AASL 2013 Elections

Division Councilor

Valerie Edwards

Current Position:

IMC Director; Monona Grove High School; Monona; WI;

Degrees and Certificates:

Cornell College, BA History, 1987;
UW-Madison, BS Elementary Education, 1995;
UW-Madison, MLA Library and Information Science, 1997.
National Board Certification, Library Media, 2006.

ALA and/or ALA-APA Activities:

ALA Training, Orientation and Leadership Development Committee Member, 2008-2010.
AASL Board Member, 2010-present.
AASL Affiliate Assembly Region 3 Director-Elect, 2008-2010.
AASL Affiliate Assembly Region 3 Delegate, 2004-2008.
AASL Collaborative Library Program Award Committee Member – current.
AASL Distinguished Service Award Committee Chair, 2010.
AASL Collaborative Library Program Award Committee Chair, 2009.

Offices held in state/regional library associations, and other associations:

Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Assn. (WEMTA), Affiliate Assembly Delegate, 2004-2008; WEMTA, Board member at-large, 2008-2012; WEMTA, Annual Conference Chair, 2006, 2009.

Honors and Awards:

AASL Collaborative Library Media Program Award, 2006.
WEMTA Media Professional of the Year, 2008.

Major Accomplishments:

I believe that my major accomplishment is in building effective, collaborative relationships. I have been able to build strong relationships with faculty in my building and district beyond our shared classroom instruction, through involvement in a variety of leadership teams including our district New Teacher Mentoring Program.
I have also built a strong collaborative partnership with my counterpart at our local public library. This has provided my students with a wider range of learning opportunities, including free author visits and has helped us strengthen both programs.

Statement of Professional Concerns/Aspirations if Elected:

I believe that this is an exciting time to have an opportunity to serve AASL on ALA Council. The development and initial work of the School Library Task Force at the ALA level provides us with new avenues for visibility. Serving as a communication conduit between ALA Council and AASL is something that I see as being of critical importance to our membership. In working to strengthen the position of school libraries in the national picture, AASL needs the support, advocacy and innovative ideas and strategies of all of our ALA colleagues. Capitalizing on this connection is an opportunity for the AASL Councilor can make a significant contribution.

Member of ALA since:

1995