MCHENRY, Ill., Oct. 9, 2013 – Follett and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) today announced that applications are being accepted for the 2014 National School Library Program of the Year (NSLPY) Award. The competition is open to K-12 programs that are fully integrated into the school's curriculum and meet the needs of the changing library environment.
Guided by AASL's "Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Programs", the NSLPY award seeks to reward and promote exemplary programs that empower learners to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers and ethical users of information. Each winning school library program will receive $10,000, plus a crystal statue.
The award is co-sponsored by AASL and Follett, the largest provider of educational materials and technology solutions to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States. Follett has a rich history in the school library space, and illustrates its advocacy for school libraries and their important role in improving literacy by supporting award programs such as this.
At this year's American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago, the 2013 NSLPY Award winners were honored: Swan Valley High School (Saginaw, Mich.), Pennsylvania Avenue School (Atlantic City, N.J.), and New Augusta South Elementary School (Indianapolis).
"The process of applying for the NSLPY Award provided us with a valuable self-assessment tool," said Kay Wejrowski, library media specialist, Swan Valley High. "The AASL visitation gave us the opportunity to reflect on our strengths as well as our challenges, while affording us the chance to learn from experts from around the country."
Wejrowski added she applauds Follett and AASL for their continued partnership to promote literacy and help transform school libraries to meet the ever-changing needs of the communities they serve. "We are grateful to Follett and AASL, who have challenged us to create a culture of readers who are responsible and embrace a love of learning, and then developed a model for us to achieve that goal," she said.
For more information on the NSLPY Awards or to apply, visit www.ala.org/aasl/awards/nslpy. The deadline to submit an application is Jan. 1, 2014.
About Follett's K-12 Business
Follett (www.follettlearning.com) is the largest provider of educational materials and technology solutions to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States, and a major supplier to educational institutions worldwide. Follett distributes books, reference materials, digital resources, ebooks and audiovisual materials, as well as pre-owned textbooks. Follett also is one of the leading providers of integrated educational technology for the management of physical and digital assets, the tracking, storing and analyzing of academic data, and digital learning environment tools for the classroom focusing on student achievement.
About Follett Corporation
Since 1873, Follett (www.follett.com) has served as the trusted partner in education for students and educators at all levels of learning. Today Follett delivers physical and digital learning materials, retail services, school content and management systems to more than 70,000 early childhood, primary and secondary schools, and on more than 1,000 college campuses. Headquartered in River Grove, Illinois, Follett is a $2.7 billion privately held company.
