AASL preconferences empower school librarians as education and technology leaders

CHICAGO – Preconferences offered by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) before the American Library Association (ALA) 2012 Annual Conference are designed to empower school librarians as education and technology leaders in their schools. These “bring your own device” workshops will be offered Friday, June 22 in Anaheim, Calif. For more information, visit www.ala.org/aasl/annual.



Emerge from the full-day preconference, The One Day Library Website, with a fully functional library website ready to install on their organization’s server. Using Drupal, an open source content management system, facilitator Christopher Harris will lead participants through the steps to build and maintain a fully customizable site for their school library program.



During the half-day preconference, Libraries in the Cloud, discover how school libraries can benefit by moving to the cloud and what role librarians can play when staff and student applications become hosted. Led by presenter Doug Johnson, attendees will discuss the implication of hosted computer applications and resources on library programs and the role of the school librarian.



Attendees will learn how to become embedded professional development leaders and thrive in an era of unprecedented school reform during Leading Professional Development that Matters…and Works, a half-day preconference. Presenters Debbie Abilock, Kristin Fontichiaro and Violet H. Harada will discuss several professional development models and explore how the models can improve schools from the inside out.



Online registration is now open. AASL encourages all librarians interested in becoming a leader in their library programs to register now to attend one of these valuable workshops. For fees and to register, visit www.ala.org/aasl/annual.



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.