AASL affiliate members informed about national board standards

Contact: Judy King


312-280-4385

For Immediate Release


November 2002

AASL affiliate members informed about national board standards

More than 90 affiliate members of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) attended a forum on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the School Library Media Profession in Rosemont, Ill., October 4-6, 2002.

Representatives from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) led the forum. Terry Robidoux gave valuable information on candidate support and training available for those supporting candidates going through the certification process. Katherine Bassett focused on library media certification standards and the criteria by which candidates are assessed, while Stephanie Epp addressed library media standards and the connection to graduate programs.

AASL leaders, Gail Dickinson, assistant professor, library and information studies department - University of North Carolina-Greensboro; Sharon Coatney, retired school library media specialist and chair of the NBPTS Library Media Standards Committee, Kan.; and Deb Levitov, coordinator of library media, Lincoln (Neb.) Public Schools, also spoke at the opening general session and provided attendees with an overview of the NBPTS certification process and how it relates to library media standards, programs and the profession as a whole. They also served as facilitators during discussion groups.

AASL is the first national professional organization to work directly with NBPTS in support of its members and those in the profession desiring to become board certified. Several AASL leaders were involved in the development of the National Board Standards.

"We hope that affiliates feel more informed regarding the NBPTS certification process and that they're more aware of the support currently available," AASL Director of Program Development Judy King said. "We hope that this forum will lead to the development of additional materials and programs to improve the profession."

Tentative plans include the establishment of an interest group within AASL and the development of a toolkit in cooperation with NBPTS for the dissemination of information. Additional ideas related to national board certification of school library media specialist were generated and will be considered by the interest group and other segments of AASL.

The forum was sponsored in part by Bound to Stay Bound (BTSB), a provider of quality books, media products and services to libraries.

AASL (
Website)a division of the American Library Association (ALA), promotes the improvement and extension of library media 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 media field.