It is time for the AASL membership to elect the volunteers who will lead our organization. Candidates will introduce themselves in a series of blogs, and were asked to prepare a statement. Please read through their answers below and be sure to vote when the ballot arrives in your inbox.

Statements and/or videos were a voluntary option offered to all candidates. Voting for the 2026 ALA elections will open on Monday, March 9, 2026 and close on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

The candidates for the American Association of School Librarians, Secretary/Treasurer are:

Tom Bober

Katie Capshaw

Jennifer Sturge

Tom Bober:

I am honored to be considered for AASL’s Secretary/Treasurer position. National, state, and regional organizations made up of school librarians to support school librarians are a cornerstone of professional growth and well-being in this profession and AASL is a critical organization that does positive work to impact students across the country. Over the years, I have worked not only for my students, but also for other professionals like me so that we can all be better together. If elected to this position, I will use my experience and voice to continue those efforts. Many of us have spent the last years concerned not only about our students, but also for our jobs, reputation, safety, and maybe even our family. But lately, there have been success stories. And those successes have often come from organized efforts to do what is right for students and for the profession. I’ve been honored to be part of some of those successes within my state and want to be part of the conversations, collaborations, and hard work that lead to more successes as part of my role in AASL.

 

Katie Capshaw: 

I feel most called to champion Meaningful Engagement, because meaningful engagement ensures that every member feels seen, heard, and valued. It’s about building relationships that go beyond surface-level involvement and fostering a sense of belonging within our professional community.

As a middle school librarian serving 1,200 students, I’ve seen firsthand how meaningful engagement transforms outcomes. Whether collaborating with teachers, creating a welcoming and inviting space, building a relevant collection or connecting with students over great books, engagement has been the key to success.

My experience as 2022 President of the Tennessee Association of School Librarians reinforced this belief. During my term, I worked to create spaces where members could share ideas, celebrate successes, and feel supported—whether through virtual meetups,conference sessions, podcasts, or social media outreach. Those efforts taught me that engagement thrives when it’s intentional and inclusive.

As a board member, I would approach this work by:

• Listening first: Creating spaces for members to share their experiences and ideas, ensuring member voices shape our initiatives.
• Connecting intentionally: Encouraging collaboration between librarians across regions and specialties to spark innovation and support.
• Providing relevant opportunities: Designing programs and resources that meet members where they are—whether they’re new to the profession or seasoned leaders.

Meaningful engagement transforms our association into a vibrant network where every librarian can thrive. Together, we can make engagement not just a goal, but a lived experience.

 

Jennifer Sturge: 

To begin, I am incredibly honored to be nominated to serve as Secretary/Treasurer of AASL as we move forward with a new strategic plan centered on engagement at the local, state, and national levels. Everyone on the ballot has given so much to our association, and no matter who is elected, AASL will be well served.

When asked which areas of our strategic plan I feel most called to champion, the choice is clear: Leadership Engagement and Purposeful Engagement. These two areas resonate deeply with me because strong leadership thrives when engagement is intentional, strategic, and mission driven. Engagement must be purposeful for leadership to be purposeful.

Throughout my career, I have seen how librarians who step into leadership roles, whether formal or informal, create lasting, positive change. I have witnessed colleagues influence district policy, advocate for equitable access to diverse collections, elevate student voice through inquiry-driven programming, and strengthen teacher and librarian partnerships to improve student learning. I’ve seen them step up to take on committee roles, present at conferences, and write articles for Knowledge Quest. Leadership engagement means empowering our members to lead from wherever they are.

Purposeful engagement also means creating clear pathways for members to contribute in ways that match their strengths and interests. It means ensuring new members feel welcomed and informed, emerging leaders see opportunities to grow, and experienced leaders are supported in mentoring others. A few years ago, I worked with an emerging leader cohort with AASL and today, that same cohort is doing amazing things in their local, state, and at the national level.  Providing those opportunities for purposeful engagement in the association are important to building and preserving our organization.

I have had the opportunity to experience leadership engagement and purposeful engagement within AASL. I’ve served as co-chair on several committees, helped to shape Knowledge Quest by serving as chair and a member of the editorial board, and most recently served as co-chair of the national conference in St. Louis.  AASL has given me so many opportunities. Opportunities that any member of our association can take advantage of – and with purposeful strategic engagement, many more will!

As Secretary/Treasurer, I would approach this work with both a governance lens and a relationship lens. I truly believe the relationships what we form when we are active in AASL are ones that last a lifetime. As Secretary/Treasurer, I will be committed to collaborating with others on the board to ensure that our work is strategic.

I will also advocate for regular and meaningful opportunities for school librarians and those studying school librarianship to become involved in AASL. In my work with pre-service school librarians, I consistently encourage them to join and actively participate in their state and national organizations. Professional engagement should begin early. We can strengthen our association by intentionally welcoming graduate students and early-career librarians into committee work, professional learning communities, advocacy initiatives, and conference programming.

Leadership engagement and purposeful engagement empower us to take initiative and amplify our collective voice. As school librarians, our voices matter! They matter in conversations about intellectual freedom, instructional leadership, digital literacy, and equitable access. When our engagement is purposeful, our advocacy is stronger, and our profession is elevated.

I believe that together we can continue to build an association that supports members in leadership roles, nurtures emerging voices, and remains vibrant, inclusive, and forward-looking.

It would be my privilege to serve as Secretary/Treasurer and to support our collective journey in our amazing association that does so much for our profession.

Thank you for your consideration.