Lady GaGa Librarians Unite!

I was asked recently for a quote by a N.Y. Times editor for their opinion page: Here's the question: "School librarians are on the chopping block as states and cities seek to cut their education budgets. Do superintendents and principals see librarians as more expendable than other school employees? If so, why?" Here's my response:

"From the Daring Librarian to Teacher Librarians everywhere with love, albeit tough love - but full on love! Times are tough all over for education. Superintendents and administrators are making some hard financial decisions. Any position that does not have constant student interaction, testing expectations, and direct grading is vulnerable. Librarians and school libraries are at a crossroads. This is one of the most exciting times to be a teacher-librarian in our country and is also the scariest. A revolution is at hand, and we need to be nimble, daring, digital and shift both our practice and the way the world thinks of school librarians and libraries.
Some revolutions compel you throw everything out. This revolution is easy...keep what you love but just make a shift. Seth Godin recently said “A librarian is a data hound, a guide, a sherpa and a teacher.” I like that metaphor it resonates with me! We NOT expendable because we are guiding the minds of our students to lead them to become life-long learners, curious searchers, and good digital citizens. Librarians must teach Google ed and social media ed because we know kids are gonna connect and create online, better they do it with knowledge, discernment, responsibility, & ethics. We must shift our language, adding words like attribution, tagging, widget, Creative Commons, transliteracy, and authority.

"I've always been famous, it's just no one knew it yet."
— Lady Gaga

Shift perception! We need to be more like Lady GaGa than Lady Bird Johnson. We need to establish a clear, pervasive, vibrant, and involved presence in their school, community, and on the web. The more visible librarians are the less likely that they’ll be taken away. Those teacher librarians who are hiding their brilliant programs under a bushel, that’s when they’re most likely to get cut. We need to stay positive, be proactive, and always be professional!"

Why Lady GaGa?
She loves her "little monsters" and so do we! She has style & doesn't apologize! She doesn't ask for permission - I bet she doesn't even ever say she's sorry (I do, though!....on rare occasion!) She is innovative, a risk-taker, a change agent, an early adopter and dag she's COOL! She also is all about self-empowerment! And I'm SO not saying that we all need to start wearing meat gowns or Steve McQueen sky high pumps...but to paraphrase my mentor & super hero Dr. Joyce Valenza...We need to step up our game, get fierce, throw off the pumpkin sweaters and be damn awesome at our jobs & fight the good fight! They got the library in Alexandria, they're not getting mine! Booya!

One last thought - I really like the idea of us Teacher Librarians and Geek Tribers creating some kind of hand gang sign! More like the monster claw than the Nancy Pearl Shushing action! Any ideas peeps!? If you think of one - take a pic & either post it in comments or email me!

"‎Do not allow people to dim your shine because they are blinded. Tell them to put on some sunglasses, cuz we were born this way b**ch!"
— Lady Gaga

"I just I felt like a freak, I guess what I'm trying to say is
I want to liberate them, I want to free them of their fears and make them feel that they can create their own space in the world"
— Lady Gaga

Q. What can a librarian do
without admin & staff support?
A. Not much!
I'd like to thank my principal Dr. Donyall Dickey who has been amazingly supportive & encouraging these past 4 years – I have grown SO much under his inspiring leadership. He has given me the opportunity to do some cutting edge things in our Library Media Center with mobile media (QR Codes & iPods touches, etc.), joined me in expanding our Social Media web presence, and allowed me to be on the ISTE Board of Directors & represent our school and district presenting out of state.
I’d also like to thank Mrs. Carol Fritts my district supervisor and friend who is officially the Coordinator of Career and Technology Education and Library Media. Carol has for many years supported cheered me on – giving me opportunities to represent HCPSS and the state of Maryland. Thank you so much Carol!
Lastly...to my AWEsome MHMS staff: I can't do anything without a great staff of teachers who try new things, are open to new technologies because really, it's the hardworking classroom teacher who makes all the difference!

"I am focused on the work. I am constantly creating. I am a busy girl. I live and breathe my work. I love what I do. I believe in the message. There's no stopping."
— Lady Gaga

Since the NY Times article was only a taste & not a treatise of what I think & believe check out this recent more -in-depth (but still delightfully shallow!) interview by the amazing M.E. Steel-Pierce!

How Teacher Librarians Can Save the World (and maybe their jobs) Posted by M.E. Steele-Pierce
I also would like to thank Valerie Strauss of the Washington Post for picking up this article!
Librarians the Edge of Glory!
-----Images via WENN and Perez Hilton
GaGa Daily