The Library Stage

Amanda Hunt, MLS

The Library Stage is the podcast where school librarians take the stage: 18 minutes, one big idea, every episode. Hosted by Amanda Hunt, MLS (@TheNextGenLibrarian), award-winning Texas high school librarian with 21 years in education, each episode spotlights a librarian sharing what actually works: the programs, books, and edtech lighting up their libraries. Every talk hits one of three pillars: Literacy (books, reading culture, and collection stories), Edtech (AI, digital creation, and the tools transforming today's library), or Discovery (programming, makerspaces, and big ideas from guests.

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    Grant Writing Is Advocacy

    Episode 4: Advocacy Through Grant Writing with Christine Szeluga What if the funding for your dream library program is already out there, and no one has applied for it? In this episode of The Library Stage, Amanda Hunt welcomes Christine Szeluga, Librarian/Library Media Specialist at Cranford High School in Cranford, New Jersey, where she leads innovative programming that integrates research, media literacy, and technology. She shares how school librarians can turn grant writing into a form of advocacy, where to look for the money that's already sitting on the table, and why applying to present at a conference belongs in the same conversation. Christine's work has been recognized with ALA's "I Love My Librarian" Award (2026), the AASL 'Miss Honey' Social Justice Award (2025), the NJASC High School Advisor of the Year Award (2025), and the NCHE Paul Gagnon Prize (2014). Pillar: 🧡 Edtech Plus, stick around for her Curtain Call featuring: 📖 Christine's ⁠book recommendation⁠ — All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson, the title behind her first-ever book challenge🛠️ Her favorite tool: ⁠Ancestry Classroom K–12⁠💡 Steal This Idea: Local History: pick one historical thing in your community and turn students loose on it. Scale it as big or small as you want. 💡 Steal This Idea #2: An intergenerational book clubResources: Grants & Awards Worth Your Application National library organizations: ⁠AASL Grants & Awards⁠ (conference proposals open Nov 2026) | ⁠ALA Grants & Awards⁠ | ⁠Thinking Money for Kids⁠ | ⁠Pokémon Clubs at Your Library⁠ | ⁠Will Eisner Graphic Novel Grants for Libraries⁠ | Friends of the Library (501c3s — check yours) | ⁠Donors Choose⁠ State & local (check your own state's equivalents): NJLA Mini-Grants | NJASL | NJEA PEP/FAST Grants Subject-area organizations: ⁠NCTE REALM Award for Student Publication⁠ | ⁠NCHE⁠ — conference proposals + the Paul A. Gagnon Prize | ⁠NCSS Awards & Grants⁠ | ⁠National History Day⁠ — judge or enter students; very supportive of new schools Student leadership: National Association of Student Councils | NJASC (check your local association) Follow Christine: 📱 Instagram: @cranfordhighlibrary 💼 ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 📩 christineszeluga@gmail.com Hosted by Amanda Hunt, MLS (@TheNextGenLibrarian) 🌐 thenextgenlibrarian.com #TheLibraryStage #SchoolLibrarians #TakeTheStage #GrantWriting #LibraryAdvocacy #SchoolLibrary #Libraries #DiscoveryTalk

    Grant Writing Is Advocacy

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    Language is Identity

    Episode 3: Language Is Identity with Miranda Quintero What if serving your bilingual students had almost nothing to do with whether you speak their language? In this episode of The Library Stage, Amanda Hunt welcomes bilingual elementary school librarian Miranda Quintero to reframe one of the most common barriers librarians name: "I don't speak their language." Miranda shares how discovering her own heritage language reshaped her identity, and why language isn't just vocabulary and grammar, but family, memory, tradition, and belonging. She offers four things every librarian can start doing tomorrow, no fluency required: learn and honor student names, read bilingual books aloud (imperfectly!), choose authentic books by bilingual and Latinx authors, and invite families in as partners rather than visitors. Plus, why representation deserves all twelve months of the year, not just Sept 15–Oct 15. Pillar: 🩷 Literacy Plus, stick around for her Curtain Call featuring: 📖 Miranda's book recommendations: Offside by Christina Diaz Gonzalez & Please Pass the Tamales by Sylvia Lopez, illustrated by Maria Ortega (8/18) 💡 Steal This Idea: a "Languages We Love" display that goes beyond Spanish and English to honor every home language in your buildingResources: ⁠Tejas Star Reading List⁠ | ⁠Centering Latinx Joy: TLA presentation⁠ Follow Miranda: 📱 TikTok/Instagram/Bluesky/Facebook: @Bilingualbibliotecaria 📩 bilingualbibliotecaria@gmail.com Hosted by Amanda Hunt, MLS (@TheNextGenLibrarian) 🌐 thenextgenlibrarian.com #TheLibraryStage #SchoolLibrarians #TaketheStage

    Language is Identity

  3. 18 juli

    Lunch Is a Library Program with Nick Moore

    Episode 2: Lunch Is a Library Program with Nick Moore What if one of the best library programs didn't require a budget, a guest speaker, or months of planning? In this episode of The Library Stage, Amanda Hunt welcomes elementary school librarian Nick Moore to share how opening the library during lunch has transformed student engagement, built relationships, and created a space where every learner feels they belong. Nick discusses how this simple idea became one of the most impactful parts of his library program while also sharing insights into makerspaces, technology integration, and creating joyful learning experiences. Pillar: 🩵 Discovery Plus, stick around for his Curtain Call featuring: 📖 Nick's book recommendations + 🛠️ 2 of his favorite tools: WeWillWrite & Tinkercad Follow Nick:📱 Instagram/X: @learnteachmoore🌐 powderspringsllc.weebly.com Hosted by Amanda Hunt, MLS (@TheNextGenLibrarian)🌐 thenextgenlibrarian.com #TheLibraryStage #SchoolLibrarians #TaketheStage #ElementaryLibrary #Makerspace #EdTech #Libraries #DiscoveryTalk

    Lunch Is a Library Program with Nick Moore

  4. 11 juli

    Welcome to The Library Stage

    Welcome to The Library Stage where school librarians take the stage. 18 minutes. One big idea. Every episode. In this first episode, host Amanda Hunt, MLS (@TheNextGenLibrarian), a Texas school librarian with 20 years across all levels of education, pulls back the curtain on the show: why school librarians are the best-kept secret in education, what to expect from the three pillars (🩷 Literacy, 🧡 Edtech, 🩵 Discovery), and how the TED-style 18-minute format works, from the Opening Act to the Curtain Call. Plus: the very first Curtain Call. Here are Amanda's rapid-fire recs to kick off the show, including: 🩷 A book she can't stop recommending: Copefield and Strong Like You by T.L. Simpson. Both Young Teen Lit books that feature boys in sports that deals with toxic masculinity and sharing emotions in a healthy way instead of in anger. 🧡 A tool that's earning its spot in her library: Adobe Podcast & Adobe Aqua (see links below) & 🩵 One steal-this-idea you can try tomorrow: got a device and a mouth? Give podcasting a try with your students--it's so easy they'll become experts in no time, even with little training! Think your library story belongs on the stage? Pitch your talk: thenextgenlib@gmail.com Connect: thenextgenlibrarian.com | @TheNextGenLibrarian#TheLibraryStage #TakeTheStage The Library Stage is an independent podcast, not affiliated with TED Conferences LLC. Resources: Adobe Podcast Adobe Aqua Leading From the Library podcast by Shannon McClintock Miller School Librarians United podcast by Amy Hermon Library on Lock podcast by Lauren Mobley The School Librarian Learning Network by Steve Tetreault The Library Exchange by Julie & Jan

    Welcome to The Library Stage
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Om

The Library Stage is the podcast where school librarians take the stage: 18 minutes, one big idea, every episode. Hosted by Amanda Hunt, MLS (@TheNextGenLibrarian), award-winning Texas high school librarian with 21 years in education, each episode spotlights a librarian sharing what actually works: the programs, books, and edtech lighting up their libraries. Every talk hits one of three pillars: Literacy (books, reading culture, and collection stories), Edtech (AI, digital creation, and the tools transforming today's library), or Discovery (programming, makerspaces, and big ideas from guests.

Information

  • Skapad av
    Amanda Hunt, MLS
  • Aktiva år
    2026
  • Avsnitt
    4
  • Åldersgräns
    Barnvänligt
  • Copyright
    © Amanda Hunt, MLS
  • Programmets webbplats
    The Library Stage
  • Leverantör