April Approaches: School Library Month

By Susi Grissom     

April approaches, and with it comes a terrific advocacy opportunity for you and your community -- the celebration of School Library Month (SLM)!  Sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians, this month offers many opportunities to focus on “the essential role that strong school library programs play in transforming learning” (SLM web site).  Acclaimed actress and recent Academy Award winner Julianne Moore serves as spokeswoman for this year’s SLM, and the website features a heartfelt tribute to the role school libraries played in her development as a child.

            Texas librarians still have time to encourage their students to participate in the Digital Storytelling Festival with students creating digital artifacts that illuminate the month’s theme, “Your School Library: Where Learning Never Ends.”  The digital artifacts should be created with tools from AASL’s Best Websites for Teaching and Learning and vary in requirements according to age categories.  The digital artifacts should be submitted on a web form, accessible from the AASL website, by Friday, March 6 – around the corner but within creative reach.  Check out this web page for more information on the Festival.

            Details on a variety of professional development webinars, as well as free and downloadable resources for publicizing SLM, can also be found on the website.  AASL has made it easy for librarians and their advocates to tell the story of the countless ways school libraries impact learning.

            Do you have plans for SLM? Bulletin boards? Celebrations?  Proclamations?  Special teaching/learning activities? Collaborative projects with your PTA/PTO? Tweet your ideas to @TxASL to share with other school librarians across the state! Also tweet your successes through social media to anyone who will listen - on your campus or in your district. Use SLM to get folks talking about the great things happening at your library!