Erin Oliver - Library and Innovation Center Portfolio

School libraries don’t operate in perfect conditions. Spaces change. Schedules shift. Building needs evolve. What should never change is student access to reading, instruction, and support.

When circumstances require a pivot, my mindset is always solutions-based. I focus on protecting access, supporting teachers and administrators, and redesigning systems quickly and thoughtfully. Flexibility, to me, is not about reacting or improvising. It is about strong professional judgment, clear decision-making, and effective execution.

Across my career, I have consistently redesigned library services to meet changing conditions without pausing instruction or limiting opportunity. Whether responding to immediate needs or planning for long-term change, I approach challenges with the same goal in mind: ensuring the library remains a reliable, high-impact hub for literacy, learning, and connection.

This ability to pivot, problem-solve, and follow through is central to my professional practice. It shapes how I design programs, how I collaborate with colleagues, and how I lead a library that is built to adapt while staying grounded in best practice.

Pivot #1: Protecting Access During Testing

(Short-Term Hybrid Library Model)

During a two-week testing window, the library space was identified as the most appropriate location to support large-scale testing for our English Language Learner population. Rather than limiting library services or closing the space, I redesigned library operations into a short-term hybrid model that balanced testing needs with continued student access.

This pivot prioritized equity and continuity. Students retained access to books, literacy challenges, and instructional support while the library functioned as a testing space. Instead of asking teachers or students to adjust to reduced services, I shifted delivery: book collection and distribution moved into ELA classrooms, instructional support became mobile, and Google Classroom served as the central hub for communication, resources, and access to Destiny.

The hybrid model ensured that reading momentum and literacy programming continued without interruption. Makerspace incentives remained in place, students could still request and receive books, and teachers maintained instructional support during a high-demand testing window. The space changed, but the service did not.

This approach allowed the building to meet critical testing needs while preserving the library’s role as a reliable, student-centered resource. It reflects my commitment to solutions-based leadership, clear execution, and protecting access—especially when conditions require quick, thoughtful decisions.

Student-facing Hybrid Library Services slide deck
Teacher and administrator communication outlining hybrid procedures

Pivot #2: Building Systems During COVID

(Hybrid Instruction, Car-Loop Circulation, and Student Independence)

When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional instruction and access to school spaces, the library program shifted quickly to a hybrid service model designed to preserve reading access and instructional continuity. Rather than pausing circulation, I redesigned library systems to function beyond the physical space.

Students learned to navigate Destiny independently, search the catalog, and place holds for books they wanted to read. Materials were checked out and returned through a structured car-loop process, allowing library services to continue safely and consistently. Over time, students became confident, self-directed users of the library system, building digital literacy skills that extended well beyond the pandemic.

In response to a building-level instructional need, I also pivoted into a hybrid 7th-grade ELA teaching role while maintaining library services. This experience strengthened my approach to flexible scheduling, instructional design, and cross-role collaboration, reinforcing the importance of adaptable systems that support students and staff during periods of rapid change.

Pivot #3: Planning for Change at Scale

(School Reconfiguration and Two-Building Library Design)

As the district prepares for school reconfiguration, I am proactively redesigning library services to support two distinct learning communities: a sixth-grade center and a combined seventh- and eighth-grade middle school. Rather than viewing this transition as a logistical challenge, I am approaching it as an opportunity to intentionally align collections, furniture, and programming to meet the specific developmental and instructional needs of each building.

This planning includes thoughtful distribution of the library collection, strategic relocation of furniture, and the design of focused programming that maintains continuity while allowing each space to function with purpose. Decisions are grounded in best-practice library design, student access, and long-term sustainability.

By planning ahead and executing with clarity, this pivot ensures that library services remain cohesive, student-centered, and effective across both buildings. It reflects my commitment to stewardship, scalability, and building library programs that are designed to adapt while maintaining a strong instructional identity.