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CHICAGO – Michael Giller, Director of Library Services for South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, South Carolina, is the recipient of the 2022 American Association of School Librarians’ (AASL) Collaborative School Library Award, along with collaborative partner, David Gerhard, Visual Arts Department Chair and Graphic Design teacher. Sponsored by Scholastic Book Fairs, the $2,500 award recognizes school librarian and teacher collaboration during the development and implementation of a curriculum-supporting program using school library resources.

“Students love learning about their rights and advocating for themselves, especially when they see so many of their favorite books challenged or banned,” wrote Giller. Students at South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities had three weeks to complete a poster design. At the conclusion of the project, student posters were displayed in the library during the school library’s Banned Books Week celebration.

“The committee was impressed with such a timely and creative project, as well as the use of intellectual freedom resources through the library to make the research process more relevant,” said committee chair Stacy Brown. “The back-and-forth nature of this collaboration highlighted the value of both departments and is easily replicable in other schools. The high level of student engagement in presenting, responding to feedback, and offering feedback for others, as well as being able to see, in a very real way, how their own rights are affected, is commendable.”

“Intellectual freedom is every learner’s right and to take such an engaging process for learners to consider their audience as they developed their final product hits so many AASL National Standards,” said AASL president Jennisen Lucas. “The level of engagement, with technology, with each other, with the school librarian and classroom teacher, demonstrates the deep impact collaborative projects can have within a school. Congratulations on a wonderful project.”

The AASL award winners will be recognized during the 2023 AASL National Conference taking place October 19-21 in Tampa, Florida.

The American Association of School Librarians, , a division of the ������ý (ALA), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.