AASL sponsors two Emerging Leaders
Contact: Melissa Jacobsen
AASL Communications Specialist
(312) 280-4381
mjacobsen@ala.org
NEWS
For Immediate Release
November 2, 2009
CHICAGO – The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) will sponsor two participants in the American Library Association (ALA) 2010 Emerging Leaders (EL) program. They will join 100 of their peers as the fourth year of the program kicks off at the ALA 2010 Midwinter Meeting in Boston.
Melissa Ahart of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Kara Smith of Highland Park, Ill. will participate in project planning workgroups; network with peers; gain an inside look into ALA structure; and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers. By sponsoring Ahart and Smith, AASL commits to defraying costs for their attendance at the ALA Midwinter Meeting and Annual Conference.
"The Emerging Leaders program is an excellent opportunity for us to nurture members new to our field," says AASL President Cassandra Barnett. "This program offers leadership experiences that are beneficial to all; great training for our emerging leaders and a pool of talent available to AASL."
Following the kickoff session in Boston, the EL program will grow and develop in an online learning and networking environment for six months, culminating with a poster session showcasing the results of the project planning work at the ALA 2010 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Participants commit to taking part in all aspects of the program and may have an opportunity to serve on an ALA, Division, Chapter or Round Table committee or a taskforce or workgroup upon completion of program.
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.
