Dear AASL Community,
Thank you for electing me Region 1 Director-Elect! I am truly honored to serve New England's school librarians. I am thrilled to be working with Valerie Diggs, AASL's Region 1 Director, the New England School Librarians Association (NESLA), and the individual school library organizations from Connecticut (CASL), Massachusetts (MSLA), Maine (MASL), New Hampshire (NHSLMA), Rhode Island (RIEMA),and Vermont (VLSA).
According to the bylaws, Here is my new job description:
The Regional Director represents the interests of the AASL Members-At-Large, as well as those members within his/her region. The Regional Director serves as a communication channel between the AASL Board and the membership. During the first two years of the term, the director will be a voting member of the Affiliate Assembly Executive Committee and a designated observer to the AASL Board. During the second two years of the term, the director will be a designated observer to the Affiliate Assembly Executive Committee and a voting member of the AASL Board of Directors.
The following information was submitted to the AASL membership for the 2011 ALA election.
Biographical sketch featuring major accomplishments:
When I entered the field in 2001, I knew I had my work cut out for me. I took a position in a high-performing district with an invisible library program. In my first annual report, I anticipated that it would take 8 years to get the program on track. Getting us from there to here is the accomplishment I wish to highlight, not because I am proud, but because it is replicable. I have taught in inner city, urban and suburban districts, and I understand the differences. By 2010, our library won the NSLPY award and its Connecticut equivalent. The Connecticut Library Association named me Outstanding Librarian, and our program received honorable mentions from 2 international educational technology organizations (CoSN and ISTE) for collaboration. Our program’s success is built on collaboration, advocacy, evidence-based practice, hybrid program delivery, and our use of emerging technology to embed 21st century learning across disciplines. I now present our formula for success to educators at conferences, and through my professional learning community where I host monthly webinars.
Statement of professional concerns:
It is said that innovation emerges from radical autonomy in remote locations (Disrupting Class by Christensen, Horn, & Johnson, 2008). Within the context of American schools, libraries hold the potential for fueling educational innovation. As the facilitator of a fast growing professional learning community for school librarians, I frequently hear members lament that faculty/staff/budgets are being decimated, librarians are bound by fixed scheduling, and that school filters block access to free online technology that would empower librarians to develop evidence-based practice and promote their successes. Our AASL members’ work environment should enable them to emerge as leaders within, and beyond their learning communities. They need adequate funding, manageable workloads, and access to ample professional development, including face-to-face conference attendance. As director–elect, I will seek opportunities to promote my colleagues’ fine work and increase membership visibility to improve public awareness about the indispensability of school librarians.
