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CHICAGO – The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is pleased to announce the lineup for its 5th Storytelling Festival, which will take place at the AASL 15th National Conference & Exhibition in Minneapolis this October. Master storytellers Jerry Blue, Dianne de las Casas and Judi Moreillon will share their stories from 8-10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27. Admission to the festival is included in the price of registration.

Jerry Blue’s mission as a storyteller is keeping traditional African-American stories alive. Blue believes that often people overlook the human sources – the people who know the local lore and stories – and instead look to television, movies and books. Blue’s performance is not just as an entertainer, but as an oral historian, one who is a custodian of the past and a chronicler of the future. Blue’s appearance at the festival is made possible by the support of COMPAS.

Dianne de Las Casas' performances can best be described as "traditional folklore gone fun!" De Las Casas adds humor, song and audience participation to take listeners to a world of fantasy and enchantment. A dramatic storyteller, de Las Casas sizzles on stage with use of character voices, creative movement and animated facial expressions and gestures. She does not stay still, and neither will her audience. Attendees won't just listen - they’ll sing, clap, dance, chant and roar with laughter.

Judi Moreillon's presentation is both personal and worldly as she relates personal family experiences as well as authentic stories from other cultures. Moreillon began her storytelling journey as a classroom teacher and developed the art as a school librarian and children’s book author. Moreillon feels the storyteller has a responsibility to share authentic stories that honor the cultures from which they come. In her storytelling presentations, Judi shares the origins of stories as well as talks about the cultural insiders who have authenticated the stories she tells.

“The Storytelling Festival gives attendees a chance to lose themselves into a world of make-believe, but also take away tips on how to present stories in a fun and engaging way,” said AASL President, Carl Harvey. “AASL truly believes in the power of a story not only in its content, but its presentation. Just this past School Library Month, the organization encouraged school librarians to ‘create their own story’ and share it. Watching the master storytellers perform during National Conference will no doubt encourage listeners to go back to their schools and become master storytellers themselves.”

The AASL 15th National Conference and Exhibition, "Turning the Page," is the only national conference dedicated solely to the needs of school librarians and their roles as educational leaders. Taking place in Oct. 27-30 in Minneapolis, the AASL National Conference will feature preconferences, numerous concurrent sessions, more than 200 exhibiting companies, educational and school tours, a storytelling festival and special appearances by award-winning authors. The deadline for "early bird" discounted registration is August 4. For more information or to register, 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.