Category: Teen Librarian Toolbox

Achievement unlocked: I'm published in SLJ!

5/31/2025

I have read and admired School Library Journal since becoming a school librarian over 20 years ago. One of my bucket list professional goals was to have an article published in the print edition. I have submitted a few articles that were rejected, but then I learned about Teen Librarian Toolbox (TLT), a blog affiliated with SLJ.

I submitted some article pitches and was selected to be published on TLT, which was a great honor. Then one day I got an email from an SLJ editor wanting to publish one of my TLT blog articles in the May print edition of SLJ. (!!!!!)

I can hardly believe that my words, name, and face were published in a print edition of SLJ. Librarian achievement unlocked!

If you don't have an SLJ subscription, you can read my article on the TLT blog.

How does this book make me better? Using the book, head, heart strategy

5/1/2025

Thanks to Teen Librarian Toolbox, a School Library Journal network blog, for publishing my article about using the Book, Head, Heart strategy with readers. It's such a great discussion tool that I use regularly with people of all ages.

Poetry Gateways

4/2/2025

I'm thrilled to have a new article, "Poetry Gateways," posted on School Library Journal's Teen Librarian Toolbox blog.

I love teaching poetry, but I feel like the genre gets shortchanged with the heavy focus on preparing for state tests. In this article, I share resources and activities that have sparked engagement and joy in my library.

I also share about our outstanding visit from Grant Snider, author and illustrator of Poetry Comics, which is a fantastic resource for middle grade readers. I have included some photos of his visit.

Exploring Social Justice Through Comics

3/10/2025

I have a few articles that were accepted for publication on Teen Library Toolbox, a School Library Journal network blog, this spring. The first one was published today! You can read my post "Exploring Social Justice Through Comics" here.

I was excited to have the opportunity to share my knowledge about social justice issues portrayed through graphic novels and comics. In the article, I share some programming ideas and a book list of some of my favorite social justice comics I've read over the past couple of years.

eXPLORING aRT in Your Community: Connecting Visual Art and Literature

5/13/2024

I'm excited to highlight community connections in my latest post on School Library Journal's Teen Librarian Toolbox. Thanks to Amanda MacGregor for the opportunity to write four guest posts for TLT this year. It was a new endeavor for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also loved reading other articles on the blog and expanding my PLN.

My small, rural community in central Kansas is unofficially a fine arts magnet. Between award-winning programs in the public schools and a variety of opportunities through Sterling College, my students and I are flush with opportunities to engage with fine arts.

A Rover's Story: STEAM Connections

4/10/2024

Take a look at my guest post A Rover's Story: STEAM Connections on School Library Journal's Teen Librarian Toolbox blog. It's about a wonderful middle grade science fiction novel by Jasmine Warga and the fun STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) connections I explored with my literature circle students.

I found a great lesson on the connection between music and emotion and asked students to analyze these elements in the story. I also asked them to share a piece of music that was meaningful to them, which led to some rich discussion.

As a culminating activity, students used Sphero mini robots to complete a Mars rover challenge involving mapping, problem solving, teamwork, and coding. Students loved this activity, and it was a fun and engaging way to extend the learning of our novel study.

Gamification and Middle Grade Mysteries

2/26/2024

Head over to the Teen Librarian Toolbox (TLT), a School Library Journal network blog, to see my guest post about Gamification and Middle Grade Mysteries, which explores hands-on activities that kids love like a library scavenger hunt, rebus puzzles, library Olympic games, a murder mystery dinner, and Breakout EDU. The article highlights books in the Mr. Lemoncello's Library series by Chris Grabenstein and also includes a list of read-alike mysteries.

I received some very kind feedback from some of the authors whose books were featured in the article. Here is a definite benefit of social media - being able to interact directly with book creators.

James Ponti, Spies, & Trivia: a winning combination

1/24/2024

Head over to the Teen Librarian Toolbox (TLT), a School Library Journal network blog, to see my guest post about James Ponti's City Spies series and my amazing experience at the City Spies party at the American Association of School Librarians National Conference in Florida in October.

Thanks to Amanda MacGregor at TLT for the opportunity! I have three more guest posts scheduled for this semester, so I'm looking forward to sharing more. TLT is holding a "Mind the Middle" campaign this year where they are focusing on middle grade books, authors, and programs. My posts are part of that project.

Welcome to my blog!

12/11/2023

Thanks for taking a look at my new blog. I have been a school librarian for over 25 years and also give frequent presentations. After being inspired by other librarians I know in person and through social media, I decided I wanted to start a blog to have a place to share thoughts, experiences, book, lessons, and projects.

I will also post occasional press releases here as well. Our local newspaper requires a subscription to see their digital edition, and our district newsletter isn't always posted on the website (it's more often emailed to stakeholders), so I wanted a place to share and archive library-related news and articles.

In October, I attended my first AASL National Conference and found it to be a fantastic and inspiring experience. That experience has spurred me to get more involved in school librarianship on a national level. As a result, I have some new professional activities on the horizon: I am writing an article for Knowledge Quest, an AASL journal, which is slated for publication in the March/April 2024 issue. I will also be writing some guest posts for the Teen Librarian Toolbox blog sponsored by School Library Journal. The TLT blog posts will be coming out in 2024. I will share more information here when these things are posted.

I was looking for a catchy name for my blog and liked the idea of alliteration. Biblio means "connected with books," so I decided BiblioBrownlee was perfect! I am excited about using this blog as an avenue of connection with other librarians and book lovers. I am looking forward to sharing with and learning from all of you.