SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH, NTL.
Categories: Education, Culture & Art, Children & Books
Location: United States
Type of Event: Monthly Event
Updated: May 06, 2024
Location: United States
Type of Event: Monthly Event
Updated: May 06, 2024
About School Library Month
School Library Month (SLM) occurs in April each year and began in 1985. School librarians are encouraged to create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in a student's educational career.
The following is excerpted and adapted from "AASL Celebrates First National School Library Media Month”.
The AASL efforts for a national School Library Month were spearheaded by Lucille Thomas, chair of the School Library Media Month Committee. Thomas was appointed by President Judy King in 1983.
Thomas and her committee gather ideas from previous state and local celebrations for school libraries, and compiled a fifty-two-page handbook for the first national observance. In April 1985, members of the committee were Edna Bayliss, Elsie Brainard, Winona Jones, Elizabeth Kenneson, Elinor McCloskey, and Virginia Moore.
The theme of the first national observance of School Library Month was "Where Learning Never Ends: The School Library Media Center."
AASL officials, local and national dignitaries got the month off to a rousing start on April 1, 2025 with a ceremony on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) delivered the keynote address. Moynihan told the school librarians in the audience, "I want to thank you for what you do. I hope you know how important your work is. You change lives for the better. You touch people while they can still be touched."
In 2010, the name of the celebration was changed to School Library Month after the Board of Directors voted to readopt the professional title school librarian, from the former school library media specialist.
The following is excerpted and adapted from "AASL Celebrates First National School Library Media Month”.
The AASL efforts for a national School Library Month were spearheaded by Lucille Thomas, chair of the School Library Media Month Committee. Thomas was appointed by President Judy King in 1983.
Thomas and her committee gather ideas from previous state and local celebrations for school libraries, and compiled a fifty-two-page handbook for the first national observance. In April 1985, members of the committee were Edna Bayliss, Elsie Brainard, Winona Jones, Elizabeth Kenneson, Elinor McCloskey, and Virginia Moore.
The theme of the first national observance of School Library Month was "Where Learning Never Ends: The School Library Media Center."
AASL officials, local and national dignitaries got the month off to a rousing start on April 1, 2025 with a ceremony on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) delivered the keynote address. Moynihan told the school librarians in the audience, "I want to thank you for what you do. I hope you know how important your work is. You change lives for the better. You touch people while they can still be touched."
In 2010, the name of the celebration was changed to School Library Month after the Board of Directors voted to readopt the professional title school librarian, from the former school library media specialist.
PROMOTIONAL DETAILS
Event Sponsor:
American Association of School Librarians
Videos
Images
Downloads
6300_ala declaration 8.5 x 11 school libraries with crops.pdf
6300_ala declaration 11 x 17 school libraries_Layout 1.pdf
6300_ala declaration 22 x 34 school libraries_Layout 1.pdf
