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What to Love about Libraries

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 03:16:40 GMT

New Title

With all the love circulating in the air and Spring on the horizon, it seems the perfect

time to reflect on all the lovely things about librarianship. Mind, this is coming from the

perspective of a public school librarian so here is my list:

1. All the best parts of teaching - working with classes, creating and co-teaching

lesson, spending time with students, and working on projects.

2. None of the hard parts of teaching – no grades, no attendance, no discipline

plans, and no calling home with bad reports.

3. Having the largest and busiest classroom on campus – hosting all sorts of

events, from celebrations, to blitzes, class visits, lunches, book clubs, the list

goes on and on. The space is versatile and welcoming to all sorts of needs.

4. Outreach programs – hosting literacy events, parent nights, coffee with the

principal, voter registration, district meetings, library card sign up with the public

library, and other ways to build a strong relationship and relationship with the

public.

5. Creating displays – different seasons, celebrations, holidays, new books,

themes, pop culture, class lesson tie-ins, and current events. There are always

plenty of reasons to keep displays fresh and interesting.

For ideas on how to update, revise, revitalize, or realize your love for the library, reach

out to us to schedule a training session. ❤️

Why You Need a Book Reconsideration Plan (Before You Actually Need One)

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:36:45 GMT

Are you ready for a book challenge?

Let’s be honest: book challenges aren’t rare anymore. They’re happening everywhere, in classrooms, libraries and districts, big and small. When a concern comes in without a clear plan in place, things get stressful fast.

The good news? It doesn’t have to be that way.

A Book Reconsideration Plan is simply a roadmap. It tells parents how to express a concern, guides staff on what to do next, and ensures the entire process is transparent, fair, and consistent. When a district has one, everyone breathes easier, and when they don’t, well… that’s usually when our phone rings.

What Makes a Good Plan?

It doesn’t need to be overly complicated. But it does need to be thoughtful. A strong plan typically includes:

Clear steps for parents to follow
A review committee that understands how to evaluate materials
Real timelines (not the “we’ll get to it when we can” kind)
Criteria for looking at the whole book, not just pulled passages
A way to communicate decisions clearly and professionally

That’s it. Simple, transparent, repeatable.

Why It Matters Now

With shifting legislation, increased scrutiny of both classroom libraries and school libraries, and a lot of confusion about what is and isn’t allowed, having a plan isn’t just best practice, it’s protection.

A reconsideration plan keeps:

Teachers from feeling blindsided
Administrators from making rushed decisions
Parents from feeling ignored
Librarians from carrying the entire weight alone

And most importantly: it protects students’ access to high‑quality, age‑appropriate reading.

If You Don’t Have a Plan Yet

You are not behind; you’re in good company. Many campuses and districts have been so busy responding to the day‑to‑day needs of their schools that they simply haven’t revisited their procedures in years. But the educational landscape has changed.

If you’re staring at a policy document thinking, “This could really use an update,” or if concerns are coming in and you’re realizing the process just isn’t as smooth as it should be… that’s exactly the moment to set things right.

At Curated Consultants, we work with Librarians, Campus Administrators, District Administrators and School Boards to create or refresh their entire reconsideration process. We can create customized forms, timelines, committee guidance, communication templates, and provide staff training. Every district is different, so the plans we build are customized, practical, and aligned with your state’s current requirements. Most importantly, they’re easy for staff to follow and easy for parents to understand.

If your district could use support building (or fixing) its reconsideration plan, we’d love to help you get there.

Curated Consultants is new, yes… but it was born from a very real need. Schools deserve guidance that is thoughtful, human-centered, and aligned with the future of literacy and learning.

Book reconsideration procedures aren’t just compliance tools. They are statements of a district’s values. They are commitments to students. They are frameworks that either open doors or close them.

We believe they should open doors. If your campus or district could use help creating a reconsideration plan, or you’re unsure where to begin, we’d love to start the conversation. You don’t have to figure this out alone. We’re here to help you and build something strong from the start.

Why the "Easy Button" for Compliance Is Your Biggest Risk

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:00:26 GMT

The Legislative Crunch

Senate Bill 13 was signed into law in June 2025 for a September implementation. This rapid turnaround explains why many districts are scrambling for easy solutions. However, library compliance shouldn't be a fear-based "check off" task. At Curated Consulting , we help you take your district's foundation and develop a personalized strategy to fortify your libraries for long term student success.

The Software Trap

Many districts are currently leaning on two "quick fixes" that create a false sense of security:

Vendor Indicators : Tools that check against your current collection to claim it is "safe" based on your existing library catalog.
AI Collection Review : Software that flags "controversial" titles based on data from other states or districts to preemptively remove them.

While these tools seem efficient, they bypass your district's adopted EFB policies. They are "easy" only because they ignore three critical pillars:

Legal Liability : They cannot align with your specific "local community values," which is the legal standard in Texas.
Human Expertise : Software can't train administrators to value the library, equip librarians to defend their collections, or guide a Board through a contentious reconsideration hearing.
Proactive Strategy : These tools are reactive. They document the past but fail to anticipate future challenges or build robust, internal professional processes.

The Curated Consulting Difference: Precision Compliance

Compliance isn't a box to check; it is a vital sign of your district's instructional health. We don't just provide tools; we provide precision compliance . We help you build a "Fortress Library" that is legally sound, community-aligned, and operationally elite. We move your team from reacting to mandates to mastering them.

The stakes are too high to settle for "good enough."

2026 Resolutions

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 04:50:36 GMT

2025 was hard for a lot of reasons. Among those was the changes the Texas

government made to the laws governing public education as a whole and public school

library collections in specific. To say that SB13 has dominated my time and mind for

this school year is an understatement. Using a dedicated time/task tracker has proven

beyond doubt with concrete data just how much my library program has changed.

For instance, by the mid-year mark I normally would have met with two classes a week

on average doing various lessons, projects, and research topics. Last semester I saw

one class about every two weeks. This change is upsetting because it feels so

unnecessary. Students on my campus are actively being denied access to library time in

their classes so I can dedicate large swaths of my time to ensuring that my campus is

not the reason my school district is out of compliance with the law. Unnecessary

because we do have strong collection development policies that we hold to and we are

all trained education professionals who know our communities and have built solid

collections that serve and maintain both.

So, the resolutions. What can I do to be more positive and proactive this year within the

confines of these new laws? Here are the three things I have decided on:

Be informed and aware of the laws and potential changes on the horizon.
Take an active role in helping others understand these laws and how to comply and serve stakeholders.
To advocate on behalf of libraries and librarians to show all the awesome ways we serve all of our patrons.

Curated Consulting is here to help you make resolutions about your own libraries.

Please reach out to us to schedule consultations or trainings. Here’s to a happy and

productive 2026!

Thankful

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 01:36:48 GMT

Things to be Thankful for

As we reflect upon this season and all of the things we are grateful for, it seems fitting to acknowledge the amazing team here at Curated Consulting, LLC. We have worked very hard preparing for compliance with the legislative changes in regards to libraries and are excited to share our knowledge, expedience, and expertise with others wanting to serve their library communities while meeting the demands of current legislature.

Marcy Sparks is dedicated to building bridges between various stakeholders in education to make sure that libraries stay relevant in the conversations and decisions being made. The amount of time she spends doing research, consulting with experts, and creating training platforms is impressive and reflected in the success of the libraries she represents. She is no stranger to hard work and takes her title of Library Services Coordinator very seriously as the scores of librarians under her directions can attest. Marcy has been the visionary and catalyst for this company and we are very thankful she is ours.

Carolyn Del Rio is a curriculum expert who has spent many years honing her skills in both the classroom and the library. She has a wealth of understanding surrounding the nuances of young learners and how important the foundation of reading is to creating not only successful students but also people beyond the wall of our schools. Carolyn is very task and detailed oriented and her tried methods of success are appreciated by her peers. She has been integral in helping new librarians adapt to challenging and changing roles on campuses. These same ideas have been utilized by veteran librarians moving to new campuses, shifting grade levels, managing changes in administrators, and helping with shifting compliance. Carolyn is incredibly talented and versatile and we are thankful she is ours.

Kara Baker has spent the entirety of her education career in high schools but has a passion for picture books and creating storytelling settings for all students. Not only does she spend a great deal of time learning about the changes in the laws regarding libraries and education in general, but she also uses her knowledge to help create better lines of communication and relationships between teachers, administrators, parents, staff and community members. Kara loves to teach research skills and create collaborative lessons with various contents and we are thankful she is ours.

Logan Sparks is a strong supporter of truth who uses his many talents to keep us focused and on target with our goals of helping others create best practice libraries that are compliant with the ever-shifting landscape of libraries. He is our first line of contact when people want information about who we are and what we do. He is an excellent face for us and we are thankful he is ours.