School Libraries

Los Angeles Public School District (LAUSD) recently passed a $6.64 billion dollar budget, the largest budget since LAUSD's 2008 slashing of jobs, services, and programs. The budget is anticipated to not only restore school library services to every elementary and middle school, but also "more than double the number of new teachers to 1,200, increase librarians, nurses, and counselors, reduce class sizes, increase tutoring, and improve parent education efforts."

On Saturday, two hard-working AASL committees presented juried lists of resources. While I try my best to keep up with this stuff, these two darn committees just filled my summer with new explorations. I take that back.  They’ve actually significantly narrowed the field by pointing to the learning tools most worthy of exploring and integrating [...]

In August 2013, the Vermont School Library Association discovered the requirement for their jobs was being removed from the language of the state's Education Quality Standards. In response, school, university, public, and state librarians campaigned to become a requirement in state standards once again—and won.

After years of budget cuts that eliminated full-time school library media specialist positions, DC Public Schools (DCPS) fiscal year 2014 budget has allotted an increase in budget for full-time library media specialists; DCPS is currently in the process of hiring as many as 30 media specialists for 2014-2015.

Modesto City Schools (MCS) is set to end all library instruction for its elementary schools for the 2014-2015 school year—while keeping the school library open with library assistants.

Virginia middle school librarian Lauren McBride presents some must-have links and resources for librarians looking to hone their social media expertise. An expert in social media, McBride maintains her school's Twitter page, participates in a weekly Twitter chat hosted by the Virginia Association of School Librarians, and next month will lead a professional development "Boot Camp" session for Virginia's Loudoun County Public School librarians on how to use Twitter.

Michelle Luhtala suggests we judge millennials unfairly. Are they really coddled or are they resourceful?  Are they narcissistic or transparent? Unfocused or hyper-focused? Is taking a selfie narcissistic, or is it a way to connect with the world? In her kid-focused TEDx talk, Michelle, head librarian at New Canaan (CT) High School shares the importance [...]

The recent surge of interest in reconfiguring school library spaces offers tremendous opportunity to spotlight the potential of school libraries.

During National Library Month, it’s so lovely to celebrate a victory for children and that the hard work of advocacy can pay off. VSLA President, Denise Wentz, just wrote to share the following great news in advance of my visit to the the Vermont Dynamic Learning Landscapes Conference. I am very happy to finally announce [...]