K-8 School Libraries Invited to Apply for $5,000 Award

The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office announced applications are now open for the 2020 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming. The $5,000 award recognizes outstanding school programming in libraries that serve kindergarten to 8th grade students. Applications for the award will be accepted until May 4, 2020.

Nominated humanities program can be focused on a wide range of subject areas including social studies, poetry, drama, art, music, language arts, foreign language, and culture. Nominated programs must have taken place during the current 2019-2020 school year. The programs should be led and coordinated by the school librarian and should be focused on broadening student perspectives.

The award, established in 2006, is named after the late Sara Jaffarian, a school librarian and longtime member of ALA. It is presented annually by the ALA Public Programs Office in cooperation with the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).

For more information on award guidelines and a list of previous winners, visit www.ala.org/jaffarian.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.

  • Rowan University, HPE Partner on New Learning Initiative

    Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., recently announced that it has expanded its partnership with enterprise technology provider HPE to improve research capabilities and hands-on learning opportunities, according to a news release.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.