PD, Social Media, and Institutions.
This week is all about PD. I decided to spend some time with the article “Grassroots PD by Andrew Bauld, published in School Library Journal in January of last year.
Also I just like SLJ
I chose this article for a few reasons:
I am about to graduate from my masters program! This is very exciting, but also means that I will no longer have external assignments keeping me thoughtful and introducing me to new perspectives. I wanted to know what resources were out there for reputable PD and ongoing learning.
Grassroots? Yes please. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that librarians know how to do this stuff.
The article itself was a nice rundown of librarians doing what librarians do: connecting, sharing information, and building each other up.
Bauld focuses on programs and events that are accessible, independent and librarian-run. I was surprised (but pleased!) to learn a little more about the people behind two resources I’ve already blogged about: Elissa Malespina (AI School Librarians Newsletter on substack) and Amy Hermon (School Librarians United podcast). I also learned about some people and resources I didn’t know, and I’m looking forward to digging in.
Bauld highlights the work of K. C. Boyd and her group The Clubhouse and Boss Librarian and Friends virtual PD. For three years running she was able to hold a free, virtual event that offered four packed days of PD. She says “I started thinking about it, and it was nothing for me to get my friends together and do something, because I have friends who have the same attitude, that we want to help other librarians develop and get better.” I adore this attitude. In following up with some of these resources, though, I found that the conference has not run since 2024, and all of Boyd’s social media accounts have been set to private, with her instagram bio just saying “#ProtectingMyPeace”. Now, I don’t know what happened. At the risk of making a mountain out of a molehill, it feels telling that of the three featured librarians, it’s the Black librarian who has had to step back to protect her peace. I hope she is finding it, and that it’s beautiful.
Towards the end of the article Bauld discusses the benefits of seeing these new forms of PD arise (substack, podcasts, etc). He cites Nikki D. Robertson-Griffin:
“With the extremist political activity of the moment, going behind a paywall on a Substack or a subscription to a podcast feels buffered to the winds of that, and a slight barrier to people who are targeting” librarians, Wright says. “Those of us with negative experiences with book banning in our area are hesitant to put the full breadth of our thought out publicly. But inviting people into a smaller community behind a paywall feels like a more protective place to have nuanced conversations.”
I think this is an astute observation, even though it makes me pretty sad. It also has me thinking about collective efforts vs. individual efforts.
Overall, my takeaway from this article is that there are a lot of opportunities out there to learn from other librarians, both officially and unofficially. I also just kept thinking “I’m so glad we have MSLA.” Bauld begins by pointing out that PD offered through ALA isn’t the most accessible, with educator Christine Wright saying “It’s always a time and money game.” I think there’s something to this, and I am grateful for all the different options out there. On the other hand, MSLA (Massachusetts School Library Association, the Massachusetts chapter of AASL) really does not feel institutional or national. It’s run by librarians, all volunteering their time, energy, and passion to unite librarians across the state and learn from each other. Membership is, at most, $50 a year - with paraprofessional membership coming in at $25 and student membership is totally free. The MSLA listserv is a treasure trove of support and information freely offered.
I think there’s some real benefits to an organization that’s been around for decades. I’ve spent my fair share of time in the small-business and entrepreneurial corners of the internet (e.g. instagram in the late 2010s), and I’ve begun to be a little wary of programs that rely on personal branding. That’s not to say they don’t offer excellent content, or exemplify incredible leadership, and like I said - the more options the better! We need more perspectives, more accessibility, and more sharing of information. It’s just that I am increasingly suspect of the individualist approach to…anything. We are stronger together, and we are especially stronger when we build systems around values other than capitalism and that can last long after we’ve burnt out.
Bauld, Andrew. "Grassrooots PD." School Library Journal. January, 2025
