Integrating the Shared Foundation of Explore in the school library 

Interview Date 11/5/21: Explore

For an insight into how local high school libraries are integrating the AASL Standard of Explore, I interviewed local high school Media Specialist, Rebecca Brunson.  Brunson encourages students to read widely in multiple formats across multiple genres, from various  resources, and information from multiple publications. She instructs students during lessons as well as on an individual basis on where to locate and explore materials within the library and via online databases as well as how to access multiple formats such as books, eBooks, and audiobooks through the school’s online catalog system, Destiny Discover. These resources are available to enhance student interest and exploration of topics. 

 Throughout the year Brunson teaches lessons on research techniques promoting ethical guidelines and strategies to select a topic of personal interest and or to align with curriculum.  For these lessons she references Common Sense Media and often presents a menu of options for teachers to select from so that when she steps into a classroom she is prepared to teach on the topic students struggle with most. She also promotes safe and ethical usage of images and teaches students where to locate royalty free images such as those found on Pixabay and Photos for class. Copyright is always a hot topic within her research lessons.  

Currently, Brunson’s biggest project on promoting reading and encouraging students to explore novels and authors is her genrefication project.  She has been the lead on this effort within her own library as well as the leader in the district.  Brunson has presented at local library meetings about the genrefication process and its benefits to increasing circulation.  She would like genrefication to offer a fun and simple way to navigate the fiction section, hoping students will explore the genre they love and read more often.  

Some of the challenges that she is currently facing is that those at the district level do not like the concept of genrefication.  As of now, all her novels have color coding on the spine labels and have sublocations in Destiny (her online catalogue system) to identify a specific genre. She is struggling with getting approval to move novels in physical genre locations approved. The hope is that with more schools in the district getting on board with genrefication, the district will approve a trial run.  If circulation numbers increase indicating a success with this change, the hope is that genrefication will remain.   

In the future, Brunson also hopes that the school will support engagement of more personal learning time in the school day. School schedules are so tight that it does not allow time for students to spend time in the library to explore for personal growth.  She hopes to see this change with an adjustment of schedules allowing for flex time where students have designated free learning time to investigate career options, trades, personal hobbies, and basic life skills such as cooking and banking using library resources.