Can't Shelve This

The most effective form of advocacy is the one you do every day.

Janette and Leah discuss the small actions that build support for your school library year-round, and how everyday advocacy can shape perceptions, influence decision-makers, and create a lasting impact on students.

Relevant Links:

ILA Annual Conference

Library Marketing and Communications Conference

AISLE Conference

Sookie Stackhouse Series

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Pictures of You by Emma Grey

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

ILA E-Rate Advocacy

Digital Library Protection Act

School Library Advocacy Toolkit

The Importance of School Libraries Document

The Importance of School Librarians Document

Artificial intelligence can't replace teachers, but it is changing how students learn.

Janette and Leah are joined by Emily Flach (Learning Technology Center) to discuss AI's growing presence in schools, from literacy and student privacy to research and critical thinking. Together, they explore how we can keep learning human-centered in an increasingly AI-powered world.

Relevant Links:

Dungeon Crawler Carl

Learning Technology Center

LTC Library Media Specialist Statewide Networking Group

ISBE AI Guidance Resources

ISBE AI Guidance Webinar

2026 Teens in the AI Era: Schoolwork and Skills that Matter

Brisk's Inspect Writing

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

Readalong

Your Brain on ChatGPT

CRAAPP Test

Empirical Evidence of Large Language Model's Influence on Human Spoken Communication

SIFT Framework

NotebookLM/Gemini Notebook

Illinois Reliable Information Sources (IRIS)

Can't Shelve This Cell Phone Ban Episode

Emily's Extra Credit Session for IHLS

IETC Conference (11/11-11/13)

Emily's LinkedIn

It's not magic, it's research. 🔎✨

Janette and Leah sit down with RA for All's Becky Spratford to explore the art of connecting readers with the right books. From practical tips and resources to building a culture of book discovery, Becky shares why Readers' Advisory is all about conversations and curiosity.

Relevant Links:

HR 7661

SB 4925

HR 2616

Amanda Jones on Can't Shelve This

RA for All

Bram Stoker Award

NoveList

10 Rules of Basic RA

Library Journal's Book Pulse

Publishers Weekly

Shelf Awareness

Book Riot

USA Today's Best-Selling List

Summer Scares 2026 Programming Guide

Justina Ireland

Pernille Ripp on Can't Shelve This

The Tourist Map of Literature

What Should I Read Next

Why I Love Horror by Becky Stratford

Actively Anti-Racist Service to Leisure Readers

Follow Becky on Bluesky

Illinois's Governor Pritzker just signed a school cell phone ban into law—what does that mean for school libraries?

Janette and Leah welcome Texas library media specialist Nina Canales (aka @NinaTheGeekLib) to share her firsthand experience navigating a districtwide cell phone ban and the surprising effects it had on students, teachers, and the library itself.

Relevant Links:

LuAnn's Viral Clip

Illinois Cell Phone Ban (SB 2427)

Yondr Pouch

Nina's LinkTree (lots of resources!)

Follow Nina on X, TikTok, and Instagram

Last times, new beginnings, and everything in between.

Janette and Leah visit University High School for a behind-the-scenes look at a standout school library and the people who bring it to life: librarian Amy Brokaw and students Suhn and Anuraag.

Podcast's out for summer! We'll be back in August 🎙️✨

Relevant Links:

Kate McDowell

Sora Audiobooks/eBooks

SWANK K-12 (check your system's discounts first!)

Live in the Lab Schools Podcast

iSAIL Standards

AISLE Exemplary School Award

The Immigration Project

IHSA Heart of the Arts Award

Fusion Robotics Program

Onshape

PrusaSlicer

Autodesk Fusion

Brogan M. Pratt

W3 Schools

They keep the books moving, the doors open, and the students supported—often without any recognition. They're paraprofessionals, and their invisible labor makes a visible impact. Janette and Leah are joined by Kellie Treece (Longfellow Elementary) and LuAnn Grimm (Oakwood Middle School) to pull back the curtain on the day-to-day realities of running a school library as a paraprofessional. Relevant Links:

Illinois School Library Workers Symposium (ISLWS)

Kindle Paperwhite

Education Support Professionals (ESP)

Short Term Substitute (STS) License

Professional Educator License (PEL)

Loaded Tea

Orlando Informer Meetups

Reading doesn't have to be solitary. It can be a team sport!

Janette and Leah are joined by school librarian Lisa Marcum (Plainfield Central High School) to unpack what gamified reading looks like: what works, what flops, and how competition can build connection. Plus, Lisa shares step-by-step how she created a thriving district-wide Book Battle that gets teens (and teachers!) excited to read and talk about books together. Relevant Links:

Notion

"Sociopath: a Memoir" by Patric Gagne PhD

Beanstack

Kelly Jensen

Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award

"Huda F Are You" by Huda Fahmy

"Love in English" by Maria Andreu

"Dungeons and Drama" by Kristy Boyce

"Hollow Fires" by Samira Ahmed

"The Getaway" by Lamar Giles

"Cracking the Bell" by Geoff Herbach

"Star Splitter" by Matthew Kirby

John Mark Enterprises

PHS on Instagram

PHS on TikTok

Lisa's Instagram

Lisa's TikTok

Lisa's Bluesky

When students walk into school carrying the weight of language barriers, uncertainty, and fear on their shoulders, the right welcome can mean everything. Janette and Leah are joined by Veronica Ramos (¡WEPA! líbros) and Rosie Camargo (South Holland Public Library) to share how small actions can turn a library into a place where multilingual students feel safe, seen, and valued. Relevant Links:

ISBE Educator Licensure

RAILS EDI Committee

¡WEPA! líbros

Miss Rosie Reads

Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries

SPARK Networking Group

Lote4Kids

Language Access Resource Center (LARC)

Bitty Bao

Canticos

Lil' Libros

Dig Deeper Journal

Tasting History with Max Miller

ALA Annual Conference

Miguel Briones (bilingual author visits)

Colorín colorado (multicultural/multilingual book finder database)

Storytime Solidarity

Follow ¡WEPA! on Instagram

Follow ¡WEPA! on LinkedIn

Follow Rosie on Instagram

Plot twist: reading culture isn't built with rewards, levels, or quizzes.

Janette and Leah are joined by Pernille Ripp and Dr. Sarah Sansbury to explore reading identity, student choice, and how we can create the conditions that invite kids into reading.

Relevant Links:

Game Changers series by Rachel Reid

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borrison

The Global Read Aloud

Dr. Margaret Merga

Expectancy-Value Theory

Illinois School Library Workers Symposium

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker by Timothy Janovsky

Follow Pernille on Instagram

Pernille's blog

Follow Sarah on Instagram

Follow Sarah on Bluesky

💭 Have a topic idea? Want to be a guest? Email Ola at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail on our hotline at 630.734.5015.

School librarian, author, and activist Amanda Jones joins Can't Shelve This to share her story in a candid conversation about censorship, courage, and hope for the future of libraries.

Note: This episode includes discussions of harassment and threats against educators.

Relevant Links:

This is For Everyone by Tim Berners-Lee

That Librarian by Amanda Jones

ALA One Voice Ecosystem

Journeying with Jones: Amanda Jones, 2021 School Librarian of the Year

Apology Video

MLK Jr What Is Your Life's Blueprint Speech

Human Rights Coalition 2023 Youth Report for Librarians/Media Specialists

SLJ Article: Amanda Jones Creates Lesson about Navigating Social Media

The Librarians Documentary

Death By Numbers Documentary

Defending the Freedom to Read 101 from PEN America

K.C. Boyd on Can't Shelve This

Andrea Trudeau

EveryLibrary

Mychal Threets

Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship

Librarians Building Libraries

💭 Have a topic idea? Want to be a guest? Email Ola at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail on our hotline at 630.734.5015.