Mission:

The New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL) promotes excellence in school librarianship and advocates for strong school library media programs for all students, guided by the principles set forth in the Library Bill of Rights and its interpretive statements. NJASL provides school library media specialists with educational opportunities and current information aligned with state and national learning standards to ensure that all school libraries empower students, faculty, and staff to become effective and ethical users and producers of information.

Vision: 

Every student in every school in New Jersey is served by a certified full time school library media specialist and has access to the technology and other resources needed. All students are empowered to achieve success through inquiry-based, collaborative school library programs led by credentialed school library media specialists. These professionals are recognized as educational leaders and indispensable resources in their school communities. 

Priorities: 

Strategic Priority:  Fiscal Management

Goal: To develop a fiscally responsible plan that will support growth of NJASL. 

Action Items: 

1. Understand capital funds and structure

2. Examine controls and authorization of spending

3. Consider the sources and uses of funds and strive to construct a balanced budget

Strategic Priority: Information literacy Standards and practice

Goal: Educate members, stakeholders and the broader community about the new Information Literacy standard

Action Items: 

• Participate in writing the NJ Information Literacy standard and work with the NJDOE on implementation

• Provide professional development to school librarians, administrators, supervisors and all interested parties about information literacy

• Attend conferences and give presentations about information literacy

• Obtain funding for professional development about information literacy

• Develop a social media strategy for raising awareness about information literacy

• Work with NJ Public Relations Society of America (NJPRSA) and EveryLibrary to manage public relations regarding information literacy

• Review model curriculum for inclusion of information literacy

Strategic Priority: Intellectual freedom

Goal: To defend students’ right to read in light of ongoing book challenges

Action Items:

• Share book selection and book challenge policies

• Provide PD on how to be prepared for book challenges

• Build partnerships with other organizations that support the right to read

• Support the Regional Response Team and members who face challenges

Strategic Priority: partnerships

Goal: Develop and/or strengthen our partnerships with other professional and advocacy organizations. 

Action Items

• Continue and strengthen our partnerships with ALA, AASL, AECT, ACRL and ISTE

• Continue to be present at conferences and professional development run by organizations such as NJEA, NJLA, LLNJ, NJPSA, NJSBA

• Submit articles and updates to partner organization publications

Strategic Priority: advocacy

Goal: Continue with our advocacy efforts to share the positive impact school librarians and libraries on students through promotion, publicity and collaboration with affiliate organizations

Action Items:

• Continue working with EveryLibrary

• Identify schools/districts that lack SLMSs or are eliminating SLMS positions and follow-up with letters of concern, attendance at meetings, and parent/family outreach.

• Use our publication tools (website and Bookmark) and social media platforms to highlight strong library programs and promote them in an organized and strategic manner

• Use our social media platforms to connect with our stakeholders

• Continuously update the folder in the Shared Drive to house advocacy-related presentations, letters, etc.

• Share our library stories with critical stakeholders (DOE, state organizations, parents, administration, legislators) by attending and presenting at meetings and conferences. 

• Foster relationships with NJDOE to influence initiatives and to ensure that school library media specialists are represented in updates to administrative code, certification and NJ Student Learning Standards.

Strategic Priority: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

Goal: Increase the diversity of our board, membership and our support of BIPOC members.

Action Items:

• Continue to partner with the NJEA Members of Color MOC group 

• Invite more diverse authors to our Conference 

• Continue to foster rotating and diverse membership in the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee

• Encourage through communications with members the importance of diverse school library collections

• Periodically review publications, website, social media and PD content to ensure that diverse voices are represented

• Maintain an updated collection of EDI resources on our website

• Participate in EDI-related events, such as workshops, conferences, book discussions, etc.

Strategic Priority: Professional Development

Goal: Provide our membership with ongoing professional development opportunities in-person, synchronously and asynchronously.

Action Items:

• Evaluate PD delivery formats

• Generate ways to increase attendance at PD events

• Highlight PD offerings from affiliates and other online PD providers via our website, social media platforms and publication tools

• Provide PD offerings related to DOE initiatives and requests to ensure that school library media specialists are aware of information related to administrative code, certification, and NJ Student Learning Standards.