MSLA Podcast

MSLA Podcast
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The official podcast of the Massachusetts School Library Asssociation.

  1. APR 9

    One Battle of the Books After Another

    Becky Sniffen, librarian from the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley, and Alissa Rosellini, Lower School Librarian at Brimmer and May School in Chestnut Hill, are going to be at the MSLA conference evangelizing Battle of the Books. Both librarians are fostering this program in Massachusetts, bringing their experiences from Oregon and Montreal. The pair hope to bring structure and sustainability to this quiz-show style program, where teams battle at local, and then (eventually, hopefully) regional and statewide levels to, as Alissa puts it, “combine a love of reading and a love of competition.” They’d like your help, too! Becky and Alissa are already thinking of next year’s battles, and if you want to get involved, email Becky at Rsniffen@pvcics.org. Links for those curious: https://www.oregonbattleofthebooks.org/  https://www.massbook.org/mass-book-awards/  https://www.salemstate.edu/mcba  https://www.massbook.org/readingchallenge  World Read Aloud Day, https://www.litworld.org/world-read-aloud-day  https://www.rituhemnani.com/lion-of-the-sky  Sora.com The Unforgettable Logan Foster, https://www.shawnpeterswrites.com/  https://www.mateenchoicebook.org/  https://battleofthebooksgt.org/  Wrath of the Rain God, https://karlavalenti.com/books/legendarios-book-1/  Duel, https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Duel/Jessixa-Bagley/9781534496545

    46 min

  2. APR 2

    “We get caught up in the ‘shoulds’”: Erin Dionne & Andrea Gellerstein

    Wilson Middle School (Natick) Special Education Administrator Andrea Gellerstein and children’s book author Erin Dionne are not only friends, but library advocates! They joined us to discuss ideas professional and personal that can help our practice in school libraries. Erin is presenting at the Mass Reading Conference (https://www.massreading.org/-conference), being held just prior to the MSLA conference and also judged in the MSLA bookmark contest. We discuss genre, AI, educating the next generation of writers and the library’s role in these ideas. Discussed stuff: Montserrat College of Art, Prof. Erin Dionne, https://www.montserrat.edu/staff/erin-dionne/  Kate Messner, Trouble with Heroes Renee Watson’s All the Blues in the Sky The Civil War of Amos Abernathy Michael Leali Special Teams by Fred Bowen History Smashers, Kate Messner Loree Griffin Burns, https://loreeburns.com/  Nancy Costaldo, https://nancycastaldo.com/  Melissa Stewart, https://melissa-stewart.com/  Brian Lies, https://www.brianlies.com/  Christine Soontornvat, All 13 https://soontornvat.com/ Christine Soontornvat, Wish in the Dark Christine Soontornvat, Last Mapmaker Erin Dionne, Shiver by the Sea, https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/VE6/shiver-by-the-sea/ Stephen King The House with a Clock in Its Walls, John Bellairs Fainth Erin Hicks, Universal Monsters: The Mummy https://www.skybound.com/universal-monsters-the-mummy/comics/issue-1  Brian “Smitty” Smith, Meet Ballpoint! https://conskipper.com/transformers-worst-bot-ever-meet-ballpoint-creators-brian-smitty-smith-and-marz-jr-the-conskipper-interview/  Hunger Games David Kelly, Ballpark Mysteries, https://davidakellybooks.com/books/series/ballpark-mysteries/  Jarrett Lerner, https://jarrettlerner.com/  Anthropic AI Class Action Lawsuit, https://www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/   If Looks Could Kill, Julie Berry https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/If-Looks-Could-Kill/Julie-Berry/9781534470811 Eli Brown, Oddity, https://www.eli-brown.com/  Eli Brown, Mooncussers Justina Ireland, Dread Nation, https://www.harpercollins.com/products/dread-nation-justina-ireland?variant=40827474313250  Warrior Girl Unearthed, Angeline Boulley, https://angelineboulley.com/  Shrinking, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15677150/  How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, https://www.netflix.com/title/81758849?fromWatch=true Derry Girls, https://www.channel4.com/programmes/derry-girls

    44 min
  3. AASL Presidential Candidate: Heather Thore

    FEB 28

    AASL Presidential Candidate: Heather Thore

    Heather Thore on the campaign trail: join us for a discussion of action research into PBIS, passion for ed tech efficacy, leadership development at the South Carolina Association of School Librarians, and the transparency she hopes to bring to the AASL. Check out the candidate announcement for voting details: https://www.ala.org/news/2025/12/aasl-announces-candidates-2026-election. Robert Anderson Middle School https://robertanderson.anderson5.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=3721029&type=d&pREC_ID=2428584  Heather's research thesis: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QQOuj20OWYwXF3chY9CY23arm6K2XNYE/view SCASL https://www.scasl.net/  SCASL Summer Institute https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kx6KgBVDd8nKI5y6n0ZuQojyFGxbAL3zV1x0093GXEc/edit?tab=t.0  Ozo bots https://ozobot.com/  Sphero https://sphero.com/  3D Pens https://the3doodler.com/ Get Involved Form https://www.ala.org/aboutala/committees/volunteer/frm_vol  Capella Univeristy https://www.capella.edu/ Positive Behaiovr Intervention and Supports (PBIS) https://www.pbis.org/  North Carolina School Library Media Association (NCSLMA) — https://www.ncslma.org/  ABC - CLIO Leadership Grant https://www.ala.org/grants/abc-clio-leadership-grant  Gloria Ladson-Billings https://ed.stanford.edu/about/community/gloria-ladson-billings  Culturally Responsive Learning https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/culturally-responsive-teaching-culturally-responsive-pedagogy/2022/04  Trauma Informed Teaching https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/trauma-informed-practices  Freida McFadden, https://www.freidamcfadden.com/  Found, https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/found-release-date-news

    44 min
  4. AASL Presidential Candidate: Barbara Johnson

    FEB 28

    AASL Presidential Candidate: Barbara Johnson

    By focusing on asks for "little things that bring you joy," to bring volunteers en masse and generate involvement, Barabra Johnson talks AASL Presidential Candidacy on this episode. We discuss her "say yes" attitude, her journey to becoming the Instructional Technology Coordinator for Colchester Public Schools, and  CTs response to artificial intelligence. Check out the candidate announcement for voting details: https://www.ala.org/news/2025/12/aasl-announces-candidates-2026-election.  https://www.colchesterct.org/technology-services-home  Maureen Schloser https://maureenschlosser20.wixsite.com/mysite  Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries https://www.bushcenter.org/topics/education/laura-bush-foundation-for-americas-libraries Joyce Valenza https://joycevalenza.me/  Sarah Kelly Johns https://ischool.syracuse.edu/sara-kelly-johns-2/#Biography CASL https://casl.wildapricot.org/  AASL Board https://www.ala.org/aasl/about/board  AASL Strategic Plan https://www.ala.org/aasl/about/govern/strategic-plan  Report of the Educators’ Common Core Implementation Task Force https://aftct.org/sites/aftct.org/files/ccss_task_force_report_0.pdf  Knowledge Quest https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/ Nerd Camp CT http://www.nerdcampct.org/  Iowa HSB 636 https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/iowa-bill-ban-public-school-172706563.html  Connecticut SB-1271 https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-09-15/connecticut-school-library-book-ban-law-2025  Allison Klein, Interim Executive Director, https://www.ala.org/aasl/about/staff  ALA Public Policy and Advocacy https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/ppa  ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/oif  Florida Library Assocation https://www.flalib.org/  Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) https://www.floridamediaed.org/  Amanda Jones https://ilovelibraries.org/article/librarian-named-to-times-list-of-the-worlds-most-influential-rising-stars/  The Librarians https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywQOCY-qDzE  CT Data Center https://www.wshu.org/connecticut-news/2026-02-27/ct-ai-data-centers-regulations  The risks of AI in schools outweigh the benefits, report says, NPR https://www.npr.org/2026/01/14/nx-s1-5674741/ai-schools-education  Let Them https://www.melrobbins.com/book/the-let-them-theory/  That Librarian https://soundcloud.com/bloomsburypublishing/that-librarian-by-amanda-jones  The Compound, https://www.irishbookawards.ie/nominee/the-compound/  Membership Withdrawals / Bans, https://bookriot.com/states-where-librarians-cannot-join-the-ala/

    55 min
  5. Youth Media Awards Insiders (plz enjoy @ 1x speed)

    FEB 13

    Youth Media Awards Insiders (plz enjoy @ 1x speed)

    LISTEN UP YOU MEDALING KIDS! Wendy MacArthur, Hopkinton Middle School librarian, served on the AASL Odyssey Award Committee and Laura Gardner, Dartmouth Middle School librarian, served on the Alex Award Committee. ‘What was that like?’ we ask, and, what does it take to do it yourself? Reach us at podcast@maschooliraries.org Resources Discussed: https://www.ala.org/news/2026/01/american-library-association-announces-2026-youth-media-award-winners  https://www.mateenchoicebook.org/  ​​https://www.ala.org/aasl/awards (Sybil, Alex, Newbery, Caldecott, Odyssey, Pura Belpre, Printz, Sibert, quick picks for Reluctant Young Readers, et. al.) Eyes of the Impossible, Dave Eggers Soundtrack, Jason Reynolds The Dead of Summer, Ryan La Sala Trans History, Alex L. Combs and Andrew Eakett Don’t Trust Fish, By Neil Sharpson On Tour Illustrated by Dan Santat On Tour YALSA https://www.ala.org/yalsa  YSBR https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/  SLJ https://www.slj.com/  Morris Seminar Heavy Medal: The Mock Newbery Blog Betsy Bird Sonita, Sonita Alizada https://www.zoom.com/

    45 min

  6. 2025-12-26

    “If you don’t have a relationship with them, start one”: Outreach Director Debbie Froggatt

    Former library director, school librarian, and current Director of Outreach for the MSLA, Deborah Froggatt, visits with ideas for advocacy, big and small! Lots of details are below, but Debbie's work reaches into areas beyond the school walls to bring to light and improve the work we do. Boston Arts Academy, https://bostonartsacademy.org/ MA Association of Libraries Legislative committee, https://mla.wildapricot.org/committees/legislative/ H.3595 EBook Bill, https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H3595.Html S.2696 An Act regarding free expression, passed in senate, https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2696 Milton Public Library, https://miltonlibrary.org/  Ipswich Public Library, https://www.ipswichlibrary.org/  S.428 / H.4207, An Act Relative to Effective School Library Programs, https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4207/BillHistory  NE Commission of Higher Ed. standards, https://www.neche.org/standards-for-accreditation/  MSLA Standards One Pager, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jNhq19tK5YEAww-tTy8rxaH7BIBFX6mh/view Nov. 12th Hearing Video: https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/5459  MA Teacher Assocation Boston Teacher Union, https://btu.org/  MASS Cue Northeast Regional Library System (Now MLS) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Library_System  Media Literacy Now!, Media Literacy in Massachusetts: A Landscape Scan and Policy Recommendations Samantha Harvey, Orbital, https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/books/orbital  Patrick Ryan, Buckeye, https://patrickryanbooks.com/books/buckeye/

    48 min
  7. Checking In with Laura D'Elia

    2025-12-07

    Checking In with Laura D'Elia

    Westborough Elementary School Librarian Teacher Laura D’Elia joins us for a feast of topics for the holidays. In the conversation: introverts at library conferences, a report from AASL featuring strategies to network and not go mad with a huge schedule; a screening of The Librarians, special education in the library, digital literacy, and AASL standards to plan around. Also, DESE’s new Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP) Rubrics and the stigmas associated with elementary libraries. For desert: romantasy. Thanks for listening. MA Library System: https://masslibsystem.org/ The Librarians https://thelibrariansfilm.com/  Diverse Book Finder https://diversebookfinder.org/  Ashley Scotto, We are All Readers: Story Immersion and Creative Techniques to Engage Elementary Special Education: https://aasl.secure-platform.com/2025/solicitations/102001/sessiongallery/94101 Marie Langevin, Using the AASL Standards in Elementary School Library Instruction https://aasl.secure-platform.com/2025/solicitations/102001/sessiongallery/94266 Think / Create / Share / Grow, AASL standards: https://standards.aasl.org/  Kristen Mattson, Hacking Digital Citizenship into Your Read Aloud https://aasl.secure-platform.com/2025/solicitations/102001/sessiongallery/94151  https://www.teachdigcit.com/  https://ischool.illinois.edu/people/kristen-mattson  Night Owl, https://www.toniyuly.com/night-owl  Common Sense Media, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/what-we-stand-for/digital-literacy-and-citizenship  Digger and the Flower, https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-digger-and-the-flower-joseph-kuefler?variant=32130863530018  SSIP — https://www.doe.mass.edu/edeval/rubrics/updates/ Librarians SSIP–  Romantasy, https://www.penguin.co.uk/discover/articles/best-romantasy-books The Hobbit Fourth Wing Throne of Glass Ender’s Game Ready Player One Quicksilver by Callie Hart, https://calliehart.com/elementor-3349/ Seth Ring, https://sethring.com/

    53 min
  8. Susan + Stephanie from YSRB

    2025-10-21

    Susan + Stephanie from YSRB

    School Librarian Susan Harari, most recently of Boston Latin School, and Librarian Stephanie Tournas from the Robbins Library in Arlington, are the co-editors of the Youth Services Book Review blog. This volunteer labor-of-love is supported by 30 librarian writers, just under a third of which are school librarians, and serves as everything from a community-grown promotional resource, a form of professional development, a networking tool, and whatever you make it! Want to get involved? They’re always looking for new writers! Apply at https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/how-it-works/  Mentioned media: Publisher’s Spotlight Publisher’s Weekly Horn Book School Library Journal Deep Work, Cal Newport Grin, D.W. Gillespie Gordon Korman Shackled, Candy Cooper ⁠ Poisoned Water, Candy Cooper Death in the Jungle, Candace Fleming Notorious RBG, Young Readers Edition, Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik Scott Campbell’s Cabin Head and Tree Head Transit Children’s Editions Astro, by Manuel Marsol Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers Book, Kim Chi and Stephan Lee Enchanted Lion North South Buzz Boom Bang, Benjamin Gottwald Post Wave Museum of Shapes, Sven Völker Moomins! Nine Open Arms, Benny Lindelauf Finn’s War, Benny Lindelauf My Friend Mae, Julie Flett Greystone Books

    46 min
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About

The official podcast of the Massachusetts School Library Asssociation.

Information

  • Creator
    MSLA Podcast
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © MSLA Podcast
  • Show Website
    MSLA Podcast