From the Editors
A Day in the Library Learning Commons. When we arrived on that theme early in 2020, we had no idea how much different that day would look in October 2020 than it had a short year ago.
Last year’s celebration of CSLD included many events in schools and across school districts and provinces. People shared inspiring accounts and photos of school assemblies, author visits, principals and other VIPs reading aloud to inspired young students, and all manner of marking the day. Schools across British Columbia participated in the BC Teacher Librarians’ Association’s annual event, Drop Everything and Read, and in Manitoba the provincial government declared Manitoba School Library Day, coinciding with the national event.
Fast forward to October 26, 2020. BC and Manitoba came through with their provincial events, adapted to the new situation. The Ontario School Library Association used the occasion to connect with and support their own members, and to support CSL.
But we still wondered if schools across the entire country were in a mood to celebrate? Would the theme seem out of touch with reality? How would we know what the day looked like when so many school libraries were closed?
To our delight, Canadian School Library Day, and its theme, seemed to resonate. Social media was full of stories of adaptability in the face of the challenge: getting books into the hands of kids despite the library being closed, taking the library to the classroom, supporting virtual learning, and providing professional support. There were still author visits, but the authors came in virtually. Author Wali Shah shared a moving spoken word poem dedicated to teachers, writers, librarians, and the amazing staff and volunteers that make our libraries great. For a younger Wali in high school, “going to the library was like a playground for the mind.”
Despite these inspiring stories, there was definitely an undercurrent of concern and even despair to the day. After all, many dedicated teacher-librarians and library technicians had been re-assigned and their libraries closed as part of school district COVID-19 response plans. One wrote, “I am saddened that not all school boards have maintained staffing in school libraries in 2020. The value I bring to our school as teacher-librarian impacts every child. I miss connecting with the students and staff.” Others told us how much students at their schools were missing the library, and asking when they would be able to visit again. Nevertheless, the day helped to galvanize the community of school library professionals to keep innovating in the face of adversity.
A few other trends we noticed:
- Awareness of Canadian School Library Day has broadened, and many educators outside of the library were expressing their appreciation.
- National and international connections elevated the profile of the celebration. CSLD was part of both Canadian Library Month and International School Library Month. (More info)
- Member organizations of the new Save School Libraries Coalition (More info) promoted CSLD through their social media streams. It was extremely gratifying to read words of encouragement from writers and publishers, book sellers and educational organizations. CSLD 2020 not only galvanized the school library community, it galvanized a broader community of support.
The #CSLD2020 hashtag was trending in Canada by the afternoon of October 26. A most remarkable day in the library learning commons indeed, and a hint that the best is yet to come, post-pandemic.