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CHICAGO – Cameron Carey, school librarian at Baldwin – Woodville High School in Baldwin, Wisconsin, is one of six school librarians from across the country receiving a 2020 American Association of School Librarians' (AASL) Inspire Special Event Grant. Made possible by the generosity of AASL member Marina “Marney” Welmers, the grant program provides funds for public middle or high school libraries to plan a special event to enhance student learning.

“I’d like to congratulate Cameron Carey on his vision for his school library,” said AASL President Mary Keeling. “This plan completely reimagines the school library, introduces collaborative workspaces, and paves the way for learners and educators to engage with the library in a completely new way.”

Currently serving learners in a facility that has not been renovated or updated since 1993, Carey will use the grant funds to update the space into a contemporary and state-of-the-art learning environment. The grant will enable Carey to complete the first phase of improvements, which includes making over the current library shelving and purchasing interactive touchscreen panels. When complete, the renovated school library will allow adaptability and flexibility in teaching and learning and empower Baldwin – Woodville staff in their quest to build lifelong learners.

The Inspire Special Event Grant provides up to $2,000 in funding to a school library looking to engage students with school library resources and promote reading, books, literacy, and authors. The funds can be used to create a new or enhance an existing extracurricular activity that will increase student achievement. A total of $10,000 is distributed to schools annually.

“The committee was extremely impressed with the quality of the applications and their contributions towards engaging and empowering students,” said Rebecca Gordon, grant committee chair. “The grant recipients have showcased how the chosen events and programming will help schools foster community, collaboration, and creativity. These grants will allow the selected schools' learning communities to create a culture of reading and lifelong learning.”

“I’m thrilled that so many of the grant projects address issues of social justice, racial healing, and service learning,” said Keeling. “Through these grants, learners will be empowered to make a difference in their own communities and the world. AASL is exceedingly grateful to Marney Welmers for her continued financial support of the grant program. Her gifts celebrate the impact school librarians have on learners and school culture.”

The AASL award winners will be honored during a virtual AASL Awards Ceremony during the fall of 2020. The virtual ceremony will replace the live ceremony traditionally presented during the 91��ý Annual Conference. Out of concern for the health and safety of all members of the community, the 91��ý Executive Board felt it was important to cancel the 2020 conference taking place in Chicago. Details for the virtual ceremony will be shared as they are finalized.

The American Association of School Librarians, , a division of the 91��ý (91��ý), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.