The school library landscape is evolving rapidly. Emerging technologies, shifting educational priorities and policies, and growing demands on teaching and learning continually redefine how school librarians serve learners, educators, and communities. In response to this dynamic landscape, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) proudly announces the release of the second edition of the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries—a timely, research-informed update designed to meet the profession’s evolving needs and reaffirm the essential role of school libraries in today’s learning environments.

Why a New Edition?

Since the publication of the first edition in 2018, the educational context in which school libraries operate has undergone significant change. The rise of personalized learning, increased digital integration, and a renewed emphasis on equity and culturally responsive practice all point to a need for refreshed guidance. The second edition responds directly to these shifts, providing a fresh perspective on viewing the standards that is grounded in current educational realities and designed to support future-focused practice.

The second edition addresses several pressing challenges:

  • Alignment with Educational Trends: The standards help school librarians align their work with national educational movements and instructional priorities, ensuring that school libraries remain essential in fostering skills critical for success in today’s world, such as critical thinking, collaboration, and digital fluency.
  • Reinforcing the Value of School Librarians: By emphasizing instructional collaboration, leadership, and student-centered learning, the new edition highlights how school librarians contribute to curriculum, assessment, and overall student achievement.
  • Modernizing Information Literacy: The standards emphasize inquiry-based approaches and the need to teach learners how to engage with and evaluate various types of information, including emerging media and digital content.
  • Bridging Technology Gaps: With integrated technology standards, the update supports school librarians in embedding ethical and effective digital tool use across the learning experience and into their information management practices.
  • Meeting Complex Community Needs: The standards place strong emphasis on service to a whole complex community and offer guidance for designing library programs that reflect and cater to learners from varied backgrounds, fostering a more welcoming and supportive environment.
  • Supporting Professional Growth: The updated edition includes practical tools and actionable guidance for continuous professional learning and collaboration, helping school librarians stay current with best practices and emerging trends, create professional development plans, and improve library services.
  • Assessing Impact: New resources for assessment and evaluation empower school librarians to measure learner outcomes and program effectiveness, helping them make data-driven decisions and better advocate for their role in the school system.

Built on Research, Driven by Practice

The second edition is the result of a rigorous, multi-year research and development process designed to ensure the standards are not only aspirational but also deeply practical. Led by the AASL Standards Committee and informed by extensive input from school librarians, educational partners, and library science faculty, research activities included national surveys, focus groups, and a review of literature and professional trends.

Among the key takeaways that shaped the new edition:

  • Preserve Core Material: The chapters featuring the standards frameworks tables and in-depth discussions on the Shared Foundations are the most valued and frequently used elements in the first edition.
  • More Practitioner-Focused Design: Users requested navigational aids, visual elements, tables, and actionable examples to make the book easier to use in daily practice.
  • Stronger Emphasis on Literacy: More emphasis is needed on literacy and reading, including media literacy, literature appreciation, and reading motivation.
  • Activity Examples by Grade Band: Examples of standards-based learning activities are needed to illustrate instruction across educational levels and teaching concepts such as misinformation, artificial intelligence, and others.
  • Scenarios for Common Challenges: Participants indicated that scenarios reflecting diverse settings and rooted in real-world examples would be more useful. Scenarios should address topics including advocacy, staffing, budgeting, ethics, and equitable access to resources.
  • Clarifying Librarian Roles: Clearer insight into the multifaceted role of school librarians is needed to help administrators understand the extensive work done behind the scenes to ensure an effective school library.

Key Enhancements and Development Decisions

Based on these findings, several high-level decisions that guide the second edition:

  • Structural Refinements: The new edition maintains the familiar standards framework of Shared Foundations and Domains with minimal edits to update or clarify language within select Competencies and Alignments. The structure and content within the chapters of the book is now more streamlined for contemporary practice, including a reduced appendix and new navigational tools.
  • Content Emphasis: There is a renewed focus on actional practices in the supporting text that promote literacy, collaboration, inquiry, digital citizenship, learner agency, engagement, and culturally responsive practices across complex learning communities.
  • Implementation Tools: To support practical use, the second edition features a suite of new tools, including figures and tables, practice examples, updated rubrics, reflection templates, advocacy scenarios, and professional learning resources. These enhancements are designed to help school librarians implement the standards in meaningful and manageable ways.
  • Administrator-Focused Supports: This edition includes resources designed with administrators in mind to help explain school librarian roles and measure library impact, providing exemplars for administrators.

 Empowering Librarians in a Changing World

The second edition offers more than a revised publication—it provides a responsive, forward-looking framework for guiding school library programs and professional practice. As the educational landscape continues to shift, these standards will empower school librarians as instructional leaders, collaborators, and changemakers. The second edition affirms the essential role of school libraries and librarians in shaping lifelong learners and equitable schools.

Join the Conversation at AASL25

The official launch of the second edition will take place at the 2025 AASL National Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, October 16-18, where attendees can explore the new edition with a professional learning community through dedicated sessions and events led by the AASL Standards Committee. AASL invites all school library professionals to engage with the second edition standards, share their insights, and contribute to this next chapter in the profession.

Featured programming at AASL25 includes:

  • Concurrent sessions: Explore the evolution of the new edition, application of the standards by grade band, evaluation and goal setting, measuring learner growth, and advocacy strategies for navigating difficult conversations.
  • Poster sessions: Learn about new features and enhanced content as well as new chapters on scenarios for common challenges through focused presentations.
  • Meet and Greets: Ask questions and engage with Standards Committee members throughout the conference. Look for their “Ask Me About the Standards” buttons as well as in person appearances at the AASL Bookstore and the Welcome Session.

AASL 25 promises to be an excellent opportunity for thinking, creating, sharing and growing. We hope to see you there.

To learn more about the second edition of the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries, visit standards.aasl.org.