It was a day of learning, laughing and even some crafting, as Trinity College School welcomed librarians from fellow Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario (CISO) institutions to the annual spring meeting on Friday, April 12th. The School hosted 26 librarians from 18 different schools at the biannual gathering, led by TCS librarians Sarah Torrible and Shelagh Straughan.

Held each spring and fall at various member schools, the CISO librarian meetings are a chance for professional development and networking, including learning about trends shaping the world of school libraries, as well as picking up tips and advice from peers.

Sessions included a discussion of the impact of generative AI, how school policies can guide its use and what ways it might assist librarians and teacher-librarians with their practices. Another session featured insights on how to manage library collections, both in terms of which books to shelve (and what to “weed out”) and how to organize those shelves so that they are inclusive, engaging and intuitive for students and staff seeking materials.

Librarians got “hands-on” as they learned techniques for creating bookmarks and “poem in my pocket” pieces using materials already at hand, such as old playing cards and weeded books/graphic novels. As always, divisional book talks allowed librarians to share with one another the titles that their students are currently enjoying.

Participants enjoyed a delicious lunch in our beautiful Osler Hall with book-themed table centrepieces made by TCS library assistant Viola Lyons.

We thank all of the CISO librarians who made the trip to Port Hope to join us for a day of fellowship and practical strategies to help school libraries continue to best meet the needs of students and staff.