By Angela Morello
This issue’s contribution comes from Angela Morello and was the inquiry learning project from her Kindergarten Additional Qualification Specialist Course taken Spring 2026 from the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario in Ontario. Even though this project was not part of a teacher-librarian course, Angela wove in elements of school librarianship into her culminating task. We replicate it here with her permission and our gratitude.
When I found out I was finally going to be a teacher-librarian two years ago, I was excited to get started, but unsure of what exactly I wanted my program to look like. Fortunately, my principal sent me to spend a morning with Jenn Brown, an incredible teacher-librarian who works at Caledon Central in Peel. After hearing her passionately speak about free-flow book exchange, and seeing it in action in her library, I was hooked. I knew this was how I wanted to run our library. She sent me on my way, full of hope, ideas, and with a phone full of pictures for inspiration.
Our first year was more successful than I could have hoped. Even with a slow buy-in from staff, we had an over 300% increase in circulation, and the library was in high demand for collaboration. Checkouts averaged over 2500 a month, and students reported feeling welcome, safe, and included in the library. As much as I loved it, and as much success as I felt, there was still one group who was hesitant to fully embrace this model.
Our kindergarten team still preferred to have weekly visits in the library, allowing one or two books per student, and only from certain sections of the library. Of course, our youngest learners loved visiting, and looked forward to their weekly visits, but I wondered; what would the impact of flexible access to the library have on kindergarten students’ sense of agency and ownership over their learning? As we look at the Kindergarten Document, we know that we can connect flexible access to the library to the Belonging and Contributing frame, and this communicates to children that they are trusted to make decisions, they are welcome in the space, and the library belongs to them, not just to a schedule.
It didn’t take much to convince two teachers to partner with me in this inquiry. We talked about what a free-flow library program could look like in kindergarten, and how they could adapt it into their current program. We brainstormed all of the potential challenges we could face, as well as their solutions.
As we moved into the inquiry, our two targeted kindergarten classes began experimenting with independent, flexible visits. At first, it took a bit of practice walking back and forth to the library. We introduced timers so students knew when it was time to return to class, and we started with our senior students to build confidence. But by the end of the week, several junior students had joined in as well, and they were just as successful. There were, of course, small bumps along the way. A forgotten bathroom break here, a student who needed help checking out a book there. But the beauty of a busy library is that there is always another adult nearby, or an older student eager to help a younger one navigate the space. What could have been barriers quickly became opportunities for collaboration and mentorship.
By the end of the first week, the shift was undeniable. Some students visited almost daily, proudly taking out new books each time, which was a dramatic change from the weekly exchanges they were used to. They used the library with growing confidence, choosing books that genuinely interested them rather than limiting themselves to picture books because that was the only choice during whole‑class visits. Their independence became a point of pride.
Their educators noticed the change too. Teachers in the targeted classes told me they had to negotiate visit times because demand was so high. While we all expect the novelty to settle eventually, the enthusiasm was unmistakable. Even more telling, two teachers from non‑targeted classes approached me to ask whether this model might work for their students as well.
When students have flexible access to the library, they feel a deeper sense of belonging and a stronger sense of ownership over the space. They enter with confidence, stay longer, explore more, and see themselves as capable members of a shared learning community. I will continue this inquiry over the next few weeks and share the full results with the kindergarten team. Together, we will reflect on what we’ve learned and consider what our next steps might look like. But already, one thing is clear; when we trust our youngest learners with real responsibility and real choice, they rise to meet it.
When I first stepped into the library two years ago, unsure of what my program would become, I never imagined how profoundly a simple shift in access could transform the way our youngest learners see themselves in this space. What began as a morning full of inspiration has grown into a meaningful exploration of how trust, flexibility, and student‑centered practice can reshape a library community.
Government of Ontario. (n.d.). The kindergarten program. Ontario Ministry of Education. https://www.dcp.edu.gov.on.ca/en/curriculum/kindergarten/grades/jk-sk
Angela Morello is the teacher-librarian at Southfields Public School in the Peel District School Board.