Snapshot Day Photos

Thank you so much for submitting Snapshot Day photos.  Cathy Nelson is getting them up VERY quickly.  Bookmark the Snapshot Flickr page and keep checking back for more pictures as they come in.

Snapshot Day Photos

SCASL Summer Institute 2012: Learn, Plan, Share, Execute

Click HERE to download a registration form.

Feel free to use our PayPal account, but email SCASL Secretary Diane Ervin for specifics!

2012 SCASL Award Winners

In March 2012 at Annual Conference, the following SCASL members were recognized:   Cindy Symonds Media Specialist of the Year Sponsored by Follett Library Resources I’ve been with Richland School District Two for 9 years and a media specialist for 9.5 years.  I opened Round Top Elementary, located in Blythewood, in 2003 and continue to work there today.  My family is a true Richland Two family, as my husband, David Symonds, is Director of Guidance at Summit Parkway Middle School and my fourth grade son, Matthew, has attended Round Top since he was 3.  I became a media specialist after returning to school in my late 20′s to complete my undergraduate degree in English and continued on to receive a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina.  Prior to that, I spent a decade working as a manager in the printing and business services industry.  I consider being a media specialist to be my life’s calling and count myself blessed to work with the wonderful learning community at Round Top.

Christian Haynes Margaret Ehrhardt Student Scholarship Sponsored by SCASL Christian is a senior at Fort Dorchester High School where he volunteers in our library media program through our district student volunteer program.  Christian works at a variety of duties in the library including circulating materials, working with technology and helping students.  He also works part time at a local Wendy’s after school and on weekends.  He plans to use his scholarship toward a two year degree in culinary arts and business management.  He has already completed a two-year culinary arts program in our school, and he hopes that will help him with his future academic work.  He has been involved in many other activities during his high school career including student council, the Treehuggers Club, and student volunteering.  

Linda Allison Media Paraprofessional of the Year Sponsored by Follett Library Resources Linda Allison has been a member of the Wellford Academy family for over 12 years, and with Spartanburg District 5 for over 30 years.  This commitment to our school community is invaluable, and her impact reaches far beyond the library shelves.  She knows almost every student by name and often knows their parents and grandparents, forming connections with families that are vital in a high-poverty school such as ours.  She not only knows the students and their families, our faculty and staff claim her as a family member and look to her for guidance and support both in and out of school.

Konni Shier Nancy Jane Day Scholarship

Konni Shier is earning her Certificate of Graduate Study in Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina while teaching English at Midlands Technical College. She completed her MLIS in 2011. Konni also has her M.A.E. in English and Secondary Education from The Citadel and her B.A. in Italian Literature from Florida State University. She has taught English in SC colleges and universities since 1990, and she has worked in circulation, reference and monograph acquisitions at USC-SOM Library, Clemson University, Cañada Junior College, R. C. Edwards Junior High School in Clemson, and Morrison Elementary School in Clemson. Konni is dedicated to information literacy. Inspired by her online English students, she wrote, produced, and directed ten video lessons on academic integrity, using library sources, and writing with sources in MLA style. She uses digital storytelling, and various web-based mapping and cartooning technologies in her teaching, and hopes to examine information literacy instruction in virtual schools. Konni is especially passionate about materials and services for boys and the Latino populations. 

Elizabeth Miller

SCASL Distinguished Service Award

Sponsored by Follett Software Company

Beginning her career in the classroom 44 years ago, Elizabeth taught at both elementary and high schools where in her last teaching position, she was the chair of the social studies department.  She earned both her MLIS degree and Specialist degree at what was then the College of Library and Information Science at USC and was elected into Beta Phi Mu, Beta Omega Chapter.  She joined the SLIS faculty in 1994, at a time when no public K-12 school in South Carolina had Internet access.  In addition to teaching classes at USC related to children’s materials and technology, Elizabeth worked as a consultant to the South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Instructional Technology and Office of Education Design.  She wrote the curriculum for two state-wide technology initiatives (SC-Online I and SC-Online II) using a train-the-trainer staff development model and taught workshops throughout the state of South Carolina for regional instructional technology specialists and school librarians. For nine years, Elizabeth wrote an annual print publication, the Internet Resource Directory for K-12 Teachers and Librarians that was awarded the Media & Methods Award.  For the last 13 years, Elizabeth has authored WebMARC, an electronic database of curriculum based Internet resources.

Elizabeth has served on the SCASL Executive Board as the USC School of Library and Information Science Liaison and Awards Chair.  She has served on several SCASL committees, including the Children’s Book Award.  Elizabeth has been a frequent presenter at SCASL conferences and other state school library professional association conferences. 

Scanned Copy of Proclamation

Governor Proclamation

April 2012 is SC School Library Media Month

Thank you so much to Bea Bruce (Chapman Elementary School in Spartanburg District Seven) and Dr. Linda Waskow (Beaufort Elementary School in Beaufort County) for taking the time to help me draft a letter to Governor Nikki Haley.  The letter requested that April be named School Library Media Month.  I just received two copies of the Governor’s Proclamation stating:

WHEREAS, media centers provide an equitable, fiscally responsible strategy for sharing resources; and

WHEREAS, school library programs are essential for creating a balance between children with access to information outside of school and children who do not have access; and

WHEREAS, school librarians are certified teachers who facilitate access to information, equipping students and faculty with the skills needed to locate, evaluate, and apply the information ethically and effectively; and

WHEREAS, media specialists make a positive difference to the students and schools they serve by not only recommending quality literature, but also through collaborative planning and co-teaching with faculty,
promoting technology integration, serving on curriculum committees, and designing programming.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Nikky R. Haley, Governor of the Great State of South Carolina, do hereby proclaim April 2012 as

SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA MONTH

throughout the state and encourage all South Carolinians to recognize the contributions of school library media programs in our schools.