ECIS Librarian Triennial at the American International School of Chennai (India)

Last week I was fortunate to present at the European Council of International Schools' Library Triennial Conference hosted at AISC. This conference connects librarians from around the globe who share best practice, attend in-depth workshops, and learn from renowned experts who serve as keynote speakers.  The session I led was on using collaborative planning sessions with colleagues to incorporate note-making scaffolds and visible thinking strategies to enhance student learning. AISL has long-supported the integration of Harvard Porject Zero's Visible Thinking Strategies, which involve using research-tested routines and practices that allow students to show their learning and develop specific types of critical thought. One of the keynote speakers at the conference was Mr. John Schu, Schlolastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, who spoke about the importance of developing "book love" and making sure that libraries are welcoming spaces where all people feel valued.  Also in attendance were several library interior designers, which was useful as we are looking ahead toward opening a new facility in a couple years' time.

Here are a few takeaways from the conference that I wanted to share:

• 21st Century Libraries are much more user-based rather than resource-based. This means making plenty of room for people to collaborate, present, study, research, and engage in a range of activities. Libraries are no longer mere book repositories with "shushing" librarians (thank goodness!).
• Displays matter! Did you know that front-facing books are 7 times more likely to circulate than spine-facing ones (no surprise, really!) For that reason we are looking at significant display changes & new shelving designs for our future space.
• Genrified book collections circulate better than non-genrified ones. We've already genrified the secondary fiction collection (with distinct sections for middle grade fiction & young adult fiction), and will pilot genrification of the middle school non-fiction collection next to see if it makes for easier browsing & more circulation for our students.
• Social media is a valuable way to reach our students both to connect with them & to help them connect with others. To this end, I've been surveying secondary students to see what social media platform they'd most like to hear from me on so I can share favorite books with them (in addition to sharing with them in class!)

We look forward to involving our students, parents, and other stakeholders in the plans for our new space. After all, it is for you! Your suggestions for improvement are always welcome.
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