School Libraries 21C

24 responses so far ↓

• 1    Lorraine Husarek // Jun 1, 2009 at 10:48 am

  A School library of the future will have greater demands than those of the present. It will require the school system to acknowledge a set of standards to which the library strives for. These standards impact on the changing nature of the role – Although these standards of excellence, according to ASLA (2004), have been developed in conjunction with educators and librarian policy makers until they are binding and have been adopted and implemented by state, district and school levels by principals and teachers, changes in TL professional development will occur only as a need perceived by each individual TL or principal who aspires to achieve these standards. To ensure equitable access to learning for our students we need to have skilled, trained TLs in all schools. The difficulty of dual roles (TL & RR or STLA) impacts on the amount of time that TLs in smaller schools have to the huge task at hand. TLs can be great agents of change in a school and PD sources. Funding to increase the time of TLs in these roles would benefit the wider community as well.

• 2    Ross Todd // Jun 1, 2009 at 10:18 pm

  Thanks Lorraine for starting off this important discussion thread. Your mention of standards raises important questions in relation to compliance. One of the typical ways that standards are made compliant is through a formal evaluation process where the professionls / systems / services go through a formal review, and where goals and actions are negotiated as part of a cycle of continuous improvement. Is this the way to go?

• 3    Lorraine Husarek // Jun 5, 2009 at 1:26 pm

  This formal evaluation that you have outlined would be beneficial. It would guide those TL who are not current in their practice. It would be a strong basis to guide principals who do not value or perceive the need for such standards in primary schools. As Senge says ‘if you do the same thing in the same way you will get the same result’ Tls need be adapting to the changes around them.

• 4    Cheryl Barnier // Jun 10, 2009 at 6:41 pm

  This is a response from the discussion forum at the South West Sydney Region Teacher Librarians and Library School Administration Officers’ Conference on 10 June 2009.
  I will admit to adding a few thought of my own along the way. Please accept that any inadequacy of this summary is the fault of the writer and make sure that you add your own personal response on the blog. Cheryl Barnier Fairvale High School

  3c) What strategies / initiatives / support can occur at the DET level?
  · Remove the option of using Teacher Librarians for provision of RFF.
  · Provision and support for a webpage for each school library.
  · Some core standards need to be set so that there can be a base standard that can be expected when staff change schools.
  · Understanding of the information process and the importance of the school library needs to be incorporated into teacher training and also into ‘beginning teacher’ programs when they commence employment.
  · Principals need to be made aware of the benefits and potential of the school library to raise the standards and achievements of their students.

• 5    ahsb // Jun 15, 2009 at 10:11 am

  Ella Winkless. Teacher Librarian. Alstonville High School, Northern Rivers, NSW.

  The payment systems in schools need to be updated and aligned with todays technology. The current system of order forms is archaic and inefficient. Students miss out when teachers and TLs see amazing bargins in book stalls. And today the best shopping is done online. Too many missed opportunities when an order form is required!

• 6    Judy Hall, Principal // Jun 15, 2009 at 2:15 pm

  Working hours and conditions need to be flexible to enable working outside of regular school hours for both teachers and SAS staff. By changing roles in schools and enabling principals to have a greater voice in how their school is staffed may enable positions like that of paraprofessionals to be employed.
  In training, ensure that teacher librarians develop an overview of curriculum and assessment requirements.

• 7    Deborah Allen // Jun 16, 2009 at 10:05 am

  If we are to have progressive skill acquisition through the school years, why can’t an outline of expected outcomes be put within subject curriculums with the recommendation / suggestions of how the teacher librarian can help achieve these outcomes. I feel that over recent years that a lot of effort has gone into educating TLs for co-operative teaching but none to classroom teachers and the executive. This could usefully start at the Dip Ed and be reinforced with an expectation of including TLs in programming in subject areas to ensure basic information skills are built into units and assessed

• 8    Jane McKenzie // Jun 18, 2009 at 4:51 pm

  Jane McKenzie, Teacher Librarian and Assistant Principal, Quirindi Public School, NSW.

  I hope I am on the right track with this comment. I retrained a few years ago through DET NSW to become a tl. I am the first trained tl in our school for a long time (we think at least 20 years). I believe the training I received was integral in order for me to understand and develop my role at our school to support student learning. So in terms of the DET providing support at the initial stage of my training definitely. Recently there was a tl conference in Armidale which provided some excellent key note speakers and workshops that we could attend – however in four years that has been the only rural professional learning targeted at tls in our area. To improve student outcomes, like all other teachers, we need professional learning opportunities, often, targeted towards our needs. I am also concerned at the lack of understanding that student teachers and new teachers (I know this is not all) seem to have about information processing skills (it is in the syllabus) let alone the role of tls. Do universities provide any training at all in regards to this?

• 9    Peter Grant // Jun 22, 2009 at 1:12 pm

  Hi, Peter Grant TL, Bathurst High, Denison College, Bathurst.
  The new technologies complementing the rollout of the years 9-12 laptops provide a great window of opportunity for the DET to examine the system wide subscription to some online resources that are currently beyond the budeget capability of individual school libraries. Access to these should be by means of links on the student and staff portals.
  I would also suggest that included in this are eLibraries, Google books as it develops, image/video libraries and news sites as they become user pays. It would be worthwhile avoiding a lot of duplication of resources between the local public library system and school libraries.
  The administrative time saved in eliminating processing such subscriptions and removing some resource costs from the local school library may well pay for cost of their uptake.

• 10    Lee Cutler // Jun 23, 2009 at 10:02 am

  This is a group round table response from the Northern Tablelands Teacher Librarian group. The school involved are a mixture or rural Public, Central and High schools plus a few Private schools in the area who meet every term.

  - That TL’s roles are recognised and values at all levels of the hierarchy
  - Implement and assist in offering TPL for TL’s on a regular basis
  - TL’s need to belong to professional TL groups such as ASLA and NTTL

• 11    Georgia P // Jun 23, 2009 at 11:00 am

  I would like to concur with Cheryl Barnier’s suggestions and add a few more:
  · Remove the option of using Teacher Librarians for provision of RFF.
  · Provision and support for a webpage for each school library tied strongly and obviously to the school teaching and learning program. This would include reference to TL professional standards and to a collection management policy supportive of teaching and learning and a school-wide information literacy policy.
  · Understanding of the information process and the importance of the school library needs to be incorporated into teacher training and also into ‘beginning teacher’ programs when they commence employment. At the minimum, the inclusion of readings for tutorial discussion. Lectures from practitioners would be ideal. Methods of collaborating with TLs to improve student learning outcomes would be included. A collaborative unit with TLs to be incorporated into practicums.
  · Principals need to be made aware of the benefits and potential of the school library to raise the standards and achievements of their students. The ALIA/ASLA professional standards should be refined with the addition of indicators for performance evaluation. These standards, let it be said, seem to me to be the only professional teaching standards that depend upon principal support for attainment.

  Inclusion of the role of the school library and teacher librarian in all NSW literacy and ICT policy statements.

  This is a small beginning for NSW DET to recognize the importance of quality, well-supported school library services and programs in constructivist, inquiry-based, authentic, quality teaching and learning.

  Thank you,
  G Phillips

• 12    Janice.M.Mason // Jun 23, 2009 at 1:55 pm

  Even with the best of intentions, training and motivation we can do little without budgets that allow for effective resourcing , specifically the technologies of the 21st C

• 13    nikkiadams // Jun 23, 2009 at 3:55 pm

  I have been working as a teacher librarian in a public school library for 22 years. I feel that the role of the teacher librarian and the effectiveness of the school library have been compromised over the years. New initiatives are a waste of time if they are not made mandatory. It is time for our associations and universities to recognise the compromising position of the teacher librarian and to use their knowledge and research to insist that change comes from the top and is legitimised.

• 14    Diane Ridley - Teacher Librarian NSW Gov high school // Jun 24, 2009 at 10:02 am

  Cheryl & Georgia have some good soments. The T/L position really needs to be Recognised & supported at DET level. There may also be a case for more flexibility but this should not be seen as an excuse to downgrade the profession & employ paraprofessionals. There are other options like having the library included in playground duty. It seems to me that more control to Principals would translate into diminishing the role of the T/L . The argument put forward is it is good for the kids but not for teachers or the future of the profession.

  I also agree that Dip Ed courses should include the role of the T/L, library & benefits of co-operative teaching. I’m not sure any Dip Ed course mentions the library; the information must be assumed to be known by students or not important.

  Like any teacher in the public system it would be a joy to do our job without continually considering how we are going to facilitate learning within resource constraints. To suggest public schools are adequately funded is really a joke. Schools are depending on canteen funds for everyday expenses & financial survival is more difficult every year. However, while any Government can get away with underfunding politically the reality is they will do so.

  For change/improvment to occur within a school it needs to be led from above (the executive). Unless any Government is going to lead (with consultation & treat the teachers with professionalism) it is going to remain difficult for schools to respond to changes/developments in the future.

  DET in the short term also needs to respond to quickly technological changes & support schools. OASIS needs to be replaced so we can support & respond to the needs of the school with relying on an outdated database. Our immediate needs are to update school software (Office) in general & without putting that burden on schools that have no extra time for IT purposes.

• 15    Georgia P // Jun 24, 2009 at 12:53 pm

  Good one, Nikki.

  Look at the money, time, resources and staffing being used for the Laptops for Learning program.

  ” The package consisted of links to interesting readings and suggestions to assist staff reflection and learning about
  the use of technology in teaching and learning. ……”
  I wonder what readings were included on IL, guided inquiry, constructivist, collaborative teaching and learning and ICT?

  “School based programs and structures that provide opportunities for teachers to plan, implement and share best
  practice in collaborative learning sessions, are seen as essential to the success of the Laptops for Learning program.”

  Have teacher librarians been considered in these programs?

  The program is also committed to providing additional support through full time Technical Support Officers. Will these TSO’s also provide much needed support for existing ICT infrastructure in school libraries?

  Since the first wireless networks are going into school libraries, it is quite possible all these considerations have been made, and more! I’d love to hear about them.

  Thank you,
  Georgia

  ref: http://www.gloucester-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/
  GHS/Laptops_4_Learning_files/clbulletin05.pdf

• 16    Sharon McGuinness // Jun 24, 2009 at 9:37 pm

  Having just had a session with our first year prac students, I can certainly agree with Jane Mc. BEd students need TLs as visiting lecturers to inform them of what a TL’s role is and how they can assist them within the school; the important collaborative role in teaching and learning; information literacy and lifelong learning; guided inquiry; practical sessions on locating resources for teaching and learning…. our students have again said ‘we haven’t been told any of this!’

  As far as DET level…
  removal of the TL from RFF
  a greater emphasis/commitment to CPPT – this may assist principals in believing in its value.
  Standards in resource budget to ensure school libraries receive adequate level with which to purchase resources.
  Recognition of Cert III and Diploma at TAFE level for library assistants – ensuring standards in cataloguing, library operations which would free the TL from daily operational tasks and be able to devote more time to teaching, planning, collection development, teaching collaboratively with staff, training staff.
  More PD appropriate to TL needs – guided inquiry, incorporating HOTS and QT into teaching & learning ,
  utilising web 2.0 tools.

• 17    Debra Sharpe // Jun 26, 2009 at 9:10 am

  As a primary school teacher-librarian (0.6) for the past 16 years I have always known that as long as library lessons are part of the RFF component that our work in collaboartion with classroom teachers can only be minimal. The true value of CPPT has been overlooked.

  T/L’s know the curriculum; are technical; are usually at the forefront of new technologies; know and can locate relevant resources; know all of the students in their school; are highly organised; manage people and resources; promoters of the school; and besides all of that we can teach! Surely its time our worth is recognised.

  We need more time, more assistance, more technical back up, and more opportunities to truly support our colleagues and therefore our students.

• 18    Jenny Connolly // Jun 27, 2009 at 8:00 pm

  I studied Teacher Librarianship before I transferred into a TL position – I brought to the position all of the innovation and vision of one who has read about how a school library and qualified TL can make a huge difference in the learning journey of their students…how naive!
  When I read papers that talk about the library staff now, I know that I AM the staff. There are more than 500 students at my school together with 30 + staff. My Admin. Assistant comes in one day per week as long as the office doesn’t need her and she is not sick.
  As many before me have noted, if we are to be serious about providing Quality Teaching and Learning in our schools, acknowledging formally the unique position of the TL is urgently required.
  Fund classroom teachers’ RFF without the need to use the TL. Train classroom teachers to expect that a collaborative planning and teaching lesson is not defacto RFF or marking time.
  Replace OASIS Library with a system which only requires items to be scanned once for returns to take effect!
  Ensure that ICT resources are made available without the constant need for cake stalls etc

• 19    Jane Gee // Jun 28, 2009 at 1:20 pm

  At the DET level:
  - Principals to be addressed by peers who have implemented CPPT programs effectively so they can share knowledge of its beneficial impact on teaching and learning outcomes for their school and also the ‘how to’ in terms of managing their school budgets;
  - Clerical time to be allocated in a transparent manner and maintained on a regular basis, not just at an individual’s discretion;
  - Clerical assistants to have an understanding of how libraries work and an interest in what their job is rather than just making up their hours by being put in the library (recognition of relative training and a priority to employ those with qualifications);
  - Commitment to web 2 by providing T&D for TLs and Principals together, so there is understanding across schools on the capabilities available and the Principal is informed, so they can decide on what approach they would need to take in their individual circumstances in regard to their whole school staff;

  In another area, TLs follow audit requirements each year and work in unrealistic time frames to complete stock takes properly. This is perhaps because a Principal may not understand what is involved in a stock take and the need to account for and locate resources to meet the needs of the DET auditors. Libraries should be audited in the same manner as the front office – a regular basis and answerable to DET auditors. It is part of our job to complete these tasks and would perhaps raise the profile of the library and give it more relevance in the eyes of some Principals if these auditors were looking at it regularly.

  I must add I have a total RFF library timetable. My Principal has agreed to visit other schools next term with a view to perhaps trialling CPPT in 2010.

• 20    Helen Lee // Jul 1, 2009 at 12:21 pm

  This is a joint response from the Selective Schools TL Network meeting held 30th June 09. These notes are very brief and please accept my full apologies if these notes are not complete from our discussions!
  * all teachers and TLs need practical experience in cooperative teaching ventures, particularly for information skills.
  * the learning of information skills from joint T/TLs collaboration be included in subject outcomes.
  * support is needed for acting TLs appointed while “willing to do training”.
  * support is needed for acting TLs in high schools that have transferred from primary teaching training.
  * principals coopted/ urged / induced to commit to a vision for their libraries made with its stakeholders.
  * training for SAOs to the level of library technicians.
  * a policy of minimum staffing levels for SAOs in library.
  * recognition by the DET that primary and secondary TL roles are different.
  Helen Lee
  St George Girls HS TL
  Contact person SSTL network

• 21    DET high school T-L // Jul 6, 2009 at 12:17 pm

  1. provide fully trained library assistants and library technicians on full-time permanent basis to allow the T-L to teach, strategically plan & manage the library

  2. DET to globally subscribe to a selection of online subscriptions which would be commonly used by high school students

  3. STOP using T-Ls as RFF providers

  4. STOP expecting T-Ls (who are often part-time or the only T-L in a school) to be super exemplars & leaders of our profession with expectations that we CONTINUALLY 24 hours/7 days a week drive learning innovations, implement evidence-based teaching practices, strategically plan & CPPT with 30 or more other teachers, promote literacy of all forms (reading, visual, numeracy etc), contribute to professional journals, promote the library & Teacher-Librarainship, mentor other T-Ls, develop students’ social & personal skills, work in partnership with parents and community members, network with other libraries etc etc when we don’t get enough library assistants, technical support, money for the library, in lieu time for opening the library, etc.

  Even when I pick and choose what I do, use time management skills etc I still suffer physical & mental burnout, repetitive strain injuries etc.

• 22    ianmclean // Jul 30, 2009 at 9:37 am

  Hi all,

  I’m feeling a need to urge teacher-librarians to try to make more use of programs and projects already being provided by NSW DET.

  My school has participated in the Identity Rap: Sharing our stories, which was first run in 2008 – and had about 12 participating schools, although my school had about seven separate small groups working on the rap points – and was then rerun last term 2009. I had really hoped (and expected) this rerun, and excellent word of mouth on the previous rap, would have seen increased participation across the state (and Australia), but in reality very few schools saw out the new rap to its conclusion.

  These “Identity Raps” have embedded higher order think skills, incredible opportunities for maximising talking and listening, extending students’, teacher librarians’ and teachers’ ICT skills, increase community interaction (via parents being able to discuss the rap points with students, and even view the rap from home), all while addressing English, Aboriginal Studies and PDHPE outcomes.

  This is just one example of a service provided by the NSW DET, publicised widely, and yet not fully embraced.

  There would be many others, and yet we are also supposed to be preparing for Web 3.0?

  Regards,
  Ian McLean
  Teacher-librarian,
  Penrith PS, NSW

• 23    Sharon McGuinness // Jul 30, 2009 at 10:39 pm

  As the VP (Advocacy) for ASLA (NSW), I’d like to make some comments re the initiatives, strategies and direction that our state professional association is currently undertaking to support the profession of teacher librarianship.
  The DET strongly supports its TL employees who are currently undertaking the Graduate Certificate at CSU in a mentoring program. ASLA (NSW) has recognised the need to foster its own mentoring initiative – in providing any TL ASLA (NSW) member, access to a mentor TL who will assist and guide them in an area they feel they need some expertise and knowledge. Information regarding this will have reached schools this week.

  Information and guidelines will also be provided on the ASLA (NSW) website for those TLs who wish to not only promote their library and the program they teach, but also advocate for both. Tips on writing a news release, the usefulness of speaking at staff and P&C meetings and the continued collaboration with their teaching colleagues are each ways in which we can focus, promote and advocate our role.

  Much planning is devoted to professional development days such as the annual State Library Day, after school workshops and Saturday PD, such as those to be held at Birrong (8/8) and Penrith (31/10). A new PD initiative will soon be rolled out across the state, thanks to an AGQTP grant which will enable TLs and teachers access to a Digital Literacy course, at a very affordable cost.

  Any professional association is only as strong as its member base and our members have increased this year. There is a strong belief in the ongoing professional support and development of NSW teacher librarians, technicians and assistants and their roles in the education of our students and school libraries.

  Look out for further developments on the website and don’t hesitate to make suggestions as to the continued direction of our professional association.
  Kind Regards,
  Sharon McGuinness
  VP – Advocacy, ASLA (NSW) Inc.

• 24    Georgia Phillips // Aug 3, 2009 at 6:20 pm

  You are doing a great job, Sharon. TLs need all the help they can get in helping others to value their role. And without a consultancy or school library service, ASLA is to be congratulated in trying to fill the gap in support services and PD from DET. Well done.
  Georgia

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