Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award
      For Exemplary Humanities Programming

Sponsored by the American Library Association Cultural Communities Fund and the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Association of School Librarians

What is the Purpose?

The purpose of the Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award is to recognize, promote and support excellence in humanities programming in elementary and middle school libraries that serve children K-8. To promote and encourage other school libraries interested in developing outstanding humanities programs, a professional development presentation will be made by a representative of the winning library. The focus of this presentation is to share the school's program as a model for inspiration and adaptation by other library media programs.

 

What is the Award?
The Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award is an annual award to a school library that has conducted an exemplary program or program series in the humanities during the prior school year. It consists of (1) a $4,000 cash award, (2) a plaque and (3) the promotion of the winner as a model program for other school libraries.

 

What is a Humanities Program?

The humanities program can be focused in many subject areas, including but not limited to social studies, poetry, drama, art, music, language arts, foreign language and culture. Programs should focus on broadening perspectives and helping students understand the wider world and their place in it. The humanities program should be initiated and coordinated by the school librarian and exemplify the role of the library program in advancing the overall educational goals of the school.

What Types of Libraries are Eligible?
Any elementary or middle school (public or private) library or any school library program in the United States that serves children in any combination of grades K-8 and is staffed by a state-certified librarian.

Who is Sara Jaffarian?
Sara Jaffarian is a retired school librarian, who has been a member of the American Library Association for 63 years. She began her career as a librarian in the public school system of Quincy, Massachusetts.  She later served as the Director of Libraries for the Greensboro Public Schools in North Carolina and the Supervisor of Libraries for the Seattle Public Schools in Washington.

More biographical information about Ms. Jaffarian will be found by clicking here.

How Does a Library Apply?
Application for the Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award is in the form of a self-nomination submitted to the Sara Jaffarian Award Selection Committee by an elementary or middle school library in the United States, on a humanities program or program series presented during the prior school year. The application form is below. Please complete and send the original application and six (6) total copies of all supporting materials to:

Sara Jaffarian Award Selection Committee
ALA Public Programs Office
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611

publicprograms@ala.org


Please retain a copy of all application materials for your records, as the Public Programs Office is unable to return any submitted materials


What is the Deadline for Applying?
December 1, 2007,
is the deadline for receipt of applications by the Sara Jaffarian Award Selection Committee for programs that occurred during the 2006-2007 school year. Each application received by the deadline will be acknowledged by email. The winning library will be notified in April and be announced in June.

 

What Are the Criteria for Selection of the Award Winner?

The applications will be reviewed by the Sara Jaffarian Award Selection Committee. Applications will be rated on the following criteria:

  • Excellence, appeal and innovation of program content and presentation.

  • Impact, as evidenced by involvement and awareness of parents, administrators and community leaders. (Letters in support of nomination are encouraged).

  • Evidence of collaborative relationships in developing the programming. (e.g., parents, teachers, administrators, humanities scholars, community groups).

  • Relationship of the programming to the curriculum and evidence of a curriculum component for classroom treatment of the humanities theme(s) or topic(s) emphasized in the program.

  • Replicability of the programming and the winner’s willingness to participate in a conference program or online meeting to showcase the winner as a model for excellence for other school libraries.     

 

 

 

Application Form
The application form for the Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award is available by clicking here.


 

For questions about the Sara Jaffarian School Library Award, the guidelines or the application, please contact the ALA Public Programs Office, 312.280.5045 or publicprograms@ala.org. 



Related Files

Application for Sara Jaffarian Award
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The purpose of the Sara Jaffarian award is to recognize, promote and support excellence in humanities programming in elementary and middle school libraries that serve children K-8.