Independent Schools Section (ISS)

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Upcoming Events

Book Discussion

ISS is excited to invite you to our upcoming virtual book club! We’ll be reading Leading a Culture of Reading by Lorraine M. Radice. The club will feature three one-hour virtual meetings: February 12, March 4, and March 25. We will break the book into manageable chapters and engage in meaningful discussions on how to apply its key concepts to our work. This is a great opportunity to connect with others and explore effective strategies for fostering a culture of reading. Please note that you’ll need to obtain a copy of the book for yourself. We hope you’ll join us.

• Session 1 Archive (you will be prompted to log into ALA Connect with your ALA ID and password)
• Session 2 Archive (you will be prompted to log into ALA Connect with your ALA ID and password)
• March 25 - ISS Book Club: Leading a Culture of Reading (Session 3)

Webinar: Public Library Partnerships

Join us at 6:00 p.m. Eastern on May 13 for a panel exploring partnerships and collaborations between independent school libraries and public libraries. We’ll hear from independent school librarians who have created successful partnerships with their public libraries, and you will walk away with some strategies to start working on those connections with your local public libraries. Discover how to leverage public library resources for your students and faculty, including digital collections, specialized programs, and community expertise, and learn practical strategies for joint programming, resource sharing, and advocating for literacy initiatives together. Register

Archived Webinars

• Hosting an Author Visit
  Are you interested in hosting author visits, or just want to make your existing program more impactful? This panel with experienced educators from elementary, middle, and high schools share valuable insights on hosting successful author visits at schools. This interactive panel covers essential topics such as selecting the right authors, planning engaging activities, and maximizing the impact of these visits on student learning and enthusiasm for literature.
• Artificial Intelligence in the School Library
  Explore how AI-enabled search and Open AI will change how school librarians craft library instruction and work with faculty and students. Presented by the AASL Independent Schools Section.
• Your Databases Are Next: The Digital Redlining Movement and How Your Databases Might Not Work the Way You Think
  Learn how to protect your electronic materials, initiate conversations with vendors and consortia, combat legislation in your state, and reframe how you present databases to students and faculty.
• Summer Reading Book Recommendations
  Panelists share their book recommendations for pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
• Summer Reading Implementation
  Panelists from lower school through high school share their summer reading activities, from book circles to book challenges to postcard reviews and beyond.
• Copyright & Creativity
  Voted one of AASL's Best Digital Tools for Teaching & Learning 2021, Copyright & Creativity offers a full suite of FREE K-12 resources for teaching copyright and fair use. During this webinar, attendees learn how to teach their students about these topics to encourage creativity.

Archived Webchats

• The "What If?" Scenario: What Your Library Needs to Run Without You
  Particularly relevant during a pandemic, this session, originally presented at ALA Annual in 2018, presents the documents, systems, and fail safes every librarian needs to have in place for someone else to step in and do their job to keep the library running. Whether you are a new librarian planning good systems or an experienced librarian thinking about succession planning as you approach retirement, every participant should come away with a host of ideas as well as templates and shared resources to guide their work.
• Read and Reflect on "This Book is Anti-Racist" by Tiffany Jewell
  Do you want to read "This Book is Anti-Racist" by Tiffany Jewell with your class or staff? Are you looking for more books and ideas to keep the robust conversation going? Neha Thakkar shares resources to use in your book club around anti-racist texts and discussion.
• Programs Aplenty: Virtual Edition!
  Anna Brannin provides activity ideas and relevant resources to stay connected with students and ideas for virtual or passive programming.
• Managing Library Teams in Complex Times
  Sarah Davis and Reba Gordon explore practical ways to set goals and priorities, and manage library teams to best provide essential services during this new Hyflex learning environment
• A Conversation on Self-Care
  Where are balance and rejuvenation in 2020 and beyond? Listen as Independent Schools Section Chair-Elect Jenna Nemec-Loise and her colleague Terri Webb, LCSW, for a timely dialogue about personal wellness.

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