This #GivingTuesday, help us build a library at the Jane Adeny Memorial School where every child sees themselves in the stories they read. Your gift provides "mirror" books and furniture for our continued project in Kenya! 📚 Donate today to empower young readers!

National conferences are reunions for reconnecting with friends!🥰 #AASL25 @wpray.bsky.social @livluvlibrary.bsky.social @andreatrudeau.bsky.social @dshensleyedu.bsky.social

Feeling grateful and excited to be at #AASL25 to connect, learn, and grow with fellow school librarians!

In 9 days, I'll be heading to St. Louis to attend one of my favorite conferences: #AASL25! If you'll be there, stop by one of my sessions on Friday! I'm honored to be co-presenting with phenomenal librarians! @captainlibrary.bsky.social @mauramadigan7.bsky.social @kelseybogan.bsky.social ky.social

This cart shows the power of libraries. So grateful to my district and public library colleagues who helped me acquire enough copies of these titles for an ELA signpost lesson on Monday. We truly are better together! 🙌 #librarylife #bettertogether

Today a 6th grader pointed out the assigned door numbers in the library. For those who know middle schoolers well, you know exactly what happened next. 🤣 #librarylife #TLsky #middleschool

This photo is now a couple years old, but it remains one of my favorites that we took during one of my favorite conferences.These are incredible librarians, humans & friends. ❤️ I cannot wait to be reunited w/them in just a few short weeks at AASL in St. Louis! Photo credit: Julie Monacella #TLsky

I'm really digging The New Happy. Sign up for their newsletter to receive glimmers and words (and images) that really get you thinking and inspire joy. So grateful for today's e-mail! sparklp.co/e72d86ad/ #selfcare #wellbeing #TLsky

My cookbook display needs to be replenished daily! (A great problem to have.) This is definitely one of the most popular displays we’ve had in our library in awhile. I just love hearing all about students’ baking and cooking adventures when they check out these books! 🧑‍🍳 #read #noshhlibrary

Excited to use this Analog Inspiration deck with my instructional practices committee next week to inspire conversations about how to maintain human-centeredness in the age of AI. www.analoginspiration.ai #humancentered #noshhlibrary

Can’t wait to see how this Would You Rather shakes out in my middle school library. Which one would you vote for? #librarylife #humancentered #noshhlibrary

Excited for our newest sections in the Shepard library—poetry and folk tales/fairy tales. My hope is they will get more love in this new location. Plus, who doesn’t love magnetic poetry? 😍 Shout out to @demcoinc.bsky.social for the awesome shelf dividers and spine labels, too! #read #librarylife

Librarians, so you have photo booth props in your library? They make picture-taking and “shelfies” (a library twist on selfies) so much more fun! I bought these on Etsy ages ago… #noshhlibrary #librarylife

A simple and fun way to promote a reading culture in your school—laminated What I’m Reading signs! Staff can post these and share what they are reading. It inspires all kinds of conversations! #noshhlibrary #read #librariesmatter

The JAMS Library Project continues! Phase Two is here: comfy furniture, more books students love, & better library tools. We’re not done yet—help us keep building! Blog: bldglibraries.substack.com/p/were-back-... @librarianjones.com @captainlibrary.bsky.social @andreatrudeau.bsky.social

Big thanks to @kidsdiscover.bsky.social for being part of our buildinglibraries.org journey! Their engaging nonfiction inspires curious minds every day. Read more: bldglibraries.substack.com/p/partnershi... (link in bio)

Partnerships Making a Difference: Kids Discover

As we worked to transform the library and the library experience for students at Jane Adeney Memorial School, we knew we could not do it alone.

bldglibraries.substack.com

One last video of our time aboard. I could have stayed home doing laundry all summer, but decided to be adventurous. Always dream big and do things that make you happy. Life is short. @andreatrudeau.bsky.social @captainlibrary.bsky.social

Our time at Jane Adeny Memorial School in Kenya has come to an end, but the memories will stay with us. Grateful to Dr. Wasonga for her warm welcome and powerful vision. The song playing? That’s the girls singing their school song—I recorded it during our visit.

New LBL blog: We came in with a plan—but the students at JAMS showed us what they really needed. Here’s how we reimagined the library to be simple, sustainable, and student-centered. bldglibraries.substack.com/p/listening-...

Listening and Watching From the Library, For the Library

We came in with a plan.

bldglibraries.substack.com

JAMS and LBL work is done, and now we’re onto Phase 2: the side quest—on our own dime! Two days in Nairobi, then a 19-hour layover in London packed with sightseeing before heading home. Bonus: adorable school kids waving at planes. @captainlibrary.bsky.social @andreatrudeau.bsky.social

At JAMS in Kenya, we’ve seen firsthand how school libraries can become sanctuaries of healing as well as learning. In response to the need for emotional support for students, we created a Calming Corner—an inviting space designed to promote mental well-being. Blog: open.substack.com/pub/bldglibr...

It was such an honor to participate in @lieberrian.bsky.social's program Ducks 4 Laryssa in memory of her sister. If you find yourself at a library somewhere in the world, you can post your own ducky pic here: sites.google.com/view/ducks4l... #ducks4laryssa #bldglibraries #internationallibraries

We introduced the girls to our new color-coded library system and checkout process today! Open house with art + story hour is on for the next two days from 4:30–6PM. They’re also letting us know what books they want next!

Hard at work and loving every minute of it! Today we’ve been busy labeling books for the library at JAMS in Kenya—getting each one ready to inspire, empower, and educate. Every sticker is a step toward building something beautiful for this incredible community. #LibraryLove #BooksChangeLives

Today we visited the Masolo family and the Jane-Pauline Audi Research Library, a community library they run from their home in memory of their daughter. Out of heartbreak, they’ve built something full of hope, love, and purpose.

Took a break to read under the Kenyan sun—books, breeze, and absolutely zero emails. We work hard, we play hard, but it’s just as important to slow down and enjoy the world around you. Photos courtesy of a student at JAMS. #NextStyle #ReadingInKenya #LibraryLifeUnplugged

Saturday nights are for dancing like nobody’s watching… because tomorrow we alphabetize like everybody is! 🕺📚💃 #LibraryLife #WorkHardShelfHard

“If you build it, they will come.” And they did—big time! 🤩 Today, the JAMS library was alive with energy! Students browsed and checked out books, played games, colored, relaxed, and connected with friends. It wasn’t just a library—it was the place to be. #JAMSReads #BldgLibraries #TLsky

School libraries support the WHOLE child! It was such a joy creating a Calming Corner in the JAMS Library in rural Kenya today, and the students’ reactions made my day! 😍