How can school librarians change the view of school librarians to better match the reality of their work? One way is to increase their explicit connections with broad, recognizable initiatives, like digital fluency and computer science. The The New York State Computer Science and Digital Fluency (CS/DF) Standards, in alignment with the "AASL…

In this article, the authors discuss the Lilead Fellows Program, funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This innovative approach to professional development (PD) is for school district library supervisors. It is based upon widely accepted principles of quality PD, and is in its second year of operation with an…

In many locales--in many states--early conceptions of the school librarian's job have not evolved over the years even as the duties have expanded exponentially. The fact that in some districts outdated evaluation tools, such as Georgia's 1990 system, are still used to rate 21st-century school librarians is an obvious sign of the misconceptions…

In a climate of increased interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), school libraries have unique opportunities to grow collections and cultivate partnerships in the sciences. At the federal level and in many states, STEM initiatives encourage hands-on exposure to technologies and open the door for student-led discovery of…

Much of the literature about participatory learning in schools and libraries is dominated by adult voices. What do sites of participatory learning look like from the student perspective? What does it mean to student learners to develop and apply the four practices of participation--create, circulate, collaborate, and connect? How does…

In the championship playoffs of professional learning tools, this author contends that there is a clear-cut victor. Customizable, platform-agnostic, able to circumvent filters--both browser and network-imposed--RSS is the best professional learning tool. Reading sites via RSS has appeal for those who want the raw information. With a well-honed…

Building a personal learning network (PLN) for intellectual freedom has long been an important role of a school librarian; however, in the steadily increasing onslaught of digital information that librarians face today, and in the future, the task has become mission-critical. Personal learning, it stands to reason, requires an appropriate dialogue…

School library media specialists are information and communication specialists who lead and model these roles in schools and at their major professional events making use of the relevant new Web 2.0 tools available to them to network, collaborate, and share. Using these tools effectively helps them become leaders in their buildings and districts.…

In today's schools and library media centers, emotion-laden concerns about new modes of information and communication technology can hijack librarians' attention, even taking center stage. Something about the online revolution and, more recently, the advent of Web 2.0 tools and their ability to create connections among users, as well as between…

The Project LEAD program at the Florida State University (FSU) College of Information is designed to produce future school library media leaders. One requirement of the program is that the students join AASL and their state association, and attend their conferences. In 2007 a contingent of thirteen students from FSU, along with their mentor,…

Technology stewardship is important in learning communities, where technology is not a primary focus and there is a lot of second-wave adoption. In schools, the students are usually first-wave adopters. Teachers, parents, and administrators are often the second wave; less comfortable with, interested in, or adept at technology adoption. Stewarding…

In this article, the authors provide an overview of what can be expected at the AASL 14th National Conference and Exhibition. The Conference Committee and AASL staff have focused on designing a conference to help all school library media specialists with the implementation of the new standards, raising the level of learning in school library media…

When the authors taught in traditional classroom settings, collaboration and communication were understood to be important. Part of every class session was spent in discussion because they knew the importance of students teaching students, and they believed that the teacher as a facilitator, rather than the supreme encyclopedia of knowledge, was a…

While the need for a data retention policy is rapidly becoming clear to schools, little guidance is available for crafting one. Most schools depend on backup and recovery plans that generally focus on individual servers or devices. However, retention policies also need to focus on the type of data contained on those servers and how it will be…

Geospatial technologies of geographic information systems, global positioning systems, and remote sensing are just a few of the projects that evoke an unexpected drive and devotion from high school students in Virginia. Their integration into different curricular areas lets students focus on understanding their community and the many issues that…