| | | AASL empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning. | | | | | Dawkins elected as 2026-2027 AASL President AASL has announced the results of its 2025 election. Members elected April Dawkins, Assistant Professor for Information, Library, and Research Sciences in the School of Education, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, as the 2025-2026 President-Elect. She will serve as the AASL President during the 2026-2027 term and immediate Past President in 2027-2028. A complete list of newly elected positions may be found on the AASL website. | | Jason Skiba receives AASL Distinguished School Administrator Award Jason Skiba, Principal at Allen Park High School, is the recipient of the 2025 AASL Distinguished School Administrator Award. Sponsored by ProQuest, the $2,000 award recognizes and honors a school administrator who has made worthy contributions to the operations of exemplary school libraries and to advancing the role of the school library in the educational program. | | "Cranford Dixie Giants" receives AASL Roald Dahl's Miss Honey Social Justice Award The "Cranford Dixie Giants" project from Cranford High School in Cranford, New Jersey, is the recipient of the 2025 AASL Roald Dahl's Miss Honey Social Justice Award. Sponsored by Penguin Random House, this Award recognizes collaboration between school librarians and teachers in the instruction of social justice using school library resources. | You're Invited: Annual AASL Membership Meeting AASL will hold its annual virtual membership meeting on Thursday, May 15, at 6:00 p.m. Central. The annual membership meeting provides a "state of the association" update from leadership. During the event, AASL President Becky Calzada will hold an open conversation on the association's initiatives, programs, recognitions, and financial standing. AASL Connect & Collect: Add Some Nonfiction Gems to Your Collection At 6:30 p.m. on May 15, connect with other school librarians and collect titles for your school library! This informal discussion will help build your collection based on the advice of the best reviewers – your peers! Bring some nonfiction recommendations to share and be ready to take back a list of new titles for your school library. AASL Opens Distinguished Service Award Nominations AASL is pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the esteemed AASL Distinguished Service Award. This prestigious honor recognizes an individual within the library profession who has demonstrated exceptional national contributions to advancing school librarianship and school library development over a sustained period. The award recipient will receive a $1,000 cash prize, complimentary registration for the AASL National Conference, and a three-night stay at the conference hotel. Eligible individuals are encouraged to submit their applications via the AASL website, www.ala.org/aasl/awards/service. The submission deadline is May 31, 2025. Applications received after this date will not be considered. | Teen-Friendly School Library Spaces and Services Published by AASL and ALA Editions, "Growing Teen Engagement: Strategies to Captivate Secondary Learners" is your essential resource for transforming your secondary school library into a thriving, learner-centered community. You can ensure that your school library is a place where teens feel seen, heard, and inspired. Whether you're looking to inspire creativity, encourage teamwork, or build emotional resilience, Jessica Fitzpatrick's book gives you the tools to create a school library that supports the full spectrum of teen development. | | | | | The Second Edition Debuts in St. Louis! Be among the first to experience the newly released Second Edition of the "National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries" at AASL25! Dive into expert-led sessions and events hosted by the AASL Standards Committee. Visit the conference bookstore to grab your copy-purchase orders are welcome, making it easy to access member pricing and no shipping fees with eligible school PD funds. While you're there, enter the daily drawing for a chance to win exciting bookstore prizes-including a free copy of the second edition, awarded to one lucky attendee each day! | | Save $60 on AASL National Conference Registration Register today to attend three days packed with education, networking, and new discoveries surrounded by other school librarians from across the country. Highlights include keynotes, 140+ sessions including author panels and research presentations, IdeaLab and Posters, 100+ exhibitors, and endless networking opportunities. Use promo code AASL60 before April 30 and save $60 on full conference registration! | Southwest Is a Preferred Carrier for AASL25 You can now save on airfareby flying Southwest! Eligible travelers attending AASL25 can take advantage of discounted fares when traveling to/from St. Louis. | | | Shannon Bailey receives AASL Frances Henne Award Shannon Bailey, school librarian at Manchester High School in Midlothian, Virginia, is the recipient of the 2025 AASL Frances Henne Award. Sponsored by Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited, the $1,250 award recognizes a school librarian with five years or less experience who demonstrates leadership qualities with students, teachers, and administrators. The award will enable Bailey to attend an AASL National Conference for the first time. | Becky Calzada, Elizabeth Burns, Fawzia Gilani-Williams, and Cherity Pennington Present at Inaugural ALA Sharjah School Librarians Conference Submit a Member Spotlight or Member Current for the next issue of AASL Digest. | AASL Chapter News & Events | | | Free Children's Book Week Resources The team at Every Child a Reader is so excited to share this year's crop of fun, free resources for readers of all ages to use across the country. An Ocean of Stories is this year's theme and, in that spirit, Every Child a Reader brings you all-new resources from 22 authors and illustrators this year! Check out story starters and poems/riddles in addition to illustrator-created bookmarks and activity pages, new promotional materials, and the Story Ocean Club. Anna Dewdney Read-Together Award: Live Read-Aloud Event The Children's Book Council, and Every Child a Reader are excited to invite you to a live read-aloud event at 12:30 p.m. Central on May 7 where Kelly Starling Lyons and Tonya Engel, winners of the 9th Annual Dewdney Read-Together Award, will read their winning book. 2025 also marks the 20th anniversary of Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama Red Pajama. Her daughters, Berol and Cordelia Dewdney, will join this year's live event for a special read-aloud of this classic title. Keep Kids Reading This Summer with AASL and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF)! The summer months are a critical time for families to support their children's reading engagement and ensure they don't experience the unfortunate 'summer slide' where students lose months of learning when out of school. AASL is a partner in Reading Is Fundamental's (RIF) Summer Reading Camp this year, offering resources to keep children reading and active all summer long with. This FREE, annual summer reading program empowers families with fun, ready-to-use book lists and related activities to help their children be inspired to read by making reading a part of everyday summer fun. - For a brief overview of the Summer Reading Camp Initiative for Librarians click here.
- For a brief letter (in English and Spanish) to families sharing the free RIF Summer Reading Camp resources click here.
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