November checklist

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

• Look at and read over the 10 Million Book Challenge - WCPSS Toolkit

• Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

• Sign up to participate in the Spring 2027 phase of the Elementary Circulation Research Study

When a Challenge Isn't a Challenge But a Movement

In January, we’ll kick off the 10 Million Book Challenge in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and State Superintendent Mo Green. The term “challenge” as it relates to books is undoubtedly a fraught one for me. 

Do I cringe when I see the words “book” and “challenge” next to each other? I do. And I want all of us to embrace this reading initiative as a movement. Our students checked out over 2 million items last year from WCPSS school libraries. As of October 28, we were already at approximately 890,000 circulations. We have readers. We have big numbers. As librarians, we’re going to celebrate years of hard work to develop a culture of reading by helping our students and staff to record their reading in 2027. 

For WCPSS, this isn’t a challenge. This is a chance to lead a movement–a march for the joy of reading. Let’s go! -Kendra

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month!

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we recognize and celebrate the richness of our country’s indigenous heritage. We have compiled resources for you to use with teachers, students, and families as well as to inform your library programming and instruction. While we encourage activities, lessons, and resources inclusive of indigenous representation throughout the year, we take this opportunity to celebrate and learn. 

WonderFest 2026 - The Wrap Up

Shiny, happy people, it was so good to see you at WonderFest 2026! If you were not able to attend, you were missed. 

• To access the slides for sessions, please see the Collaborative Notes document.

• Opening Session slides

• 10 Million Book Challenge - WCPSS Toolkit

Make sure to provide session and general WonderFest feedback in WakeLearns. Don’t forget to mark your attendance as well!

Revisions to Board Policies 3200 and 3210

To comply with statutory language introduced in the North Carolina State Budget in July, the Wake County Board of Education approved revisions to policies 3200 (Selection of Instructional and Supplementary Materials) and 3210 (Inspection of and Objection to Instructional and Supplementary Materials).

Notes on 3200 changes:

• The primary change made to 3200 was the reassignment of classroom libraries from Section C: Supplementary Materials to Section D: School Library Collection Materials. This does not mean classroom libraries are the responsibility of the school librarian; teachers remain responsible for their classrooms. 

  • The definition of “School Library Collection Materials” now reads: 

School library collection materials are electronic, print, and nonprint resources, excluding instructional and supplementary materials, held in a formal school library or in a classroom for independent use by students and school personnel outside of the standard course of study for any grade or course. 

Notes on 3210 changes:

• Based on the change to Policy 3200, classroom library materials not used for instruction fall under Section B.1.c Parental Restriction on Student Borrowing of School Library Books in Policy 3210. Therefore, they cannot be challenged.

• If a parent/guardian of a student at your school expresses concern about a school library material or a classroom library material not used for instruction, they may restrict their student’s access to the specific title/material. 

  • Directions for parents/guardians to restrict titles in Destiny Library Manager can be found on the Library Media Services website. 

• School library materials not used for instruction cannot be challenged under the process outlined in Policy 3210, Section B.2. 

  • This process is reserved for instructional and supplementary materials.

  • If a school library book is used in instruction, including a read aloud, it transforms into a supplementary material and can thus be challenged under Policy 3210.

IMPORTANT: The recommended action is to ALWAYS notify Kendra of incidents and questions. Nothing is too small or minor for her awareness.

Staying on Track with Library Data

We are loving seeing all of your data reports populating with updated data to reflect your work during first quarter! Thank you for your efforts to adapt your routines to include this work. We look forward to shifting our focus in the coming months from simply completing the spreadsheet to using the data in the report in meaningful ways. If your spreadsheet isn’t fully updated for the 1st quarter, be on the lookout for an email from Kristel or Susan Bock offering support. 

Register for Professional Learning in WakeLearns

Professional learning opportunities for the 2026-2027 school year are posted in the new WakeLearns platform. Choose from in-person learning on district PL days, virtual PLCs, or asynchronous courses. See the full list of opportunities on the Library Media Services site under Collaboration>PLCs.