The short Version:

Jennifer LaGarde is a lifelong teacher and learner, with over 20 years in public education. Her educational passions include leveraging technology to help students develop authentic reading lives and meeting the unique needs of students living in poverty. A huge fan of YA Literature, Jennifer currently lives, works, reads and drinks lots of coffee in Olympia, Washington. Follow her adventures at www.librarygirl.net or on Twitter @jenniferlagarde.

 

The Long(er) Version:

Jennifer LaGarde (aka library girl!) is a lifelong educator and learner. With over twenty years of experience in public education, Jennifer has served as a classroom teacher, a teacher librarian, a digital teaching and learning specialist, district level support staff and a state-wide leader as a consultant for both the NC Department of Public Instruction and the Friday Institute for Instructional Innovation.

 

Jennifer earned her bachelor's degree in Secondary Education with a concentration in English/Language Arts from the University of NC at Wilmington. And she earned her Master’s in Library Science from Appalachian State University. She also holds National Board Certification in the area of School Library Media. Some of the awards and distinctions she has received include:

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• ALA, New York Times and Carnegie Corporation’s "I Love My Librarian Award,"

• Library Journal Mover and Shaker

• AASL Social Media Superstar: "Social Justice Defender."

• Salem Press Blog of The Year

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Jennifer is currently the librarian in residence with Evergreen Public Schools. She also works with teachers, librarians, instructional technologists, instructional coaches and both building and district level leaders, around the world, to develop innovative instructional practices that both serve the literacy needs of students and that infuse technology in meaningful ways.

 

Jennifer has published numerous articles on best educational practices for journals like Teacher Librarian, ISTE, School Library Connections and Knowledge Quest. She's also the coauthor of the upcoming book Fact VS Fiction: Teaching Critical Thinking In the Age of Fake News with Darren Hudgins. Jennifer currently resides in Olympia, Washington where she spends time chasing after her two dogs, drinking lots of coffee and updating her award winning blog The Adventures of Library Girl where she proves you don’t have to be super hero to be a teacher librarian, but having a cape sure helps.

 

Headshots (and stuff like that) can be found here.

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