As an expansion of Multnomah County Library’s evaluation of Spanish early readers, our team audited the Spanish language picture books at the Gresham branch, examining language and cultural representation through text, illustration, country of publication, and author/illustrator nationality. Our goals were to determine the collection’s cultural responsiveness for MCL’s patrons and to develop an assessment tool for MCL and other libraries. Findings indicate a need for more Mexican and Central American representation in the collection, and our assessment tool should be used as an iterative, dynamic document to be tailored for each library rather than a final, static product.

The Seattle Girls’ School (SGS) is an all-girls middle school in the Central District. To support SGS’ ongoing commitment to inclusivity and cultural competency, this project designed library systems that cultivate values of diversity, advocacy, and empowerment. We designed and facilitated four participatory design sessions with students to rework the nonfiction library’s collection development and classification practices. In collaboration with Student Librarians and the SGS staff, we implemented two physical check-out zones to increase engagement with and community responsibility for library materials. As the SGS library grows, this project creates opportunities for student leadership and innovation in community sustained librarianship.

I worked with teacher librarian, TuesD Chambers, at Ballard High School to create a podcast for students and staff to share their experiences. The project would use Adobe Podcast Beta to record and edit. I created a survey that was shared on the library website to promote the opportunity and gain insight into participation level. However, there wasn’t any interaction with the survey, but in the classroom, over 90 students used the software and created their own podcasts.

Recognizing the difficulty deaf children face in acquiring reading skills due to limited resources and learning opportunities, our project focuses on creating accessibility in story time. To address this challenge, we developed SignStory, a digital library of ASL (American Sign Language) translated storybooks accompanied by videos and closed captioning. Alongside ASL storytime, SignStory hosts a plethora of resources that enable and empower our users to explore various ASL resources. Signstory enhances educational opportunities and provides an additional resource for deaf and HoH children to succeed in primary, secondary, and post-secondary education whilst fostering a love for reading in their lives.

At the UW Children’s Center at Portage Bay, the goal of the project was to enhance professional development for early childhood educators by focusing on social-emotional and anti-bias curricula. By curating a specialized library, educators gain access to resources that delve into these critical areas, offering insights, strategies, and practical tools to implement inclusive teaching practices. Additionally, auditing and restructuring the existing book collection will ensure alignment with these priorities, fostering a more comprehensive resource hub. Through the implementation of a cataloging system, educators can utilize the curated materials, empowering them to create nurturing and equitable environments for young children.

Elementary Teacher Librarians in the Tacoma Public Schools currently do not have an assessment framework specific to libraries to evaluate student growth and learning that is tied to TPS library learning targets and current AASL standards. I followed best practices to create customizable a pre- and post-survey tool using a qualitative rating scale using Microsoft Forms that librarians can administer to students, which allow for the collection of quantifiable and qualitatively rich data. Data gathered can be used to measure student growth, identify reteaching opportunities, and to improve librarians’ professional practice. Benefits extend to students, teachers, and administrators as well.

Maintaining preschool libraries is important for early childhood development; it is an area that is unsupported by administration. We cataloged, categorized, and weeded the WCCC library, emphasizing socioemotional themes and titles that represented the student body. We cataloged the existing library and determined new categories books would fall under; then color coded them, giving them new places on labeled shelves. We also determined which books from the collection would be weeded out either due to content or condition. We recommended books that fit the goals of the school and met student needs, providing this list to the school’s administration.

Building a Storytime was born of the reported discomfort and lack of preparedness experienced by storytellers when first presenting storytimes. This project sought to answer these concerns by observing veteran storytellers present storytimes for a range of ages and formats. This observation was coupled with an informal survey sent to storytellers across the US inquiring about their training experiences. The results of the observation and research were compiled and quantitative and qualitative data were extracted. The resulting data was presented and used to create a website with advice, resources, and sample storytime plans to help support new storytellers.

The Family Place program of the Pikes Peak Library District is a district-wide initiative aimed at fostering early literacy from birth to age five. One of the goals is to enhance the play area of Penrose Library. A 5-year plan is now implemented to continually review and improve the space and purchase new toys and furniture that entertain families and support early childhood development. The purpose is to create unique experiences for children and families. As a result, the library has become a popular destination for patrons who enjoy returning.

The Ledding Library has provided children's theme kits to patrons for the last 20+ years. Consistently popular, these theme kits now show the normal wear of age. They also no longer fit library space or goals. This proposal contains ten updated kits, including book lists, manipulatives, activities, storage, and a publicity plan. These kits will give parents and caregivers easy options to create fun learning environments. The updated title selections reflect the rich array of books published within the last ~10 years and focus on fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at the library. This project will serve library funding discussions.