Community Activism Attempting to Save Libraries

The role of the library, in our schools and communities, has been a recent focal point of discussion. School librarian Elissa Malespina discusses her own community’s struggle to keep libraries open and relevant. Malespina also shares her perspective on how library media sciences can better prepare preservice educators to understand the full potential of the library in learning for students of all ages. She also shares resources for those interested in joining the community of educators at the Teacher Librarians Virtual Cafe (TL Chat). 

Elissa Malespina has worked in the classroom as a high school history teacher, as a special education teacher for students with severe emotional, mental and physical challenges and for the last 10 years as a teacher librarian at Highland Park High School, Columbia High School and SOMS, and Coordinating Supervisor of Educational Technology for the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District. She recently followed her passion to go back to the library and is now the Teacher Librarian at Somerville Middle School.  

Elissa was honored as the 2014 recipient of the Bammy award from the Academy of Education Arts and Science. In 2013, SOMS Library was awarded with the Jean Harris School Progressive Library Program of the year by the New Jersey Association of School Librarians. She was also honored to receive the International Society of Technology Educators Make IT Happen Award. Elissa was one of the first members of the Edmodo Certified Trainers Program. Elissa was honored as one of the 2016 PBS Learning Media Local Digital Innovators.

Elissa’s book Augmented Reality in Education Bringing Interactivity to Schools and Libraries is now available for Pre-Order through ABC-CLIO. Visit with Malespina at the upcoming ISTE conference and learn more about the ISTE Librarians Network. 

Interview

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