VAASL

08/19/2026

Bring Pokémon to your school library!
A Pokémon Club gives learners a fun, welcoming place to connect, build skills, and make new friends.
AASL members can apply to start a Pokémon Club and receive a kit with activities, game materials, prizes, and support needed to get a club started. No Pokémon experience required!
Learn more and apply: https://bit.ly/4zqOr9W

08/19/2026

How do we help children not just read, but love reading?

This program from ALA's Coretta Scott King Book Awards Round Table features award-winning writer, educator, and Founder of Nerds for Literacy, Tony Weaver Jr., in a dynamic discussion on the power of inclusive storytelling and its impact on youth literacy.

Tony Weaver, Jr. is known for creating diverse stories that help young people feel seen, valued, and inspired. Motivated by the impact media stereotypes had on students in his community, he set out to create new narratives that challenge the status quo and encourage meaningful representation in literature and media.

Hosted in collaboration with ALA's Ethnic & Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table (EMIERT) and Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table (GNCRT), the Euclid Public Library Foundation, and Literacy Nation, the program highlights practical, culturally responsive strategies that public and school librarians can immediately apply. From graphic novels to poetry, picture books to historical narratives, the discussion will explore how stories can transform children’s literacy journeys and foster a lifelong love of reading.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/45woTL5

08/19/2026

Preparing for a new school year means making thoughtful decisions about the resources, policies, and learning experiences that support your school community.

Beginning September 7, the AASL Page to Practice Book Club will discuss Curate by Daniella LaShaun Smith and Len Bryan, part of the Shared Foundations series. Together, we'll explore how school librarians curate collections, evaluate resources, address bias, and foster information literacy.

Join the conversation in our LinkedIn group—read at your own pace, reflect with colleagues, and discover new ideas for your practice.

08/15/2026

Have you published a book or article? Presented at a non library conference? Won an award? We want to celebrate you in THE VOICE! Email your accomplishments to [email protected] today! 🎉🎉🎉 Tag a friend in the comments that needs to do it! 🥰

08/15/2026

A federal book banning bill under consideration in the Senate is dangerously broad, threatening critical funding for schools unless they comply with sweeping prohibitions. This type of censorship cannot become law.

Tell your Senators to oppose censorship and reject S4925: www.action.ala.org/campaign/S4925

08/13/2026

Catch 'em all at your library!

Two of ALA's divisions—the American Association of School Librarians and ALSC - The Association for Library Service to Children—have partnered with The Pokémon Company International to provide their members in the United States, Canada, or U.S. military schools with kits filled with activities, prizes, and resources to run Pokémon Clubs for their communities at their school and public libraries.

Designed for children ages 5–14, Pokémon Club is a structured program within the Play! Pokémon ecosystem where club members can learn, play, and connect through the Pokémon Trading Card Game and other activities designed for their age range.

Read more about the clubs and how to bring them to your library: https://bit.ly/4qcN2Q7

08/13/2026