Can't Shelve This
The podcast where we hammer home the importance of school libraries. Hosted by RAILS Data Analyst Janette Derucki and IHLS School Library Membership Coordinator Leah Gregory. Can't Shelve This is a product of the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) in collaboration with the Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS).
Episodes
Help us help you…share the important work that you're doing in school libraries.
Janette and Leah chat with school librarians Gail Meyer (Thornton Fractional High School) and Deb Will (Zion-Benton Township High School) about the simplest and most impactful ways that anyone can advocate for school libraries.
Relevant Links:
AISLE Letter Writing Campaign/Legislation Letter Template
Janette and Leah chat with district librarian Nichole Folkman (Hartsburg-Emden CUSD #21) about the best ways to get your tots, tweens, and teens excited about visiting the school library. Plus, we read and discuss your submitted programming stories!
Relevant Links:
School librarian and administrator relationships can be tricky to navigate.
Janette and Leah are joined by school librarian Beth Kovacic and principal Akemi Sessler (Dryden Elementary School) and discuss how you can foster that positive relationship to improve student, teacher, and community success.
Relevant Links:
Janette and Leah sit down with the internet's favorite librarian, Mychal Threets! Together, they talk about how even the smallest moments of library joy help us persist—both in librarianship and in life. Plus, we read and react to your library joy stories!
Books We Discussed:
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
We talk about certified school librarianship all the time in Library Land, but what does that even mean?
Janette and Leah break it down for you in this episode with Lauren Ochs (School Library Licensure Coordinator at University of Illinois) and Hannah Fiedler (recently-certified school librarian).
Relevant Links:
Illinois School Library Workers Symposium (September 17, 2025)
Every student deserves to be seen in their school library.
Janette and Leah are joined by "A" (local school librarian) and Jessica Silva (RAILS Member Engagement Specialist) to discuss how to create welcoming and inclusive school libraries. Together, they share strategies for supporting EDIA in the changing educational landscape.
Relevant Links:
Instead of feeling sad, let's get mad.
In the spirit of a mid-year Festivus, co-hosts Janette and Leah address the current library landscape and read listener-submitted rants.
Relevant Links:
Illinois State Board of Education ELA Standards
Books Mentioned:
It's a summer send-off at Can't Shelve This!
In this season finale, Leah and Janette go straight to the source for school library wisdom: Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School librarian Heather McCarthy and two of her eighth graders, Emily and Nathan! Together, they talk about what it feels like to have a school with a thriving library, and what you can do to help build one.
Relevant Links:
Season 2 is officially in session!
Settle into back-to-school season with Janette and Leah as they unpack all the library propaganda we're not falling for. No homework—just laughs, mythbusting, and a few hot takes.
Relevant Links:
You're not alone. School librarians have a powerful network of support behind them.
In "The One Where They Get Connected," Janette and Leah are joined by Cyndi Robinson (Executive Director of the Illinois Library Association) and K.C. Boyd (District of Columbia Public Schools Librarian—AKA The Boss Librarian). Together, they unpack how to find your people, advocate for your job, and tap into perks ...
What's it really like to be a brand-new school librarian?
In "Diary of a First-Year School Librarian," Janette and Leah chat with Mary Alice Maloney (Charles J. Sahs School Librarian) as she reflects on her first year as a full-time certified school librarian. Hear about the challenges, wins, and plans for year two.
Relevant Links:
It's time for some real talk. ☕️
Janette and Leah dive into the realities of school librarianship today—unpacking the numbers, staffing shortages, and loopholes schools use to sidestep library standards. This one is a must-listen for administrators.
Relevant Links:
The Can't Shelve This crew hosted their first-ever live show at the Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE) Conference in Champaign, IL on October 6, 2025.
We asked our audience members "what is one thing your school library has that you wish every school library could have?" Together, we built a school library utopia.
Relevant Links:
Illinois State Library Per Capita Grant
💭 Have a ...
School librarian, author, and activist Amanda Jones joins Can't Shelve This to share her story in a candid conversation about censorship, courage, and hope for the future of libraries.
Note: This episode includes discussions of harassment and threats against educators.
Relevant
Plot twist: reading culture isn't built with rewards, levels, or quizzes.
Janette and Leah are joined by Pernille Ripp and Dr. Sarah Sansbury to explore reading identity, student choice, and how we can create the conditions that invite kids into reading.
Relevant Links:
Game Changers series by Rachel Reid
Reading doesn't have to be solitary. It can be a team sport!
Last times, new beginnings, and everything in between.
Janette and Leah visit University High School for a behind-the-scenes look at a standout school library and the people who bring it to life: librarian Amy Brokaw and students Suhn and Anuraag.
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