School Library Program Technology and Insights

  Welcome to part four of a four part series on how practicing school librarians implement the  AASL (American Association of School Librarians) National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries . This series will delve into four of the   standards for school librarians: Explore ,  Collaborate,  Engage , and Inquire .   Shared Foundation: Inquire (Standard 1) The AASL standards are unique in that each shared foundation can apply to all grade-levels, thus easily adapting to student needs at each level. At the high school level, students are going beyond learning foundational concepts of information, but are instead preparing to enter into the “real-world” of life after graduation. High school librarians like Anne Lemeiux, therefore, have the opportunity to create experiences that allow for real-world problem solving and inquiry . Engaging students with the “ inquire” standard is thus critical in ...

 Welcome to part three of a four part series on how practicing school librarians implement the  AASL (American Association of School Librarians) National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries . This series will delve into four of the   standards for school librarians: Explore ,  Collaborate, Engage , and Inquire.   Shared Foundation: Engage (Standard 6)  “Ethical use,” “validity,” and “attribution” are just a few of the words within the AASL Standard's “engage” shared foundation for school librarians (American Association of School Librarians [AASL], 2018). Most elementary students would have no idea what those words mean and certainly not how they apply to information. However, a well-trained librarian, like elementary school librarian Betsy Long, understands both the vernacular and how to teach students to engage with information in a responsible and ethical way.  With so many resources a...

Welcome to part two of a four part series on how practicing school librarians implement the  AASL (American Association of School Librarians) National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries . This series will delve into four of the   standards for school librarians: Explore ,   Collaborate , Engage, and Inquire.   Shared Foundation: Collaborate (Standard 3)  Not only do school librarians foster collaborative relationships with teachers, they also show students how to effectively collaborate to make the most of their learning. Veteren elementary school librarian, Besty Long, uses partnerships with teachers to create meaningful collaborative experiences with students at her school. Through these collaborative experiences, she is able to both engage students and meet the AASL’s National School Library Standards in the “ collaborate” foundation (American Association of School Librarians [AASL], 2018). W...

Welcome to part one of a four part series on how practicing school librarians implement the  AASL (American Association of School Librarians) National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries . This series will delve into four of the   standards for school librarians: Explore, Collaborate, Engage, and Inquire.   Shared Foundation: Explore (Standard 5)  School librarians have a unique opportunity within a school to provide opportunities for students to explore learning in a cross-curricular and information-rich environment. Elementary school librarian Abby Spitzer enjoys using technology, makerspace activities, and STEM lessons to support the curriculum (A. Spitzer, personal communication, November 13, 2020). Through these activities, she is able to meet the AASL’s National School Library Standards in the “explore” foundation (American Association of School Librarians [AASL], 2018). Elementary school librarians typically...