AASL’s School Library Research: A Tool for Advocacy

Grade Level: Not grade specific


Presenter
Rita Soulen soulenr19@ecu.edu Maria Cahill maria.cahill@uky.edu

*Dr. Rita Soulen is an Associate Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. She teaches library materials & programming and library instruction. Her research focuses on school libraries and children's services. She also serves as Co-Editor of AASL's School Library Research.

*Maria Cahill is a professor in the School of Information Science at the University of Kentucky with a joint appointment in the Department of Educational Leadership Studies. Cahill’s research is centered on improving outcomes for children and adolescents by attending to resources, services, and programs available through libraries. Cahill has published numerous articles in both library and educational practitioner and scholarly journals, and her research has been supported by funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Texas Library Association, Texas Woman’s University, and the University of Kentucky.

Caitlin Gerrity

Caitlin is a former school librarian, an associate professor, lifelong learner, and lover of libraries. She currently teaches college-level research and information literacy skills and directs the School Library Endorsement Program, which prepares teacher librarians for the State of Utah and beyond. She was selected as the 2019 Utah Librarian of the Year. Her research investigates best practices in school librarianship related to collaboration, information literacy instruction, educational standards, and professional development, especially as it concerns student preparedness for higher education.

Amanda Harrison

Amanda Harrison is an Assistant Professor at the University of Central Missouri in the Educational Technology and Library Sciences department. Previously, she worked for 15 years in PreK-12 education, fourteen as a school librarian. Current and on-going interests include school libraries, global librarianship, critical pedagogies, and diversity in children's literature.

Jen Spisak

Jen Spisak is an Associate Professor of School Librarianship at Longwood University. She spent twenty years in K-12 education, twelve of which were as a school librarian. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Research & Evaluation at Virginia Commonwealth University and is the author of Multimedia Learning Stations: Facilitating Instruction, Strengthening the Research Process, Building Collaborative Partnerships and Cataloging for School Librarians, 3rd edition. As a school librarian, she was honored as her school’s Teacher of the Year and as the Virginia Association of School Librarians School Librarian of the Year for the state of Virginia.

Sherry Crow

Sherry R. Crow, Ph.D. is professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska Kearney. She was an elementary school librarian for 25 years, then taught school library science for 15 years. Her research areas are in fostering intrinsic motivation for information seeking and reading, and the use of educational technology for self-directed learning. She has been on the SLR Editorial Board off and on for many years.


Description: Have you ever wondered about the inner workings of peer-reviewed research? AASL's School Library Research is YOUR journal for school librarians. Learn how you can capitalize on information gleaned from and about the journal to advocate for your school library program and become involved in the process of research and publication.