School librarians are master problem-solvers. We advocate for intellectual freedom when a book is questioned. We defend instructional time when schedules shift. We explain our value when budgets tighten. We build partnerships, even when we’re the only certified librarian in the building.

Yet many of the most complex advocacy moments happen in less-than-ideal situations: when staffing is reduced, when policies shift unexpectedly, when decision-makers misunderstand our role, or when support systems feel thin.

What if those challenges didn’t exist in isolation?

What if they became shared tools for the entire profession?

The Standards Committee is working to build an online library of scenarios aligned with those in Part IV of the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries (2nd edition). These scenarios are designed to support librarians navigating common, not so common, and complex advocacy challenges.

Like the scenarios featured in the second edition of the National School Library Standards, these additional scenarios will:

  • Connect real-world challenges to Shared Foundations and Key Commitments
  • Model effective language for advocacy conversations
  • Demonstrate how standards-based practice strengthens decision-making
  • Provide adaptable examples for local contexts

This work ensures that the AASL Standards remain not just aspirational, but actionable.

We Need Your Voice

The AASL Standards Committee has created a form inviting school librarians to propose ideas for new scenarios. Submissions will be reviewed by the AASL Standards Committee, who will then fully develop new scenarios using the scenario template from the second edition.

You are already living these scenarios.

Have you:

  • Rebuilt a program after a staffing reduction?
  • Faced pressure to narrow or limit collection diversity?
  • Been asked to justify your instructional role?
  • Presented a justification and plan to your Board to procure new flexible seating in your space?

Your experience can help another school librarian feel less alone and better prepared. Your submissions will also help AASL identify emerging advocacy trends and inform future initiatives, including special task forces or Board-level discussions.

This is a profession-wide collaboration.

Why This Matters Now

Advocacy is becoming more complex. Standards-based language gives us a shared vocabulary to articulate impact, align with district priorities, and demonstrate student-centered outcomes.

When we frame our advocacy through the Shared Foundations, we shift the conversation from “what the school librarian wants” to “what learners need.”

That shift is powerful.

By contributing to this growing library of scenarios, you help:

  • Strengthen collective advocacy efforts
  • Provide mentorship at scale
  • Elevate practitioner expertise

Submit a Scenario Idea

Please consider contributing. Even a brief description of a challenge can spark a fully developed scenario that supports school librarians nationwide.

Advocacy is strongest when it is shared.

Let’s build a resource that reflects the complexity, courage, and creativity of today’s school librarians.