Over 20,000 librarians and supporters attended the American Library Association conference in New Orleans June 23-26. Several sessions informed teacher librarians.

ALA’s Research and Statistics Committee created a research agenda, which can guide IASL research efforts. The four priorities include: measuring the library’s impact; strengthening the library’s adaptive responses to change; supporting diversity, equity and inclusion; and evaluating strategies for staff development.

In 2017 the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) created new standards, which align learner, librarian and program standards (standards.aasl.org). They have a growing number of resource to help teacher librarians implement these standards.

AASL also announced their selection of the best apps and websites for teaching and learning: http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2018/06/alas-libraries-ready-code-release-beta-collection-2018-annual-conference

YALSA developed a teen literacy toolkit (http://www.ala.org/yalsa/teen-literacies-toolkit), which used the “fake news” phenomenon as an approach to addressing multiple literacies. They discuss culturally-inclusive literacies strategies library staff can use with teens to help them make sense of their world and build a robust set of skills as they prepare to enter college or start careers.

Reported by Lesley Farmer