Library Lady’s K-12 Edition is a mostly weekly newsletter for K-12 school librarians. Today’s topic is — Honoring International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Links in this post may be affiliate links. Purchases made using these links will not cost you more but may pay me an affiliate fee.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and related sites. Thank you for using my links.
Is there a topic you’d like to see me feature on my blog or email? Send me a note and let me know.
Tips from Library Lady
Honoring International Holocaust Remembrance Day – January 27
On January 27, the world observes International Holocaust Remembrance Day—a time to honor the memory of the six million Jews and millions of others who were persecuted during the Holocaust. For school librarians, it’s an opportunity to help students reflect on history, empathy, and moral courage through literature and discussion. Thoughtful displays, sensitive teaching moments, and survivor stories can help ensure these lessons are never forgotten.
📚 Library Display Ideas
1. “Remembering Through Stories” Display:
Feature age-appropriate books from your Holocaust collection—pair Number the Stars or The Diary of Anne Frank with nonfiction and survivor biographies. Use candles, white paper butterflies, or symbolic stones as simple visual accents to convey remembrance and hope.
2. “Voices That Must Be Heard” Exhibit:
Create a display of quotations from Holocaust survivors and rescuers. For older students, include QR codes linking to brief video clips from oral history archives (such as the USC Shoah Foundation).
3. “Choosing Kindness” Corner:
Pair Holocaust titles with modern stories about standing up to injustice (The Hate U Give, Refugee, or The Boy at the Back of the Class). Emphasize how remembrance connects to today’s lessons on empathy, tolerance, and social responsibility.
🕊️ Classroom and Schoolwide Tie-Ins
🌍 Elementary:
- Read The Whispering Town or Number the Stars and discuss the idea of courage.
- Have students create “Lights of Hope” paper candles, each labeled with an act of kindness they can do in their own lives.
✡️ Middle School:
- After reading excerpts from The Diary of Anne Frank, hold a reflection circle where students share a quote or passage that inspired them.
- Use maps or timelines to visualize key events of the Holocaust, helping students understand the historical context.
🎓 High School:
- Encourage students to read survivor testimonies (written or video) and create short essays, poems, or artwork reflecting on what remembrance means to them.
- Partner with social studies teachers to explore primary sources or museum archives digitally.
Remembering the Holocaust is not only about looking back—it’s about shaping the world we build today. When students read survivor stories, discuss moral courage, or create small acts of kindness, they carry forward the message that remembrance inspires hope, compassion, and change.
January Celebrations
Winnie-the-Pooh book list
Here’s a list of Hobby Books
Find 100 Day of School books here.
Holocaust Book List
| Need to do some fundraising for your library? Here are some posts on my blog which describe my fundraising camps. |
Author Birthdays
| Date | Author | Notable Works |
| Jan 2 | Isaac Asimov | I, Robot, Foundation |
| Jan 12 | Jack London | Call of the Wild, White Fang |
| Jan 17 | Anne Brontë | Agnes Grey, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall |
| Jan 18 | A.A. Milne | Winnie-the-Pooh |
| Jan 19 | Edgar Allan Poe | The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven |
| Jan 25 | Virginia Woolf | Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse |
| Jan 27 | Lewis Carroll | Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland |
Recent Adult Book Reviews
Spotlight – The Search for the Shadow Cat – fantasy
Recent YA Book Reviews
YA Review – The Unending Light – young adult fantasy
Recent MS Book Reviews
MS Review – Titus and the Christian Coin – historical fiction
Recent Kid Book Reviews
Kid Review – When I Feel Lonely – picture book
Kid Review – Abigail and the Waterfall – picture book
Items in my Shop
Cute animals with books – stickers, shirts and more in my Redbubble Shop
What I’m Checking Out
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM)
Comprehensive educator resources, lesson plans, and virtual exhibits suitable for different age levels.
Yad Vashem – The World Holocaust Remembrance Center
Offers online teaching units, survivor stories, and videos—excellent for integrating remembrance into history or language arts classes.
USC Shoah Foundation – IWitness
A powerful video archive of survivor testimonies, searchable by topic and grade level, with ready-to-use classroom activities.
Echoes & Reflections
Provides lesson plans and multimedia tools for middle and high school educators focusing on empathy, critical thinking, and moral responsibility.
Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (UK)
Contains printable posters, assembly scripts, and short films that can be adapted for U.S. classrooms and libraries.
26 Wonderful Winter Writing Prompts and ELA Activities for All Ages
Some things that might interest you
📚 Tools for School Librarians 📚
As librarians, we’re always looking for creative ways to engage students and enhance programming. These tools are easy to use. Explore them today and see how they might fit into your toolkit. These were created by a friend of mine and have great potential for helping you in your library programing.
Canva Template Creators GPT Bundle – Coupon code gpt10 to save $10
Planner Creators GPT Bundle – Coupon code gpt10 to save $10
Imagination Station 1 – Coloring, Learning & Fun for Kids these GPTs
The Idea To Income GPT Bundle
A side hustle for you – Living Room Side Hustle
Authors and librarians, would you like to have a post on this blog?
I’d like to add a couple of features to my blog in the coming months and I’d like your help. I am looking for school librarians interested in being interviewed on the blog. I am also looking for librarians and children’s or young adult authors to do guest posts on the blog. Click on the links below to fill out a survey.
Is there a way I can help you? Drop a note in the comments or shoot me an email, I’d love to help.
See you next week.
Jane (Library Lady)
Miss an Edition of K-12 Edition – find them here.
If you’d like to receive K-12 Edition in your inbox – sign up here. You will also receive my book evaluation check list as a gift.
Do you enjoy these posts? Hit the like button and help others find it.
Check out my lists on Benable
Want to help support this blog? You can leave a tip here. Or make any purchase on Amazon with my link.
