Register by July 6 to save $100 off AASL National Conference registration

Contact: Kathy Agarwal

Communications Specialist

312-280-4381

kagarwal@ala.org
For Immediate Release

June 26, 2007

Register by July 6 to save $100 off AASL National Conference registration

Washington, D.C. - July 6, 2007 is the last day to register at low early bird registration rates for the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) 13th National Conference in Reno, Nevada. Attendees who take advantage of the early bird rates can save $100 off the regular registration prices.



The AASL 13th National Conference, to be held October 25-28, 2007, will feature more than 100 concurrent sessions, over 200 exhibiting companies, school and educational tours, and special appearances by award-winning authors. The conference details are available on the AASL Web site at http://www.ala.org/aasl/reno.



The AASL National Conference also will provide eight preconference workshops, each giving attendees the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the topic under the guidance of nationally-renowned presenter.



“As you plan your Reno trip and register for the National Conference, don’t overlook the preconferences! They are a valuable opportunity for hands-on learning and provide for close and focused interaction with the presenters and peers,” said Cyndi Phillip, AASL President.



The AASL 13th National Conference in Reno will offer three full-day preconferences on Wednesday, October 24, 2007:

  • AASL Advocacy Institute: Providing information, resources and strategies that will help define advocacy and guide participants in the creation of long-term advocacy action plans for their school library media programs.
  • Library Media Specialist 2.0: Social, Collaborative, and Interactive Technologies: Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson, from Indiana University at Indianapolis, will provide practical guidance through the world of new technologies available to school library media specialists: from blogs and podcasts to wikis and virtual worlds. Participants will learn what is realistic, relevant, effective, efficient, and appealing for their library media program.
  • Assessing for Learning: Connecting the Library and the Classroom: Violet Harada and Joan Yoshina will lead this hands-on workshop on assessing student learning in the library media center. Participants will work in teams to develop workable solutions and strategies that stress assessment as ongoing and integral to successful learning and focused teaching.


In addition to the full day workshops, the AASL National Conference will also offer five half-day preconferences covering a variety of hot topics on Wednesday, October 24, and Thursday, October 25:


  • Books Kids Will Sit Still For: A Look at New and Notable Children's Books Across the Curriculum and How to Use Them (Grades PreK-6): Judy Freeman will share some of her latest favorites, an eclectic and indispensable assortment of compelling titles no librarian can live without.
  • Collaboration: The Key to the Future Begins @ Your Library: Greg Byerly, PhD, and Carolyn S. Brodie, PhD, from the Kent State University School of Library and Information Science, will teach the keys to successful collaboration with teachers and administrators, the characteristics of a good collaborator, and strategies to make collaboration work to maximize student learning.
  • Copyright and Plagiarism - Teaching Ethics to Tomorrow's Citizens: Dr. Carol Simpson, from the University of North Texas School of Library and Information Science, will demystify plagiarism and discuss the basics of copyright rules.
  • Designing School Library Media Spaces for Now and the Future: A Special Place for Reading, Thinking and Learning: Guided by Dr. Thomas L. Hart, Library Media Facilities Planner and Professor Emeritus, from the College of Information at Florida State University, the participants will develop skills and gain knowledge to plan a quality library media space to serve their users.
  • Urban Fantasy, Chick Lit, Graphic Novels, Audiobooks, and More: Young Adult Literature for the YouTube and MySpace Generation: Dr. Ruth Cox Clark will share techniques for enticing teens to explore the new genres and formats available in recently published YA Literature and will discuss how to attract young adults to the secondary school library media center.


Preconference registration for all full day workshops includes a continental breakfast, box lunch, and breaks. Morning half-day workshops provide a continental breakfast and the afternoon workshops provide a snack. Registration prices are as follows: full day workshops: AASL members - $179, non-members - $284; half-day workshops: AASL members - $99, non-members - $204. More details and online registration is available on the AASL Web site at http://www.ala.org/aasl/reno.



The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, 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.