Professional Organizations:
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Virginia Association of School Librarians (VAASL) As a member of these organizations, I have access to a variety of resources that help connect with other librarians, build leadership skills, and tools to help me advocate for my profession. They provide me with a timely and fun conferences for professional development and collaboration with other professionals like myself.
We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) – This is a valuable organization that advocates for essential changes in the publishing industry. They promote and produce literature that reflects and honors all people. They advocate for more books that feature diverse characters so that all children can see themselves in the pages of the books they read.
The Virginia State Reading Association is a statewide literacy organization. Its beliefs align with those of school librarians, such as literacy, diversity in literature and access to information. Each year, we participate in the Virginia Readers Choice Program in my library. I read the selected books to my classes and they have the opportunity to vote on their favorite book. The students love to learn which books won from across the state.
Journals and Publications:
School Library Journal magazine and online resources (SLJ) is a monthly publication geared towards librarians that work with children and teens. They provide online articles as well as a published magazine that provide school librarians with resources from advocacy to technology. I also use SLJ for book reviews when purchasing new materials to place in my library.
Knowledge Quest magazine – A journal published bimonthly by AASL for school librarians that provide us with information on new developments in education, learning theory, and relevant disciplines.
Teacher Librarian – Journal for School Library Professionals – A journal specifically designed for teacher librarians in grades K-12. as well as our colleagues. It provides us with articles in each issue that deal with major topics of current interest as well as articles addressing the very foundation of teacher-librarianship.
Teaching Tolerance – This is a magazine that I receive in my library that provides all educators with information on the importance of teaching children to be active participants in a diverse society. Not only is it a wonderful magazine that I read and display for my fellow teachers, it also is a wonderful website that provides us with free resources, lesson ideas, and talking points centered around diversity, equity, and social justice.
Websites:
National School Library Standards – This is the actual website for AASL’s National School Library Standards. This site provides me with resources that I can use to advocate for school libraries, a variety of documents that I can download to display in my library as well as materials that I can purchase to assist me with the implementation of the standards.
Librarian Influencers – This website was created by Dr. Laura Sheneman to help school librarians take charge of their personal and professional development so they can flourish as an effective instructional partner in the library, classroom, and school. She sends out emails with wonderful ideas and provides me with useful resources that keep me informed of changes in the library world and new technology that I can use in my library and share with the teachers in my building.
Book Review Sites: The following sites are other resources that I use when purchasing books for the library. These provide me with professional reviews of books that I am thinking of adding to our library collection.