Congratulations to Samantha Solomon, teacher-librarian extraordinaire at the Calvin Simmons Library, shared by Life Academy High School and United for Success Middle School. Samantha says, “FOPSL’s scholarship represents a unique support to OUSD employees who are seeking out library education. This scholarship opportunity makes a library education that much more accessible.”

After six years as a classroom teacher, Sam decided to pursue a career as a teacher-librarian. Her years in the classroom have provided her with valuable insights into how to collaborate with teachers to help students achieve their academic goals. Her years working with students as a teacher, provided the experience she needed to create a welcoming space where students can work, collaborate, relax and volunteer. As a library student, Sam learned how to curate a collection of books and materials that meet the needs of her diverse student population. Sam has focused on tailoring the user experience in her library, soliciting feedback from students and teachers to ensure the library is meeting her communities’ needs.

Thank you, Sam, for all the good work you do in the library at Calvin Simmons Library.

The Ann Mayo Gallagher Scholarship is offered to Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) teachers pursuing a library services credential and OUSD professional librarians pursuing a teaching credential. The scholarship is named after former District Librarian, Ann Mayo Gallagher, a founder of Friends of the Oakland Public School Libraries and a current Board member.

I am so proud to be leading Friends of the Oakland Public School Libraries. Taking over from my friend and our long-time Executive Director, Kari Hatch, was daunting.  Kari and her dedicated board reopened or renovated an incredible 26 libraries and volunteered 25,000 to support Oakland public school libraries.

Now that it is my turn to lead our organization, I knew I needed more information – beyond my own experience. I spent the last three months on a listening campaign, talking to people throughout Oakland and throughout the state, and have formed a vision for what I’d like our organization to accomplish.

The first, is to adopt a positive, pragmatic and inclusive vision for public school libraries. In order for any vision to be a success, it’s critical that those people affected by the vision are involved in its development. Understanding each constituent’s needs is crucial to the process. Collaboration is essential, bringing in people with disparate visions and expertise makes for a better overall product.

Secondly, we need to look for more partners who believe in the role of libraries, not only to support literacy, but understand that libraries lift up every element of an academic program, including science and math, social-emotional learning, and the needs of special needs students and English Language Learners.

Thirdly, we need to modernize the way we think of libraries. School libraries are not quiet places any more. They are not only vibrant, exciting places, full of great reading materials and technology. They’re also are home of clubs, author talks, maker activities and more.

Finally, we need to be creative about how we finance libraries. If libraries lift up all elements of the academic program as well as social emotional learning, supporting special needs students and English language learners, then they should be funded that way, as a fundamental component in the educational model.

It is my hope, that working together, with administrators, program leaders, community members, library experts, parents and students, we can bring these pieces together to create a vision for Oakland public school libraries that allows us to expand services to every student in Oakland.