Funded by the publisher and a Kickstarter campaign, the video will raise community awareness of school librarians' role in supporting 21st-century learning
(Minneapolis, MN) May 31, 2017 — Capstone, a leading publisher of children’s books and literacy programs, is excited to announce its partnership with the School Librarians of Rhode Island (SLRI) to help fund their educational video, “It’s on us: The Stories of Public School Librarians.” The video will include personal stories from school librarians to show how they are innovating and evolving their roles every day.
The goal of the project is to challenge common assumptions about what librarians do and, most importantly, what they can do for their communities. The final video will be a valuable advocacy tool for librarians to show how they are supporting 21st-century learning.
“School libraries as spaces have not only changed, but the role of the school librarian has as well,” said high school librarian Mary Moen, executive producer of the video and an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Library and Information Studies. “In addition to being teachers, information specialists, program administrators, and instructional partners, school librarians are school leaders. People are excited to hear school librarians tell their stories.”
The video will be directed and produced by Rhode Island-based cinematographer and photographer Alex DeCiccio. DeCiccio will be working with producer and editor Kyle Sidlik, also based in Rhode Island. DeCiccio and Sidlik have worked together with Media Smart Libraries to produce other videos on the value and impact of libraries. Funds from a Kickstarter campaign will go towards purchasing equipment for the video, as well as production costs. Production is scheduled to begin this summer.
Capstone has long been passionate about promoting the significance of school libraries and librarians, and recently released a video of its own, “School Libraries Matter: The Changing Role of the School Librarian.” Since its release, the video has earned over 33,000 YouTube views.
“There are continuing challenges of funding and priorities within school districts, but there is also an increasing recognition that a librarian can make a major difference in helping kids become critical thinkers and savvy citizens of the 21st century,” said Amy Cox, marketing director for libraries at Capstone. “That recognition is coming because librarians are getting louder about sharing what they do. It’s good for all of us—as members of the library community, and as citizens—when the voices of Rhode Island’s librarians can be heard by as many people as possible.”
About Capstone
Capstone is a leading publisher of children’s books, digital solutions and services, literacy programs, and K–12 professional development resources. Capstone creates content in a variety of print, digital, and media formats for school libraries, classrooms, and at-home reading. For more information, visit MyCapstone.com.