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Librarians are Community Builders: with Kim Johnson

The Librarian Influencer of the Week is Kim Johnson a high school librarian in Maryland where she is also active in her state library association Maryland Association of School Librarians. Listen to her interview here: http://laurasheneman.libsyn.com/librarians-are-community-builders-with-kim-johnson


In this podcast, Kim does a wonderful job describing her first year in the school library.

  • Having a mentor and working closely with her clerk made a big difference for her

  • Focus on relationships because you are really building your clientele at the high school level since you are not part of a specials rotation like elementary library time often is.

  • Don’t feel like you have to do trendy things like Makerspaces. Find your own passion within the school librarian space!


Here are some Librarian Influencer strategies Kim shared:

  • Community = shared experiences and a sense of belonging.

  • Interactive displays and spaces - the space becomes their own and evolves over time (whiteboard walls, puzzles, post - its, thank a teacher/ thank a student - shared by the librarians at Hillcrest High School @readonthehill on Instagram)

  • Human Library, Kim has plans for the Longest Table

  • Creating a community with staff - school librarianship can be alienating, but you are a connector between departments.

  • We are outreach connectors too - the public library, local colleges, local businesses (experiences passes)

  • Book recommendation: Wait, Rest, Pause: Dormancy in Nature by Marcie Flinchum


You can follow Librarian Influencer Kim Johnson at:

  • Twitter: @kapjohnson

  • Instagram: @whs_owls_library

  • Email: kajohns@carrollk12.org


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