School Librarygrams: Reflect & Recognize!

By Kathy Lester & Lori Donovan on 04/25/2022 • ( 0 )

Let’s Celebrate Our School Librarian Colleagues!

Throughout our educational journeys, we all have had mentors and colleagues that have supported us along the way. Whether it was personal interactions, formal mentorships, hearing them speak at conferences, or through a professional learning network, these mentors and colleagues have shaped the way we approach our practice. In this final week of School Library Month (#AASLslm), let’s take some time to reflect on what being a school librarian means to us and recognize school librarians who make a difference every day!

To help us honor those colleagues, AASL is launching the School Librarygram (#AASLslgram) campaign. This campaign will help members publicly recognize colleagues who have inspired and supported them. It will also allow members to recognize the past and support future library professionals through a donation to the Distinguished Service Award and Scholarship Fund. This award and fund will annually honor an AASL member with a sustained record of service to our profession and will support the development of future school librarian leaders through a scholarship and mentorship opportunity. You can read more about the fund at the Distinguished Service Award and Scholarship Fund webpage or at the KQ Blog post: “#AASLtwosday: Why Give On 2/22/22.”

How To Give a School Librarygram

You can celebrate and honor a special school librarian as well as invest in future recognition of distinguished service and a scholarship opportunity by sending a School Librarygram (#AASLslgram)! A $25 donation to the AASL Distinguished Service Award & Scholarship Fund can be dedicated to a special school librarian who will receive a personalized message. The donor will also receive graphics to personalize for social media or other communications to celebrate the special school librarian (see below for a sample). This initiative will run through May 18th to give everyone time to submit a School Librarygram.

Steps:
1. Go to AASL Distinguished Service Award & Scholarship Fund donate page
2. Click the “Donate” button
3. The first box under the “Your Donation Summary” check the “add a tribute or memorial to my donation”
4. Fill in all fields required
5. Click Submit

Your tribute/memorial recipient will receive their School Librarygram within five days, and you will be copied on the message. In addition, the name of donors and the “in honor” of names will be posted on the AASL School Librarygram webpage.

Donors are encouraged to share their ‘shout out’ to their School Librarygram honoree by sharing the School Librarygram graphic.

Let’s Celebrate!

So let’s close out School Library Month, with a celebration and recognition of those colleagues who support us through inspiration, collaboration, mentorship, and/or friendship by sending School Librarygrams (#AASLslgram). We both can think of many librarians who have had an impact on us and we will be sending School Librarygrams to publicly acknowledge them. Please join us in this celebration and submit a School Librarygram to honor a colleague! Remember the initiative will run through May 18th.

Happy School Library Month!

Also, another way that you can contribute to the Distinguished Service and Scholarship Fund is to make a purchase of AASL merchandise (including new Intellectual Freedom designs) at: bit.ly/AASLmerch.