Shannon McClintock Miller

Shannon McClintock Miller is the new spokesperson for Future Ready Librarians and Project Connect. Future Ready Schools (FRS) and the Alliance for Excellent Education formed Future Ready Librarians last summer, which is aimed at positioning librarians as leaders in the digital transformation of learning. “Librarians are now playing central roles in school leadership and working daily with students, teachers, and administrators,” says Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education. Miller has long been involved with FRS initiatives that underscore the expertise of the librarian; she was the teacher librarian in the Van Meter (IA) Community School District for eight years. “As the K–12 teacher librarian at Van Meter, I knew that I could make a difference not only in my library but in the lives of all students, teachers, and my community,” Miller told SLJ. “That experience made me realize I wanted to impact more students and educators by advocating for the power of libraries.” Project Connect was formed by Follett to advocate for librarians to serve as leaders in their district. Miller is joining Mark Ray, chief digital officer for Vancouver (WA) Public Schools and a past Washington State Teacher of the Year, as a spokesperson. “Through Future Ready Librarians and Project Connect, we can continue to impact the role libraries play in a bright future for every learner,” says Britten Follett, director of Project Connect. Miller was a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in 2014. Two years later, she won ISTE’s Making IT Happen award. She is now speaking internationally and writing the award-winning blog "The Library Voice," as well as two children’s books series with Cantata Learning. On February 14, Miller and Ray, along with Sara Trettin from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, will be launching a webinar series sponsored by FRS and Project Connect, “Future Ready Librarians: What’s Not to Love?” “With the expertise of the school librarian behind them, every student can develop future-ready skills and be college- and career-ready. For me, it’s about the next generation and their success and doing what I can to help educators get them there, and making sure all children know there are people who care,” says Miller.