they are fortunate to have you!
Cheers, dear!
@GwynethJones - The Daring Librarian

Reply
Gwyneth Jones link
11/20/2016 12:32:18 pm

This is a brilliant blog post Tiffany! So proud of how you've transformed our profession and practice and are now one of the leading voices in American Librarianship. Your new school looks lovely & they are fortunate to have you!
Cheers, dear!
@GwynethJones - The Daring Librarian

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.


    Follow @EpiscopalBR

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Admission
    Athletics
    College Bound 2017
    College Bound 2018
    College Bound 2019
    College Bound 2020
    College Bound 2021
    Counselors Corner
    Diversity
    Episcopal Alumni
    From The Library
    Giving
    Head Of School Messages
    Lower School
    Middle School
    Project Based Education
    Science
    Spirituality And Service
    Sports
    Student Work
    Technology
    The Teachers' Lounge
    Upper School
    Visual And Performing Art

    Tour our Campus

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required
    Email Format

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

About Episcopal

Head of School Corner
Who We Are
​
Episcopal Identity

Our Program

Academics
Lower School
​
Middle School
​
Upper School
​
College Counseling 
Athletics
Visual & Performing Arts

Admission

Admission Team
​Dates and Deadlines
​Affording Episcopal
​
Visit Episcopal
​Online Payment Portal

Resources
Employment Opportunities
​​
Employee Portal 

Giving Opportunities 

Giving
The Capital Campaign
The e Fund
Legacy Giving
Tributes and Memorials
Give Online 
Development Team

Explore
Blogs and News
Alumni Affairs
Parents Guild

Contact

Episcopal School of Baton Rouge
3200 Woodland Ridge Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Phone: 225.753.3180
​
communications@ehsbr.org

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
Email Format
Photos used under Creative Commons from Ben Taylor55, EpicTop10.com, EpicTop10.com
  • Home
  • Blog and news
  • About us
    • Who We Are
    • Episcopal Identity
    • Leadership and Governance
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Our Program
    • Academics
    • Athletics
    • Arts
    • Spirituality
    • College Counseling
    • Student Support Services
  • Admission
    • Welcome to Admission
    • Affording Episcopal
    • Dates & Deadlines
    • Visit Episcopal
  • Reopening Plans
  • Giving
    • Spirit Mind Body Campaign
    • Quest Center
    • The eFund >
      • 2019-20 Donor List
    • Tributes and Memorials
    • Give Online
    • Development Team
  • e-Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Parent Resources
    • Teacher Resources
    • Library Resources
  • School Store
  • Alumni
  • Parents' Guild
  • Squires
  • Lunch Menu
  • Contact