IASL Handbook of Organization:

Procedures: Special Interest Groups

See also Articles 20 & 22
See also the Special Interest Groups Page

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) may be organized by the Executive Committee to represent any major areas and professional interests that lie within the objectives of the Association. The main purpose of the SIG is to develop a forum for discussion and sharing of ideas, information, and implementation strategies related to this unique area of interest. The interests must be international, and have important impacts, ramifications and relationships to school librarianship. The issues must be sustained over time, and must not be just related to one cultural or geographical content.

New SIGs may be established by the Executive Committee, upon interest shown by a group of members, in a particular topic or issue not already covered in an existing SIG. A SIG may be dissolved by the Executive Committee.

Coordinators

Each SIG will have a coordinator named by the President to act as a moderator for the group and as liaison to the Vice-President -- Advocacy and Promotion. The term for these positions shall be three years. Renewal of appointment is at the pleasure of the Executive Committee.

  • The coordinator shall be responsible for maintaining communication with those IASL members who have shown interest inthe group.
  • The coordinators shall develop a network of similar or related groups in other organizations that could provide useful information and support to this SIG, and shall encourage the sharing of information among the groups.
  • The coordinator shall be responsible for organizing Conference-related activities such as workshops, presentations, meetings, dinners, and publicity as is appropriate to the needs of the Group. This organization shall be done in collaboration with the Conference Planning and Management Committee. Where appropriate the coordinators may arrange to have sub­groups of the SIG meet at conferences, workshops or seminars, of related associations to raise the visibility of IASL.
  • The coordinator will be expected to keep the general membership appraised on a regular basis of the working of the SIG.
  • The coordinator of the group shall be responsible for preparing an annual report in advance of the conference.
  • The coordinator shall be charged to see that no activities involving IASL funding shall be undertaken without the prior approval of the Executive Committee.
  • The coordinator will be responsible for contributing whatever material is appropriate to the Secretariat for archival purposes.

Special Interest Groups:

Advocacy Special Interest Group

  • to facilitate discussion of advocacy programs that have been effective in the promotion of school librarianship and information technology
  • to share strategies that have been successful in involving administrators in the integration of the school library program in the curriculum processes and classroom practices.
  • to share success stories about the cooperative planning and teaching work undertaken with teachers
  • to disseminate advocacy materials and plans, as well as how to obtain same from members of the Association.

Children's and Young Adult Literature Special Interest Group

  • to exchange information about current developments in the field, including collection development, author awareness, publisher access and issues
  • to share methods of promoting literature with children and young adults for their love of reading
  • to discuss methods of developing an appreciation of the place of literature in personal skill development and in the curriculum development process
  • to report trends in children and young adult reading interests
  • to identify research needs related to children and young adult literature
  • to consider and report on literature in alternative media formats and their impact on the school library scene
  • to operate the IASL Books for Children Program in collaboration with the Awards Chairperson
  • to organize an annual International Book Exhibit at the conference.

Education for School Librarianship Special Interest Group

  • to disseminate information on major new national and state or provincial documents.
  • to identify and interpret emerging trends in instructional methods, curriculum and technology (implications and taxonomies).
  • to ensure that quality demonstration projects and workshop leaders are recruited to provide continuing and distance education.

Information Literacy (Skill Development) Special Interest Group

  • to share strategies to conduct student orientation and awareness programs
  • to share theory and best practice for developing integrated skill development to help students learn how to learn in the content areas
  • to discuss successful activities and methods to involve students in the synthesis of their skill development activities
  • to examine methods for developing collaborative and cooperative planning, teaching and evaluation processes with teachers as part of the instructional team

Information and Communications Technology Special Interest Group

  • to facilitate a discussion of the trends and developments in emerging technologies in education
  • to assist members in sharing information about their implementation of the changing instructional technology in their programs
  • to report to the membership issues related to information technology which need to be discussed in the public forum

International Schools Special Interest Group

  • to develop a forum for personnel working in International Schools to discuss issues of mutual concern
  • to facilitate the sharing of information about the school library and information technology programs across the many types of International Schools
  • to develop a resource bank of colleagues who can assist each other in locating information or services according to their various needs and locations

Research Special Interest Group

  • to promote an understanding of the importance and value of research on school librarianship, its theory and practice
  • to promote and encourage research related to school librarianship, including action research, school­based research and small-scale local projects
  • to encourage the sharing of research findings
  • to disseminate information about research that is underway and research that has been completed to school library practitioners, decision-makers and those involved in research
  • to assist people who wish to undertake research in the field of school librarianship by providing access to expertise, information about possible sources of funding and information about methodology

Last Updated 15 February 2003 (LAC)