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Dec 13, 2024 | 
knowledgequest.aasl.org | Karin Greenberg
A Surprise WishTeens secretly want to read more. That’s the thought that popped into my mind as I watched a class of 12th-grade AP Lit students reading silently during our recent Book Tasting event. It was the December homestretch, when students could see the upcoming break on the horizon. They were restless. They wanted to get assignments done quickly. As they walked into the library to sample books for their independent reading project, their feet dragged.
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Nov 6, 2024 | 
knowledgequest.aasl.org | Karin Greenberg
As I settled into the routines of a new school year, the question resurfaced: How could I increase reading motivation among teenagers? My annual Independent Reading Project lessons were before me. I created dynamic slides highlighting high-interest books; I updated my Reading Style Evaluation survey; I brushed up on the Novelist Plus database. Still, I wasn’t convinced any of it would make a difference. Then, I came across an educator’s post on Instagram.
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Sep 8, 2024 | 
newsday.com | Karin Greenberg
I’m 5 years old, wearing a striped, blue-and-green Danskin outfit. As I walk toward my kindergarten teacher’s desk, I feel excited. Mrs. Stuchio pulls out the little plastic chair and tells me to sit. I place my workbook on the table and begin. “A pig can jig,” I recite. “Excellent,” she says. “Go on.”As I read the words and look at the pigs, I feel strong, smart . . . happy.
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Aug 29, 2024 | 
knowledgequest.aasl.org | Karin Greenberg |Yael Goldstein-Love |Annabel Monaghan |Liz Moore
Librarians as ReadersLibrarians like to read. I usually experience instantaneous literary bonding with my colleagues at library workshops and conferences. Our tastes span every imaginable genre. I’m always amazed at the wide range of books embraced by my fellow librarians. School libraries have distinct personalities, based largely on their curated collections. The challenge is to reach beyond our personal favorites to satisfy our eclectic group of patrons.
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Jul 12, 2024 | 
knowledgequest.aasl.org | Karin Greenberg
Comic NostalgiaWhen I was a child at sleepaway camp, I relished the escape comic books provided. I didn’t love living in a bunk with 20 other girls–it cut into my reading time. If I could sneak away for a few minutes, I often turned to these colorful stories. The Archie series was my favorite, with Wonder Woman and Richie Rich close behind. I can’t help but wonder: will any of my students enjoy reading comics this summer?
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May 26, 2024 | 
slj.com | Lauren Ho |Karin Greenberg |Yoon Ha |Dos Santos
Gr 9 Up–Agnes Chan attends an international school in Kuala Lumpur. A rising track star who is waiting to finalize a college recruitment deal in America, she has a clear path to the future. A scholarship will secure her dreams of making it big and take the weight off her family’s uncertain finances. Agnes’s only obstacle is her rival and track team cocaptain, Royce Taslim. Things come as easy to him as they do to his wealthy family.
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May 13, 2024 | 
knowledgequest.aasl.org | Karin Greenberg
Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though;He will not see me stopping hereTo watch his woods fill up with snow. ~from “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert FrostPoetry in MotionWhen I was a child, I had to memorize poems for English class. I can still recite several by heart, including the Robert Frost one above. The practice has gone out the window with card catalogs, but it still may be useful.
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Mar 26, 2024 | 
knowledgequest.aasl.org | Karin Greenberg
Let the Games BeginSweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four, Championship… every March I hear these buzzwords in my library. The NCAA March Madness basketball tournament livens up the room. Teens huddle around smartphones watching the last minutes of nail-biters. Others share bracket predictions. I’m energized by it all. Several years ago I merged my love of this sporting event with my drive to get high schoolers reading. This year we’re hosting our seventh annual March Book Madness in the library.
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Mar 7, 2024 | 
knowledgequest.aasl.org | Karin Greenberg
The Gender GapHow can we get boys to read more often? It’s a question that comes up frequently in my life as a librarian. I’ve ordered books with male protagonists, created displays that capture masculine interests, and recommended titles that my own sons enjoyed. Ignoring gender entirely, I’ve tried focusing on universal themes. Using Google Forms, I’ve sent out surveys where students can share books they’d like me to order.
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Jan 17, 2024 | 
knowledgequest.aasl.org | Karin Greenberg
Do our digital signatures matter? Recently, I received a creatively signed email from a librarian friend and was motivated to modernize mine. Since I still see pop culture images of cardigan-clad librarians sporting hair buns (read this article from Book Riot about it), I think it’s important to show off our tech savvy. Few outside of education understand how enmeshed school librarians’ jobs are with technology.
