OASL (Oregon Association of School Libraries)

“Springfield High School is celebrating a record-breaking year for its library.

The combination of the statewide electronic devices ban and SHS's focus on creating a culture of literacy has resulted in an all-time record high number of books checked out from the library. Though the literacy effort is school-wide, SHS highlights the efforts of their Language Arts team and library manager Dani Schneider as the driving forces behind engaging students in the library. You may remember that Schneider was recognized in October by the Oregon Association of School Libraries as their Classified Library Employee of the Year.

Read more, including heartfelt letters from students on their relationship with reading, in SHS's newsroom:”

https://shs.springfield.k12.or.us/news/news-detail/~board/springfield-high-school-news/post/springfield-high-school-breaks-library-record-as-reading-culture-thrives

Springfield High School is celebrating a record-breaking year for its library.

The combination of the statewide electronic devices ban and SHS’s focus on creating a culture of literacy has resulted in an all-time record high number of books checked out from the library. Though the literacy effort is school-wide, SHS highlights the efforts of their Language Arts team and library manager Dani Schneider as the driving forces behind engaging students in the library. You may remember that Schneider was recognized in October by the Oregon Association of School Libraries as their Classified Library Employee of the Year.

Read more, including heartfelt letters from students on their relationship with reading, in SHS’s newsroom: https://bit.ly/4dBE9K5

Springfield High Millers - Springfield, Oregon

📣📚💖 Shout-out to Dani Schneider, library manager at Springfield HS and OASL member, for her role in the school's successful literacy program! 💖📚📣
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CtXbtwiRZ/

Springfield High School has broken its all-time library checkout record as students rediscover a love for reading. Through a schoolwide focus on literacy and the implementation of Book Love, classrooms are prioritizing daily reading and helping students find books they enjoy. With support from staff, including the ELA team, librarian Dani Schneider, and Dan Schieder’s efforts to bring in engaging titles, SHS is building a culture where reading is replacing phones and becoming a shared, contagious experience.

https://shs.springfield.k12.or.us/news/news-detail/~board/springfield-high-school-news/post/springfield-high-school-breaks-library-record-as-reading-culture-thrives

💯"Last year, a district librarian in Oregon raised $44,000 for their libraries by cobbling together grants, book fair revenue, and crowdfunded donations. They used best practice calculations to estimate that the library budget should have been around $23,000. They were allocated $2,800. So, they hustled. And then, exhausted, said what any reasonable person would: 'Raising that much money is not sustainable.' On the surface, this story sounds like the kind of funding problem we’re all too familiar with in school libraries. But I would argue that it isn’t about the money—or at least, not exclusively. It’s about power and respect..." 💯

Money, Power, and Respect | From the Editor Library budgets reveal what schools value and who is in control.

4 more days! Watch THE LIBRARIANS for free until May 9th!

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122160660848670475&id=61570114254829&rdid=n0aQ1aoRhKBtIpcs

Couldn’t make it to one of the 100+ screenings of THE LIBRARIANS this National Library Week? Don’t forget that Kim A Snyder - Films’ award-winning documentary is still streaming for FREE on the PBS’ YouTube channel and app but only for TWO MORE WEEKS!

Wherever you are in the U.S., this weekend is the perfect time to watch our superhero librarians “show us that if you’re willing to not succumb to operating from a place of fear … you can actually affect change in your own town.” (Dallas Observer) Watch for free until May 9th and see why you should join them as a Freedom to Read advocate in your community.

Watch on YouTube now: https://tinyurl.com/TheLibrariansPBSYouTube

📣🎉💓📚 Shout-out and congrats to Lori Lieberman, teacher-librarian in Portland Public Schools and OASL Board member, for being named a Library Journal 2026 Mover and Shaker! 📚💓🎉📣 From the article: "'There are still people out there who think romance books are dumb books for dumb people,' says Lori Lieberman. 'So long as people like that exist, I’ll keep leading the charge for romance.' Lieberman brought the romance genre to her high school students after having a 'wild idea' at 2019’s American Association of School Librarians (AASL) conference; now the Lincoln High School Romance Book Club (LHSRBC) 'pulls in between 50–100 students and has hosted dozens of romance authors,' she says.

Lori Lieberman | Movers & Shakers 2026—Community Builders Movers & Shakers 2026, romance, school library

Congratulations to OASL’s own 2026 Library Journal Mover & Shaker Lori Lieberman!

“When we focus only on academic pursuits, when we’re only focused on how to become a better skillful reader, and we don’t focus on the joy of reading, then we have students who don’t practice reading outside of that school environment,” she says. “When they are practicing, reading on their own, they’re going to become stronger readers.”

The Librarian Effect on Literacy Experts say programs that promote reading for fun and incorporate librarians into lessons are key to addressing falling reading score.

Thank you, Oregon PTA, for recognizing the importance of strong school library programs, with both certified and classified staff and funding!

Read the text of the recently-passed resolution at the link below:

www.oregonpta.org

OASL Members were honored with several awards at the recent OLA / PNLA conference! 🏆 Award winners from our 2025 fall conference also received a public shoutout.

Librarian of the Year: Marie Felgentrager
Marie was honored for outstanding leadership and her talent for cultivating community among students, educators, and school library staff in southern Oregon. She also was recognized for steady, expert and courageous support for Oregon library staff navigating challenges to intellectual freedom. She serves as the District Librarian for Roseburg Public Schools and is a member of the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee

OLA Past President Recognition: Ayn Reyes Frazee
Ayn was recognized for her outstanding service and leadership as OLA Vice-President, President, and Past President from 2025-2026. She is a Teacher Librarian at Franklin High School in the Portland Public School District.

OLA Intellectual Freedom Champion of the Year Award: Jennifer McKenzie
Jennifer was recognized for her unwavering commitment to students’ freedom to read during her tenure as the District Librarian in Siuslaw School District. She is currently serving as the Dean of Students in the Mapleton School District.

OASL members showed up for the OLA / PNLA joint conference this week in Portland! Teacher librarians and school library staff presented and attended sessions on coding, book awards, romance book clubs, legal considerations, book repair, book lists and more! Nice work!