Upload your photo and make one of four free READ poster templates from ALA here.  Just in time for back to school!

I am reminded of the important metaphorical meaning of the standard.  A standard was a  medieval flag representing a nobleman or lord and signified the presence of someone great.    Often the flag was decorated wtih a heraldic symbol that communicated somethign about the heritage of the noble who traveled under it.

As the new school year slips into gear this month, slowly for some, and sooner for others, we decide how we will begin the year.  Will we choose to say that our profession has importance and hold the standard/Standards high and proudly? Are we exhausted from the many things in life that require our time and need a buddy to help hold up the standard? Will we tuck the flag into a “read later” folder and discover it again only at end-of-year cleanup? Will we take them aside and embellish and embroider them with our depth of experiences? Recut and redesign them to meet our building’s purpose?

And if this were you under the armor, are you headed out to fight the battle of your life? To joust for fun and attention? To woo someone into your casle of paperbacks? To explore uncharted territories for the king and report on your discoveries (”We hath been to Twitter! And we hath Twitt’d, M’lord!”).  To stay home for a bit, dining at the Round Table swapping stories of the good old days?

And how would you decorate your standard? What colors, trims, icons, or heraldic imagery would fill your flag? I think mine might be a rectangular banner from which hand two triangular ends. On one triangle, a question mark for curiosity.  On the other, an exclamation point for discovery.  What can I say: once an English teacher, always an English teacher.  Punctuation is my life.

What about you? What back-to-school metaphors have you energized and excited?

Image: Microsoft Clip Art

A virtual poster session with the theme of Community Center was announced by Sara Kelly Johns on the AASL Blog on behalf of ALA President Jim Rettig:

Share your experiences of making your library vital in your community (any kind of community). The possibilities are almost endless. Are you reaching underserved populations? Are you vital to local political activity? Is your library a center of learning? Are you visible outside the building? Demonstrate the specific purpose of your community involvement and the ways that you have achieved that purpose. Photos, images, and sounds may accompany your presentation …

The deadline for submitting proposals is Nov. 15. Approximately 25 submissions will be selected and will be available for viewing during January 2009.

For details on how to submit a proposal, visit Rettig’s Web site.  Bummer that with bandwith so cheap, only 25 proposals will be showcased!

Image: Microsoft Clip Art