Welcome to "Ask the Tech Coach," a podcast for Instructional Coaches and Technology Integration Specialists.

In this episode of “Ask the Tech Coach,” Jeff sits down with ISTE Authors Julia Torres and Valerie Tagoe to discuss the state of the Library Media Center and Library Media Specialist and the value they bring to our staff and students each day.

If you would like to be a part of future podcasts and share your thoughts, please contact the podcast.  We would love to have you join the show.
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About our Guests:
Julia Torres
Julia E. Torres (@juliaerin80) is a language arts teacher and librarian in Denver, Colorado. An advocate for all students and public education, Torres is a frequent conference and event speaker, and facilitates workshops and professional conversations about equity, anti-bias/anti-racist education, culturally sustaining pedagogies and literacy in the digital age. She is a current member of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Committee, a 2020 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, and a past president of the Colorado Language Arts Society (a regional affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English). She holds a master’s of education in secondary education curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix, a master’s in creative writing from Regis University and a master's in library and information science from the University of Denver (2023).

Social Links:

https://twitter.com/juliaerin80
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100015243520804
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-torres-9215a913b/
IG: @juliaerin80

Valerie Tagoe
Valerie Tagoe is a high school librarian in Texas. She’s a winner of the S. Janice Kee Award from Texas Woman’s University, and a past president of the Dallas Association of School Librarians. Currently, she’s a member of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Board of Directors. In addition to serving on the board, Tagoe is also active in the Texas Library Association (TLA) as a member of its Legislative Committee. She holds a Bachelor’s in French, with a Minor in History, from the University of Oklahoma; a Master’s of Bilingual Education from Southern Methodist University; and an MLS from Texas Woman's University.
Social Links

@bookmarksllc

About the Book
Learn how librarians can positively effect change in areas like digital equity and inclusiveness, while creating powerful programming for middle and high school students.

Developing programs for learners can be an ongoing challenge for librarians – especially first-year librarians. Current books on the topic primarily focus on makerspaces or read alouds, and are aimed at elementary school grades, with a surface-level approach. This book addresses deeper issues that librarians face, while illustrating how to serve teens and tweens...