National Literacy Month Bonus: The 21st Century School Library with Ryan Tahmaseb

Today we're revisiting a conversation with Ryan Bani Tahmaseb, originally published in October 2022. We discuss his book The 21st Century School Library: A model for innovative teaching & learning.

This episode is being republished as part of the National Literacy Month campaign, presented in partnership by the Be Podcast Network and Reading Is Fundamental. 

The episode covers:
  • How administrators and teachers can lean on the library to support teaching, learning, and innovation
  • The modern role of a school librarian – and what is still misunderstood
  • How librarians can be a valuable resource to new teachers
  • The benefits of engaging students in hands-on learning
  • How to “revitalize research” so students can develop original work that shows their learning
  • Balancing free exploration with important lessons on information literacy and digital literacy
  • The librarian’s role in supporting inclusivity
The 21st Century School Library is available from John Catt Educational

Subscribe to The Authority to get more deep-dive interviews with education authors. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. Visit https://bepodcast.network to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators or head to https://www.rif.org to get involved with Reading Is Fundamental. 

About today’s guest
Ryan Tahmaseb is the Director of Library Services at the Meadowbrook School in Weston, Massachusetts. In addition to writing about education in publications such as Edutopia and Education Week, he also writes short fiction and poetry, with work appearing in journals such as the Carolina Quarterly. Connect on Twitter @RyanTahmaseb

About the host
Ross Romano is co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K–12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on Twitter @RossBRomano and LinkedIn

We’re thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

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  • Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
  • Improve student performance on state assessments
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Creators and Guests

Ross Romano
Host
Ross Romano
Co-founder of Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies. Strategist, consultant, and performance coach.
Ryan Bani Tahmaseb
Guest
Ryan Bani Tahmaseb
Educator. Author: PERSIAN MYTHOLOGY (Running Press Kids, 2025). ROSTAM’S PICTURE-DAY PUSTEEN (@Charlesbridge, 2024). Rep’d by @Jacqui_Lipton
National Literacy Month Bonus: The 21st Century School Library with Ryan Tahmaseb