It has been a busy summer so far. Meetings with Library of Michigan, ALA conference in Chicago, and the upcoming Summer Institute in Saginaw at the end of the month.

SL21 has been updated and is now waiting to get on the agenda for the State Board of Education to approve it. Congratulations to all the MAME members and Library of Michigan staff who worked so diligently on updating this useful tool.

ALA was once again great. In between sessions on Sunday afternoon, I was able to listen to some of my favorite authors talk about their work: Timothy Zahn, John Scalzi, Jim C. Hines, and David Brin. Unfortunately I was unable to hear Cory Doctorow because I was in Affiliate Assembly, but during the John Scalzi talk he snuck in and sat down 3 seats from me so I was able to briefly chat with him.

Affiliate Assembly saw several Concerns and Commendations forwarded to the ALA board. Concerns include improving the AASL Crosswalk and encouraging more people to add lesson plans to the database, pushing involvement with STEM, create better relationships with State Libraries, and addressing the needs of transient and homeless children through more professional development opportunities. Click here to read the Concerns #3-6 and 8 (http://connect.ala.org/files/Concerns2013_0.pdf).

Ten Commendations were also passed on the ALA. If you'd like to see these, click here (http://connect.ala.org/files/Commendations2013_0.pdf). Numbers 1-10 were accepted.

Kathy Lester and I, along with Lynn Gordon and Deb Biggs-Thomas of the Library of Michigan, were fortunate to attend the AASL Awards ceremony where our own Kay Wejrowski and Swan Valley High School was one of the three winners of School Library Program of the Year! Kay even had her principal, superintendent, and a board member in attendance! Congratulations, Kay!

Speaking of Kay, she is also the new Summer Institute chairperson. Summer Institute will be held at the Saginaw ISD Transitions Center on Tuesday July 23. For $50, you will receive a great day of professional development including a brief opening keynote by Nancy Robertson, 6 SCECHs for $10 extra, an evening scavenger hunt, and lunch included. Make it an event by taking an extra day at a Best of MACUL on Wednesday July 24 at Tuscola ISD in Caro, only an hour away.

Everyone have a great summer and I look forward to seeing you at either Summer Institute or Fall Conference in Kalamazoo on November 20-22. 

The MAME Conference Committee is planning an exciting and informative conference for 2013.  So, save the dates of November 20th, preconference and November 21st and 22nd, conference. The Conference site at the Kalamazoo Radisson will be a great location and there is a great line up of speakers including:

• Opening Keynote Speaker: Barbara Stripling, ALA President

• Annual Membership Meeting Speaker: Nancy Robertson, State Librarian

• Author Breakfast Speakers: David Small (2013 Caldecott Honor Illustrator) and his wife, Sarah Stewart

• Closing Keynote Speaker: Tim Shanahan, Literacy and Common Core expert\

• Featured Speakers: Cindy Dobrez, Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan: authors of Bookends Blog for Booklist Online

• Featured Speaker: Travis Jonker: 100 Scope Notes blogger for School Library Journal.

There are some fabulous conference sessions lined up!  Just a few of these include Stripling's Model of Inquiry, Barbara Stripling, ALA President,  RDA Overview from Meghan Finch, Oakland University; Resources for Supporting the Career and College Readiness from Brandy Archer, MDE; MeL Primary Sources from Suzanne Robinson, MCLS; and Teaching CC through Inquiry Process from Julie Green, Author of Booklist's "Unpacking a Standard" articles.

Pre-conference sessions will also be great and include: Public and School Library Collaboration on the Common Core, Panel Session at the Kalamazoo Public Library; Cataloging to Support 21st Century Skills and Common Core by Marcia Mardis, Florida State University; Preparing Students for Online Testing by Melissa White, TRIG Activity 3 Project Manager; and Google Sites by Melinda Waffle, Ed Tech Consultant, Calhoun ISD.

The article "The New School Library: The Human Connection to Digital Resources and Academic Success" written by Dorcas Hand, Elisabeth Abarbanel, Sarah Davis, and Matthew Wittmer for the Summer 2013 issue of "Independent School Magazine" has great advocacy information not just for independent school librarians but for all school librarians.  A quote from the article: "But good schools know that libraries and professional librarians are still essential to their missions.  Maybe more essential than ever, if excellence in education remains the goal."

Another recent article from NCTE's English Journal titled "Poised to Partner: The 21st Century School Librarian", written by New York School Librarian Amy Jo Southworth, advises teachers to collaborate with their school librarians and lists some of the benefits teachers receive when working with their school librarian.

In addition, on July 15th, AASL released a press release announcing that NEA (National Education Association) has voted to support AASL and the Strengthening America's School Act.  The Strengthening America's School Act includes "dedicated funding for:

• staffing of all school libraries with state certified or licensed school librarians;

• up-to-date books, materials, equipment and technology (including broadband);

• the development of information, digital and research literacy.

The featured speaker at the AASL President's Program at the ALA 2013 Conference in Chicago was Dr. Mark Edwards.  Dr. Edwards, the Superintendent of Mooresville Graded School District (MGSD) in North Carolina, is the 2013 American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year.  He initiated a 1-to-1 laptop program in his school district and is a strong proponent of strong school libraries.  Some of the highlights of Dr. Edwards presentation include:

• The first thing he said was, "School Librarians, thank you for what you are doing!  It is very important to our school communities."  

• The  MGSD 1-to1 initiative involved extensive planning including administrators, teachers, school librarians, parents, and the community.

• The district's mission to "prepare every child, every day to be a successful and responsible citizen in a global workplace and community" was a central focus of the digital conversion.

• The effort required a culture shift and the culture that was promoted was "all in"-- meaning every student and every adult counts.

• Every school in Mooresville Graded School District (MDSD) has a certified School Librarian as well as a library assistant.  Yet, Mark says his school district is not rich; their overall budget is approximately $7000.00 per student.

• Librarians are leaders in the school district efforts.  Mark believes there is a big opportunity for school librarians as leaders.

• The environment is one of constant change and school librarians play an important role in this.

• School librarians in the district are busier than ever; with the digital conversion -- inquiry, research, and reading have all increased!

Dr. Edwards recommended a list of books for further reading which included: Fullan's All Systems Go; Lambert's Building Leadership Capacity in Schools, Gladwell's Outliers; Medina's Brain Rules; Pink's Drive; and Thomas and Brown's A New Culture of Learning.