Librarians from around the country made their way to Austin, TX, on September 28–29 for SLJ’s annual Leadership Summit, “Transformation Through Effective Collaboration,” where they discussed the future of libraries and ways to forge partnerships to ensure student success.

Librarians are “the most glorious and sublime creatures in the world,” journalist Annie Murphy Paul declared in her keynote. Murphy Paul, who wrote our November cover story, posited that, in a world of scripted lessons and tests, librarians have “a special role” as “cultivators of interest” and “knowledge builders.” During the session “Allies in Leadership,” the administrative team from the Vancouver (WA) Public Schools stressed that teacher librarians should connect with their communities; step out of the library; own their roles as teachers; and collaborate on district leadership teams.

The “Storytelling in Transition” panelists spoke about innovative ways to approach the timeless task of telling a story across platforms, genres, and mediums. Closing keynoter Antero Garcia cited examples as far-reaching as Kanye West and John Green to share how teachers and librarians could inform and empower students to transform their communities through participatory culture.

On stage and off, the Summit convened key players and collaborators who are shaping a vision for the future. For an in-depth look at SLJ Summit takeaways, see an extended version of this story. Ongoing coverage will expand on the themes of the two-day event.

All photos by Jack Plunkett/Ap images for SLJ.

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