Engaging and Empowering School Libraries

You're Not Alone: Networking Secrets for School Librarians

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Kay Odonne, Education and Research Leader, and teacher librarian Hajanlka Molloy, as we discuss why networking matters for school librarians, especially those working alone. We cover how social media, local hub groups, mentoring, and face-to-face events build confidence, professional skills, and advocacy power.

Practical tips include joining professional associations, making time for networking as part of your work, being brave and kind when reaching out, contributing as well as receiving, and balancing online and in-person connections to grow a lasting network.

Podcast - When Libraries Break: Leadership, Redundancy and Resiliance 

Empower: The Library Collective 

 

When Libraries Break: Leadership, Redundancy & Resilience

In this episode, I’m joined by Lara Price and Rachel Huskisson to explore what happens when school library management goes wrong. We discuss the consequences of poor leadership and redundancy, the emotional and professional toll it can take, and how reflection, resilience, and lifelong learning can turn challenging experiences into opportunities for growth.

Our conversation offers practical advice for librarians navigating difficult management situations, examines the evolving role of school libraries in an age of AI, media, and information literacy, and reinforces the enduring importance of reading. We also share valuable resources and sources of support for those seeking to move forward positively.

Kindness Strategies - Helen Rimmer

The episode is sponsored thanks to Learnics https://www.learnics.com/

Lara is happy to have virtual coffees with any listener who wants to chat about libraries and learning. Her email is lara@athenastoolbox.co.uk

 

Kindness as Strategy: Helen Rimmer on Well‑Being for School Librarians

Helen Rimmer joins us in this episode to discuss the pressures facing school librarians, including isolation, expanding workloads, and compassion fatigue, and how kindness, clear boundaries, and self-care are professional strengths that enhance wellbeing and effectiveness.

We explore practical approaches to advocacy, creating inclusive, safe library spaces, and examples of lightening teachers’ loads. Helen also introduces Empower: The Library Collective, a cross‑sector training community offering webinars and resources to help librarians grow skills and connect.

More information about Empower can be found here https://empowerlibraryskills.com/home

If you are considering joining please use this link as I get a small commission. Thanks! https://empowerlibraryskills.com/memberships

The episode is sponsored thanks to Learnics https://www.learnics.com/

Exploring the Role of School Libraries in Inquiry-Based Learning: A FOSIL Approach

In this episode, we consider the transformative role of inquiry-based learning education. Tune in as we discuss the exciting updates in the FOSIL Group, explore the success stories from the Teen Tech Awards, and look at the essential role of school librarians. Discover how libraries can bridge the gap between teachers and students, supporting inquiry in a way that enhances educational outcomes. Join us for an insightful conversation about fostering inquiry, collaboration, and innovation in schools.

Exploring the Impact of the Carnegie Medal on Children's Literature

In this episode, we are joined by Lucy Pearson, a researcher passionate about the Carnegie Medal's impact on children's literature. Lucy guides us through the medal's history, exploring how it reflects our shifting societal values and the evolution of children's books over the decades.

Discover how the Carnegie Medal has shaped reading habits, promoted social issues, and mirrored historical contexts. We discuss the crucial role school librarians and educators play in leveraging the rich legacy of the Carnegie Medal to inspire and engage young readers. Together with our host, we ponder how its history can empower youth to think critically about literature and foster inclusive reading cultures.

Join us as we explore how Lucy's personal journey, from a school librarian to a distinguished researcher, intertwines with the vibrant past and promising future of the Carnegie Medal. This episode is a testament to the everlasting importance of literature in shaping thoughtful, informed, and empathetic individuals.

Lucy has asked us to share the following with you. 

General audiences

On the relationship between the Medal and children's librarians: 

Lucy Pearson, 'Prize fighting: the Carnegie Medal and Children’s Librarians', YLR (2017), 10-11. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.cilip.org.uk/resource/collection/8D88830B-4753-4F25-8EDB-4F45DDC8E018/youth_library_review_2017.pdf

 

On the Medal's response to social contexts: 

Lucy Pearson, 'Innocence destroyed? The Carnegie Medal and the post-Bulger years', in Changing Childhoods, 8 December 2020,  https://changingchildhoods.com/the-carnegie-medal-and-the-post-bulger-years/

 

On past winners: my Carnegie Medal blog (on a long hiatus following maternity leave!) https://carnegieproject.wordpress.com/

 

 

Academic work (I try to write in a way that anyone can enjoy though, and all these are available as open access pre-print copies)

 

The article that started it all - about the first few decades of the Medal:

Pearson L. Prizing the Nation: postwar children's fiction. In: Plain G, ed. British Literature in Transition 1940-60: Postwar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019, pp.209-224. Pre-print copy available at https://eprints.ncl.ac.uk/212440

 

Pearson L, Sands--Connor K, Subramanian A. Prize Culture and Diversity in British Children’s Literature . International Research in Children's Literature 2019, 12(1), 90-106. Pre-print copy available at https://eprints.ncl.ac.uk/257082

 

My academic profile is at https://www.ncl.ac.uk/elll/people/profile/lucypearson.html

 

I'm extremely pleased to be contacted by anyone regarding this work at lucy.pearson@ncl.ac.uk.

 

This episode was kindly sponsored by Learnics 

The Invisible Element of School Success: Libraries and Librarians: Conversation with Mary-Rose

In this episode, I'm joined again by Mary Rose from Hartland International School in Dubai to discuss the often-overlooked importance of school libraries and librarians. The conversation delves into the wide-ranging impact that school libraries have on student success, literacy levels, and overall social justice in education.

Join us as we explore how the presence of a library and a dedicated librarian can transform the educational landscape, fostering a love for reading and providing essential tools for research and learning in students of all ages.

Systemic Misconceptions of School Librarians: Conversation with Mary-Rose

In my latest podcast series, I continue my conversation with Mary-Rose from Hartland School in Dubai 

In this episode, we discuss the striking omission of libraries in recent UK Government, Department of Education Reading in Secondary Schools documents and delve into the systemic misconceptions about the roles and capabilities of school libraries and librarians.

Listen in as we propose actionable steps for school leaders to harness the potential of school libraries. We emphasise their importance in fostering inquiry-based learning and supporting student well-being and academic success.

Supporting all Readers in Secondary School https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-all-readers-in-secondary-school 

Do We Need to Use AI to Teach the Skills It Demands?

In this episode, Ruth Maloney and I are joined by school librarians Jenny Toerien, Matthew Rose to explore the evolving role of AI in education. The discussion focuses on the challenges and opportunities of teaching AI-related skills in schools, highlighting the importance of critical thinking, ethical awareness, and the preservation of foundational inquiry skills.

Our guests share their diverse experiences, offering insights into the balance between leveraging AI tools and maintaining academic integrity. With AI's increasing integration into daily life, we discuss how educators can prepare students not just to use AI technology, but to understand its implications and limitations.

Tune in to discover how librarians are uniquely positioned to guide students through the complexities of the AI landscape, ensuring they are equipped with the skills needed for the future while fostering a responsible and informed approach to technology use.

Thanks to Learnics for sponsoring this episode https://www.learnics.com/ 

Sources mentioned:-

• JCQ AI use in assessments (updated April 2025):https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/AI-Use-in-Assessments_Apr25_FINAL.pdf
• The integrity of integrity, John Royce (July 2020)https://www.read2live.com/2020/07/29/the-integrity-of-integrity/
• How an embarrassing U-turn exposed a concerning truth about ChatGPT, Chris Stokel-Walker (May 2025)https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/01/chatgpt-chatbot-truth-user-update-ai