Beyond Words website offers resources for recovery

For Immediate Release
Tue, 11/20/2012

Contact:

Jennifer Habley

Manager, Web Communications

American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

800-545-2433 ext.4383

jhabley@ala.org

CHICAGO — The Beyond Words website, part of the American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) Beyond Words Grant funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, contains linked resources for school librarians and students to use while recovering from a natural disaster. Links include guides to facilities and funding, recovery and repair of damaged materials and helping students cope and process their experiences. Resources can be accessed at www.ala.org/aasl/disasterrecovery.

In 2006, Dollar General, in collaboration with the American Library Association (ALA) AASL and the National Education Association (NEA), began sponsoring a school library disaster relief fund for public school libraries in the states served by Dollar General. To date, more than more than $1.2 million dollars in grants have been awarded to more than 130 schools across the country. Grants can be used to replace or supplement books, media and/or library equipment a can also be used to offset costs by those schools that have opened their doors to significant numbers of new students displaced by disaster. For more information about the AASL Beyond Words Grant funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, see www.ala.org/aasl/disasterrelief.

The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), promotes the improvement and extension of library services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program. Its mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change and develop leaders in the school library field.

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation awards grants annually to schools, nonprofit organizations and libraries to support education and literacy in the communities where its customers, employees and their families live and work.  Available grants and a complete list of grant recipients are available at www.dgliteracy.org.  Dollar General is a leading discount retailer with 10,000 stores in 40 states. The company has a longstanding tradition of supporting literacy and education. Since 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $71.2 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 4.1 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. To learn more about Dollar General, visit www.dollargeneral.com.

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional organization, representing 2.8 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.  For more information, please visit www.nea.org.