International Collaborations

Through IASL (International Association of School Librarians) I connected with a librarian in Kenya and began a literacy project and later met librarians from Portugal at the IASL conference in Rome, Italy the summer of 2023. I will detail these project here, beginning with my most recent project. 

I collaborated with Margaret Muthiga, the President of Rift Valley Reading Association in Kenya, with the shared goal of fostering connections among our students while promoting reading, literacy, and cultural exchange. We selected When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed as the focal point for our project.

Navigating through financial and physical challenges, we implemented innovative approaches to turn this vision into a reality for our students. The transformative effects of this project were not limited to the students; our teachers also experienced positive outcomes.

Feel free to let me know if there are specific aspects you’d like further refinement or if you have any specific preferences!

Library Advocacy

Every spring, our school community anticipates the annual book fair. Families have the opportunity to contribute books, which I then transport to Guatemala during the summer. In Guatemala City, I am dedicated to establishing and expanding libraries in impoverished areas. On each trip, I bring nearly $1,000 worth of books to support education in these underprivileged regions.

It’s important to note that public schools in Guatemala lack libraries, and impoverished areas do not have access to public libraries. To address this gap, I collaborate with an organization called “In the Gap,” which provides after-school activities for students and their families. Given that public schools operate for only half a day, there is a critical need for a safe space in the afternoons where students can continue their education.

During my recent visit, I had the pleasure of reading the graphic novel When Stars are Scattered in Spanish to children participating in the after-school program. These books were made available through the generous donations from families during our spring book fair.