Farmington Hills, Mich., May 19, 2011 – Gale, part of Cengage Learning, and Library Media Connection magazine are calling all media specialists and educators at K-12 public and private schools in the U.S. and Canada to share their collaboration success stories and submit for the 2011 TEAMS Award – Teachers and Media Specialists Influencing Student Achievement. The TEAMS Award recognizes teacher–media specialist teams in elementary, middle and high school settings for their critical collaboration to promote learning and achievement. Examples of winning collaborations include using large print books to improve student reading scores, integrating electronic and print reference resources into classroom learning and utilizing libraries to explore world cultures. The three winning teams will each receive a cash award, Gale products, a one-year subscription to Library Media Connection and the Educator's Professional Bookshelf from Linworth Publishing. In addition, the winners will be featured in an article in Library Media Connection. Awards will be presented at a special reception held in conjunction with this year’s American Association of School Librarians annual conference.

What: Gale/Library Media Connection 2011 TEAMS Award honoring teachers and media specialists influencing student achievement through collaboration. The nomination may be submitted by a library media specialist, teacher, principal, student or parent for work done in the 2009-10 or 2010-11 school year. There is no entry fee; however each nomination packet must include six copies of each:
• Completed submission form with appropriate attachments
• One-page letter of recommendation from school's principal or assistant principal on school letterhead
• Signed release form (available at www.galeschools.com/TEAMS) for each person involved
• Photograph of the collaborating media specialist/teaching team

Who: All public and private K-12 schools in the U.S. and Canada. Find complete submission information including entry forms and past winners online at www.galeschools.com/TEAMS

When: All entries must be post-marked by June 30, 2011. Winners will be announced in October 2011 at the American Association of School Librarians annual conference in Minneapolis, MN.

Why: Collaboration among teachers and media specialists is critical to promote learning, increase student achievement and help students develop 21st century skills. Gale and Library Media Connection want to honor teacher–librarian teams for their hard work and dedication.

Details: Please contact Kristina Massari at kristina.massari@cengage.com for more information or with questions about the award.

About Cengage Learning and Gale
Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions for the academic, professional and library markets worldwide. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs – from homework help to health questions to business profiles – in a variety of formats. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.gale.cengage.com.

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