91´«Ã½

CHICAGO – The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) encourages school librarians to attend the AASL Pre-Midwinter Institute, Tools for Transforming Your School Library Program, taking place prior to the 91´«Ã½ 2012 Midwinter Meeting. AASL’s full day institute will be held Friday, Jan. 20. For more information, visit .

Tools for Transforming Your School Library Program will explore AASL’s “A Planning Guide for Empowering Learners” and the School Library Program Assessment Rubric contained in the module. Attendees will learn how to collect and use data to drive their program’s improvement. The institute will also take attendees through AASL’s “Standards for the 21^st-Century Learner In Action” and new Lesson Plan Database. Together, the tools can be used to create lesson plans that will elevate the attendees programs by demonstrating the school librarian’s connection with teaching and the school’s curriculum.

Presenters for AASL’s Pre-Midwinter Institute include:

Jody Howard

Associate Professor,

Palmer School of Library and Information Science, University Of Long Island

Kathy Lowe

Executive Director,

Massachusetts School Library Association

Donna Shannon

Associate Professor,

School of Library & Information Science, University of South Carolina

“This program will benefit all school librarians, no matter where they are in the implementation of AASL’s learning standards and program guidelines,” said Carl Harvey, AASL president. “All three presenters are experts in their subject areas and have been involved in the creation of the standards, guidelines and supporting resources. Attendees will leave the session feeling empowered and ready to bring their program to the next level.”

Online registration for this institute is now open. Prices for the institute are AASL member: $189; AASL retired member: $179, AASL student member: $159; 91´«Ã½ member: $239; and nonmember: $304. To register for the AASL Pre-Midwinter Institute, visit . Full registration to the 91´«Ã½ 2012 Midwinter Meeting is not necessary to participate in the full-day institute.

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.