Panel Libraries without walls: Reinventing the Heart of the School with Jeremy Willette, Stacy Stephens, Jean-Pierre Adamson, Julia Besnard & Marianne Grasso

In this episode of Education Vanguard, as part of the 21CLHK Panel podcast takeover, Jeremy Willette leads a panel conversation with Stacy Stephens, Jean-Pierre Adamson, Julia Besnard, and Marianne Grasso on the evolving role of school libraries and what it means to place them at the heart of learning. Together, they explore how libraries create spaces for belonging, curiosity, student agency, research, collaboration, and community connection. The conversation moves beyond the traditional view of libraries as quiet rooms filled with books and looks at how they can become active, strategic hubs for inquiry, innovation, literacy, leadership, and whole-school growth.The panel also reflects on the role of school leaders in supporting libraries, from being present and understanding the work of librarians to protecting collaboration time and involving librarians in curriculum, school design, and integrated learning projects.This episode invites educators and leaders to rethink the library not just as a space, but as a powerful force for student learning, community, and school-wide transformation.