AASL launches eCOLLAB

CHICAGO — The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) announces a new feature of AASL membership, eCOLLAB –Your eLearning Laboratory: Content Collaboration Community. This repository of AASL professional development provides members and subscribers with a central location to find and manage their e-learning as well as to connect with others in the learning community. eCOLLAB contains webcasts, podcasts and resources from various AASL professional development events, as well as the latest issue Knowledge Quest in an interactive PDF format. To view eCOLLAB, visit www.ala.org/aasl/ecollab.

The repository currently hosts digital resources such as handouts and presentations on relevant topics such as 21st century standards, student achievement, collaboration and assessment. At launch, the site contains 25 webcasts and more than 70 session handouts/presentations. New resources will continue to migrate to the repository, keeping e-learning opportunities consistently fresh and focused on the topics facing the profession today. eCOLLAB is available to AASL personal members as a feature of their membership and non-members can access eCOLLAB via paid subscription.

“School librarians are finding it increasingly difficult to travel to professional development events or to take time off to attend live sessions,” said Carl Harvey, AASL president. “eCOLLAB gives them a chance to facilitate their continuing education on their own time and with all of the resources they need easily found in one place. It’s a tremendous asset!”

AASL members can access eCOLLAB by logging into the AASL website using their ALA-provided website login. Nonmembers can receive access to eCOLLAB resources with an annual subscription of $199 per year. To begin utilizing eCOLLAB or to subscribe, visit www.ala.org/aasl/ecollab.

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.