Come See Us at IASBO!

Come see AEA Purchasing staff live and in color!

If you find yourself attending the 2019 IASBO conference tomorrow, be sure to stop by the AEA Purchasing vendor booth for fun, games, snacks and prizes!

Building a Diverse Book Collection

Today's post comes to you from Mackin's New School Services Project Manager, Katy Tessman.

Building a Diverse Book Collection: Providing Windows, Mirrors, Sliding Glass Doors, and Beyond

Building a diverse collection of fiction, nonfiction, novels in verse, graphic novels, and biographies can be an overwhelming task. The books need to appeal to a wide variety of students that turn over every few years. Knowing how to spend your budget can be quite daunting.

Having diverse literature available helps to create a culture of understanding each other and provides powerful tools for teaching students about social justice. The need for diverse books extends beyond the school library; English and civics classrooms need access to a variety of texts to go beyond the single story and celebrate cultural diversity.

So how do we build a diverse collection? We learn about and implement the following guidelines: 

1. Find Windows, Mirrors, Sliding Glass Doors, and Beyond.

2. Avoid the Single Story

3. #OwnVoices

4. Explore the Human Experience

Click here to learn more about the 4 essential guidelines for building a rich, diverse school and classroom libraries for your students.

Partners You Need to Know (March 2019)

Blick Art Materials offers all supplies needed for your visual arts program including paints, brushes, craft and printmaking items, ceramic and sculpture supplies, furniture and much more!

Busch Systems offers a large, comprehensive variety of recycling and waste containers that can be used as they are, or ordered personalized, and customized. All of their products are proudly manufactured in North America with recycled content, and are 100% recyclable.

Hillyard is a leading manufacturer and distributor of cleaning and hygiene solutions. Helping people deliver clean, safe, healthy facilities is our purpose, passion and focus.

PITSCO Inc. From classroom and district level programs to individual activities, whether you’re looking for robotics, coding, dragsters, drafting supplies, STEM, or online testing, Pitsco Education has got you covered.

Mark Your Calendars! (March 2019)

AEA Purchasing's Food program will be hosting a series of "Come and See"open houses featuring new food menu items. Email Barb for complete details!

Thurs, 3/7:     DMACC Newton Campus

Tues, 3/12:     Crossroad Pavilion Event Center, Sheldon

Thurs, 3/14:   Hawkeye Community College-Tama Hall, Waterloo

Come visit our booth at the IASBO conference on March 27th!

Securly Webinar on March 29th. Securly keeps your students safe wherever they are connected. Email Laurie to register and for more details.