Leading from the Library

Dr. Kari Stubbs is a PhD educator and mother who raised two children to love books, curiosity, and learning before smartphones existed. She credits brain-based learning, bedtime stories, library visits, and nurturing their questions for helping build lifelong learning habits. Today, she hears from early childhood educators about children entering kindergarten struggling with self-regulation, attention, boredom, and screen dependence. Her work, The First Five: Before Screens, focuses on the critical years before school, offering families research and practical screen-free strategies. Libraries are central to this work, helping children discover the joy and magic of books.

Welcome back to Leading from the Library! We're kicking off Season 13 with Shannon McClintock Miller and guest Crissi Brandhuber. Find out what happened when Crissi collaborated with her local indie bookstore to create a literacy night in her community called StoryFest.

Middle school librarian Lindsey Keown shares with Shannon McClintock Miller how her Cardboard Creation Station turns recycled materials into a student-led innovation hub. She explains how she fosters independence, supports design thinking, manages an open-access MakerSpace, and builds a strong culture of creativity and collaboration.

In this episode Shannon McClintock Miller sits down with Future Ready Librarian, Pam Zettervall, who shares her journey from classroom teacher to educational technology coordinator. They dive into what inspired the shift, how global professional development and “Pop-Up PD” sessions fuel innovation, and why embracing certifications and new opportunities continues to shape her path. It’s a story of growth, reinvention, and staying inspired in a constantly evolving educational landscape.

Join Kristina Presley to discuss "ditching" traditional library expectations through color-coding, labeling, and re-organization to find out how you can transform your space into a student-led hub of discovery. Discover practical, "in the trenches" strategies to break down barriers for young learners and streamline the library experience for students and teachers alike.