Dear AASL Affiliate Assembly delegates,
AASL made several AASL Standards-related announcements during the Affiliate Assembly meeting on Saturday at the ALA Midwinter in Denver. Below is a summary of those announcements with links for your convenience. Please share this information with your organization leadership and members who need to know.
Webinar on Affiliate Plans
On March 20th Mary Keeling and Sara Kelly Johns will conduct a webinar about what the AASL Affiliate state organizations are doing to help their members learn and implement the National School Library Standards. One of the learning goals is to examine several PD plans developed for different conditions, such as summer institutes, annual conferences, and other state initiatives.
To represent your work accurately, we need your help!
- First, we need information about your plans. You can help us collect that information by filling out this survey: https://tinyurl.com/AASL-Affiliate-NSLS-Plans. Any information we receive by March 9th will be included in the webinar.
- Another way you can help is by offering to be a panelist in the webinar. Other state leaders can learn from you, as you share how you crafted a professional development plan for your state’s school librarians. If you are interested in participating as a panelist, let us know in the survey.
AASL is always interested to see and share excellent models of professional development being conducted by our state affiliates. Even after the March webinar has passed, please continue to revisit the survey periodically and share your models with us!
Affiliate Events
Standards Pre-Order Process—AASL is pleased to offer AASL Affiliate state organizations the opportunity to coordinate pre-orders of the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries for their state conference attendees. Because you are an AASL Affiliate Organization, the AASL member price of $99, is being extended to your affiliate members. Please contact Stephanie Book at sbook@ala.org or 312-280-4389, with any questions or to acquire official forms and instructions.
Calendar of Events—Let AASL know about your standards-focused events and professional development opportunities (virtual, chats, and face-to-face) for inclusion in the AASL Standards community calendar. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click “Submit Now” to share your event details with AASL: http://standards.aasl.org/calendar
National School Library Standards Card Game
Added to the AASL Standards web portal by popular demand—download the National School Library Standards Card Game that was played during the Affiliate 1.5-day preconference at the AASL National Conference in Phoenix! This game was designed to aid in conceptualizing the standards, developing implementation strategies, considering differing approaches with stakeholders, and promoting conversation among practitioners.
Possible ways to use the game include but are not limited to:
- Affiliate state workshops
- District In-Service Days
- Educator-Team Brainstorming
- Library Science Courses
- Personal Self Reflection
Download, print, and cut your own game deck, and game-play instructions. Or coming soon (late spring/early summer) the complete game deck will be available in the ALA Store for purchase.
Every Standard Tells A Story Campaign
As school librarians, you know that great stories are not just heard but experienced, and they have the potential to change conversation. AASL’s launching this month the Every Standard Tells A Story campaign—a growing collection of examples of how school libraries are transforming teaching and learning for real people in real places. It is also an illustration for school librarians of the many things you already do every day that meet the National School Library Standards.
Join the campaign by recording and sharing your own stories:
- Record your story.
- Keep it brief: 60-90 seconds.
- Use the branded slides to add to your video.
- Upload it to your YouTube account.
- Finally, add it to AASL’s Every Standard Tells A Story playlist.
Videos on the AASL Standards Web Portal
Standards Launch Video
AASL launched a new video this month highlighting interviews with school librarians at the AASL National Conference and Exhibition in Phoenix reacting to the National School Library Standards as they prepare to share and implement the new standards with their local communities. You are likely to see some familiar faces from the Affiliate 1.5-day preconference in this video!
Are you looking for some engaging video content to play at your next conference or professional development event? Consider using any of the videos AASL has provided through the AASL Standards web portal at standards.aasl.org!
- Standards Launch Video
- Evolved and Familiar
- Standards Structure
- Students Interpret the Standards
- Every Standard Tells A Story
Newsletter Blurbs
AASL has developed a small library of brief AASL Standards-focused newsletter materials that can be used by AASL Affiliate state organizations, district professional development coordinators, LIS department chairs, and other school librarians looking for content to republish in their newsletters and communications for professional development. Providing fresh and relevant professional writings on a regular basis to your readers can be tough. This library will be updated or added to periodically.
Thank you!