Mesquite Independent School District’s library has won the National School Library of the Year award from the American Association of School Librarians (AASL). The award comes with a grant of $10,000.

“Our MISD libraries play a critical role in education by connecting with students as individuals, helping them grow as members of a community, and nurturing them to become productive citizens of the world,” wrote Cara Jackson, executive director of instructional technology, in her support letter. “MISD libraries are busy, popular places. In addition to traditional activities such as research and reading, our libraries provide a perfect location for student collaboration, club meetings, extended learning, and even creative thinking and problem solving.”

According to the AASL, the annual award “honors a single school or district-wide school library that exemplifies implementation of AASL’s National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries.”

“Mesquite ISD exemplifies the ideal of a student-driven school library,” said Priscille Dando, award committee chair. “The school library’s three pillars—personalized and self-directed learning, inquiry instruction, and transformative and enriching experiences—were consistently evident across schools and levels. Through this framework school librarians are instructional leaders in passion-based learning, providing scaffolding for English language learners, and focusing on the processes and skills that are outcomes of an authentic inquiry approach.”

The award has been presented annually since 1963, going to a Texas winner eight times, including Mesquite’s win this year. Mesquite is the first Texas organization to receive the honor since 2012, when South Texas ISD, in Mercedes in the Rio Grande Valley, was named the National School Library of the Year.