Published on March 16, 2021
First School Librarian, Joanna McCloskey, Certified Sustainable!
Joanna McCloskey, School Librarian at Seaford High School, in Seaford, NY, is the first school librarian to be certified as sustainable through the award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program, the first of its kind in the world, through the Sustainable Libraries Initiative and New York Library Association. Joanna McCloskey will be recognized at the 2021 Annual Conference of the New York Library Association held in Syracuse, NY November 3rd-6th.
Ms. McCloskey completed action items in categories such as Partnerships & Community Involvement, Leading Beyond the Library, Social Equity & Resiliency, Standards & Curriculum, and Collections. Ms. McCloskey said the following about the process:
“I have thoroughly enjoyed completing this certification. What I enjoyed most was being given an opportunity to self-reflect and improve my professional practices. Despite having a very successful career as a school librarian, including being teacher of the year in 2013-2014, I knew that there were areas I needed to improve. As you know, school librarians often work in isolation with little collaboration, so this experience provided the right environment for me to act. Jen Cannell was instrumental in supporting and guiding me throughout the process. To have an opportunity to work with a such an accomplished colleague was incredible, and I am forever grateful. I started the program a few months before COVID, therefore, swift action was needed if I was going to remain in the forefront and survive these challenges. I had to initiate my sustainability in the broadest of terms. I was fortunate that my administration did not shut my library down; I firmly believe that this was a direct result of the actions I took towards sustainability.”
Read the full press release here: