Branding has come up recently in education, largely due to the April publication of a book written by Eric Sheninger and Trish Rubin called BrandED: Tell Your Story, Build Relationships, and Empower Learning. I have long been fascinated by brands and branding, perhaps driven by the time I spent working as a librarian at an advertising agency and later at a big pharmaceutical and consumer goods company. I love the idea of bringing branding into schools and building a professional brand. And, I find it makes such logical sense as the director of a library program because our goals so closely align with the purpose of branding: We need to share our library story, communicate our messaging, and build relationships.

Teacher Appreciation Week is almost upon us (many of the schools in our district are celebrating this week, although nationally it is May 8-12 this year). In any event, that means it's time for a Shout-out Challenge. We've put together five simple ways to give your colleagues a shout-out (one for each day of the work week). Maybe your fellow educators keep you sane in tough times, Maybe you feed off their positive energy. Maybe they share lessons and strategies with you. Whatever the reason, it's important to take time to thank our coworkers and this week offers the perfect opportunity. I know that I get so busy (like the rest of you) that I often don't get around to thanking the people who mean the most. So here's a step by step challenge for giving shout-outs - one shout out for each workday (even if you can't do something everyday - pick at least one shout-out and run with it). Join the Challenge. Spread the word and Share the love. Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!