Why Librarians Stood Out at TCEA This Year

At TCEA this year, something surprised me in the best way. It wasn’t the AI buzz or the newest classroom gadgets. It was the librarians! In many schools, these roles carry titles like library media specialist or media specialist, but regardless of the title, the work and impact are the same.

They showed up in large numbers. They asked smart, thoughtful questions. And they immediately saw how hands-on, exploratory learning could live in their spaces. Not as an add-on, but as part of their mission.

Many of the librarians we spoke with work hand-in-hand with classroom teachers, extending and amplifying the learning already happening in their schools. It was a powerful reminder that school libraries have been quietly transforming for years.

Today’s librarians are not just caretakers of books or quiet spaces. They are system thinkers. They see every grade level, every subject, and often every student. They understand how learning connects across disciplines and where students need space to explore, tinker, and try things without the pressure of grades or testing.

At TCEA, librarians talked to us about makerspaces, STEM clubs, flexible scheduling, enrichment blocks, and project-based learning. Many of them are already running hands-on activities but are looking for ways to deepen the learning without adding complexity or prep. That’s where MindLabs clicked for them almost instantly.

Libraries are uniquely positioned for this kind of work. They are shared spaces, neutral spaces, and welcoming spaces. Students from different classrooms and grade levels come together there, often bringing different strengths and interests. That makes libraries a natural home for open-ended learning where collaboration, experimentation, and creativity matter.

One practical theme came up again and again in our conversations: time. Library sessions are often short. Groups rotate quickly. Setup and cleanup matter. Librarians were especially interested in learning experiences that let students jump in right away, explore meaningfully in the time they have, and wrap up without friction. Tools that respect those realities stood out immediately. It was clear that fit matters just as much as content in library spaces.

Several librarians shared something else that stuck with me. They are often asked to support STEM and innovation goals alongside classroom teachers, without being given traditional instructional time of their own. They build opportunities wherever they can, before school, after school, during class visits, or through clubs and special programs. It takes creativity, flexibility, and a deep belief in student potential.

Equity was also a frequent topic. Libraries are one of the few places in a school where every student has access. Librarians are thinking intentionally about tools and experiences that work for diverse learners, different reading levels, and a wide range of backgrounds. Their goal is not perfection. It’s participation.

What impressed me most was how future-focused these librarians were. They weren’t chasing trends. They were thinking about skills students need long term: problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and confidence. They understand that learning doesn’t only happen through worksheets or lectures. It happens when students are given permission to explore ideas and see themselves as capable thinkers.

None of this replaces the essential work happening in classrooms. Instead, libraries are becoming powerful extensions of it.

We don’t always talk enough about librarians in conversations around innovation and learning. But after TCEA, it’s clear they are already leading the way.

If you’re a librarian, teacher, or OST leader thinking about how to make hands-on learning work in short, flexible time blocks, we’d love to continue the conversation.

Sometimes the best ideas don’t need more time. They just need the right fit.