News And Updates
November 13, 2020
Three Stars Book Award 2021 Nominees Announcement
DCLA members and visitors,
Our 2021 nominees for the Three Stars Book Award are available to view and promote today! Visit the Three Stars Book Award 2021 tab above to view the full nominees list. Congratulations to our nominees and we look forward to choosing our winners in each category in 2021.
The Three Stars Book Award is a project of the District of Columbia Library Association: School Library Section, local librarians and reading advocates. The inaugural award was given in 2017. Voting for the Three Stars Book Award takes place in May and June, and is open to students who live or go to school in Washington, DC.
We strive to recognize books that incorporate diversity, multiculturalism, and other curricular connections as a means to connect reading to learning while building a culture of reading across DC schools. Nominees are chosen by a committee based on readers' interests and requests. Winners are chosen by students and readers across the district.
Happy reading,
Angela Falkenberg
Assistant Director
September 10, 2020
DCLA SLS Elections
DCLA members,
Welcome to the start of a new school year! I know that this year offers many different challenges as our profession has been taken virtual.
I am pleased to announce that Angela Falkenberg was the only nominee and therefore is the new assistant director for the 2020-2021 school year for the School Library Section of DCLA. She will serve as an assistant director this year and then take over as the director in 2021-2022.
Prior pandemic, our programming focused on the promotion of the state award books through the THREE STAR AWARDS AND BATTLE OF THE BOOKS or BOB and we hope to continue these two programs virtually.
In summation, the “Three Star Book Award” initiative is a student-choice award that aims to develop literacy and lifelong reading habits by encouraging students to read quality, recently published literature. The nominated books work to introduce students to new and exciting titles and genres that they might not have discovered on their own. This helps foster both a love and a culture of reading. These books include multicultural characters and represent both fiction and nonfiction topics.
Current conditions altered the structure of this program. Last year, as an alternative, nominated titles were read allowed by DCPS librarians and pushed out on the DCLA SLS website. Monica Gingerich has volunteered to chair the Three Star committee and she is looking for additional members.
The middle grade and middle school three star nominated titles create our list of BOB books. WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A BOB CHAIR. If you are interested in joining either committee or chairing the BOB committee please indicate so on the google form.
https://forms.gle/nidxAD6g1TmNPUnB7
Our work is massive and we have unforeseen roadblocks ahead of us, but many hands make light work. We owe ALL children in Washington DC the constitutional right to a quality education.
Please consider volunteering. Thank you for your support.
Best,
Jill Schechter
Director
July 6, 2020
New look and updates are here!
DCASL has now merged with DCLA and has been renamed DC Library Association: School Library Section (DCLA SLS).
All are grandfathered in to DCLA until October 2020. At that time, DCASL members will need to join DCLA at their membership prices. Simply complete our membership form. We hope you join us!
Our Twitter page is now @DCLA_SLS.
May 14, 2020
Good Afternoon, DCASL members and DC librarians,
I am writing you today with a few important updates.
ADVOCACY:
We are grateful for the library media specialists who are taking a positive role fighting the good fight. We would like to recognize Kimberlynn Jurkowski for her work with WTU and KC Boyd for her national level advocacy. We recognize that there are many others helping us in this campaign to advocate for our positions.
As such, we would also like to compile a list of everyone in a leadership role. If you are an officer in an association, please let us know. If you're an influencer and have a major outlet for sharing news about our work, please let us know so we may document and promote your channel. If you are in any way involved in leadership and advocacy, please respond to this email so we can get an active list circulating.
DCASL and DCLA MERGER:
I want to provide an update to the merger of DCASL and DCLA. You have unanimously voted to merge the two organizations and talks have been scheduled to make this happen.
As you know DCASL does not collect dues and as a result we do not have a working budget or financial report. The only in kind donations are provided through the Junior League partnership for our Battle of the Books.
With this merger, your membership with DCASL will be converted to a DCLA membership. However, DCLA does charge a membership fee and memberships will need to be renewed on their (and our) new rate. We will provide exact details once the merger has been completed.
THREE STARS AWARDS AND BOB:
Access the website: http://dcasl.weebly.com
DCASL predominantly focuses on the promotion of the state award for books.
For those not familiar with DC’s annual “Three Stars Book Award” initiative, it is a student-choice award that aims to develop literacy and lifelong reading habits by encouraging students to read outstanding, contemporary literature. The nominated titles work to broaden the human experience and often include multicultural characters and represent both fiction and nonfiction topics.
While circumstances have changed the typical timeline of choosing the top “Three Stars Book Award” titles, we still want to promote and engage readers in these important stories.
On our picture book read alouds page you will find videos recorded by DC Public School librarians for each of the sixteen titles in the Young Readers category of the award competition.
After reading the nominated titles books, we encourage students to vote on their favorite title by clicking on the Grade Levels links on the website. We will post the winning “Young Readers Book” on the web site by June 19th.
As you know, our BOB competition was canceled this year. On our DCASL page you will find a virtual Canvas course for our BOB participants as well as a document listing the BOB questions.
SUMMER READING:
We are currently working on a list for summer reading as well as a document listing useful educational portals. Stay tuned for more information.
Thank you,
Jill Schechter
May 1, 2020
DCASL Members,
In the evolution of our organization, the board feels that the time has come to pursue a merger of DCASL (District of Columbia School Librarians) and DCLA (District of Columbia Library Association) In essence, this merger would result in DCASL becoming a functional arm of DCLA instead of stand alone organization.
The board feels that the benefits of this merger are tremendous including but not limited to:
*A voice across all districts librarians resulting in a greater advocacy.
*Support for DCASL programming including the 3 Star Book Award and the Battle of the Books.
*STRENGTH IN MEMBERSHIP
In short, the board feels this merger would give us the support we need, especially at this difficult time.
Accompanying this email is a google survey asking you to affirm or deny this merger. Please submit your vote by Tuesday May 5th.
A NON RESPONSE BY TUESDAY MAY 5th is considered affirmative.
We at the DCASL board wish you and your family well and look forward to a promising future for District of Columbia Library Media Specialists.
Best,
Jill Schechter
DCASL Board President
SURVEY (click for link)
DCASL Members,
In the evolution of our organization, the board feels that the time has come to pursue a merger of DCASL (District of Columbia School Librarians) and DCLA (District of Columbia Library Association) In essence, this merger would result in DCASL becoming a functional arm of DCLA instead of stand alone organization.
The board feels that the benefits of this merger are tremendous including but not limited to:
*A voice across all districts librarians resulting in a greater advocacy.
*Support for DCASL programming including the 3 Star Book Award and the Battle of the Books.
*STRENGTH IN MEMBERSHIP
In short, the board feels this merger would give us the support we need, especially at this difficult time.
Accompanying this email is a google survey asking you to affirm or deny this merger. Please submit your vote by Tuesday May 5th.
A NON RESPONSE BY TUESDAY MAY 5th is considered affirmative.
We at the DCASL board wish you and your family well and look forward to a promising future for District of Columbia Library Media Specialists.
Best,
Jill Schechter
DCASL Board President
SURVEY (click for link)