Episode 19: Keira's Closet with Margie Longoria

A student walked into the library and asked if she could set up a hygiene closet for her Eagle Scout project. Four years later, it's still open...and it's still named after her.

In this episode of The Library Stage, Amanda Hunt welcomes Margie Longoria, high school librarian at Mission High School in the Rio Grande Valley, editor of Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America, and founder of the Border Book Bash.

Margie said yes without fully understanding what she was saying yes to. Four years on it's closer to a small store: spirit shirts collected from graduating seniors and washed, then clothes, shoes, jackets, prom dresses, suits. When a student's family lost their house to a fire, she sent them off with everything they needed to get through a hotel stay.

Her framing is the part worth carrying: it's a kindness closet. An empathy closet. Somewhere a kid learns that someone did something for them, and maybe, later, does something for someone else.

Pillar: 🩵 Discovery

💡 Steal-this-idea: Ask your people. Margie's entire supply chain is a Facebook post to friends, former students, and community members — most of whom want to help and just don't know what's needed. Be specific about what you're short on, and say it out loud more than once.

🎬 CURTAIN CALL — this week's rapid-fire recs: 📖 Book: Living Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America

⚒️ Edtech tool: How to Make an Amazon Wishlist

Follow Margie: 📱 Instagram: @margiesmustreads — she's happy to answer questions or send photos of the closet setup

Think your library story belongs on the stage? Pitch your talk: thenextgenlib@gmail.com

Hosted by Amanda Hunt, MLS (@TheNextGenLibrarian) 🌐 thenextgenlibrarian.com

#TheLibraryStage #TakeTheStage #SchoolLibrarians #HighSchoolLibrary #CommunityCloset #StudentNeeds #LibraryAdvocacy #SchoolLibrary #TeacherLibrarian #RGV #TLA #TxASL

The Library Stage is an independent podcast, not affiliated with TED Conferences LLC.