Massachusetts School Library Association receives AASL Chapter of the Year Award

CHICAGO – The Massachusetts School Library Association (MSLA) is the recipient of the 2025 American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Chapter of the Year Award. The $1,000 award recognizes the AASL Chapter most active and dynamic in achieving the goals of AASL at the state and local level.

“The committee agreed that MSLA is doing amazing work to address today’s challenges in collaboration with their state, emphasizing equitable access and post-pandemic gaps,” said committee chair Tara Thibault-Edmonds. “Their expansive initiatives, including their state conference and a partnership with the Boston Public Schools to help paraprofessionals and experienced educators become librarians, demonstrate MSLA's commitment to the profession, and lawmakers are listening.”

MSLA stated that they “strive to put the needs of learners first. Policymakers in the governmental, educational, and library sectors know that they can depend on us to ensure school libraries offer authentic learning experiences, including the integration of AASL standards in the daily lives of learners. They count on us to communicate our work with our local constituencies. Together, we will cultivate equitable student access to certified librarians, rich library collections, and the inquiry-based, active scholarship required for participating in a democratic society.”

AASL president Becky Calzada said, “MSLA showcases the significant impact of a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach, underscoring the vital learning communities it serves. By sending representatives to the AASL National Conference, integrating the AASL National School Library Standards, collaborating with public libraries, presenting policy briefs, and providing opportunities and pathways for MSLA school librarians to advance and develop professionally, the organization demonstrates inspiring, visionary leadership in the field.” Calzada states, “It’s AASL's vision that every school librarian is a leader, and every learner has a school librarian. We thank MSLA for their unwavering commitment in advancing this vision.”

The AASL award winners will be recognized at the 2025 AASL National Conference, which will be held October 16-18 in St. Louis, Missouri.

The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.