Contact: Keidra Chaney


Program Coordinator


312-280-4381

For Immediate Release


October 3, 2003

AASL’s National School Library Media Program of the Year Award to mark 40th year

This year, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) celebrates the 40th anniversary of the National School Library Media Program of the Year Award (NSLMPY), AASL’s most prestigious and long-standing award. The award honors school library media programs that ensure students and staff are effective users of ideas and information, as well as exemplifying implementation of

information power” standards of information literacy.

Follett Library Resources, the sponsor of the NSLMPY award since 1995, has increased the cash prize to $10,000 per winner during the 2003 award year and provides a crystal obelisk to honor each winning school. The award is given in three categories: large school district, small school district and single school. As of 2003, there have been 60 programs and schools that have won this prestigious honor.

To celebrate NSLMPY’s 40th anniversary, past and present winners will be honored at the AASL 11th National Conference & Exhibition, October 24, 2003, in Kansas City, Mo., during the AASL Author Banquet featuring Newbery award winner Suzanne Fisher Staples. AASL is providing two (2) complimentary tickets to the October event to all schools that are past or present winners of the NSLMPY award.

A list of winners is available on the AASL website at
www.ala.org/aasl/awards/nslmpy.html. Please contact Keidra Chaney at 1-800-545-2433 ext 4381, or e-mail kchaney@ala.org for more information.

AASL is a division of the American Library Association (ALA). AASL promotes the improvement and extension of library media services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening their total education programs. AASL’s mission is to advocate excellence, facilitate change, and develop leaders in the school library media field.