AASL changes categories for the NSLMPY Award
Contact: Kathy Agarwal
Phone: 312-280-4381
Fax: 312-664-7459
For Immediate Release
April 7, 2005
AASL changes categories for the NSLMPY Award
CHICAGO - The American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announces new award categories for the National School Library Media Program of the Year Award for the 2006 application year.
Established in 1963, the National School Library Media Program of the Year (NSLMPY) Award honors school library media programs practicing their commitment to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information, as well as exemplifying implementation of Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, a 1998 AASL publication of standards and guidelines for dynamic, student-centered school library media programs. Sponsored by Follett Library Resources, the award, comprised of three categories, recognizes exemplary school library media programs that are fully integrated into the school's curriculum. Each winning program receives a $10,000 prize ($30,000 total).
In the past, the three award categories were defined as: Large District (enrollment equal to or greater than 10,000 students), Small District (enrollment less than 10,000 students) and Individual School (including single schools that exist as a school district). The new categories, one District Award and two Single School Awards are designed to increase the numbers of eligible applicants. Also, the change may provide for a better distribution within the applicant pool, since historically the highest percentage of potential applicants came from the Single School category. There are over 121,000 single schools nationwide (about 94,000 public schools, 27,000 private), but less than 15,000 school districts (according to SY2001-02 data from the U.S. Dept. of Education, National Center for Education Statistics). The new categories were approved by the AASL Board of Directors at the ALA Midwinter Meeting in Boston in January 2005.
For more information about NSLMPY and all other AASL awards, visit
www.ala.org/aasl/awards. Applications for the 2006 NSLMPY Awards are due in the AASL office on January 2, 2006.
The American Association of School Librarians (
www.ala.org/aasl), 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.
