Checked In

In the "Checked In" Season 2 finale, Ethan chats with SJPL librarian Josh Swindler about starting a D&D program at your school or public library.

In this episode, Ethan chats with close friend and resident board game expert, Taylor Winn about possible tabletop additions to school libraries for beginning and experienced gamers!

Today we start a miniseries on new ideas for programming in the library with a great conversation with Tony Gragnani, president of the Missouri High School Esports Association. He and Evans talk starting Esports at your school, getting students involved, and finding a support group to help with all your questions. Definitely a great listen for anyone interested in starting their own club. Evans also talks MASL's Virtual Book Festival. Check it out! Check out mhsea.net to get more info about Missouri Esports. Check maslonline.org to get registered for MASL's Virtual Book Festival.

We're back with some new segments as well as a great interview with Josh Swindler of the St. Joseph Public Library who talks about jumping into the library as a career in the past year and being put in charge of programming that had a lot of support as well as a lot of pushback. Come hang out!

We know, we know. It's been awhile since we've had an episode posted. Things got crazy and busy. Now they're just crazy. More episodes coming your way soon. For now, welcome back and take a second to hear about MASL opportunities coming your way!

Ethan talks about Nanowrimo, writing in the library and books that make him nostalgic.

This episode was entirely recorded and produced using Anchor on an iPad to give listeners a feel for the difference between full production episodes and something they might get from students. Discussions about podcasting as well as a short chat about advocacy for your programming and your space.

Ethan runs through a typical morning in his library on the first half of the podcast. The back half consists of an interview with Luann Cadden, a naturalist/librarian at the F.L. Schlagle Library on Wyandotte County Lake Park.

Ethan talks with Ft. Zumwalt West Librarian Shannon Grieshaber about audiobooks and podcasts and Harry Potter!

Ethan chats with Gateway Chair Nicci Ballard-Long and Truman Chair Libby Wilson about being on a reader award committee and the commitment required to help narrow down a list of books for students to choose from each year. Discussion includes what the year looks like for a committee member, conference expectations, and ways to go about showing your interest in joining an award committee.

In this episode, Ethan discusses stealing a book tasting idea and how things never turn out like they do in pictures. He also has a discussion with MASL's AASL rep, Victoria Jones, about book challenges and the resources that school librarians have at their disposal.

The premiere episode of Season 2. Ethan discusses something new he's trying in his library as well as something he wishes had gone better. Also, MASL president Amy Hertzberg hangs out for a bit and talks to Ethan about her vision for the school year and some new things she's hoping to implement. New website is live! Check us out at: https://sites.google.com/view/checked-in-podcast/home

In this episode, Ethan chats with classroom teachers at his school about the role of the school library and ways to better improve collaboration and communication between the library and the classroom. P.S. This is our season finale! Thanks so much for following along with us during our first season. We plan to be back at it again the first week of August with Season 2. If you have time, please rate and/or recommend us on whatever you're using to listen to your podcasts. We'd really appreciate it!

On this episode of "Checked In," Ethan discusses diversity in publishing and school collections with colleagues Kirsten Shaw and Ellen Wickham.

In Episode 8 of our first season, Ethan chats with his friend Marshall Conn, a Missouri educator, about comic books and convention life as well as fandoms and connecting with your students through your own passions.

In this episode, we chat with some librarians working for the Woodneath branch of Mid-Continent Public Library in Liberty, Missouri. Discussions include partnerships between school and public librarians, worrying about stepping on toes, and trying not to openly sob whilst watching "The Hate U Give" in theaters. Enjoy!

In this episode, Ethan chats with Carolyn Allen and Kelly Oliva, co-presidents of the Spring Conference Committee, about what to expect at conference this weekend and how to maximize your time and experience. Hope to see everyone there!

In this episode of Checked In, Jennifer Brown stops by for a chat about author visits. You read that right. JENNIFER BROWN. She also chats about being an author and teen librarian at the same time. On the back half of the show, we've got Will Stuck talking with us about performance in the library. After spending many years working in the public library he recently started his own gig as a performer/speaker. You definitely don't want to miss this episode! Contact: @JenBrownBooks or jenniferbrownauthor.com @WillStuck or willstuck.com @librarianevans or ethan.evans@lathropschools.com

In this episode, Ethan talks about his own successes and failures trying to implement a consistent book club at the high school level. Later, Amy Hertzberg drops by to talk about starting a Project Lit book club in her library.

In this episode, Ethan talks with Elizabeth Hoskins and Kelly Oliva about utilizing technology and makerspace activities in your library. They share stories of success and failed attempts in describing the growth process of making your library more than a book warehouse.

In this episode, we discuss your first year(s) as a librarian and how to settle in at a position that, in all likelihood, very few people in your school truly understand. Amber Dlugosh (HS librarian) and McKenzie Harbaugh (Elem. librarian) stop by to provide insight.

In our inaugural episode, Ethan discusses how he'd like the podcast to develop and also talks current MASL president Jennifer Millikan about ways to get involved with the Missouri Association of School Librarians.