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Advocacy Brochure Series Helps School Librarians Speak to Stakeholders
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslissues/brochures/advocacybrochures.cfm
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) presents a new advocacy tool to help school librarians generate and guide discussion with stakeholders about quality school library programs. These were developed with a grant from Bound To Stay Books Foundation.

Advocacy Brochures for Administrators, Policymakers, Parents, and Teachers may be downloaded on 11”x17” or 8.5”x11” paper. As an added bonus, school librarians can customize their brochure for maximum impact. Another option is to order the desired brochures from the ALA store.

As a part of School Library Month, the AASL brochure, “School Library Programs Improve School Learning” was mailed to administrators. Check in with your principal and use the brochure as a discussion catalyst for how school libraries are key to learning.

RESOURCES you Need: AASL Toolkits

• Building Level Toolkit: Implementing AASL's Learning Standards and Program Guidelines in Your School Library   
• Crisis Toolkit
  
• Instructional Classification Toolkit School Librarians ARE EDUCATORS
  
• Parent Outreach Toolkit
  
• School Librarian's Role in Reading Toolkit  
  
• School Library Program Health and Wellness Toolkit
  

“Catch them being Good” is the idea behind this public librarian’s blog entry. Reward those who return library materials on time. Hmmmm….perhaps this would be an incentive for getting the books back as we near summer vacation - ?

EQUACC - ALA Task Force on Electronic Content This is a posting from ALA Connect by Chris Harris:

I know there is a lot of interest in the school library world about ebooks. There are also an awful lot of questions! I wish that I could say I come bearing answers, but really this issue is way too big and complicated for simple answers. There is, however, a new place for you to find resources and join in the ongoing discussion around the future of ebooks and other electronic content in our libraries. The ALA Presidential Task Force on Equitable Access to Electronic Content (EQUACC) is pleased to announce the launch of http://equacc.ala.org - your trusted resource for the latest news and developments from the EQUACC's ongoing work on electronic content and ebooks. I sit on the ALA Office of Information Technology Policy (OITP, part of ALA's Washington Office) Advisory Committee, and am representing them on the EQUACC task force as well as the OITP Ebook Task Force. Of course, I am also speaking to the needs and interests of school libraries on both of those groups. Current AASL Treasurer Floyd Pentlin is also representing AASL and school librarians on EQUACC. We invite you to stop by http://equacc.ala.org to see what the task force is working on and to join in the conversation. With the overwhelming attention given to the Harper Collins decision to limit ebook loans to 26 times, and all of the other issues focusing on the loaning of popular fiction ebooks in public libraries, it is critical
that school library needs are also clearly defined. I will be writing a short white paper for OITP to clarify concerns and needs in school libraries, but Floyd and I (and all of EQUACC) would welcome your further input and comments on the blog at http://equacc.ala.org and in the working forums there. I am on the licensing models sub-committee and Floyd is on PR. We will also be collaborating on a blog post for the EQUACC site in the next two weeks to highlight school issues, so feel free to email either of us if you have success stories or huge barriers to share!
Christopher Harris - Director, School Library System, Genesee Valley Educational Partnership - Le Roy, NY
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  

New School Library Action Figure?
http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/neverendingsearch/2011/04/12/meme-designing-the-new-action-figure/

Nancy Pearl Action Figure, roll over!  Joyce Valenza has her own ideas of what the School Librarian Action Figure should look like!

Student Video Contest Winners Announced
All contest entries can be seen via AASL’s SchoolTube channel: http://www.schooltube.com/user/aaslala

Elementary: “Digital Educators @ Wilentz Library”
Robert N. Wilentz School - Perth Amboy, New Jersey

Middle School: “Think, Create, Share & Grow the JMS Way”
Johnston Middle School - Houston, Texas

High School: “Learn to Grow @ the Library”
Avon High School - Avon, Indiana

AASL Distinguished School Administrators Award
Donna Haye, district assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for the Atlantic City (N.J.) Board of Education, has received the 2011 AASL Distinguished School Administrators Award. Haye has prioritized the hiring of a certified school librarian for every school. Read the press release:
http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/ala/aasls-distinguished-school-administrators-award-recipient-walked-her-talk-and-improved-stud

AASL Collaborative School Library Award
The “Medieval Narrative” project, planned and presented by the librarians and freshman/sophomore social studies team at Deerfield (Ill.) High School is the winner. Read the press release: http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/ala/exemplary-teacher-school-librarian-collaboration-wins-aasl-award

Improving literacy through school libraries: Our Authors, Our Advocates
ALA’s has launched a series of public service announcements featuring authors who uphold the importance of school libraries.
http://www.ilovelibraries.org/ourauthors/ourauthorsouradvocates/index.cfm

AASL Advocacy Tip of the Day
AASL members can have a Advocacy Tip of the Day delivered daily, weekly or monthly to an email account or mobile phone. The tips are wide-ranging but all point up ways to advocate for your program. MSLA has been featured, sharing things that we are doing in Massachusetts. What is working across the nation? Sign up today.