CHICAGO – The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) will sponsor the travel, lodging and attendance of two Spectrum Scholars, Orisanmi Burton and Latanya Ingraham, at the AASL 2010 Fall Forum. will be held Nov. 5-6 in Portland, Ore. The Spectrum scholars are sponsored by .

While attending, Burton and Ingraham will be paired with a mentor from the AASL leadership team for the duration of the two-day institute. As the new AASL-sponsored Spectrum Scholar, Ingraham, a school librarian in New York City, is extremely enthusiastic about entering the school library profession.

Burton, a school librarian in Washington, D.C., recently started his first professional position as a school librarian. He is looking forward to the moral support and professional development this conference will bring as he begins his career.

will feature three preeminent names in school library research – Gail Dickinson, Leslie Maniotes and Ross Todd. Three breakout sessions will focus on essential questions, enduring understanding and evidence-based practice, showing how they align with AASL's learning standards and program guidelines. With special time to focus on implementation and a networking session, attendees will leave the institute with an action plan for their schools and/or districts.

Price breaks for the AASL 2010 Fall Forum are available for those that register on or before Oct. 4, 2010. For more programming information or to register, visit the AASL website at .

Established in 1997, the Spectrum Scholarship Program is 91´«Ã½'s national effort to increase diversity in the profession by recruiting and providing scholarships that allow students from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds to become librarians. Spectrum Scholars improve service at the local level because they reflect the communities served by libraries in today’s changing world. Spectrum has provided more than 680 scholarships to qualified applicants enrolled in an 91´«Ã½-accredited graduate program in library and information studies or an 91´«Ã½-recognized NCATE School Library program. To learn more about the Spectrum Scholarship Program, visit .

The American Association of School Librarians, , a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½), promotes the improvement and extension of library services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library field.