Community Partnerships with School Libraries

Starred review from January 1, 2020

"What have you done to lead the way toward designing innovative learning experiences at your school?" Elementary school librarian Crossman responds with a wealth of ways that school librarians can partner with their local community to "support student learning, foster student engagement, expose students to broad experiences, and provide innovative student-centered learning opportunities." Crossman divides partnerships into two broad categories. Internal partnerships support learning within the walls of the school, while external partnerships foster learning outside the school, within the community, and even at a global level. The author connects every partnership and lesson to the AASL National School Library Standards and to the Future Ready Framework. Within each subsection, she provides useful context but digs in with specific unit and lesson plans librarians will easily be able to use, or modify as needed. The powerful "Steps to Developing" section concisely summarizes information. VERDICT This is an excellent resource for librarians seeking to step outside their comfort zone and forge new connections. A must-buy for professional development shelves.-Corey Hall, Manheim Central Middle School, PA

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