CHICAGO – Thirty members of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) have been awarded a $750 travel grant to attend their first AASL national conference. Generously sponsored by Bound To Stay Bound Books, Inc. (BTSB), the grants will allow recipients to secure housing, transportation and/or registration for the AASL National Conference & Exhibition taking place Nov. 9-11, 2017, in Phoenix, Ariz.

Grant recipients include:

• Lisa Beal, West Liberty Elementary, West Liberty, Iowa
• Susan Bloom, Peabody Primary School, Washington, DC
• Sherri Bryan, San Marcos High School, Santa Barbara, Ca.
• Tracey Cain, Reams Road Elementary School, Midlothian, Va.
• Janet Hamilton, K-8, Hampden Wilbraham Regional School District, Wilbraham, Mass.
• Amy DeNomme, Harrisburg Explorer, Sioux Falls, S.D.
• Melanie Downie, Auburn Elementary, Auburn, Kansas
• Christine Drysdale, Somers High School, Lincolndale, N.Y.
• Valerie Ehlers, Gladbrook-Reinbeck/Grundy Center, Reinbeck, Iowa
• Terri Gaussoin, Janet Kahn School of Integrated Arts, Albuquerque, N.M.
• Susannah Goldstein, Bronx School for Law, Government & Justice, Bronx, N.Y.
• Brenna Greer, Robertsville Elementary, Morganville, N.J.
• Rebecca Gullans, Albert Einstein Academies Elementary School, San Diego, Calif.
• Anastasia Hanneken, Indian Mills Memorial School, Shamong, N.J.
• Julie Hengenius, Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School, Corfu, N.Y.
• Erica Leu, Pflugerville Elementary, Pflugerville, Texas
• Joan Maybank, Lynnwood High School, Bothell, Wash.
• Christina Northrup-Thompson, Ritenour High School, St. Louis, Mo.
• Alexandra Quay, Sinai Akiba Academy, Los Angeles, Calif.
• Emily Ratica, Arroyo Valley High School, San Bernardino, Calif.
• Kate Ricter, Bridge Point Elementary, Austin, Texas
• Lea Roberts, Hollywood Hill Elementary, Woodinville, Wash.
• Camille Rodgers, Pontotoc High School, Pontotoc, Miss.
• Alicia Rogers, Christensen Elementary, Tacoma, Wash.
• Leslie Roy, Maury High School, Norfolk, Va.
• Jennifer Sharp, John Overton High School, Nashville, Tenn.
• Georgina Trebbe, Minnechaug Regional High School, Wilbraham, Mass.
• Paula Tonn, Lodi Middle School, Wis.
• Stacy Udo, Tumwater High School, Tumwater, Wash.
• Laurie Vitt, Firgrove Elementary School, Puyallup, Wash.

“At Bound To Stay Bound we recognize the value of the professional school librarian in our schools and take pride in being able to offer these grants to help further their knowledge and give them an opportunity to share their experiences with other professionals,” said Bob Sibert of Bound To Stay Bound Books.

“AASL is so grateful to Bound To Stay Bound Books for their continuing support of the first-timer grant,” said AASL President Audrey Church. “Through their generosity, BTSB is allowing thirty school librarians a chance to see ‘beyond the horizon’ and attend the national conference where AASL’s new ‘National School Library Standards’ will launch. These professionals will be among the first to explore the new standards and will return their schools ready to implement them on Monday.”

The AASL National Conference & Exhibition is the only national conference dedicated solely to the needs of school librarians and their roles as educational leaders. “Beyond the Horizon,” taking place Nov. 9-11, 2017, in Phoenix, Arizona, will feature preconference workshops, concurrent sessions and an exhibition featuring companies relevant to the profession. Those communicating about the national conference are encouraged to use the official hashtag, #aasl17.

For more than 95 years Bound To Stay Bound Books, www.btsb.com, has supplied children’s and young adult library books, both fiction and nonfiction, to school and public libraries. It provides books that stand the test of time in both content and durability and services exceeding your expectations.

The American Association of School Librarians, www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.