Tom Bober

We’re not done at Jane Adeny!
Thank you to everyone who has and will donate to this project and our upcoming project which is in the works!
More at building libraries.org

Getting ready for my latest Live From the Libray for parents tonight.
Looking forward to our Nonfiction November episode.
📚❤️

Here listening to Dan Santat preach and taking us all to church as he talked about how to get kids to fall in love with reading. #SLJSummit

Pulling possible picture books to pair with primary sources for my "25 Stories for 250 Years" that I'll do in the Spring of 2026 for the US Semiquincentennial with my students K-5.

It was an honor sharing the stage with @mstewartscience.bsky.social @ my 4th #AASL25 event. We had an amazing crowd & I was able to share my school’s NF journey and the impact Melissa’s 5 Kinds of NF has had on my work. The crowd was there in force & having Melissa’s expertise there was invaluable.

A pic from event #3 yesterday where Andrea Trudeau and I shared work in our schools around connecting AR and 3D printing to the humanities. I always learn something new from Andrea and loved talking 3D printing and scanning with participants.

Looking forward to sharing about librarians Building Libraries collaboration with Kids Discover on our trip to Kenya, the Nonfiction work we’re doing in the library, and the powerful pairings of primary sources and literature! Hope you can join!

If you’re looking for my morning session, where I share a bit of Librarians Building Libraries story about our trip to Kenya that Amanda Jones, Andrea Trudeau, and I took, look for me in at the end of the exhibit hall. These signs will show the way!

My second #AASL25 event just wrapped.
I had the best time with my friend Amanda Jones where we spent time talking about her book, That Librarian. So grateful to get a chance to talk with her and for all the people that joined us.

Kicking off #AASL25 right with a visit from 30+ librarians from across the country (and a few even farther). Great questions and it was amazing to share all of the great things students have been doing in the library.

Getting ready for my talk with @librarianjones.com next Wednesday at her St. Louis event with Left Bank Books. Want to hear us chat it up? Learn more (and register) here: www.left-bank.com/event/amanda...

Our “What are we reading?” Display started with two staff and now we’re almost to 20!
Hoping to show that every adult in the building is a reader. And I’m happy that students are checking it out. 📚❤️

A Kinder was struggling to get started with his drawing. He was enjoying the time chatting with classmates.
When I spoke with him, he threw his arms up and said, “I have TEN letters in my name!” and promptly went back to writing his name. (He was on letter 8.)
📝😥😉

To all of my St. Louis friends and my librarian friends who will be in on Wednesday for AASL, I want to invite you to a talk with my amazing friend Amanda Jones where she’ll share the story behind the story of her bestselling book That Librarian.
RSVP here: www.left-bank.com/event/amanda...

When a kinder wants a “research book” about snails because he hopes there’s a new pet on the way, you stop everything to find that book.
I can report that he left very happy.

Reason #238 to befriend your art teacher: when you lose a button at school she can set you up with needle and thread to get you good as new. Thanks Tiffany!

Spending lunches reading to kids who voluntarily come up for a story time.
Not a bad part of my day. 📚❤️

By this time next week I’ll be wrapping up my Keynote at the Tennessee Association of School Librarians’ annual conference!
Honored to be asked to close out the event and share with colleagues.
If you’ll be there, below are my sessions and Keynote times and topics.

Excited for AASL to be in St. Louis next month and also excited to be able to do all kinds of sharing over Friday and Saturday.
If you're there with me, here's where you can find me!

An awesome morning hosting Aaron Reynolds for his newest book with Jasper Rabbit, Troubling Tonsils!
This guy has some energy!
He signed our wall right next to the Creepy Carrots Peter Brown drew for us a few years ago. 🥕❤️

New NF hitting shelves today and on display for easy access!

Day 3 of school:
What did this student say when she checked out these books during her first visit to the library for the year?
“THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!”
P.S. School Libraries are Important ❤️📚❤️

Second day of school:
S: Do you have another book like Magic Ramen?
Me: Sure! What did you like about it that you’re hoping to read in another book?
S: Like another biography with noodles in it.
Me: Actually, I don’t have anything like that. 😂🍜

Student on the second day of school:
“I read a whole Weird But True book last night. I was only supposed to read for 30 minutes. But I extended that.” 📚❤️

When you feel seen by your local Kaldis Coffee…
#BackToSchool

Library of Congress Unveils Major Upgrades to Chronicling America Website Library of Congress Unveils Major Upgrades to Chronicling America Website Enhanced Platform Improves Accessibility and Research Capabilities for Historic Newspapers The Library of Congress has...

If you're a fan of Chronicling America's 23+MILLION pages of full text historical US Newspapers, you may have already seen that their Beta site has now officially gone live. There's a great write-up to check out here: newsroom.loc.gov/news/library...

The JAMS Library Project continues! Phase Two is here: comfy furniture, more books students love, & better library tools. We’re not done yet—help us keep building!

Blog: bldglibraries.substack.com/p/were-back-...

@librarianjones.com @captainlibrary.bsky.social @andreatrudeau.bsky.social

Partnerships Making a Difference: Kids Discover As we worked to transform the library and the library experience for students at Jane Adeney Memorial School, we knew we could not do it alone.

Big thanks to @kidsdiscover.bsky.social for being part of our buildinglibraries.org journey! Their engaging nonfiction inspires curious minds every day.

Read more: bldglibraries.substack.com/p/partnershi... (link in bio)

School library bookshelves with a rubber duck reading a book amongst shelved books and books on display.

It was such an honor to participate in @lieberrian.bsky.social's program Ducks 4 Laryssa in memory of her sister. If you find yourself at a library somewhere in the world, you can post your own ducky pic here: sites.google.com/view/ducks4l...

#ducks4laryssa #bldglibraries #internationallibraries

Look for the Helpers (part 1) Many have heard of the Mr.

This post went up a couple of days ago, but I neglected to share it here. I think it’s a testament to the students we’ve met on our trip.

Look for the Helpers (part 1)
substack.com/@bldglibrari...