What is the future of urban school libraries? The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) "National School Library Standards" offer a framework for school librarians to reflect on how they can tailor their professional practice to serve their specific school communities. Through the lens of the standards, school librarians can…

Pennsylvania school librarians have ongoing professional learning opportunities to build compelling and inclusive experiences for learners in their libraries and within the school community. From learning the basics about the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Integrated Standards Frameworks to building innovative curriculum and…

Croft presents her study results that explored how district leaders can be equipped to support their school librarians in the absence of an official district school librarian supervisor. Croft offers suggestions for practice to assist school librarians in partnering with district leaders to provide the knowledge and experience district leaders…

A large district has some unique challenges when planning support for a reflective growth process around implementing the "National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries." This type of setting typically has a wide variety of school demographics, budgetary constraints, school library staffing…

After earning her second Master's degree, the author decided to leave her twenty-plus-year tenured English as a new language teaching career in the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) to become the director of middle school and upper school library services at a K-12 independent school in New York City. It was the first year she would…

The School Libraries in South Australia: 2024 Census offers a snapshot of the current state, challenges, and evolving roles of school libraries and their staffing in South Australia. Conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) at the behest of the School Library Association of South Australia (SLASA), this census builds…

Teacher and librarian collaboration is a main theme in school librarianship, education research, and professional literature. Now, within the American Association of School Librarians' "National School Library Standards," collaboration is one of the six Shared Foundations on which the standards are based. Improving collaboration in…

In Maryland, national standards in any discipline are reviewed and revised with student and educator needs in mind. The approval process for all standards includes stakeholder review and revision followed by a public comment period. Comments are then considered and used to inform further revisions. Finally, guidance, supporting documents,…

The modern school library is a complex social setting "grounded in standards and best practice" (AASL 2018). The new "National School Library Standards" have refreshed the student learning standards and aligned new Shared Foundations to the school library. Additionally, the competencies for learners are now complemented by…

To gather, contribute, connect, be a creative force, defend, and guide are demanding dispositions that make an excellent school library professional. School librarians use these dispositions like poles of support as they glide down the slopes of student learning and curriculum. They leverage their roles of teacher and librarian like skis giving…

This article analyzes the aging of academic librarians and the potential shortage of librarians to replace those who are retiring. Recent statistics indicate that the exodus of retiring librarians may not be as severe as predicted several years ago. Recent articles show potential benefits as new librarians enter the workforce in large numbers to…

During a six month contract with the Royal University of Bhutan, the author was required to develop the initial stages of a first library qualification to be offered in Bhutan. Questions raised by this project included: is a first qualification in librarianship needed in Bhutan? What are the potential student numbers in such a programme? What…

Solo school librarians are the air traffic controllers of the library world, serving hundreds, if not thousands, of students. They are responsible for a book budget, technology resources, orientation and research classes, book talks, and reading promotions, as well as professional development for teachers, guiding them in effective integration of…

As the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) celebrates sixty-five years in 2016 as a division of the American Library Association (ALA), it is wholly appropriate to examine the life of the organization contemplating what the future holds for school librarians. It is important to understand the past and abiding certainty and steadfast…

Five initiatives launched during Cyndi Phillip's term as American Association of School Librarians (AASL) President (2006-2007) continue to have an impact on school librarians ten years later. They include the rewriting of AASL's learning standards, introduction of the SKILLS Act, the presentation of the Crystal Apple Award to Scholastic Library…