In case you didn’t make it to AASL 2017
An acronym to help you remember the new standards shared foundations is IICCEE.
Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore, Engage
Or you could hum the Vanilla Ice song “Ice Ice Baby” if music helps you.
For quick resources after the conference or for those who cannot make it to Phoenix check out this “getting started” page. – http://standards.aasl.org/school-librarians/
Breaking down the standards
There are three sessions at this conference to break down the standards and give meaningful feedback. In the session, Collaborate and Curate with the New National School Library Standards, Joyce Valenza pointed out that “Curate” is unique to school library standards. In other words, many of the other portions of the standards like inquiry and engagement overlap with technology standards and other discipline’s standards. Take a look at this clear and concise video where Valenza explains tools and the processes for teaching student curation.
Little librarians
Many school librarians today do not teach students the Dewey Decimal. Sometimes this is because we have “genrefied” the collection and the system is simply not relevant. However, many still using Dewey feel that we teach students many things but not specifically to become little librarians. Nevertheless, curating is one “librarian” skill we actually do want to teach our students. We want to teach how and why students might want and need to curate.
Here are a few curation resources for your consideration:
- As a Teacher Librarian – Digital Curation: An essential skill for teacher librarians in 2014
- Teaching students to curate – To Boost Higher-Order Thinking, Try Curation
What is next?
After the conference we will continue the conversation about standards. We will add words to our vocabulary like key commitments, shared foundations, and the already familiar Think, Create, Share, Grow domains. Reach out to other librarians and library leaders for help with implementation. And once you understand the new standards you might actually find that you are already living up to many of the standards.

Author: Hannah Byrd Little
Hello, I am the Library Director at The Webb School of Bell Buckle. I use my past experience in college and university libraries to help my current students in school libraries transition into college, career, and life. I am currently the lead Senior Class Adviser for the Capstone Project. I also served at the state level with the Tennessee Association of School Librarians executive board from 2009-2013 and was the TASL president in 2012. I am certified as a Library Information Specialist for PreK-12th grade, have a BS in Communications with a concentration in Advertising and Public Relations, a BS in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Education and Information Systems and a Masters in Library and Information Science.
Categories: AASL National Conference, Blog Topics, Community, Student Engagement/ Teaching Models
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