Preconference to AASL 2025 | Leap into the Futute of School Libraries No. 2
2025-10-15
Note that this event is being held at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri.
Purpose
In the spirit of the former Treasure Mountain Research Retreats, this new series, Leap into the Future of School Libraries, seeks to build a shared research agenda and promote initiatives, best practices, action proposals, and resilience among professionals who are determined to move our field forward.

Agenda
Throughout the day, we will alternate between keynote addresses and table talks. Everyone will be encouraged to contribute major ideas, which will be gathered during the event and beyond as part of a collection of innovative strategies for research, action, implementation, and demonstration—efforts aimed at placing the school library at the center of teaching and learning. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet, share, and co-create ideas with a variety of individuals throughout the day. We’ll also enjoy boxed lunches, coffee available throughout the event, dinner together, and a final “idea extravaganza” to close out the day.

Keynotes

Barbara K. Stripling and Darryl Toerien introduce their forthcoming major work, Teaching Inquiry as Conversation: Bringing Wonder to Life, to be published by Bloomsbury Libraries Unlimited.

Susan D. Ballard, Pamela C. Harland, and Rachel V. Small present findings from a Delphi study conducted with experts in the field to develop a contemporary, scaffolded model of collaboration. The research identifies key levels of collaboration, from independent access to fully integrated instructional partnerships, and illustrates the dispositions and environmental conditions necessary to support each stage. Attendees will explore the finalized model, discuss implications for their own practice, and consider how the findings can inform professional learning and advocacy.

Keith Curry Lance reviews the state of data and research across the federal government and thinks with us the future of school library research.
