School library media specialists should be checking the mail next week for a brochure sent out to school principals and MASL members. Dr. Ross J. Todd, author of the April 2003 SLJ article "Irrefutable Evidence: How to prove you boost student achievement" has been invited to Maine to introduce a process called evidence-based practice as a way for library media specialists to systematically document how their learning-centered activities and collaborative teaching initiatives boost student-learning outcomes.Dr. Todd is from The Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (CISSL) http://cissl.scils.rutgers.edu <http://cissl.scils.rutgers.edu> which was established in the School of Communication, Information and Library Studies at Rutgers "for leading researchers and professionals to work together to create school libraries that spark learning in information age school around the world...where the synergies of school libraries, inquiry learning, literacies and information technology spark ideas, research, innovation and scholarship." Making Them A Class Act: School Libraries and Evidence-Based Practice is designed to have school library media specialists attend a training session in Augusta on November 3rd, leave with a template for a collaborative project, receive support by email and phone over the next few months, and then return with their collaborating teacher for a follow-up session on March 4th. The two-session program is $120 for MASL members and $160 for non-members, including morning coffee and lunch. The fee for the collaborating teacher has been set at only $40 in order to promote their collaborative participation at the March session. Remember, the annual Maine Libraries Conference will not be held until October 2004 this year, so for Maine school library media specialists this program can be THE staff development for this year's budget. It's exciting that we will be working with Dr. Todd and the resources of CISSL which will give us a researcher's perspective on the work we do in Maine school libraries. This evidence-based approach will provide self-designed strategies that show the relationship between your students' Learning Results and your school library program, part of the increased emphasis for accountability and scientifically-based research in No Child Left Behind. Don't miss this opportunity to show on a local level the impact that you have on student learning. For more information and registration materials check www.MASLibraries.org <http://www.MASLibraries.org> or contact me at 1-800-322-8899. Sylvia K. Norton Library, Information, and Technology Services Maine Department of Education/Maine State Library [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> 207-287-5620 1-800-322-8899 Mailing Address: Maine State Library 64 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333