After 13 years as a middle school language arts teacher, the author earned a second Master's degree to become a licensed preK-12 school librarian. She made the transition to the position of K-8 school librarian, then eventually transitioned to the position of head librarian at the local high school. She found herself challenged to create, collaborate, develop, and implement innovative ways of managing a 21st-century space and was determined to make the school's library a model learning hub within the district. With open source materials available via the Internet, she promoted project-based learning experiences in which students applied information in products they helped to co-create. Student community service projects were designed to effect change locally and globally. Students gained soft skills that allowed them to empathize--not just sympathize--with community citizens and take action. This experience has helped the author to expand her role from one of merely showing students problems and possible solutions to demonstrating the importance of gaining and using knowledge to empower communities.