Setting up a Library: School Library
School Library Book Lists
- Books for School Librarians at the ALA StoreA list of ALA's own print books, e-books, eCourses, and webinars on school libraries.
- School Libraries--Administration, Advocacy, and AssessmentAn ALA Library WorldCat List of resources useful for those establishing a school library for the first time, assessing effectiveness of the school library program, and advocating for school libraries
- School Libraries--Programming, Curriculum, and Building CollectionsAn ALA Library WorldCat list of books with advice for school librarians on how to run programs, what to include in their curriculum, and books that they can purchase.
Selected Books on School Libraries
The School Library Media Specialist's Policy and Procedure Writer by ISBN: 9781555706210Publication Date: 2009-10-01
Neal-Schuman Technology Management Handbook for School Library Media Centers by ISBN: 9781555706593Publication Date: 2010-04-01
Guide for Developing and Evaluating School Library Programs by ISBN: 9781591587170Publication Date: 2010-09-14
School Library Management by ISBN: 9781610691406
School Library Standards
The American Association of School Librarians (AASL, a division of ALA) recommends an outcomes-based assessment process initially set forth in 1998, in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning, a guide for school librarians in helping students flourish in a learning community not limited by time, place, age, occupation or disciplinary borders. The guidelines of Information Power also explain the importance of collaboration -- joining teachers and others to identify links in student information needs, curricular content, learning outcomes, and a variety of print and non-print resources. For the latest, see the AASL Position Statement on Quantitative Standards, adopted June 28, 2013.
In order to recognize the changing role of school libraries now and in the future, AASL has developed new Learning Standards & Program Guidelines for school libraries. Standards for the 21st-Century Learner offers vision for teaching and learning to both guide and beckon our profession as education leaders. They will both shape the library program and serve as a tool for library media specialists to use to shape the learning of students in the school.
Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs is the newest addition to the line up. It advances school library media programs to meet the needs of the changing school library environment and is guided by the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action.
- Writing a Selection Policy - OIFWritten by the Office for Intellectual Freedom at ALA. A good policy on the selection of materials will be relevant to your particular system and include basic sections on objectives, responsibility, criteria, procedures for selection, reconsideration of materials, and policies on controversial materials.
- Library Policy DevelopmentWhen developing policies, each library needs to consider the community that it serves.
- AASL Position Statement on Quantitative StandardsStatement from the American Association of School Librarians on the use of qualitative standards in school libraries.
- AASL Learning Standards and Program GuidelinesAASL's learning standards offer a vision for teaching and learning to both guide and beckon the school library profession as education leaders. The learning standards shape the library program and serve as a tool for school librarians to use to shape the learning of students in the school.
State Library Standards
Individual states may have their own standards, which should be reviewed and observed as appropriate. Use the links below to locate information about standards in your state.
- State Departments of EducationA tool for locating contact information for the department of education for each state.
- State School Library AssociationsLinks to AASL Affiliate organizations
- State Library AgenciesOverview of United States state library agencies, their functions, and links to directories.
- State Library AssociationsLinks to State Library Association websites
School Library Periodicals
School Library Periodicals published by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL, a division of ALA):
- KQ ExpressArchived issues of the KQ Express and AASL Hotlinks monthly e-mail newsletter. Access is restricted to current AASL members only.
- Knowledge QuestAASL print journal.
- School Library ResearchAASL open-access online research journal.
Other School Library Periodicals: