Climbing Together: Elevating School Libraries in the PNW
With Michelle Cottrell, Sarah Logan and Rachel Peters
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Join fellow school librarians from Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Oregon for an energizing half-day summit dedicated to elevating library programs to meet the demands of 21st-century learning. Designed for those who are climbing toward innovation and impact, the summit features librarian-tested strategies to engage readers in the digital age, a Q&A panel on grant writing, hands-on STEAM activities, and round table discussions focused on relevant, participant-selected topics. Attendees will leave with immediate takeaways and a collaborative network to champion their libraries.
School Librarians and School Library staff are the unsung superheroes of their schools, constantly adapting and innovating to inspire young learners despite shrinking budgets.
Sponsored by:
Empower your library with 21st-century strategies, collaboration, and inspiration.
Engaging Readers in the Digital Age
Roundtable Discussions With Other PNW School Librarians on Topics That You Choose
Funding Strategies to Get the Resources You Need
Quick and Easy STEAM Activities Aligned to Standards
Librarians, Power Up Your Practice—This Summit Is Your Launchpad for Hands-On Innovation and Real-World Impact!
How can a single teacher librarian foster a love of reading, support digital literacy, and create inclusive learning environments in their schools by themselves?
They can’t!
That is where NCCE’s Teacher Librarian Summit can help!
Summit Speakers
Join Michelle Cottrell, Sarah Logan and Rachel Peters as they celebrate your superpowers and equip you with new tools and strategies for your librarian toolbox.
Michelle Cottrell
Michelle Cottrell – District Media Specialist, Lincoln County School District
- 2025 OASL District Teacher-Librarian of the Year
Michelle Cottrell is the District Media Specialist for Lincoln County School District on the Oregon Coast. Beginning her career as a Media Assistant in an elementary library a decade ago, Michelle returned to school to pursue her degree and, in 2022, stepped into her dream job as the District Media Specialist. She was honored as the 2025 OASL District Teacher-Librarian of the Year and was one of the recipients of the 2024 LCSD Superintendent’s Award for Supporting Every Child, Every Day.
Michelle has been active in the Oregon Association of School Libraries (OASL), serving on the Annual Conference Committee in both 2023 and 2024, and proudly hosted the 2023 conference at Taft High School. She also serves on the Newport Public Library Advisory Committee and the Lincoln County District Library Budget Committee, further demonstrating her commitment to community literacy and library advocacy.
A passionate advocate for literacy and lifelong learning, Michelle has attended NCCE three times and credits both NCCE and ISTE with deepening her understanding of educational technology and its effective integration in schools. Michelle is excited and grateful to serve on the NCCE 26 Conference Program Advisory Committee and looks forward to supporting such a vital and forward-thinking organization.
Sarah Logan
Sarah Logan – Teacher Librarian, Skyridge Middle School
- Washington Library Association’s 2024 Elementary Teacher-Librarian of the Year
Sarah Logan is the Teacher-Librarian at Skyridge Middle School in Camas, Washington. She was the Washington Library Association School Library Division’s Elementary Teacher-Librarian of the Year award for 2024 and the 2024 WLA Board President. She is also the recipient of an AASL Toor Scholarship for Strong Public School Libraries this year.
A passionate advocate for access to quality school library programs, Sarah is instrumental in the #K12Librarians4AllWA campaign, which seeks to increase the number of Teacher-Librarians in Washington’s K-12 public schools. She also helped found OLLI, the Olympic Library Leadership Incubator, a leadership training program for Teacher-Librarians in Washington state.
Sarah was the Teacher-Librarian at Dorothy Fox Elementary in Camas from 2015-2024. Prior to that, she was the Teacher-Librarian at Lynbrook High School in San Jose. She earned her MLIS from San Jose State University’s iSchool in 2012.
Rachel Peters
Rachel Peters – Library Information Specialist, Hutton Elementary School
- NCCE 2025 Teacher Librarian of the Year
Rachel Peters is the Library Information Specialist at Hutton Elementary in Spokane, Washington. A dedicated educator and library advocate, Rachel was named the 2025 Librarian of the Year by the Northwest Council for Computer Education (NCCE), is a past recipient of the Fred Gilbert Award for Excellence in Teaching and is the incoming Chair of the Washington Library Association’s School Library Division.
With a career spanning over two decades in both public and private education, Rachel has served as a classroom teacher, English instructor, and university adjunct professor. She brings a dynamic approach to digital citizenship and media literacy, actively contributing to the OSPI Media Literacy/Digital Citizenship Ambassadors program and the Olympic Library Leadership Incubator (OLLI). She is also a current Educator Fellow with the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public, where she collaborates with educators to promote media literacy and combat online misinformation in K–12 education.
As a lead Facilitator-in-Training with Code.org, Rachel supports the implementation of computer science fundamentals across Washington state. She holds National Board Certification as a Library Media Specialist and earned her School Library Professional certification from the University of Washington iSchool.
Her innovative teaching has been recognized with multiple grants and honors, including awards from the Spokane Public Schools Foundation, the Northeast Washington Education Council, the Fulbright Memorial Fund in Japan, and the Earthwatch Fellowship in Vietnam.
A passionate champion for student access to cutting-edge tools and inquiry-based learning, Rachel continues to explore the intersections of technology, media literacy, and global education to inspire the next generation of thinkers.