Regional Workshops

Topics have now been announced!
Register  for your regional workshop today before they fill up!

Emerging Leaders

The South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) is offering a special professional development opportunity for school librarians who have been in the field for five years or less. This year long program will begin with an introductory session at the 2019 SCASL conference and will conclude with the pre-conference held at the 2020 SCASL conference in March. You will have an opportunity to meet and collaborate with new and experienced librarians in South Carolina, SCASL Board members, and join networks in your area of the state affiliated with SCASL. You will learn more about being a leader in your school and district. You will also learn what SCASL is, what we do, and how you can be an active part of the organization.

Go to scasl.net/emerging-leaders for more information.

*Have you ever heard these questions:

• Why do we still have school libraries if you have technology?
• Do you just sit around and read all day?
• Do you have to have a degree for that?
• Are you a real teacher?

It is obvious that we need to do a better job of sharing our story and illustrating our impact on student learning. Join the South Carolina Association of School Librarians Legislative committee, as we promote school libraries each month during the 18-19 school year. Our program, Speak Up SCASL, is a monthly social media campaign to share the instruction, reading programs, technology integration, and impact that SC’s school libraries have on our students and teachers. Each month from August to May, we are asking that you share a story and photo related to that month’s topic. You can share on a social media site or by email to our local, state, and national stakeholders. We hope you’ll join us in advocating for school libraries. Participation is easy!

Know any great SCASL Librarians? Nominate them today for a leadership position! Send your nominations or questions to Cathy Jo Nelson, our Immediate Past President and current chair of the Elections Committee.

You can see SCASL's Google Calendar of events by clicking this link, which will prompt you to add it as a calendar you follow in Google.  

With the full support and cooperation of South Carolina Department of Education Office of Educator Effectiveness and Leadership Development, SCASL is collecting school library information to analyze and share. We are collecting the information to show the SDE the importance and relevance of school libraries. We are actively working to add school library information to future report cards.

Please know that Librarians across our state WILL HAVE ACCESS to the results of this survey by September-ish to share with your "powers that be" for the purpose of advocacy for your libraries. It will be presented with graphics and information, and you may use it as you see fit. This is a FIRST, as in the last ten years, the data collected was collected, but little more. Your state organization, SCASL has permission to assist with collection, analysis, and permission to publish for use!

Please join us for the Annual SCASL Summer Institute planned for June 12, 2018 at Seawell's in Columbia, SC as we take a "deep dive" into learning the new AASL National Standards.  9 am - 2:15 pm; buffet lunch included.

Members - $25

Nonmembers - $50.

Register here.

April is School Library Month! Look who is the spokesperson --Jason Reynolds!!

What are you doing to celebrate School Library Month? Be sure to visit AASL to get ideas and more.

1. Visit SCASL18.SCHED.COM and login.
2. On your profile pic (or screen name initials if no pic was uploaded) choose "my sched."
3. After your personalized schedule is loaded, click the printer icon on the right side of the screen. It will open in PDF format ready to be printed.

Yesterday we shared a (silent) video showing how to access and print your conference transcripts. Today we are showing how to access handouts. Here is that recording: https://youtu.be/pZNqdWnb5Xo. Please note that not everyone posted handouts in the sched platform. You may need to contact presenter directly if there are no handouts in SCASL18.sched.com. 

At ALA Midwinter, Heather Thore and I learned of some resources made by other affiliates who graciously said all could share. Here is a Powerpoint for the Pennsylvania Affiliate we thought was really good. If you'd like to dig deeper, feel free to download it, as there are notes on several slides. 

 Make a copy of this Google Slide set for your Google Drive. 

This was something shared form ALA Midwinter too--it is designed to be printed out on 11x17 paper, but one can also print on two standard pages ideally front and back. At the Regional Meetings theLinda Heimburger from the DISCUS/State Library had these on hand.  

If you are looking to inform yourself or share with other stakeholders, this is a nice item to print or share.

Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed with your new AASL Standards book? Here 's a helpful tip sheet for reading the standards.  

Link to view

The SCASL--USC-SLIS--SC SDE Librarians Regional Meetings concluded today. There was much sharing going on at these meetings. I attended the one helped in Greenville at wade Hampton.  There was a lot of discussion during Heather Thore's Presentation on the newly released AASL Standards, and where we all need to go from here. We tried to assure the attendees that as materials were released that were trainings and information about implementation, we would share.  

After our wonderful lunch provided by SCASL Sponsor Follett (who brought in Jason's Deli goodness in Greenville) we broke into smaller session. I myself attended the STEM DISCUS session, the Town hall like session "Let's Talk" led by Dr. Gerry Solomon, and The Ebook session led by Dr. Karen Gavigan, I was on information overload. I will request handouts and resources shared over the regional meetings and return here to share those so be on the lookout. 

The Book Award Committees are still accepting applications for the 2018-19
Picture, Children’s, Junior, and Young Adult Committees. Looking at the committee
memberships right now, we still need….

PBA Committee