AASL opens online registration for its 16th National Conference & Exhibition

CHICAGO - Online registration and housing are now open for the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) 16th National Conference & Exhibition. The conference, themed “Rising to the Challenge,” will be held Nov. 14-17, 2013, in Hartford, Conn., and is the only national conference dedicated solely to the needs of school librarians and their roles as educational leaders.

Attendees are encouraged to register prior to Aug. 22 to receive the discounted early bird rate. Included with registration is access to the opening and closing sessions, more than 100 concurrent sessions, the best practices showcase, the exhibit floor and the Closing Celebration. A full list of rates and deadlines can be found at national.aasl.org/registration. A full list of conference hotels can be found at national.aasl.org/housing.

AASL’s National Conference & Exhibition is the premier biennial four-day event for school librarians, administrators of library services, educators of school library students and school library supporters. Programming and events are geared to help school library professionals at every stage in their career gain the knowledge and resources necessary to elevate the school library program.

Already scheduled programming for the 2013 conference includes opening general session speaker Tony Wagner, Harvard Education Fellow and author of the recently published, “Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World;” and closing general session speaker Peter Bregman, leadership consultant and author of “18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction and Get the Right Things Done.” Other events include 8 half- and full-day preconferences; multiple author events, including a brand new author concurrent session track and a chance to meet and mingle with some of today’s most popular authors; an educators of school library students research symposium; and exhibits filled with the latest resources and technologies for the school library program.

More information on conference programming is available on the AASL 16^th National Conference & Exhibition website located at national.aasl.org. Those communicating about the national conference are encouraged to use the official hashtag, #aasl13.

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.