Building lifelong networks
School librarianship professor helps students establish networks for success
An experienced librarian and associate professor in Longwood University’s School Librarianship M.Ed. program, Carl Harvey has spent more than 30 years actively engaging in state and national professional organizations. He knows firsthand that these networks have the power to transform a career.
“I joined the Association for Indiana Media Educators when I was a freshman in college,” Harvey said. “It has been a critical part of the evolution of my career in school libraries.”
Three decades later, as the author of eight professional books and more than 70 journal articles, Harvey will assume the role of Virginia Association of School Librarians (VAASL) president in November 2024.
“Professional organizations have been a critical part of the evolution of my career in school libraries,” he said. “I have made such great friendships with school librarians all over the country. They were there when I needed help, needed advice, needed to celebrate, and needed to commiserate.”
Today, as Harvey guides Longwood graduate students in their journey toward a Master of Education in School Librarianship degree, he emphasizes the importance of building these same types of connections — ones that will eventually fuel students’ careers. The design of Longwood’s innovative hybrid program — in which faculty travel to school districts across Virginia to conduct in-person Saturday classes — is key to achieving this goal, creating lasting cohorts of students who stay connected long after their classes end.
“By traveling out to the various sites, we pull students together,” Harvey said. “They get to know not only us, but each other in those face-to-face sessions. So they have an automatic network of colleagues they can rely on when they become school librarians.”
This focus on nurturing community has led to the development of an extensive alumni network. Many former students are now members of the VAASL Board and various committees, and some have even served on the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Board of Directors.
“School librarians need a place to share, to learn, to grow, and to evolve in the field after they graduate,” said Harvey. “VAASL And AASL are a great place to do that.”
Harvey’s own career trajectory illustrates the impact of such involvement. While serving as AASL president from 2011 to 2012, he connected with Longwood professor Dr. Audrey Church. When a position at Longwood became available, he applied, eventually transitioning from Indiana — where he had spent 17 years building a nationally recognized elementary library program — to Virginia.
Since joining Longwood in 2015, Harvey has dedicated himself to modeling for students how to build a strong school library community alongside a robust professional network. Currently pursuing his doctorate in education, focusing on instructional design, his studies have honed in on how students in school librarian preparation programs transfer knowledge into practice. Additionally, he recently took on the role of assistant director for graduate faculty enrichment at Longwood’s Center for Faculty Enrichment (CAFE), working to support other Longwood faculty in their own teaching, research and leadership.
His influence has further solidified Longwood's school librarianship program — and the university itself — as a leader in cultivating professional networks.
“While you are one librarian, sometimes two, in a school, you have a network for life to rely on with your Longwood friends,” he said. “We’ll be here. Your cohort friends will be here. Your VAASL friends will be here. And the school librarians in your school division will all be here to support you.”