VAASL Vanguards: Library Leadership Program

• Purpose – to help support and foster librarians who want to be leaders, and to prepare them to be equipped to step into leadership roles within their school, county, state, and/or national organizations. 
• Targeted for librarians with 3-15 years of experience (reasonable exceptions can be made)
• Application – includes a form, cover letter, and recommendations. 
• Program begins each January, with program wrap-up at VAASL conference each year
• Program participants must submit an application to present at VAASL conference
• Programs participants must pick a project or area of focus to be worked towards; project does NOT have to be chosen in advance, but can be included in the cover letter if there is a specific area of interest
• Once monthly virtual sessions, with a break for the months of July and August (independent work those months), and with a final session in-person at VAASL conference
• Each year, applicants can ask for a specific area(s) of focus, or, if none are desired, sessions can be created on general topics
• Program participants must agree to mentor and/or host a session for the next year’s cohort

Link to page and application

VAASL, in partnership with Longwood and ODU library programs, is thrilled to host a special screening of The Librarians from Director/Producer Kim A. Snyder on Wednesday evening at 7:15pm during the fall conference. This powerful documentary explores the rise of book banning in Texas, Florida, and beyond—spotlighting librarians who find themselves on the front lines as unexpected champions of intellectual freedom.

Concurrent Session Proposals NOW OPEN!

The Concurrent Session Proposal Form for the 2025 Fall Conference is now open! We’d love for you to share your knowledge with us. Please consider applying to present a session this year in Williamsburg. The most requested topics from the wish list form are as follows:

- BOOKS (new, award winners, diverse, what you use for lessons, etc)
- Lessons (all levels)
- Collaboration ideas
- Grants
- Reading Promotion
- Makerspace ideas
- Technology / Apps
- AI
- Student volunteers
- Book clubs

Dear VAASL members and supporters,

 On March 14, an Executive Order from the White House called for reductions to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), among other cultural institutions.