By Krista Spence, Alia Rachel Jones, and Raadiyah Nazeem
Editor’s Note: Last spring Canadian School Libraries heard the news that Krista Spence, teacher-librarian at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Laboratory School in Toronto, and a contributor to CSL Journal (The Four Branches of Natural Curiosity: Persisting Through a Pandemic, Fall 2020) and TMC participant had been named as the recipient of the inaugural Frances Lincoln Children’s Librarian Prize by the award’s sponsor, the Quarto Group publishers. The award was presented at the annual American Library Association conference in Chicago in June, 2023. CSL Journal invited Krista to share her conference experiences. Colleagues also share more about the award, and about Krista, the most deserving recipient. Krista recalls David Loertscher asking TMC participants to think about how to bring the library work out of the library. “I guess that has inspired some of my work as well, how do bring the wondering, the questioning, the thinking, the investigating, the learning and the sharing outside the room. We were all forced to do that during COVID, and now I am continuing to explore ways that the work of the library happens outside of it.” Words of wisdom. Congratulations, Krista!
The Award Nomination and Conference Experience
By Krista Spence
A colleague sent me an award nomination form for an inaugural Children’s Librarian Prize. I was honoured and surprised that she thought of me. My administrator and colleagues wrote letters of support and I submitted some of my published works and presentations. It was never with the goal of winning. I work in an elementary school library, housed in the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Lab School. The lab school is a place where we are encouraged to research, to try new things, and to explore what is possible in education. In my role as the Teacher-Librarian, Technology Integrator, and Land-Based Resource Teacher, I see all the students once a week, and I have a curriculum that I create for them. The topics cover a variety of themes and perspectives, but I have created lessons over the past number of years that attempt to inform Canadian students about the real history, highlighting Indigenous perspectives and bringing in the voices who have not been allowed to speak their truths. I have been privileged with access to learning communities and have done a lot of work, personally, to learn and listen. I am grateful to my teachers and mentors. I feel a great sense of responsibility to share what I do. If my contributions can be part of a conversation that leads to deeper learning and growth for the future, then I will risk doing it wrong, publicly, so that the collective work we are all doing can move forward. To this end, I know that many, many librarians are working in their spheres with the goal of decolonizing and Indigenizing, transforming spaces to meet the needs of our students or patrons, and to make a better world, based in truth and grounded in relationships for all of us in the future.
I was asked to write an article about this experience, and so I reached out to some collaborators. I wrote about the ALA conference, in case any of you would like to attend someday (and I recommend that you do!), the dynamic librarian and jury member for the Frances Lincoln Children’s Librarian Prize, Alia Rachel Jones, shares a bit about the purpose for the prize, and my colleague (and a previous teacher-librarian) Raadiyah Nazeem, who I was invited to bring along to the conference shares a bit about my work.
Attending the ALA 2023 Conference
I was invited to attend the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition from June 22-27, 2023. The conference was held in Chicago, which also happens to house the headquarters of ALA. Another colleague of mine (and a previous Teacher-Librarian, currently JK teacher), Raadiyah, attended with me. I have attended the Ontario Library Association Super Conference for many years and was intrigued to see how the American version would compare.
The American Library Association is impressive in scope and size. The association was established in 1876 with the mission “to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.” Within the ALA, there are many Divisions (based on type of library or roles within libraries), Committees, and Round Tables that are structures within the organization. I highly recommend finding committees or round tables that you align with and explore their sessions. Some of the options included a Rainbow Round Table, Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table. Being new to the conference and the city, Raadiyah and I decided to attend the ‘International Relations Round Table Orientation. As we left the hallway of the conference center, we were welcomed into a session with calming music and images on the screens, snacks and swag in the corner, and the warmest group of international people! If you are attending from Canada, not to worry – you belong. They helped us to learn about how to move around Chicago, and how to get to their social event, which was housed at the atrium of the Chicago Public Library, an impressive space.
The Newbery Award and Caldecott Legacy awards were given out at an evening banquet. I would highly recommend attending. It felt like the ‘Oscars’ of Children’s Literature! I was delighted to see that the program for the evening was printed in the form of a tiny picture book, illustrated by the Caldecott winner (Dave Salieri for Hot Dog). It’s probably my favourite souvenir of the trip. It was thrilling to hear the speeches from the award-winners, and to see some of my heroes, Joanna Ho, Christina Soontornvat, Jason Reynolds, and Alex Gino, enjoying themselves and laughing with fellow authors and illustrators.
The Library Marketplace was huge. We were warned it might be overwhelming due to the amount of activity and opportunities in it. There were seven stages in various areas of the marketplace featuring presentations by individual authors and illustrators and panel presentations. It was lovely to hear Monique Grey Smith present about her adaptation of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults. The Marketplace featured the usual author-signings, free books, and bookmarks. My thirteen-year-old son’s hero, Nathan Hale (of Nathan Hale’s historical graphic non-fiction series), was lovely to speak with and even spent time showing me how he draws war planes. A member of the soul group The Platters serenaded some smitten librarians with Only You!
The sessions included panel presentations with authors, illustrators, librarians, library techs, researchers and all kinds of people involved in the library world. At this conference, there were a lot of awards ceremonies. Many awards ceremonies took place in regular conference rooms, rather than banquets, meaning there was no additional fee to attend the Coretta Scott King Book Awards or the Stonewall Book Awards. When I read books aloud to students, we always stop to marvel at the awards that they have on the covers, so it was especially thrilling to be in the room as these new books were being revealed. I rely on these award-winning lists when making purchases for my library and appreciate the work of the committees and juries in highlighting these important books. I attended the Stonewall Book Awards, which was housed in a medium-sized hall. It should have been a large one, as myself and roughly eighty others were standing around the sides and back of the hall. This is a lovely signal that people appreciate and value these books! These awards are handed out to authors and illustrators who have published a book of merit in the preceding year, relating to the LGBTQIA+ experiences. Particularly moving was the address by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, who spoke, not only representing her connections to the LGBTQ2S+ communities, but also her position within the Hawaiian Indigenous peoples as a Mahu, a third-gender person traditionally seen as a caretaker, healer, and teacher of ancient traditions. Her picture book, “Kapaemahu” is a gorgeous story of buried culture and how it is never really gone. She spoke also about the devastating impacts of colonization and industrialization on her community.
I was touched and moved by the words of authors. Those who wrote from places they had to hide for so long, those whose works have been banned and demonized, those whose books are lifelines for our patrons and students. We are on the same team, trying to create worlds where all are heard, all are safe and welcomed. We are working together to the same end: intentionally creating a new world where students are empowered with knowledge and skills to support each other, to build healthy ways of relating to each other all while feeling recognized, seen and valued.
In closing, I am sharing a poem that R. Eric Thomas, author of YA novel Kings of B’More presented when accepting his Stonewall Award. I’ll admit I jotted it down as quickly as I could, and there are likely words missing from his poem. I think it stands as I did audio record it, though. I hope it gives you inspiration for the work we do as librarians.
A library is more
R. Eric Thomas
than a temporary armistice
Because of the work you do
Holding back the walls.
Quiet.
A space of infinite possibility.
A brave space of love, truth, creation, freedom.
Against all odds
In needful places
They stay
Points of light in a library
This is possible
You are possible
Mapmaker
Beacons of light
Lovers
Guardians of truth
You lovers
You lovers.
The Frances Lincoln Children’s Librarian Prize
by Alia Rachel Jones
Quarto Publishing created The Frances Lincoln Children’s Librarian Prize to shine a light on the good work children’s librarians are doing related to diversity and inclusion. As a jury member for the inaugural prize, I enjoyed getting to see a behind-the-scenes look at what’s happening in libraries in the U.S. and Canada. Krista’s work stood out to me because it was very clear that she puts her whole self into creating lessons and experiences that help her students grow into compassionate and thoughtful people and citizens. She understands the importance of centering Indigenous voices, especially when teaching the next generation of young people. I was impressed by the environment that she’s fostered in her classroom library and beyond. In reviewing her application, I was also impressed by how much her coworkers respect her, understand the value of her work and can truly see the impact of her work when they teach her former students. I look forward to seeing what Krista will continue to do with her classroom library and the greater Toronto community.
My Friend and Colleague, Krista Spence
by Raadiyah Nazeem
Dedicated, passionate, humble, and warm are just some of the words I would use to describe my friend and colleague, Krista Spence. If you are in anyway connected to Krista, then it would not come as a surprise to you that she is the recipient of the inaugural Frances Lincoln Children’s Librarian Prize presented at the American Library Association (ALA) 2023 conference hosted in Chicago. This award seeks to honour those who center diversity and inclusion in their work, and Krista does this and then some!
Krista has been teaching at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study for fifteen years and under her leadership, the position itself has grown and evolved to encompass the demands of our school as we strive to meet the needs of our students. Krista’s role is the Teacher-Librarian, Technology Integrator and Land-Based Resource Teacher. In this capacity she works with all the children in our school from Nursery to Grade 6, supports teachers’ needs, takes on the responsibility of maintaining the green spaces in our school, and delves deeply into Indigenous learnings and teachings through professional development and dissemination. Our Vice-Principal, Christine Bogert, shared that, “Krista takes her sense of responsibility to this work very seriously, and seeks out opportunities to share her work, not to show ‘how it’s done’, but to open conversations and to challenge old ways of teaching and learning.”
I have been fortunate to work with and learn from Krista for the past six years. I have witnessed Krista take on the role of decolonizing our school collection and thoughtfully curate it to reflect the diversity of the world. Krista has a keen eye for each class, always ready to slip a book or resource into the hands of the students or teachers or present our staff with recommendations and possible ways of bringing someone’s lived experiences into our classrooms. Former teacher, Ben Peebles, shared the following, “Our librarian is the person we can turn to as teachers to find that perfect book that we need to share with a class to make that student feel seen and appreciated for who they are. Krista is the colleague who finds a way, through books, to make every child feel like this is a place where they belong.” Krista has designed our library space as one that children, teachers, staff, student-teachers, professors, and visitors to our school can visit, and see themselves represented, honoured, and valued.
When Krista humbly told me that she was the recipient of an award for her work in the library, as mentioned, I was not surprised. I was honoured that Krista invited me to join her in Chicago to accept her award – it was an opportunity I could not refuse! Not only is Krista our incredible school librarian, but she is also a treasured friend. Krista’s work of enriching peoples’ lives goes beyond the walls of the school library. She is a strong believer in the possibility for change, in centering equity work, in empowering others, and in listening with the intention to learn and grow. It was an honour to share space with her at the beautiful tea ceremony in which she was presented with the award. Throughout the ceremony, representatives shared the history of the FLCB and I came to understand why the FLCB is “one of the world’s most respected creators of picture books and gift titles that celebrate cultural diversity” (The Quarto Group, 2020). I could also see how Krista’s work aligned fully with the mission of FLCB.
When I think of Krista, and I think about her work, I think about possibility, and I think about hope. Krista’s dedication is beyond the scope of an eight-hour day, she truly embodies what it means to love what you do and do what you love – she shares her full self with the world, and I thank the Quarto Group for honouring and celebrating our beloved teacher-librarian.
Krista Spence’s Special Project: Co-creating Documentation of our De-Colonizing Work Engaging with the Seasonal Aspects of our Local Land
The spiral is a continuous journey, through the four seasons, over many years. The center is symbolic of the beginning of the journey with our youngest nursery students and each trip around represents a year, extending all the way out to our oldest students in Grade Six. Teachers were asked to contribute connections to nature that they facilitated with their students. These connections emerged from shared read-alouds and/or science investigations from students’ experiences on the land. Classroom and specialist teachers collaborated to create a living document that acknowledges building knowledge of seasonal ideas and concepts that overlap and repeat over the years. They require years of experiences to reach ‘mastery’. At the same time, these connections don’t have to happen every year. Sometimes, a child may pose a question and it will become a focus for the year. For example, noticing sleeping bees in the asters, tapping a maple tree to collect sap, or creating water colour paintings of the medicinal plants growing in our yard. The spiral creates a documentation of learning done on and with the land, helping to validate these interactions with the natural world.
References
The Quarto Group. 2020. Frances Lincoln Children’s Books. Retrieved from: https://dev.quartoknows.com/Lincoln-Childrens-Books.
Alia Jones is a MLIS student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States. She has worked in public and academic libraries, has worked in indie bookstores selling children’s books, and has taught elementary school English to children in South Korea. Most recently she served on the 2022 Coretta Scott King Book Award Jury and in 2020 she served on the Caldecott Award Jury. She blogs at www.readitrealgood.com.
Raadiyah Nazeem is an educator at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Laboratory School at the University of Toronto. Raadiyah has served in several roles including as Teacher-Librarian, Junior Kindergarten teacher, Grade Two teacher, and the Grade One teacher. Raadiyah strives to enrich her student’s days with high-quality, diverse books, that represent the cohort, but also exposes them to the lived experiences of others. She is also passionate about better understanding and supporting children’s social and emotional learning and is completing her PhD on this topic at the University of Toronto.
Krista Spence is a Teacher Librarian, Technology Integrator, and Land-based Resource Teacher at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Lab school. She has held a number of roles over her 18 years of teaching experience. Krista holds an Honours BA in World Literature and Religions, is a Registered Early Childhood Educator, and has her MA in Education from OISE. She has taught classes in the M.A in Education program at OISE. She constantly searches out opportunities to learn from Indigenous educators, Elders, and artists. She is passionate about connecting students with authentic Indigenous voices, learning through relationship, restoring land, and developing a connection to place. She has presented her work at various conferences and works closely with the Natural Curiosity team. https://www.naturalcuriosity.ca/