Bookmark
June 2020
June President's Message
NJASL Members,
Happy Summer! Congratulations on making it through the 2019-2020 school year. When you look back, I hope you see the many unexpected ways you’ve grown as a leader and a learner this year.
This is my last letter as President and, while I am breathing a sigh of relief, I am also emotionally struck by the many, many people who have supported me in this role and have worked to support you, our NJASL members, too. I am deeply moved and profoundly grateful.
Our board and committees have been juggling their own pivoted practice, their families in quarantine, and their NJASL efforts, which for many have been more rigorous than before remote learning. As an organization, we’ve tried to keep step with the changes in our practice and keep you informed of those best practices. In addition, we contributed to the crafting of new standards that now mention School Library Media Specialists for the first time! This representation is a direct result of the effort of NJASL’s indefatigable Legislative Consultant, Mary Moyer, and our tireless Advocacy team, chaired by Tricina Beebe.
I also want to take a moment to introduce two co-chairs to our committees. I hope you are aware of all of the professional development opportunities NJASL has been offering. These new ideas have come from the vision of our PD Chair, Donna Swift with great support from member-at-large, Beth Raff. As PD offerings became more frequent, Donna found she needed a partner. I want to welcome and thank Caroline Geck for volunteering to co-chair the Professional Development Committee. As a team, the committee has brought us our many Swap Meets and will continue to offer virtual PD throughout the summer and school year.
Work that goes on behind the scenes is harder to notice, but nonetheless important. Mary Lewis returned to the role of Membership Chair when we had an unexpected vacancy. We were so grateful to Mary for saying yes, because Membership is a tremendous job and too much to do on your own. Well, I want to welcome our new Membership Co-Chair, Nancy Meglio. Nancy came to the Board meetings asking for a way to get more involved. She’s found a great partner in Mary, and I thank them both for all they do.
As an organization, we have new promotional tools, including infographics, YouTube videos, Wakelets, LibGuides, and social media campaigns all developed by NJASL members who saw a need and took the initiative to fill it. All of this is featured on our website. I have been so amazed and impressed by what I have seen our members do in order to keep supporting our students, staff, and each other.
This is what NJASL is, whether you are a Board member, Committee member, or a general member, you are part of the team! I believe the momentum of our organization is a direct result of what EVERYONE contributes! Thank you all!
The momentum won’t stop here. There will be much work this summer. NJASL will be looking to build support documents that demonstrate ways to incorporate the new standards. We will be continuing our enriched professional development. We will meet with State Leaders and organizations to raise the profile of School Library Media Specialists to our stakeholders and decision makers. We have committed to developing an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force under the direction of our EDI Chair, Dr. Ellen Pozzi.
We have grown as an organization, and I am proud of all we’ve done. There is more work ahead of us, though, and we are ready to meet the challenges, together.
Remember to take some time to reflect, refresh, and renew (that was my conference theme and I think it’s still relevant). You have earned it!
Happy Summer!
Jill Mills
Important News and Information
Renew your NJASL Membership Today!
Your membership is as important to us as it is to you! Don't forget to renew your NJASL membership for the 2020-2021 school year. All memberships, regardless of the month in which you joined, are due for renewal on August 1, but depending on how you plan to renew, it may be time to begin now. There are three ways to renew.
1) With a credit card or Paypal, using the online form:
- Sign in to the NJASL website, using the email address you used to join, and your password.
- Once you are logged on, select "View Profile" in the upper right corner under your name. If you are renewing at a different level for next year (e.g. you will be newly retired, you completed your graduate library program and are no longer a student, if your position has been cut to 20 hours per week, etc.) change your level *before* you renew!
- Visual directions for this process are here: How to Change NJASL Membership Level
- Click the "Renew" button on the right side of your profile in the Membership Details section, and continue.
2) By personal check or school district purchase order, using the printable membership form:
- Print the form, fill it out, and mail it with your check, or send completed copies to your school district's business office to attach to your purchase order. The purchase order process can take several months, and your renewal is not activated until it is paid. To avoid a lapse in your membership, if you are paying by purchase order, please submit your paperwork this month, if possible.
3) Membership can be bundled with Bookmark subscriptions through some periodical distributors. Please be aware that subscription services may add a handling surcharge to the Active Professional NJASL membership rate. NJASL receives only the amount of our membership fee ($65).
These are three companies that members have used for Bookmark subscription/NJASL membership:
- EBSCO
- WT Cox Information Services
- Discount Magazine Subscription Service.
If joining NJASL through a Bookmark subscription, please make sure you do the following:
- Fill out and mail a printable membership application to NJASL with a note indicating which subscription service will be sending payment to NJASL.
- Tell your distributor to set the subscription dates from August 1, 2020 through July 31, 2021.
We will activate your renewal when we receive payment from your periodical service. As with district purchase orders, this method of renewal may take months. If possible, start the process today.
If you have questions about renewing your membership, please contact the Membership Committee
Mary Lewis & Nancy Meglio, Co-Chairs
Important Battle of the Books Update
(Image via: https://blogs.douglascountylibraries.org/battleofthebooks/)
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force
In response to the current situation, the Board published the following statement:
Karen Grant and Ellen Pozzi will be heading the new Task Force described in this statement that will work “to broaden diversity in our membership, leadership, and professional development.” If you are interested in being part of this Task Force, please email either of us.
Please click through the statement to see further resources.
Thank you,
Karen Grant
Ellen Pozzi
NJASL Scholarship and Awards
The school year has "virtually" ended. It’s time to enjoy all that we can that is summer! It is also time for the NJASL Conference Committee to create, organize and arrange all that is necessary for our membership to attend, learn, and grow as we “Lean in to Leadership” at the NJASL 2020 Virtual Conference on Friday evening and all-day Saturday, December 4 and 5.
It is during our virtual 2020 NJASL Conference that the recipients of several prestigious NJASL awards will be announced. Consider applying for or nominating a colleague for one of the following awards:
Ruth Toor Outstanding Media Specialist
Jean E Harris Progressive School Library Media Program
Outstanding Administrator of the Year
ISTE – “Making IT Happen Award”
NJASL Outstanding Author/Illustrator (Deadline July 15)
The deadline for the Outstanding Author-Illustrator Award is July 15. The deadline for all other applications is September 30.
But, why wait until the busy month of September? Now is a great time to reflect, gather our thoughts and information as well as collect the necessary recommendations.
All applications can be accessed here.
Any questions? Email awards @njasl.org
Have a well-deserved wonderful summer!
Karen Brill
NJASL Advocacy
Standards Revision Infographic
Thanks again Skye!
#NJLibsstillserving: A Social Media Campaign
by Tricina Beebe
Background: Over the past three months you’ve been working tirelessly to meet the needs of your learning community remotely. But how visible are your efforts?
Now more than ever, it’s critical to amplify our work. Let’s ensure that our stories reach far beyond our NJASL membership to impact all stakeholders--parents, school leaders, state leaders. A small task force of school librarians recently teamed up to help you amplify and record the impact of your efforts during the remainder of the quarantine.
The social media card plan: The task force recently created a customizable “card” to use, reuse, personalize, stream and share across multiple social media platforms. (https://tinyurl.com/njlibsstillserving)
The “card” idea is designed to help you visually tell the stories about how you have been leading remote teaching and learning while targeting key stakeholders. The strategy will allow us to gather your individual stories to tell the statewide story.
Below you will find examples of a card template that might be copied and customized to fit your needs. Simply tweet using your own hashtags, along with a list of other hashtags that will allow you to tag stakeholders and decision makers at the local, state or national level. The Google Slides resource can be easily adapted for sharing on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms.
We hope these posts will be retweeted frequently with additional hashtags. The shared hashtag #NJLibsStillServing will enable us to collect the larger record of school library activity across the state. (See our Hashtag Bank.)
Unlock Student Potential- The Library is ALWAYS Open
The Library is Open Chat Line will be available all summer. If you have questions about virtual services, reputable resources and digital learning platforms you can find help on The Library is Open website. Search the curated site for answers or leave a message and someone from the Task Force will respond via email.
Please send any questions to Christina Cucci: pastpresident@njasl.org
NJASL Legislative Highlights- June 2020
- Mary Moyer Stubbs
NJASL Advocacy Efforts
June 2020 Bookmark
Additional Federal CARES funding
The DOE is setting aside some of their federal CARES funding. Purposes that might have application for school librarians: Support competitive grants for LEAs prioritizing activities that address learning loss in students, the need for additional summer instruction, compensatory education for students with Individualized EducationPrograms (IEPs), Social-Emotional Learning. New funds for LEAs that were not previously eligible.
New NJ DOE Broadcast - NJ DOE CARES webpage with additional information including allowable uses: https://www.nj.gov/education/covid19/boardops/caresact.shtmlSLMS will need to advocate with their administrators for these funds. However, working collaboratively with another teacher or group of teachers on the topics listed above might lead to funds for books, ebooks or databases, etc.
DOE and Student Athletics
For those involved with school athletics or have children involved in athletics. There has been no official decision about school sports. However, NJ DOE has updated their student health questionnaire to include questions about COVID. NJ DOE Broadcast Memo
Summary for Governor’s Stage 2: What’s Re-Opening
Article provides a good summary of dates for what is re-opening and what the requirements are for the different types of businesses, institutions and activities.
Re-Opening NJ Schools Plan
Letter from NJ education organizations (NJ School Boards, NJEA, NJ Principals/Supervisors Association, NJ Association of School Administrators, NJ Business Administrators, NJ PTA
Priorities that should be considered:
1. Public health is the critical bridge to school reopening.
Simply directing schools to follow generic CDC guidelines, without customizing requirements for the realities of the school setting in New Jersey, is insufficient for a safe school reopening statewide.
2. State-level decision-making on school reopening must be consistent, give reasonable notice of any changes, provide regulatory flexibility and include appropriate planning time so that schools can be prepared to meet student needs.
We recommend that districts be given a 60-day advance planning window, following the state’s announcement of a date on which schools will reopen. The same 60-day window would apply following any further change in the status of school operations.
3. To maintain our strong public education system during this difficult economic time, New Jersey schools need additional funding and resources to meet health and safety needs.
New Jersey schools will face an estimated $490 per pupil expenditure for PPE, in addition to cost increases for transportation, facilities, sanitization, staffing (particularly nurses), and technology. Even with the availability of federal CARES Act monies, the reality is that our schools need additional funding to reopen safely.
4. To safeguard the health and well-being of students and staff, we seek state-level assistance in securing PPE.
It is counterproductive and inefficient to have 580 school districts individually ordering this equipment. Instead, state level procurement would be cost-effective.
Read the full statement: https://www.njsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Statement-for-membership.pdf
Public Relations, Communication, and Publications Committee Update June 2020
Congratulations!
We’ve reached the end of a demanding, stressful, and most unusual school year and SLMS have certainly risen to the challenge. Since Governor Murphy first ordered all NJ schools closed on March 18 to curtail the spread of COVID-19, SLMS have shared online resources, facilitated remote learning, created virtual libraries, and done everything possible to support their learning communities.
The 2019-2020 school year is over but there’s uncertainty about if, when, and how school building can reopen in September. Please continue to check the NJASL website for info related to COVID-19 and school libraries. In addition, TOPCATS, the Taskforce on Post COVID-19 Alignment, Trends & Strategies includes suggestions for opening all types of libraries and there is a Reopening Clearinghouse where academic, public school, and special librarians can share ideas and concerns about reopening. The New Jersey State Library offers information on COVID-19 Pandemic Resources and Plans for Library Reopening that although focused on public libraries may be applied to school libraries.
Make sure to celebrate the 2020 New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) where SLMS are named specifically wherever selection and curation of resources are mentioned, and as providers of professional development for teachers and staff. In addition, Information and Media Literacy, Technology Literacy, and Digital Citizenship are now formal standards under Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills. Please share this news with your administrators and staff.
Please stay safe and stay healthy and take time to recharge during the summer months.
Pat Massey
Library News from YOU!
Keeping up When You're EXHAUSTED
I don't know about you, but my school year has yet to end. Between end of the year swap outs with thousands of books coming back at once and our thousandth email telling us that our yearbooks are once again delayed because of unforeseen coronavirus issues....I'm done. I'd like to throw my computer across the room. Sleep on the beach for 10 hours. Come back and have many "juice boxes", but I can't. The end of the school year felt different, leaving my librarian spidey senses on full alert and my chill factor at zero.
We don't know what this next school year will hold. Yes, I survived this one and I would love to hibernate, but I can't. There are too many unknowns. So I'm doubling down this year.
Please know that NJASL is here to help. There are so many links and articles that have been shared over the past few editions of the Bookmark that I KNOW you skimmed. Go back. Re-read them. Check out what other school districts are sharing on their websites from their own remote learning.
Most importantly get on social media. YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, even TikTok has exploded with ideas and step by step tutorials on some wonderfully awesome engaging lessons or time savers. I got laughed at in more than one Google Meet this spring because I cited TikTok technology hacks. But they work! I don't care where they come from.
Yes, I am as overwhelmed as are you, but now in our moment of peace, find time to recharge and reframe. Just don't forget to check out all of our beautifully curated resources and wakelets that we've shared on the NJASL website and you haven't had time to read. I'm just as guilty. You never know where your next great idea for the fall may come from.
I may be skimming my social media all summer for new ideas in my pool with a "juice box" but hey...I'm learning here. Don't judge my learning style.
Check out below to keep up with NJASLs social media accounts.
West Orange Library Media Specialists Caught their Pets Reading- Check it out!
Professional Practice & Development
PD Committee Update
by Donna Swift
The Professional Development committee finished the year strong with a final Swap Meet. This series was a great way to share best practices across the state. The wakelet is posted on the Covid-19 resources page on the NJASL website.
There will be a book club starting soon, so be on the look out for notices about a book club dealing with issues of the day led by Lisa Straubinger and check out the flyer below. Lisa is going to be leading a book club around the book Stamped. This work is timely and should warrant a lot of lively discussion among members.
During the summer the committee will continue to work to develop new programs and ways to meet the Professional Development needs of our membership. Please reach out to me, Donna Swift at pd@njasl.org with any suggestions for workshops, webinars, or ideas for professional development that you would like to see offered. We are also always looking for new members to join our team. We are moving forward with a lot of new ideas and welcome new energy to see these ideas come to fruition. Please contact me if you would like to join us.
I hope you all enjoy a restful and restorative summer.
Important Conference Update
More information and a call for proposals will be coming soon. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Please see the flyer below.
Amy Gazaleh
Njasl20@njasl.org
Attention NJASL Librarians: Research Participants Still Needed!
Dr. Lucy Santos Green, Associate Professor of Library and Information Science at the
University of South Carolina is conducting a research study on Guided Inquiry Design and school librarians as instructional partners.
New Jersey has been chosen as one of four participating states to participate in this study funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Dr. Green is looking for librarians and collaborating teachers from:
1 elementary school
4 middle (grades 6-8) schools
3 high schools
The study is being paused at this time, but will resume with the 2021-22 school year.
The 3 Day Guided Inquiry workshop will be moved to an online format and held in the summer of 2022.
Major Pluses:
- School librarians and teachers STILL would keep their full stipend
- Participants will now receive a CEU certificate from the University of South Carolina for 24 hours CE credit
- The online training will be held in Blackboard and built like an asynchronous course. Participants would have 4 weeks to work through the training materials at their own pace and at their own convenience - no worrying about summer travel plans! Work as quickly or as slowly within that window of time as needed.
- Dr. Leslie Maniotes, co-creator of GID, will still be the instructor. She will individually conference with each school team as needed, and she will host a synchronous introduction at the beginning of the 4-week window (recorded for those who cannot attend)
- We will be diverting some of the grant funds to provide a partial scholarship to participating school librarians and Teacher A's who would like to attend NJASL 2024 (after the conclusion of grant activities)
Interested SLMS should contact Dr.Green ASAP
Here is a link to a video explaining the updated details on the project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHVj3SX2mZU&feature=youtu.be
Lisa Bakanas
NJASL- Past President
NJASL Affiliate News
AASL – Conferencing Virtually
by Hilda Weisburg
Virtual conferences apparently run longer than face-to-face ones. Although the virtual conference is scheduled for June 24-26, meetings were held earlier. The AASL Chapter Meetings (formerly AASL Affiliate Assembly) met on June 15 and 16. Here are some of the highlights of the four hours.
President Mary Keeling introduced the task force on her presidential initiative, “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion: The School Library and Me in the Global Learning Community.” The presentation covered the meaning of the three terms. In addition to explaining the difference between microaggression and microassault, the delegates learned what to do when witnessing bias and/or racism.
The presentation posed questions to make delegates aware of what they need to consider about the titles in a virtual book club. They were challenged to see if their policies supported a culture of diversity and were encouraged to do a diversity audit. Fines, charges for lost books, and summer loans all need to be considered when making the library welcoming to all.
Signage is another issue. Are yours only in English? Do you have books in the languages of your students? Do you have LGBTQ+ books? They are the most challenged (and banned). Do you keep them behind your desk? Delegates were challenged to read books from the Presidential Task Force list and share it on Twitter.
Delegates shared how they are doing their virtual conferences. It included items such as platform and whether vendors were included. The report form covered cost and whether attendance had grad credit.
The next day, Mary Keeling reviewed the new structure of AASL. The executive board is now streamlined, going from 19 to 9 members. There is also a change in the cycle of when AASL officers attend chapter (such as NJASL) conferences.
She reviewed the completed projects. The Town Halls are among them. The last one featured K.C. Boyd on Microagressions.
The School Leader Collaborative which consists of superintendents of school, nominated by the different state associations, created a wonderful YouTube video (now on NJASL website) and an Interview Matrix for principals (and school librarians) to use, based on the new National School Library Standards. Both should be shared with your principal.
After a break, the delegates got down to the serious business of identifying concerns put forward by the various chapters. The ones passed by the group are sent upward to the Board of Directors to put into action. Among the ones that passed are: AASL to clarify the role of school librarians in Distance Learning and Address the lack of willing leadership in state organizations (from our Region 2).
Commendations came next. This is a way for AASL to acknowledge the support of our advocates. All the ones submitted passed. This includes the one from NJASL on our Critical Stakeholder Partnership between NJASL and NJEA. The Commendation will further our relationship with NJEA.
Don’t forget the 2021 AASL Conference will be October 21-23 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Start planning to attend.
Important and Helpful Resources from NJASL
Remote Resources for SLMS and Staff
- NJEA's website has both remote learning resources and asks for our stories. Share away!
- NJ COVID-19 Information Hub
- NJASL's Remote Learning Resources Wakelet
Intellectual Freedom Subcommittee
Have you been asked to remove a book from your library?
Do you have a challenge and selection policy?
Are you prepared for a challenge?
The NJASL Intellectual Freedom Subcommittee is here to support you! Contact Anne Piascik at if@njasl.org if you have any questions or need help with any of the above.
Paying for your NJASL Membership Just Got Easier!
Did you know, when you subscribe to Bookmark, the official newsletter of NJASL, a one-year membership to NJASL is included? If you are getting ready to renew periodicals through EBSCO, now is the time to add your Bookmark subscription (and 2020-2021 membership).
Here's how it works:
- Call EBSCO at 1-800-633-4604, or email April Harrison:
- Request Bookmark: Subscription #625-904-701
- April will generate an updated renewal pro forma
- Your Bookmark subscription is $80/year (EBSCO adds a processing fee)
- NJASL Membership is included!
- The term will be from August 1, 2020 - July 31, 2021
THANK YOU! Looking for submissions...
Don't forget that we are always looking for entries from ALL membership. Deadlines for the year are on the 15th of every month. Check out more information about our deadlines here. Please share articles with me at the bookmark@njasl.org email address by sharing a Google Document or PDF.
Check out more information about deadlines and submissions on the Smore linked below!!
NJASL
Email: bookmark@njasl.org
Website: njasl.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NJASL/
Twitter: @njasl