This document summarizes and recommends several library and technology experts, providing brief descriptions of each. It highlights Lucas Loughmiller, Shannon Miller, and TechChef4U as solid tech ninjas to follow. Several librarians are recommended for their work on professional learning networks, eBook management, maker movement, common core implementation, book reviews, summer reading programs, library guides, and introducing interesting people in the field. It emphasizes balancing absorption of information from various tools and sources with active creation and exploration while ruthlessly narrowing options.

1. School Library Hero
Worship
KS Library Conference
10/10/13

2. Your Heroes
Three Tech Ninjas
Lucas Loughmiller@kslibraryguy
Zite App
Elementary Librarian
TechChef4U
Shannon Miller

3. Criteria
Solid Content
Sensible
Working Librarians
Upbeat
Inspiring

4. Heather Braum
Professional Learning Network Plan

5. Paige Jaeger
Library Door
“This hyper-connected generation loves technology, but
unfortunately, it is not a panacea for high performance.”

6. Karen Hornberger
Living in a Library World
Practical instructions for making your library work. Her work on
eBook management in Destiny is going to be very, very important
to me.

7. Kristin Fontichiaro
Ms. Fontichiaro has been sucked into the Maker Movement and
Badging, with mixed results in my opinion, but when she talks
about school libraries and school library issues, nobody is better.
Her work on Common Core implementation is unsurpassed.

8. Karen Jensen
Teen Librarian Toolbox is a collaborative site networked with VOYA
magazine. Featuring lots of book reviews, it is upbeat and
sometimes serves in place of an expensive therapist for me.

9. Sue Fitzgerald
The Unpretentious Librarian knows her way around smore and
promotes her middle school library like a pro.

10. Susan Oxnevad
A professional developer who earned the Martha House Stamp of
Approval with her post on SAMR this summer.

11. Zoe P. Midler
She blogs infrequently but when she has something to say, it is pure
genius. Her post Embedded Librarianship with Google Apps made
me sit up and take notice.

12. Nikki Robertson
She is an unabashed self-promoter, something I usually dislike, but she
has too much energy and too many good ideas to ignore. Though I
often have to take a nap after looking at her blog, The True Adventures
of a High School Librarian, I also steal from her when I can.

13. Gwyneth Jones
Another exhaustingly energetic woman, The Daring Librarian won
my heart with her Comic Tutorials on various subjects.

14. Pam Harland
The librarians behind the Sanborn Regional School District are not
promoting themselves at ALL. They just do good work. The summer
reading program they put together and their library guides are
fantastic.

15. Emily Ford
I don’t have a staff to develop awesome LibGuides, but Hunterdon
Central Regional High School DOES. Emily Ford is one of four. I am
not ashamed to float along in their wake.

16. Michelle Luhtala
In Bibliotech.me, Michelle Luhtala is like the sophisticated hostess
of a salon. Yes, she has original ideas that she expresses very well,
but she excels at introducing me to interesting people in the field.

17. Richard Byrne
If I check no other sites, I make sure to check this one. Free
Technology for Teachers is on top of what is going on in educational
technology. I ruthlessly ignore most of what’s here, but if it is
relevant, it is RELEVANT.

18. Jennifer LeGarde
The Adventures of Library Girl is passionate yet sensible and
eminently realistic. Though she now works for the North Carolina
Department of Public Instruction, I still love her.

19. Buffy Hamilton
Buffy is THE high school librarian in my opinion. She is this shining
beacon. She left school libraries for a bit, but now she is back
working at Norcross High School. Any of her webinars, blog posts,
or really, anything she produces, are worth your time and attention.

20. Doug Johnson
Sometimes, I think Doug Johnson is the only guy on the internet
who really understands how effective good libraries and
technology can be together in schools. His Blue Skunk blog has very
useful and practical information about how to really make things
happen.

21. Joyce Valenza
The most prolific working librarian on the internet, there must be at
least three of Joyce Valenza. She writes for School Library Journal,
effectively managed the Springfield Township High School Library for
years, and has now joined the Rutgers School of Communication and
Information.

22. Keeping Track of It All

23. Balance
Absorption
Creation
Boldly Explore
Ruthlessly Narrow
Interest Oriented
Goal Oriented
Passive
Active

24. Tools
Feedly
#tlchat Daily
Professional Organizations
Occasional Webinar
Library 2.0 (and MOOCS, Apps, old school classes and
workshops, books, magazines: Booklist and
MacWorld and remember to read outside the
profession . . . . )