National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries, Second Edition

The second edition of AASL’s guide to school library standards retains the familiar competency-based framework, shared foundations, and domains from the first edition while refining how the content is presented and ­applied. The core beliefs and commitments remain intact, providing librarians with a strong scaffold for curriculum design, ­instruction, and program development. The most notable changes are structural and practical. Personas from the first edition have been ­removed, and introductory material has been streamlined and embedded directly into the framework. Each shared foundation now includes an integrated discussion of learners, school librarians, and school libraries, creating a more cohesive and accessible layout. A significant improvement is the organization of foundations by domain rather than role, resulting in a clearer, more intuitive user experience. New to this edition are expanded practice examples and concrete assessment tools, including a clearly articulated school librarian evaluation rubric and guidance on evaluating through key commitments. These additions make the standards especially useful for professional growth, reflective practice, and alignment with administrative ­evaluation systems. Continued strengths include the SWOT analysis for program evaluation and the Marzano and Danielson crosswalks, which remain valuable for districts using established instructional frameworks.