Game On, Ms. Lindy

Back when Sue Kowalski was a classroom teacher, she knew that a solid teacher-librarian partnership could create limitless possibilities. But her librarian, well…didn’t. So Kowalski went back to school for an MLS, completing it at the same time as that librarian was retiring. The rest is history.

Kowalski has faced challenges in her role as middle school librarian, but perhaps the biggest has been the renovation of the Pine Grove Middle School itself, in East Syracuse, NY, which resulted in the entire school community being split among six locations. “Staffing, space, scheduling, and building a sense of community were, and still are, real concerns,” says Kowalski. “But as an instructional leader, I needed to transition the library program to ensure we remained vibrant and connected for the duration of the renovation.”

Her first solution was inspired by one of her bucket list items: to drive a bookmobile. Using money from her “I Love My Librarian” award and their own funds, she and her husband purchased an old RV and named it Ms. Lindy; soon it housed a parrot mascot. Kowalski used Ms. Lindy as a mobile extension of the library, hosting programs for all six locations, as well as much-needed storage.

Unfortunately, the seventh graders’ location had no library. So she embedded a student leadership program, dubbed iStaff, into that building.

Students apply, and need teacher permission, to “staff” the “iSpace.” The program is designed to empower students to be leaders through the library program during their study halls or other non–credit bearing time. Over 18 months, the seventh grade iStaff program grew from a few students staffing the iSpace and leaving notes for Kowalski, to 38 kids using Chromebooks to manage administrative tasks, create tutorials, assist with collection development, and provide readers’ advisory services.

“Over time, I have shifted day-to-day management of the program to the students, while I strategize the use of online resources,” explains Kowalski. “With Google forms for the applications, LibGuides for the general reference page, Google Classroom as our headquarters, and Destiny for our collection operations, students can contribute virtually and be more self-directed on and off their shifts.”

So what happens when everyone is back together in their shiny new digs in September? “I will take all that I have learned being ‘on the road’ for two years and incorporate that into our program,” says Kowalski. “I know that a beautiful space alone doesn’t make a program. This is the perfect opportunity to abandon what is not having an impact and focus on what is. Status quo won’t work, so it’s game on for fresh beginnings!”