By providing a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn during their K-12 experience, the Common Core State Standards are designed to prepare students for college and career success in the 21st century. Since their release in June, 2010, the State of California, along with forty-five other states and the District of Columbia, has adopted the Common Core State Standards.

At the core of the Common Core State Standards, is the reading of rich, informational text and inquiry-based instruction. Two panelists will join us to give an overview of the Standards and to discuss their implications for the work of public and school librarians and for the world of publishing.

Kristin Fontichiaro has written many books, including Navigating the Information Tsunami: Engaging Research Projects That Meet the Common Core State Standards, K-5 and Growing Schools: Librarians as Professional Developers which she co-authored with Debbie Abilock and Violet Harada.

Roger Sutton is Editor in Chief of The Horn Book Magazine which has just launched Nonfiction Notes from the Horn Book. This quarterly supplement to the monthly e-newsletter, Notes from the Horn Book, will provide recommendations of recently published nonfiction books in an attempt to help teachers and librarians build library collections for schools using the Common Core State Standards.