Mission

The mission of VAASL is to be the recognized voice for excellence in Virginia's school libraries, promoting lifelong learning and academic success of all students. 

Strategic Plan, 2023-2025

Goal 1: VAASL promotes and influences local and state policies that ensure school libraries are well-funded and fully staffed with full-time, certified school librarians and paraprofessionals to support student achievement.

  • Objective 1: Implement AASL Standards in all Virginia school divisions and align to these standards as evidenced in division curriculum guides, division evaluation systems, division job descriptions, and state licensing.

  • Objective 2: Advocate through VDOE, VASCD, VEA, etc. to meet or exceed staffing guidelines of VDOE Standards of Quality in all school libraries.

  • Action Step 1: Build a network to participate in critical meeting spaces.

  • Action Step 2: Lobby the Virginia State Assembly for legislative bills that affect school libraries and recommend actions that our membership can take.

  • Action Step 3: Expand and highlight a resource toolkit librarians can use such as infographics and action plans.

  • Action Step 4: Engage with the VDOE for a full-time, certified, school librarian representative. 

Goal 2: VAASL builds capacity for leadership at all levels.

  • Objective 1: Cultivate leadership opportunities that reflect an organizational culture of diversity and inclusion

  • Objective 2: Empower librarians in leadership roles at school, district, state, and national levels

    • Action Step 1: Develop school librarianship and VAASL membership in diverse populations in the education field.

    • Action Step 2: Provide professional development through conferences and seminars.

    • Action Step 3: Collaborate with other organizations to broaden leadership opportunities.

    • Action Step 4: Strengthen and grow mentoring opportunities for school librarians

Goal 3: VAASL supports the Library Bill of Rights.

  • Objective 1: Monitor intellectual freedom issues across the commonwealth.

    • Action Step 1: Create and utilize a system to track issues that involve censorship and restrictions of library services.

    • Action Step 2: Raise awareness of intellectual freedom issues among VAASL members.

  • Objective 2: Educate members of our school communities and stakeholders as to the value of high-quality library services in their communities

    • Action Step 1: Create guidance for members on how to promote intellectual freedom in their school communities

    • Action Step 2: Create and distribute an action plan for promoting high-quality library services

*Link to ALA Library Bill of Rights

 

 

Strategic Plan, 2021-2023

Goal 1: VAASL promotes and influences local and state policies that ensure school libraries are well-funded and fully staffed with full-time, certified school librarians and paraprofessionals to support student achievement.
  • Objective 1: Implement AASL Standards by all Virginia school divisions and alignment to these standards as evidenced in division curriculum guides, division evaluation systems, division job description, and state licensing.
  • Objective 2: Advocate through VDOE, VASCD, VEA, etc. to meet or exceed staffing guidelines of VDOE Standards of Quality in all school libraries.
    • Action Step 1: Build a network to participate in critical meeting spaces.
    • Action Step 2: Follow Virginia State Assembly legislative bills that affect school libraries and recommend actions that our membership can take.
    • Action Step 3: Create a toolkit to include resources librarians can use such as infographics and action plans.
    • Action Step 4: Lobby for a VDOE school librarian representative, either part-time or full-time.
Goal 2: VAASL builds capacity for leadership at all levels.
  • Objective 1: Cultivate leadership opportunities that reflect an organizational culture of diversity and inclusion
  • Objective 2: Empower librarians in leadership roles at school, district, state, and national levels.
    • Action Step 1: Promote school librarianship and VAASL membership to diverse populations in the education field.
    • Action Step 2: Provide professional development through conferences and seminars.
    • Action Step 3: Collaborate with other organizations to broaden leadership opportunities.