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CHICAGO – Thirty American Association of School Librarians (AASL) members have been awarded $750 travel grants to attend their first AASL National Conference. Generously sponsored by Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. (BTSB), the grants will allow recipients to secure housing, transportation, and/or registration for the 2021 AASL National Conference taking place October 21-23 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Grant recipients include:

• Patrick Adams, Early Learning Center South/Keller ISD, Fort Worth, Texas
• Elizabeth Barbour, Oswego City School District, Liverpool, New York
• Kristen Brennan, Gideon Welles School/Glastonbury Public Schools, Newington, Connecticut
• Rebecca Caufman, Radford City Public Schools, Blacksburg, Virginia
• Kelly Delaney, Maitland Middle School (OCPS), Orlando, Florida
• Annie DiPietro, Swallow School District, Sussex, Wisconsin
• Kari Edgens, East Nashville Magnet Middle School, Nashville, Tennessee
• Ingrid Eliasson, Lammersville Unified School District, Mountain House, California
• Emily Golightly, Newport Elementary School, Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina
• Emily Hersh, Navarro Early College High School, Austin, Texas
• Julie Hewitt, Plateau Valley School District 50, Collbran, Colorado
• Faith Johnston, Holy Ghost Catholic School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Kelsey Klug, McClure Middle School/Seattle Public Schools, Seattle, Washington
• Hannah Luce, MSAD #59, Norridgewock, Maine
• Latasha McKinney, Emerson North Alternative High School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Anna Musselman, Dorchester District 2 Schools, Summerville, South Carolina
• Marti Parker, Suwanee Elementary School, Suwanee, Georgia
• Wenndy Pray, Sharyland Independent School District, McAllen, Texas
• Karina Quilantan, Jaime Escalante Middle School/Pharr San Juan Alamo ISD, McAllen, Texas
• Melody Riggs, Cincinnati Public Schools, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Laurie Ann Riley, Cambridge Public Schools, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Ashley Sherman, Cobb Schools, Acworth, Georgia
• Dawn Shirk, Mineral Springs Middle School, Greensboro, North Carolina
• Carolyn Slavin, Reed Elementary/Leander ISD, Austin, Texas
• Yahtina Macali Soto, Sonia Sotomayor Learning Academies, LaHabra, California
• Amanda Turkie, Folsom Cordova Unified School District, Sacramento, California
• Brandi Veal, Plumas County Office of Education, Sacramento, California
• Glori Vela, Good Elementary, Hurst, Texas
• Margie Wells, Orange County Public Schools, Sanford, Florida
• Adriana White, South San Antonio ISD, San Antonio, Texas

"At Bound to Stay Bound we recognize the value of the professional school librarian in our schools and take pride in being able to offer these grants to help further their knowledge and give them an opportunity to share their experiences with other professionals," said Bob Sibert of Bound to Stay Bound Books.

"AASL is grateful for Bound to Stay Bound Books’ continuing support of school libraries and school librarians,” said AASL President Kathy Carroll. “We are excited that thirty AASL members can experience the unique and rewarding experience that is AASL National Conference. There is nothing like walking into a conference center and meeting the new members of your personal learning network. It’s especially poignant to be convening at conference after the past year and a half of social distancing and remote learning.”

The is the only national conference dedicated solely to the needs of school librarians and their roles as educational leaders. Those communicating about the national conference are encouraged to use the official hashtag, #AASL21.

For over 100 years Bound to Stay Bound Books, , has supplied children’s and young adult library books, both fiction and nonfiction, to schools and public libraries. It provides books that stand the test of time in both content and durability and services exceeding your expectations.

The American Association of School Librarians, , a division of the 91´«Ã½ (91´«Ã½), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.