April checklist

Information overload? These are the most important DLL things to know to stay on track: 

• Be mindful of upcoming budget deadlines for receiving orders.

• Celebrate School Library Month and related events.

• DLMI information coming soon!

It's School Library Month (and National Library Week 4/6-4/12)!

“Millions of people across the country visit their libraries every week. What’s the draw? Everything.” ALA

This month, we are celebrating school libraries and all the amazing things our WCPSS librarians do for your school communities. You welcome all, providing safe spaces for students to see themselves in books, explore, create, read, chill out, get techie,  and destress. You support staff with instructional collaborations, literacy, research, information literacy, digital literacy, intellectual freedom, and so much more. All of this is done with customer service, patience, leadership, advocacy, and passion that cannot be dimmed and will not be silenced.  We are proud to call you colleagues.

Help us shout out all of the things you are doing this month by sharing good things. Take a few minutes to reflect on all the ways you and your program are drawing your school community to your library. Check out more suggestions for how to celebrate this month here. 

Let's Celebrate International Children's Book Day!

Since 1967, on or around Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, April 2nd, International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) has been celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books. Each year, a different National Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD.

The theme of the 2025 International Children’s Book Day, sponsored by IBBY-Netherlands, is The freedom of imagination, and the motto is the last sentence of the poem, “The Language of Pictures:”

‘Make pictures for my poem, and please feel free: these words belong to you even though they came from me.’

Learn more, download digital materials, and participate in an international drawing competition here. May your reader’s imagination be kindled and developed through high-quality children’s books. - Kendra 

Congratulations, Ashley Clark - 2025 School Library Media Coordinator of the Year!

Please join us in congratulating Ashley Clark from Scotts Ridge Elementary, the 2025 School Library Media Coordinator of the Year! Her principal, Mr. Evans shared that she "ensures that the library is an inviting, inclusive space for all students, staff, and families, and she works collaboratively with all colleagues to support students' engagement and academic success." He was also enthusiastic about her unlimited circulation policy, which he says, "has helped ignite students' passions about their interests." 

It's no doubt that the Scotts Ridge ES library is a hive of activity every day, and we are thrilled to have shared this great story of a lively library with those in attendance at the recent Celebration of Teaching Excellence. Not only did Board members, Superintendent Taylor, and other district leaders hear the great things about the winner, they also experienced the abundant greatness through the celebration of finalists Kristen Ziller of Pine Hollow Middle and Chris Howell of East Wake iTech and Design Magnet High. 

Digital Learning Updates

Infinite Campus & Canvas

With the transition to Infinite Campus, there is very little change when it comes to Canvas. The main difference for next school year is that Canvas is getting course data from a different source. Here are some notes about how this transition impacts Canvas:

• Canvas is still the district LMS for WCPSS. We will not be using the Infinite Campus LMS.

• Canvas courses for the 2025-26 school year depend on when Infinite Campus is available and the initial nightly sync completes.

• Grade Passback will send grades from Canvas to Infinite Campus after the teacher sets up their course.

• Staff will still have past courses including manual courses. Content can still be copied into a 2025-26 course once available.

• Blueprint content will still be pushed.

• Cross-listing will still be available.

Any changes in how things work in Canvas will be documented, communicated, and posted on the Canvas Resources Page.

Digital Accessibility Tip of the Month - Screen Readers

Did you know that screen readers help users navigate digital content by reading text aloud? Ensuring your materials are screen-reader-friendly improves access for all learners. Key tips: Use clear headings, provide alt text for images, and write descriptive link text (e.g., “View the accessibility guide” instead of “Click here”). Check out this short video to see a screen reader in action! 

Planning for Secondary Library Professional Learning in 2025-26

We welcome and need your input to help inform our plans for professional learning in the 2025-26 school year. If you are a middle/high/secondary librarian, please take a few minutes to complete this survey.