Ending the Year: Beginning A New One

From a banner my students gave me for Librarian Appreciation Week 

On our final day of school last week, our campus was a buzzing place. Teachers saying goodbye to their classes. Staff members preparing to move out of one classroom and into another. Some teachers wrapping up long, successful education careers as they started their retirement.

For me, it meant checking in teacher materials and continuing to take inventory(-ies). It meant cleaning up my makerspace cart. Definitely lots to do. At the same time, I was also shuffling books into sections and trading out shelves in hopes of making more room and granting easier access to readers for the coming year. (Thankfully, I had two volunteers to help.)

Yes, I had many items on my to-do list that day. And as I was trying to cross one off with a trip down a hallway, I came upon two 5th graders, feeling sad about leaving elementary school.  As they saw me, their eyes lit up -- both with tears and joy. With wonderful energy (spoken with a bit of sadness in their voice) the two girls told me just how much they loved reading and books. Of course they already knew I felt the same way. And then they both made sure I knew how important libraries were. (I listened to every word, thankful that I had walked this particular hallway.) It was a glorious rush of conversation and excited statements all to the tune of "The library is the best place ever!"  And we were all sharing our love of libraries by the end. I can't remember every word, but looking back now, I think about how I had just heard the best library advocacy speech.

We all vowed to visit the library that summer and read many, many books! Then we said goodbye, knowing that libraries and books connected us, even if we would never be in the same building again.

And looking back now, a week later, I can see that having that particular conversation was the best way to both end the year and begin a new one. It reminded me of what the library did for me as a child (I probably would have given the same speech then if I'd been asked), and what I want libraries to mean for every learner. Everywhere.