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Friday, December 4, 2026 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST
Reading Culture 101: 4 Foundations for Stronger School Communities
Presented by Gretchen Williams, Experienced Educator, Library Media Specialist, Bullitt County Schools (KY); Liz Fambrough, Experienced Educator, Library Media Coordinator, Brazosport Independent School District (TX); Jennifer Fisher, Experienced Educator, Library Assistant, Berkeley County Schools (SC); and Hugh Burke, M.Ed., Former Educator, Current School Success Manager, Joyful Reading Company
Sponsored by Joyful Reading Company
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
How can schools create enthusiasm for reading and build on that momentum to make reading part of everyday school life?
Join school and district leaders from across the country for a conversation about how to help more students find books they love, make time for reading, and feel part of a reading community. This edLeader Panel will explore four foundations of a strong reading culture: opportunity, choice, community, and celebration.
Panelists will share experiences from their own school and district settings, including where they started, what gained traction, and what needed adjustment. Together, we’ll explore ways to support student choice, build shared ownership among educators and librarians, celebrate participation and progress, and reach students who may not yet see themselves as readers.
In this edLeader Panel, attendees will:
- Discover four foundations of a strong reading culture
- Assess strengths and opportunities in their schools
- Explore strategies to boost and sustain engagement
- Identify one action to take in the next 30 days
Attendees will leave with practical ideas, the Reading Culture 101 Guide, and achievable next steps to bring back to their school or district. This edLeader Panel is designed for K–12 educators, school librarians, and school and district leaders.
About the Presenters
Gretchen Williams is the Library Media Specialist for Mt. Washington Middle School, located in Bullitt County, Kentucky. The school serves around 515 students, while the district serves a little over 11,000 students across 22 schools. Gretchen serves as a liaison between each school's LMS and the district administration for library services and programs such as Beanstack used in BCPS schools.
Liz Fambrough serves as the Library Media Coordinator for Brazosport ISD and the Librarian at Brazoswood High School, bringing more than 25 years of experience in education. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston and her master’s in library and information science from the University of North Texas. Liz loves collaborating with teachers and librarians to create engaging, student-centered learning experiences. Liz's passion is building a culture of literacy across her schools and community by connecting readers with books, empowering educators, and making the libraries welcoming places for learning and discovery.
Jennifer Fisher is a Library Assistant at Marrington Middle School of the Arts in the Berkeley County School District. She’s been part of the school since 2021 and loves helping students discover new books, grow their love of reading, and feel welcome in the library. Jennifer helps coordinate reading programs such as Beanstack and the South Carolina Junior Book Awards, as well as library activities and events. She enjoys finding fun and creative ways to get students excited about reading and help them find books they love.
Hugh Burke, M.Ed., is a School Success Manager at Joyful Reading Company, a Texas native, and a 16-year veteran of Texas public schools, with experience from the classroom and instructional coaching to the assistant principal's office. He is a rancher-turned-writer, family man, and avid reader, and can usually be found scouting for Swamp Thing rarities, niche secondhand books, or great baseball games. He enjoys helping schools win, one book at a time.
Join the Be a Literacy Hero community to network with educators, participate in online discussions, receive invitations to upcoming edWebinars, and view recordings of previous programs to earn CE certificates.
Learn more about earning a CE certificate and our accessibility features.
The new Joyful Reading Company brings together Beanstack, the leading reading engagement platform, the Reading Motivation Index (RMI), an easy way to measure progress, and Comics Plus, the premier digital comics and graphic novel provider, to help libraries and schools expand access, increase reading engagement, demonstrate measurable impact, and create a world filled with joyful readers.
