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 2025-2027

VAASL builds a strong school librarian community.

Objective 1: Grow and engage our membership

Action Steps:

  • Regional directors serve as the point person for librarians in their region and foster communication through online and in-person events
  • Regional directors reach out to non-member librarians in their region to articulate importance of our organization and ultimately encourage membership
  • Add a student section to the Board of Directors
  • Create a welcome packet to send to new members
  • Recruit a marketing intern to help us reach all demographics
  • Offerings for initial licensure candidates

Objective 2: Retain current members

Action Steps:

  • Member perks
  • Streamline communication
  • Members-only content on website
  • Opportunities to connect with local members

VAASL promotes excellence by providing professional learning and leadership opportunities.

Objective 1: To provide professional learning opportunities to school librarians across the commonwealth.

Action Steps: 

  • Research what members want to see in professional development.
  • Offering a webinar/workshop series for school librarians (free for members/cost for non-members)
  • Create an expertise database for school librarians to contact to help each other.
  • Create targeted PD for new members/initial licensure folks.

Objective 2:  To build a network of school librarian leaders in Virginia.

Action Steps:

  • Create a streamlined process for volunteer recruitment.
  • Implement the Leadership Development program (currently in progress).

Objective 3: Empower librarians in leadership roles at school, district, state, and national levels 

Action Steps:

  • Strengthen and grow mentoring opportunities for school librarians
  • Add a section to the Board of Directors to create a culture of diversity and inclusion
  • Collaborate with other organizations to broaden leadership opportunities
  • Strengthen and grow mentoring opportunities for school librarians

VAASL is the recognized voice for school libraries in the Commonwealth of VA.

Objective 1: Promotes and influences local and state policies 

Action Steps:

  • Library specialist at VDOE
  • Fully staffed with certified librarians
  • AASL Standards

Objective 2: Outreach to professional organizations and stakeholders to educate on the importance and role of the school librarian, and all facets of the school library

Action Steps:

  • Participate in other professional organization conferences and other community outreach opportunities
  • Build a network to advocate on behalf of school libraries and intellectual freedom.

Objective 3: Empower librarians to promote high-quality library services and intellectual freedom in their school communities.

Action Steps:

  • Toolkit
  • One-pager

Goal: VAASL commits to maintaining robust operations and strong fiscal responsibility.  

Objective 1:  Streamline and standardize policies and procedures.

Action Steps:  
  • Choose and move all documents into a shared digital storage site.
  • Transition to self management of the annual conference.
  • Create documentation of current back office practices and procedures.

Objective 2:  Analyze our finances to ensure alignment with our goals

Action Steps: 
  • Create and update conference spreadsheets for the expenses/income at the annual and spring regionals for budget analysis annually
  • Develop a resource toolkit that the treasurer can use for continuity (ex. entry code guide for QuickBooks)
  • Examine the Year in Review after the fiscal year ends to ensure sound financial decisions