Search Results for: technology

the social media hat

For decades teacher librarians were isolated in their schools, often being the only one of them on the staff. While there were sometimes opportunities for those in a cluster of schools to get together face-to-face, on the whole it was a lonely position with most professional instruction coming from handbooks, college notes and the occasionally print publication.

However the development of social media tools has changed the landscape entirely and now teacher librarians are amongst the most visible professions, exploring and exploiting social media to connect with each other, their clients and the ‘long tail’- those who don’t believe that a library has anything to offer them. No longer is the library confined to a physical building or its collection to print resources lined up on shelves. Rather than the transfer of information it presumed users wanted, the emphasis is now on the creation of information that users have indicated they need.

In 2009, Matthews claimed that a library’s website was its “most important feature” because it had become the first stop for clients seeking information and was the public face of the library and its presentation can tell the user much about the organisation. Thus the design, content and structure of the library’s website was and remains of paramount importance. But now there are so many more ways to connect with the world beyond the walls that we have to have a multi-faceted face to it.

“Web 1.0 took people to the information; [whereas] Web 2.0 will take the information to the people.”

Ian Davis

The library’s focus has to be centred on its users, delivering information, resources and services that meet their actual, rather than their assumed, needs, guided by client requests, response, participation and feedback.

“Library 2.0 is based on community, conversation, collaboration and content-creation.”

Lyn Hay & Jake Wallis

Although many libraries have had a web presence for some time, there is now a range of tools that can be added to it or used to complement it encouraging communication and collaboration.

The selection of the applications to suit the needs of the institution and its intentions is critical. The tool’s purpose, features and functionality must support the purpose, content and design of the library website enabling it to develop a broad online presence. Choices need to be made based on accessibility to the clients with COPPA restricting access for under-13s to many apps. The common denominator must be that they are interactive, participatory and support both the creation and consumption of information.

The Arizona State University Libraries websites demonstrate how this can be done successfully. Rather being confined to physical buildings, they have moved beyond the walls and into the realm of the students using a range of applications to ensure that current customers are better served and new users targeted.

the role of the teacher librarian

From Library 2.0 comes Librarian 2.0.

Central to the library’s participation in the social networking environment is a librarian who understands its philosophies, practices and potential.

Librarian 2.0 is a mashup of the old and the new focusing on the users, services, technology, content and context in a collaborative, interactive environment.

While the traditional knowledge, skills and attributes remain an essential core, they are enriched by new Library 2.0-based capabilities enabling a more diverse, richer experience for both librarian and client. Policies, programs and practices reflect the new paradigm and the users’ needs become their driver. Rather than being the sage-on-the-stage dispensing information, Librarian 2.0 becomes the guide-on-the-side facilitating the acquisition of knowledge and skills.

The Networked TL

social media in action

There are as many social media tools as there are purposes to use them. Indeed, one of the most difficult decisions is to choose the one that best meets your needs and which is likely to have some stability and longevity if that is important. Just three years ago there was a post on a blog listing an A-Z of social media tools – not only is the blog post now gone but most of the tools have too!

The ‘padagogy wheel’ identifies iPad apps that satisfy various levels of the Bloom’s Digital taxonomy but not everyone chooses an Apple environment and apps come and go as regularly as the tides. Nevertheless, it offers some starting points to begin or continue embedding ICT into learning and creating a collaborative and communal space.

The Padagogy Wheel by Allan Carrington is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at http://tinyurl.com/bloomsblog.

However, while having students engage in using these apps is a critical part of the 21st century teaching and learning environment, social media is also a necessary tool in the TL’s toolkit if we are to connect and communicate with our communities including students, staff, parents, and colleagues further afield. It is the ideal way to un-isolate ourselves and build bridges to the broader community as well as continuing to grow our professional knowledge and practices.

Perhaps the most commonly used tool is also among the oldest – the email-based listserv such as OZTL_NET and LM_NET. Popular because questions can be asked as they arise and responses delivered straight to the subscriber’s inbox, most educational jurisdictions host a local list so the discussion is particular to the issues of that state or territory.

Blogs are widely used to share new knowledge, understandings and practices as well as provide a range of opinions and perspectives on issues affecting the profession. Each is as individual as its writer and they are a valuable source of new ideas and information. Recently The Edublogger posted a list of 23 library-based blogs hosted on the Edublogs platform but there are many more available including those from professional leaders like

Joyce Valenza – The Neverending Search
Buffy Hamilton – The Unquiet Librarian
Dianne McKenzie – Library Grits
Judy O’Connell –HeyJude
Doug Johnson –The Blue Skunk blog
Mandy Lupton – Inquiry Learning & Information Literacy

As well as blogs from those within the profession there are many from the wider education field who write posts that will enrich and enhance our professional practice. Look for

Donalyn Miller – The Book Whisperer
John Schu – Watch. Connect. Read
Colby Sharp et al – The Nerdy Book Club

There are also many sites which regularly review new releases of titles suitable for our clientele and these need to be selected according to their focus and your students’ ages, needs and interests. Some to explore are

Goodreads and Shelfari are also worth having on your radar as community-powered tools to keep abreast of new releases as well as criticisms of popular reads.

Most education jurisdictions require a certain amount of formal professional learning to be undertaken and logged each year and to overcome distance issues requiring expensive travel and accommodation costs, webinars are now becoming a more popular method of delivery. These can be national or international and institutions like ASLA offer them on a regular basis. They have the distinct advantage of being able to participate wearing your pyjamas with chocolate and coffee by your side!

For communication purposes Facebook and Twitter seem to be the favourite platforms and they are used for a variety of audiences. open and closed. However the COPPA restricts use to over- 13s so primary schools tend to use them for parental communication only. Facebook is used for sharing upcoming events, book reviews, and other news associated with the school library as well as tips and links to assist parents with their child’s learning.

There are several opportunities for TLs to connect via Facebook including

as well as pages to follow such as the Australian School Library Association which regularly post links to relevant articles.

Twitter is not necessarily used by students (some research suggests they see it as the world of the ‘oldies’) but many parents use it and it’s a way of spreading important messages quickly. Many of the profession’s leaders tweet interesting tidbits daily and the back channels of conferences can be a worthwhile source of new information and perspectives.

Wikis are also an opportunity to connect and learn from our peers although we must consider the 1-9-90 rule – 90% of participants don’t contribute although they value what they read and observe; 9% add to existing discussions and 1% create the content and the commentary. Two wikis worth looking at are Book Week for Beginners and Guided Inquiry both of which support the TL’s professional practice.

Curation tools such as Pinterest, Only 2 Clicks, and Pearltrees are already an integral part of the TL’s sharing hat, and as the concept of flipped classrooms begins to grow, more and more tools like YouTube, Vimeo, Photopeach and Slideshare will become as important to teachers sharing their teaching as they are to learners sharing their learning.

Whatever your social media need is, there is an app for it. But for the TL of the 21st century, the social media hat is one we must put on every day if we are to remain relevant and inhabit the world where we will find our students. For those who would like the hat to fit a little more snugly you might like to investigate Social Networking for Information Professionals available through Charles Sturt University.

Need more ideas? Have a look at Library Media Tech Talk “A blog about school library collaborations, new technology, and apps. We share about how we are working with our school learning community.”

the professional learning hat

Jun8

At the core of our mandate as teacher librarians is enabling our students to become lifelong learners.

Through teaching them about the information literacy process we give them a scaffold they can use in any area that allows them to know how to find out what they want or need to know whether it’s solving a complex mathematical problem or learning how to start a motor mower. As teacher librarians, we pride ourselves on being lifelong learners – but are we?

How many of us walk across the stage at graduation, accept that piece of paper that states we are now qualified to teach in this specialist area, and think, “That’s it. No more study for me”? Or believe that the only way to grow our learning is through TL-specific courses and conferences? Or look at the requirements for progressing our careers and think that they are all focused on the sphere of the classroom-based teacher and therefore irrelevant? From the messages I read on the various TL networks I belong to, it would seem that all too often this is the case.

Over the last few years, education in Australia has changed significantly with the establishment of AITSL – Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership – and all teachers are now required to be formally accredited and to log a minimum of 20 hours professional learning each year (100 hours over five years in NSW). This is because AITSL believes that a great education system is based on its teachers, that the best educators are the best learners and

the best systems make sure that teachers and school leaders can become great as they progress through their profession because people naturally want to grow, develop, and be successful

And for this to be achieved there need to be opportunities and commitment for learning with diverse forms of support that meet the needs, abilities and preferences of the teachers. In other words, we do for ourselves that which we do for our students.

Most education jurisdictions now require the annual logging and formal evaluation of professional learning based on a formal professional learning plan that has stated personal and corporate goals that identify the why, when, where and how of achievement.

For some reason, this seems to pose problems for many TLs who can’t seem to move themselves beyond TL-focused professional learning and nebulous statements such as having children loving reading (which cannot be measured) or improving circulation stats (which prove nothing beyond the number of times a resource is checked out). Goals need to be S.M.A.R.T – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely – and the best way to formulate is to consult any formal documentation you can such as the professional standards and the Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians and identify the areas where you personally need to improve your knowledge, practice and/or commitment. For Australian TLs, ALIA Schools Group have mapped the AITSL standards to TL professional practice in Teacher Librarian Practice for the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers

Examine your library’s vision statement, mission statement and strategic plan to identify what you want the library to be like in three years and from that identify what professional learning you need to be able to get it there. If it is not readily available then approach your professional network to see if there is a demand for it and whether they can supply it. Don’t limit yourself to face-to-face delivery at conferences and meetings but look for webinars and other online opportunities, reading books and articles and so forth.

Even if you have been in the position for many years there is always something new to learn but it may be worthwhile to stop, draw breath, and reflect on what you believe and value and develop manifestos to encapsulate this to help you draw together all you have learned and achieved already and provide a benchmark from which to go forward. Such an exercise will ensure your plans are true to your beliefs, will help you take them to a higher level and ensure you are invested in the outcomes. Your plan will be more than a tick-a-box-for-authority document.

If a plan is to be achieved successfully it cannot be overwhelming so three goals relating to the domains of professional knowledge, professional practice and professional commitment should be sufficient but carefully chosen. Ask yourself…

How will achieving this goal contribute to
- my personal professional growth?
- the design and delivery of the curriculum for teachers and students?
- the achievement of the library’s vision and mission statements and strategic plan?
- the school’s plan for progress?
- the perception of the role of the TL within this learning community?

Explicitly identify the elements for each goal so success is even more likely. So a PLP could look like

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE
GOAL		PURPOSE	STANDARDS ADDRESSED	RELATIONSHIP TO SCHOOL PRIORITIES
Strategy	Actions	Timeframe	Resources	Evidence of Achievement
Identify each strategy to be undertaken to achieve the goal	What you need to do to satisfy the strategy	Short.medium.long term	human, financial, physical, time	Performance indicators Include milestones for long term goals
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
GOAL		PURPOSE	STANDARDS ADDRESSED	RELATIONSHIP TO SCHOOL PRIORITIES
Strategy	Actions	Timeframe	Resources	Evidence of Achievement

PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT
GOAL		PURPOSE	STANDARDS ADDRESSED	RELATIONSHIP TO SCHOOL PRIORITIES
Strategy	Actions	Timeframe	Resources	Evidence of Achievement

By explicitly articulating the goal, the reason you are focusing on it, and the professional standard it is addressing you are demonstrating your understanding of your need for professional growth and your commitment to it. You are showing that you are taking the process seriously and professionally and not only does this underline the TL’s role in the teaching and learning process but it is more likely to get you the resources – human, financial, physical and time – you need to achieve it. Even if you are required to use a common pro forma, knowing why you have chosen a particular goal and so forth can be added as an extra and addressed in your formal conversation with your line manager.

In her presentation Revisioning the School Library Program Anne Weaver states, “Teacher librarians must provide cutting edge library programs, using evidence based practice, that focus on goals directly connected to school leadership priorities…” She argues that if we do not do deliver programs that keep the school leadership satisfied that their investment in our salaries is justified then we put our positions at risk.

In its publication Global trends in professional learning and performance & development AITSL examined the features of innovative professional learning and performance & development…

Features of innovative
professional learning
and performance &
development

From: Global trends in professional learning and performance & development

Their analysis showed that while there is a trend for individuals undertaking professional learning that is based online, collaborative, self-directed and informal and that this has value for the individual participant, it is not the best way for the organisation to leverage the results and grow as a whole. The most effective combinations for both the individual and the organisation were opportunities that were

individual – participants take part alone
self-directed – participants choose the focus, pace and outcomes…and monitor and evaluate their own progress and achievement
personalised – learning focuses on the needs of the participant
situated – learning is within and geared to the goals of the organisation
offered – opportunities are made available to the participants
incentivised – learning is highly valued by the organisation and participants are given incentives to take part

If one of the purposes of the professional learning is to build the knowledge capital within the school, then specialist teachers like TLs need to be part of the big picture. Sometimes it is difficult to see how matches can be made between the specialist role and the school generally. How do school goals about a greater focus on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fit with the TL role that is traditionally associated with English and possibly History?

Such an apparent ‘mis-match’ just needs some new thinking, the putting on of a new hat and some homework using that information literacy scaffold.

Ask yourself…
- How can I view this goal with a TL lens? What leadership and/or support can I give teachers and students? What resources are required?
- What do I already know, do, and have that can provide that support or offer leadership?
- What do I, as an individual need to learn or do so I can provide what is required to the school as a whole?
- How can I shape that learning into a personal goal using both the professional standards and the Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians?
- Where can I get the learning/training that I need to achieve that goal and deliver what is expected? What resources will I need to access it?
- How can I demonstrate my learning as an individual and its contribution to the school’s growth?
- How can I build on what I have learned to strengthen the school’s position in this area and to take it even further forward?
Develop a detailed plan to share with your school’s executive which not only demonstrates how your professional learning is in alignment with theirs but will also show that the TL’s role is integral to their success.
Put the plan into practice, document it, seek evidence that it is having an impact and share this as part of your formal PL discussions with your executive.

While the focus of the professional learning in a school can be driven from the top-down and for many, remains a passive process of attendance, listening and note-taking, by taking the opportunity to make it a personal action plan that we are committed to, it can have meaning and momentum that really contributes to the big picture.

If we are to encourage and enable lifelong learning, then we must be lifelong learners ourselves. Putting on our professional learning hat and ensuring it is a snug fit is one way of doing that.

the landscaper’s hat

Jan27

The landscaper’s hat is a much more important hat than many realise. The environment we provide is a critical element in a student’s perception about whether the library is for them and their choice to use it.

In 1999, eminent management researcher, Peter Drucker predicted that in the Information Age workforce of the 21^st century the most successful person will be a knowledge worker – one who

- has had a strong formal education
- is able to apply theory to a practical world
- can continually update their knowledge and upgrade their skills.
- is able to access, evaluate, interpret and use information
- is committed to lifelong learning.

Their greatest assets will be what is between their ears and their ability to continually learn.

The library is the information center of the school and its staff are the information specialists. We know how to provide “[the] services that make specific suggestions about how to use the information, [how to] ask specific questions regarding the user’s business and practices, and perhaps provide interactive consultation” that Drucker (2001) says are necessary for the knowledge worker to be able to make meaning from the information.

It is in the library, and through the programs and products that we offer, that the knowledge workers of the future will be nurtured.

But to be nurtured, they need to be in the library and so it needs to be a place that invites them in.

Does your library look like the one ruled over by Madam Pince at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in J. K. Rowling’s series about Harry Potter – “tens of thousands of books, thousands of shelves, hundreds of narrow rows”?

Is this your library?

Are those books standing shoulder-to-shoulder like soldiers in mufti, in strict alphabetical or numerical order, ranks only broken when some clever student breaks the code and finds what she is looking for? Is it quieter than troops being inspected by the general, a place only for reference and research, serious study, and no nonsense?

Or is it a place that invites and excites?

Or does it invite and excite?

As well as Drucker’s research, research into learning tells us

the brain functions at many levels simultaneously as thoughts, emotions, imagination, predispositions and physiology interact and exchange information with the environment
the brain absorbs information both directly and indirectly, continually aware of what is beyond the immediate focus of attention, to the extent that 70% of what is learned is not directly taught.
learning involves conscious and unconscious processes, including experience, emotion and sensory input, and that much of our learning occurs and is processed below the level of immediate awareness so that understanding may not happen until much later after there has been time for reflection and assimilation
the brain is “plastic” because its structure is changed (or ‘rewired’) by exposure to new experiences so the more we use it, the better it gets.
the brain is stimulated by challenge and inhibited by threat, so students in safe, secure environments, both mental and physical, can allow their cognitive brains to dominate their emotional brains and will explore, investigate, take risks and learn.
that 30%-60% of the brain’s wiring comes from our genetic makeup (nature) and 40%-70% comes from environmental influences and impact (nurture)
the two critical factors in learning are novelty and interactive specific feedback

In addition, in What Do I Do on Monday? eminent educator John Holt talks to us about the four worlds of learning.

The Four Worlds of Learning

The first world is that intense, personal world of our thoughts, emotions, attitudes, values, and preferences based on our experiences and how they have all merged to give us our perception of the world. It is a changing world, but the common core of beliefs strengthens as we age as we tend to take from experiences that which confirms those beliefs.

The second world is that of the memory of what we have actually seen and done. It is the world of direct experience, the things we have seen, felt, smelt, touched, heard, tasted by ourselves and with others. These interactions with the world around us shape our World 1.

The third world is the world we know because we have learned that it exists. It is the world of books, television, movies, plays, pictures, the internet – it is the world of words and pictures that others create for us to learn about.

The fourth world is the world we don’t know about yet. It has no boundaries. It is a world of possibilities because we don’t know what is in it simply because we don’t know what we don’t know.

As we learn each world influences the other. Learning is how we integrate our experiences into our knowing.

The library is the gateway to World 3. Through the world of words and pictures we can introduce our students to worlds that they don’t yet know, or explore the worlds they have visited via television, the movies or the internet.

The library allows them to revisit their experiences in World 2, to shape their World 1 and have a peek into World 4.

The astute teacher-librarian will understand the impact these research findings can have on the services we offer and how we offer them.

With a little imagination, it is easy to compromise between the austerity of Hogwarts and the flamboyance of the bookstore that thinks it is a coffee shop. Your library can be a place where the students choose to be even when they don’t have to, as well as a must-see on the principal’s itinerary when prospective parents are shown through the school. And you can have confidence that the environment is built around sound pedagogical principles which provide sound evidence for the time you spend creating it.

Giving your library the WOW factor does not mean having to change any of your core business practices. It just means examining what you do and considering how you could do it with a bit more flair.

Place your Space

Whether you are planning a brand new library or renovating an established one it is important to go back to basics and identify

what is the purpose of your school library now and envisaged
who are its target users
what are their interests, needs, abilities, demands and priorities
what essential services must be provided to meet those needs and priorities
what resources will meet those needs and in what formats and how these will impact on layout
which parts of the library are best suited to providing those services
what is the library’s role in helping students develop an awareness for and appreciation of aesthetics
how the users tend/want to use the library’s spaces
how the library can be future-proofed by being able to respond to significant changes without significant investment

Answering those questions means you can develop a plan that organizes your space and provides you with a priority list of projects.

First and foremost, since 2005 Australia has had Disability Standards for Education legislation which clarifies ” the obligations of education and training providers, and seek to ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as students without disability.” This was reviewed in 2020 but remains mandatory in all schools within Australia requiring schools to make reasonable adjustment for students with disability. Each state has its own documentation identifying its requirements and your library layout must comply with these so all students have access that meets their needs.

So ensuring these are met,

Create a scale floorplan of your space and mark in the fixed furniture and fittings, windows and power points.

Floorplans help place the space

Check your building or district fire safety regulations so you can comply with their entry/exit requirements, what can be put on walls, hung from ceilings and any other constraints. Make sure that nothing interferes with the line-of-sight of your security cameras, scanners and sensors
Using your priority list place spaces that are dependent on those non-negotiables, such as the quiet reading corner near natural light and computers near power sources.
Top priority must go to being able to see as much of the space as possible from the place you spend the majority of your time. Under duty-of-care legislation we are required to do “everything reasonably practical” to ensure the safety and well-being of those in our care. We are also charged with being in loco parentis (in place of the parent) so there is an extra layer of supervision imposed on us.
Consider the needs of the disabled so they are able to operate as independently as possible – some authorities impose regulations about minimum width access aisles and so forth.
Apart from those considerations, design the space for flexibility so it can be reconfigured to meet various and changing needs. Support motivation, collaboration and personalisation. Diana Rendina identifies six active spaces that all libraries should have.
Plan for learning that is both mobile and connected; interactive and supported; large group, small group and individual; as well as remote and face-to-face. Think about these verbs… choose, read, listen, connect, think, reflect, write, collaborate, co-operate, discuss, debate, share, plan, prepare, present, design, deliver, inform, entertain, inspire, delight, integrate, display, store, perform, circulate, meet, organise, select, play, challenge, manipulate, demonstrate, change, access, involve, engage, inquire, investigate, dream …

Above all the space should be a place where staff and students want to be, where there is mental and physical comfort, safety and security.

Consider the unique aspects of being a child, especially if you are working with younger students. You need to bring the kids into the world of words before you can put the world of words into the world of kids.

What to us seems to be a regular space and regular proportions, especially if we are familiar with it because it is our daily environment, can be very overwhelming for a small child. So we need to consider bringing the space down to their size and make it as friendly as possible so they feel that this is a place for them and they are welcome in it. High ceilings that seem to soar almost to heaven, can be “brought down” by hanging things like kites, or signs or swathes of fabric. Connect the floor and the ceiling with Jack and the Beanstalk or other displays, or build semi-permanent displays on top of shelves. All fool the eye into thinking that this is a manageable, comfortable space to operate in.

Use displays to bring the space to the scale of the child

Rooms or Rows?

After making the space student-friendly, the most important consideration is access to the resources by the students. They need to be able to find either what they specifically want, or something that appeals to them, very quickly – that is the instant-gratification nature of the 21^st century child. The days of taking time and pleasure in reading reviews, browsing titles, reading blurbs, flicking through pages and looking at pictures have slipped away, particularly as a library visit is likely to be squeezed in between changes in classes or shared with 30 other class members. Even using the OPAC for leisure reading selections comes second-place to an eye-catching display, a quirky title or a colourful cover.

Even though the need for orderly, organized access is imperative for staff and important for students, rows and rows of shelves can be daunting.

So think about how you can create or rearrange sections that make the popular titles easy to find by even the youngest patron or the most reluctant reader. Put yourself in the shoes of the new entrant who can confidently and independently find the books about dinosaurs. How do you feel? Put yourself in the shoes of the 6^th grade student who would love to learn more about Tyrannosaurus Rex but does not want to publicise his ignorance about numbers by having to ask for help. How do you feel? If our students are to be regular users of the school library, or any other, then they must be able to access what they want easily and efficiently without any stigma or feeling of being marginalised. It is our job to make this place one where everyone can operate at their own level regardless of ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious and cultural beliefs or sexual orientation.

Many school libraries are reinventing themselves into a learning commons.

The learning commons, sometimes called an “information commons,” has evolved from a combination library and computer lab into a full-service learning, research, and project space.

School libraries shelve tradition to create new learning spaces provides lots of examples, ideas and photographs of how to look at the space with new eyes. Many school libraries are including a makerspace and there is a gallery of these on Pinterest. If you don’t have space for a full makerspace consider devoting a table to a community jigsaw puzzle. Attaching thin dowel around the edges prevents the pieces falling off and it’s amazing how many stop to place a piece.

Come in!

Making your library say welcome is essential.

First impressions are critical so what happens at the front door is really important.

Have the children create a Welcome sign and surround it with the word in all the languages spoken in your school. This display is a constant talking point even though it has been up for several years. Children traveling overseas often bring us a doll to add to the collection!

On either side of the front door there is a water feature offering some movement and sound (the library is a talking place) that was our contribution to the ISLD Growing the Future project that was initiated after September 11, 2001. The poem above is the students’ version of John Marsden’s Prayer for the 21^st Century.

There is also an imposing RETURNS box. As well as making for easier administration, it serves as a constant reminder for those who are forgetful. This one is made from cardboard boxes and accessories from El Cheapos and it works for our little people but a more sophisticated one could easily be an opportunity for collaboration between you and the staff and students of the technology department.

First impressions are critical…

If you can, create a large eye-catching display to catch the eye as people enter the library. This can be seasonal, topical, whimsical or fanciful. The best

are big, bright, bold and beautiful
incorporate the students’ world
offer them something to interact with
include books, both fiction and non-fiction, displayed with the topic and these are able to be borrowed while the interest is piqued.
involve the children’s work.

It all helps to create the perception that the library is an exciting and interesting place to be, somewhere where it is worthwhile to spend their time because there are always new things to discover.

Students are engaged in this display based on a popular TV series and ‘The Eleventh Hour” by Graeme Base

Santa’s Book Shop heralded our Christmas book fair

If you’re stuck for an idea here are 30 Quirky Quickies. If you want inspiration for your displays then there are ideas aplenty at Library Displays and School Library Displays or you can search Pinterest or even Google images for either general designs or your particular theme.

Being comfortable is part of being welcome. Create special spaces in your library. If you regularly read aloud to your students have a special story-tellers space with a unique chair, a rug for students to sit on and a space to put all your props. Ideas for establishing a read-aloud space are included in The Art of Reading Aloud and the importance of this activity in the read-aloud hat

Tusitala’s Chair – named after Robert Louis Stevenson who took the native Samoan name meaning “teller of tales”.

Strive to provide areas where clients can just curl up and read – either to themselves, to others or even a friendly teddy.

Comfortable seating encourages lingering

Create child-friendly spaces with permanent displays that encourage and enable independent choice and selection.

Investigate the sorts of books that your students, especially the reluctant readers, consistently borrow and then group these books together. Consider grouping favourite fiction titles, series, characters and authors together so

the students can find all the works by their favourite authors quickly because they are all in one place
all the books in a series are collected together
shelves are not so tightly packed or left scattered and shattered after a class has been in
shelving is easy and quick

An array of authors…plastic tubs are cheap.

Booksellers’ dumpbins create interest and a natural display space

Consider putting

all the fairy tales (usually at 398.2) under the banner of Timeless Tales – experience shows that these are the first choice of the new students making the transition from pre-school and being able to find such familiar favourites gives them a feeling of confidence and independence
all the perennial favourite characters such as Winnie-the-Pooh, Franklin, Spot, Arthur, and Elmer under the banner of Family Favourites – again, the children feel very grown up being able to find these for themselves and show their parents who often come in after to school to borrow together.
all the series in their own tubs under the banner Select-a-Series –ice cream containers, lunch boxes and planter boxes are sturdy, cheap and easy to obtain
all the works by popular and prolific authors together.

If you see a display stand in a shop, don’t be shy about asking if you can have it when their display is over for your library. Often they will be grateful that they don’t have to worry about disposing of it. Cover any unwanted advertising with colorful, self-adhesive paper, turn the header board inside out and create your own, and for the time it took you to collect it, you have a personalized yet professional stand. Ask for the posters and any other paraphernalia that accompanies the display and then re-create the display in your library.

Even though it make take some time to arrange your collection like this, the increase in circulation and students’ discussions and recommendations will make it more than worthwhile.

Uncover the Covers

Let’s return to one of those principles of learning that underpin the need to landscape the library

the brain functions at many levels simultaneously as thoughts, emotions, imagination, predispositions and physiology interact and exchange information with the environment

Many researchers have proven that the key factor in book selection is the book’s cover, so it makes sense to display as many books with their covers showing as you can. Think of some of the more successful bookstores that you have visited. Do you spend ages getting a crick in your neck because it is turned sideways to read titles on spines? Or are you attracted to those books whose covers you can see? Did you know that, just as in supermarkets, publishers pay bookstores for a book to be displayed with the cover facing out, because they know that the cover sells the product?

Like us, children don’t choose books that look like they have “don’t touch me” signs on them, that are lined up with just a sliver of spine bravely trying to sell themselves and packed so tightly that little fingers cannot prize them apart, creating a barrier rather than a gateway.

Make mini-displays wherever you can that allow covers to be displayed and to give the students greater access to new authors, genres and topics. These can be about anything that takes your or the students’ fancy, be as large or as small as space allows, and be as temporary or permanent as you want, but the aim is to get the covers of the books to catch the eye.

Mini-displays can fit into small spaces and invite exploration

Encourage the students to have input to and ownership of the space by inviting them to create displays; asking class teachers to contribute the students’ work to accompany collaborative research projects and inviting them to read, reflect and review their reading and share it with others.

Encourage students to have ownership of the space by seeking their input.

Facing Facts

In the 1870s, Melville Dewey spent a lot of time organizing subject areas to create a classification system that is now used in more than 200,000 libraries in 135 countries in more than 30 languages. According to the Online Library Computer Center (OCLC), the official owners of the Dewey system, 95 percent of all public and K-12 school libraries use the system.

While it is very important that our students know how to use this system to be able to find specific titles, and there is a strong argument that understanding how to locate a resource is a transferable lifelong skill, it is not much use to them if the students cannot and do not want to read. So, in the elementary system at least, there is an equally strong argument for manipulating the arrangement so that students are encouraged to choose to read. Time enough for them to learn the difference between 994.04 and 994.4.

The nature of non-fiction means that more-or-less adhering to the Dewey Decimal Classification system in the non fiction sector of the library makes sense. Even if you use a simpler adaptation to meet the needs of your students, staying within the basic concept encourages independence and helps them build lifelong skills. Nevertheless, it is still possible to make certain subjects easier to access and circulate. Again, do some in-house investigations to identify the subjects most often borrowed by the students, particularly for leisure reading. Books about topics such as space, pets, dinosaurs and cars are usually borrowed before they are shelved, so consider giving these a space of their own in your non-fiction section.

Consider putting

all the picture puzzle books (usually at 793.73) under the banner Pick-a-Puzzle
all the joke and riddle books (usually at 808.88) under the banner of Side-Splitters
all the Horrible Histories, Horrible Science and their cousins on a stand
all those skinny beginner information series in baskets or a stand so that even the kindergarten children can find something of interest
all the books about your country together

Despite their not being in strict Dewey order, students very quickly learn to locate their favourite sections so they can make their selections independently.

Circulation data shows that non-fiction displayed in a similar way to fiction is much more likely to be borrowed, and that even if the reader is just looking at the pictures, there is a lot of information being absorbed, including the format and structure of this type of text.

Be very aware of what is being studied in classrooms, is on the news, or is topical with students and be pro-active by displaying resources about those subjects while they are of such interest.

Sign on

Whether you landscape your library strictly according to the principles of the Dewey system, or whether you are more flexible, the key to unlocking the space for the user is signage. Everything must be clearly labeled so that even the very youngest student, or one with specific special needs, can find what they are looking for with a minimum of help. Being able to find what you want for yourself is very empowering and being able to show someone else, particularly a parent, is the icing on the cake.

Signage is critical.

The best signage

uses large letters
backs up words with pictures
has dark lettering on light backgrounds and the opposite for special effects
uses plain sans serif fonts
uses capitals and fancy fonts for short captions only
has a consistent colour schemes for similar signs
includes hanging signs using lightweight objects from El Cheapos strung together with fishing line hung over the appropriate section
has correct spelling
uses child friendly language

Near the non-fiction section display posters that summarize the DDC system and also a ready reference so that the student wanting a book about the moon can see at a glance that there will be something at 523.3.

In your non-fiction section label the shelves so the student can see just which numbers are housed there, but make sure they know that 500-510 also includes the numbers in between. If you have space, list the main topic areas covered. Sub-divide the books into practical breaks using index blocks available from your library-supply store, or recycle plastic video boxes. Assign numbers that make sense rather than just an arbitrary number of digits. The more divisions, the easier it is to find (and shelve) what you are looking for and reinforces the belief that this is a space where the child can operate independently.

In your fiction section, label every ”room”, shelf, container and display, particularly if you have diverged from the standard DDC layout. Such clear signage means that students soon learn where to look for those out-of-order books and shelving them after they have been returned also becomes much easier, especially for student and parent volunteers.

The world of words

Returning to yet another principle of learning …

learning involves conscious and unconscious processes, including experience, emotion and sensory input, and that much of our learning occurs and is processed below the level of immediate awareness so that understanding may not happen until much later after there has been time for reflection and assimilation

we can do much to support our students’ reading by ensuring displays have captions or even provocative questions that lead to further investigations. Bare walls can be covered with children’s work samples or charts that support their learning. It will all be absorbed at an unconscious level.

Wherever you can have the students contribute to the wording, design and construction of the charts. Ownership is a powerful motivator. Charts can include behaviour guidelines, borrowing instructions, instructions for using the OPAC or caring for books. It gives them ownership of the space and is one more way to put the world of words into their world.

Captions and instructions encourage students to read.

Retailers spend millions of dollars on market research to identify what entices customers to buy and what turns them off

Reuse, recycle, rethink

So you don’t have to be an interior designer (frustrated or otherwise) to landscape your library. Every time you go shopping, look at displays and how they are constructed and then take the ideas and elements and reproduce them.

Think of it as recycling – their research and its output into your environment – two displays for the cost of one!

There are many subtle ways that they get us to part with our money. Consider how you might employ some of these tempters in your library.

With just a little knowledge and lots of imagination you can make your library a model of the very best in student learning environments and know that you are putting the world of words into the world of kids.

And, if you want to read further try

Ramblings: Planning Library Displays for the Year

Divine Design: How to create the 21st-century school library of your dreams

Learning Commons Transformation – Ten Steps

Ideas for Inspiring Contemporary School Library Design

Power Up! / The New School Library

School Library Journal’s Buildings/Design page

Can the physical environment have an impact on the learning environment?

Designing Spaces for Learning

Designing Spaces for Effective Learning

Spaces for Knowledge Generation – Seven Principles

Learning Spaces

Contemporary Library Checklist

50 of the Most Majestic Libraries in the World

Creative Book Displays to Get Students Reading (Part 1)

Designed for Learning: School Libraries

References

Caine R. and Caine, G. 1994 Making Connections: Teaching and the Human Brain, Menlo Park, Calif.: Addison-Wesley

Drucker, P. F. 1999 Management Challenges for the 21st Century New York: Harper Business

Drucker, P. F. 2001 The Essential Drucker New York: HarperCollins

Industry Commission, Work, Health and Safety, Report No. 47, Sept 1995, National Occupational Health and Safety Commission, Australia

Jensen, E. 1998 Teaching with the brain in mind Alexandra, VA: ASCD

Oliver, M. & Christenson, J. 2001 The Rain Gutter Literacy Revolution

Rippel, C. 2003 What libraries can learn from bookstores : applying the bookstore model to public libraries

the reporter’s hat

Oct28

As Australia’s school year draws to a close, many are thinking about writing reports, summarising in a few lines all that has happened over the school year so parents can see the learning journey their child has undertaken. This examination and accountability is occurring in school libraries too as more and more teacher librarians are being asked to report on the individual progress of students (my opinion of the validity of this is for another piece) as well as to the school community as a whole as evidence is required to show where all the dollars have been invested and the new budget is submitted.

In my opinion, the end of the year is too late.

The reporter’s hat should be one that is worn constantly with every opportunity to share a story from the library taken.

Over the years there have been a number of investigations into and reports about the impact of quality school libraries staffed by qualified teacher librarians and offering targeted teaching programs on student learning particularly since Keith Curry Lance turned the spotlight on in 1994 and has continued to do so. But what has been the impact of these studies? Have they changed the perception of the school library and the teacher librarian’s role within it so that the provision of such a facility, fully staffed and fully funded is a given, a non-negotiable in the learning landscape? Given the constant queries to TL lists such as LM_NET and OZTL_NET, I think not. For, despite all this credible, authoritative, well-documented evidence the role of the TL is still misunderstood and under fire.

Old-fashioned and narrow though it may seem, the most effective change comes from the ground up where those who are most directly affected start to own a concept or a vision and want to move towards it. Despite their being nearly 400 submissions from the best brains in the business and 12 media releases when an Australian federal government inquiry into school libraries was conducted in 2010, there was very little public notice taken and very little action was recommended or taken when the final report was released in 2011. Therefore, wearing the reporter’s hat, the teacher librarian is in a perfect position to be educating the community about the importance of the school library, the services it offers and the TL’s role within those.

There are six key groups who need to know what we do, how we do it and why…

pupils

Our students are the reason we are there. We want to help them develop informed, information-literate, well-read adults who can contribute positively to society both now and in the future. They are the grass-roots users of the library’s services and given there are more of them than any other sector of the community, they have the loudest voice.

parents

Parents can be your strongest allies and your greatest critics. You start on the common ground of wanting to provide the best education for their child; they volunteer in the library doing a myriad of tasks that free the TL to teach; and they raise many of the funds that are used to build the library’s collection. They also have a powerful weapon – they vote!

They vote when

they ring the principal to praise or complain
they put themselves on P&C and other school-based committees
they chat to the parents in the carpark, the most powerful grapevine of information and mischief yet invented
they go to the local, state and federal ballot boxes

They have a voice with the most important power-brokers and purse-string holders in your professional lives. And it’s a loud voice – louder than the whisper of one teacher librarian amongst a staff of 30 or more; louder even than the murmur of all those TLs who wrote submissions and the thousands who didn’t but still backed the Inquiry.

peers

These are our classroom colleagues whom we know are so swamped with administrative paper work, reporting to parents, curriculum design and delivery, student social work, and extra-curricular activities that they don’t have time to take on board what they perceive to be the extra task of collaborative planning and teaching, and information literacy particularly, as just another subject to try to squeeze into a frantic timetable.

They perceive the teacher librarian to be the provider of the resources and when they want them they want them now. They may well have had no experience of a teacher librarian who can offer so much more, so we need to show them that we can lessen their load, not add to it.

Research demonstrates that the greatest influence on a student’s use of the school library is that made of it by their teacher. But they won’t use it if they don’t know what it can offer.

principals

The most common theme in messages to teacher librarian lists is that “the principal doesn’t understand the role of the teacher librarian” and there is a belief that as principal, he/she should make it their job to find out what it involves.

But, just as we acknowledge the workload of our peers, we must also acknowledge the workload of the principal, particularly as new policies and programs are thrust on their shoulders and they are required to do more with less.

More and more, principals have the say over the configuration of their staffing and every position will be up for review. If your principal’s perspective is that the teacher librarian is the “keeper of the books” and “who needs a library when you have the Internet” and the whole job can be done more cheaply with a clerical, then your job will be on the line.

pre-service teachers

As far as can be ascertained, there is no requirement for Australian pre-service teachers on prac or their internship to have to demonstrate they have even visited the school library let alone collaborated with the teacher librarian.

However, these are the teachers who will take education forward and be teaching our children and grandchildren. They are the decision-makers and the teachers of the decision-makers of the future and given it’s our future they are making decisions about, we need them to be as informed as possible.

If a pre-service teacher understands the particular, specialist professional knowledge, expertise and experience that the teacher librarian has then they are going to be looking for and demanding it when they are in their own classrooms.

Nurture them!

politicians

Politicians hold the purse-strings – they are the people who direct educational authorities to implement the big-picture changes like National Partnerships, teacher accreditation, new curricula and so forth. They tie their demands to funding to ensure they get their way. In 2004, then Prime Minister John Howard and Education Minister Brendan Nelson mandated that every school would fly the national flag and have two hours of PE each week or they would miss their share of a $31 billion federal schools package.

They are driven by power, economics and votes (and remember the parents have the voting power) but despite public appearances, most are genuine and busy. The role of the teacher librarian is not at the forefront of their responsibilities and many have perceptions based on what they remember of their experiences, however long ago that was. In the US, the Federal Communications Committee is thinking of spending $200 000 000 to train a “digital literacy corps” so there is someone in every school and leisure organisation who can show the students how to use computers properly so they are not ‘time-wasting’ on games and entertainment, even in their leisure time.

While that federal inquiry did raise awareness of the role of the teacher librarian amongst some federal politicians , governments and their members come and go and policies, programs and funding put in place by one are just as quickly overturned by another as is evidenced by the Gonski reforms in Australia

But if local politicians, actual and would-be, who are the local decision-makers or opponents of them, are kept informed of what it is the teacher librarian adds to the education experience of their constituents and they can see there is the likelihood of votes from parents then they can be powerful allies.

McKenzie’s interpretation of the role of the TL

Buchanan’s interpretation of the role of the TL

In her blog Library Grits Dianne McKenzie has examined the role of the teacher librarian by using Joyce Valenza’s Manifesto to create a pictorial representation of the TL’s role. In the same post she has also included Ruth Buchanan’s interpretation which has a different set of words which reflect the human side of what we do.

How can we tell others about what is obviously such a complex role?

Know your audience, their interests and needs.
Use social media

Each audience has different interests and needs which shape what you will tell them about, while social networking tools make it easier for you to tell them about it.

pupils

Pupils have three key requirements…

resources which support their current ares of study
suggestions for leisure-time reading
information about events in both the school and the community

How to create an awareness of these depends on the age of the students, particularly the use of public social media where those under 13 are not permitted to have accounts. But teaching them how to use the OPAC; how to access Learning Paths or hotlists that are available via the school library’s website; creating and displaying posters of events; creating displays of new resources are all ways that you can spread the message to young students. Older students may access and contribute to a blog for reviews of the latest releases; access and contribute to a wiki that supports their current curriculum; create and access online posters for events and so forth.

Involving students in the selection process and having them review their choices or involving them in the hosting of an event and then being the Junior Journalists who report it for the school newsletter not only spreads the workload but also helps them develop a sense of ownership of the library. It becomes an integral part of their school experience.

parents

Parents want to know

what their child is learning
how they can support that

Have a prominent presence through your newsletter, website or social networking and keep them regularly informed of what each class is undertaking while in your care; events; new releases of books or movies and their suitability. Parents are particularly subjected to pester-power and may not realise that something while popular, might be unsuitable. Make yourself or your presence their go-to place for information.
Provide homework support with links to curriculum-related websites, YourTutor, safe game sites for each age group; interesting sites that will engage them like Kid’s National Geographic.
Provide a parent information lounge both on your website and in your library with information about the school, child development, supporting their child’s literacy and numeracy development, cybersafety, local services and entertainment for children (collect brochures or link to sites), help lines such as the Poisons Information Centre or Lifeline, even appropriate authors, titles or series for each age group for birthday or Christmas lists.
Support parent participation programs with literature and practical advice such as how to read with their child; the art of reading aloud; the information literacy process or any other initiative that is happening. Interpret the professional literature so parents understand new pedagogies or programs. Be the pivot on which the relationship between the home and school balances.
Review new titles and old favourites (or find them) and share these through your social networking outlets.
Encourage students to be Junior Journalists and report on library events, new displays, new releases and so forth
Open the library during all school events so parents can wander in and see what’s happening. Consider offering it as a child-care space during concerts and so forth.
Speak at P&C meetings about what you do so the word spreads that the school library is a very different place from that which they might remember.
If you are required to write on the reports of individual students make sure your comment is defensible if a parent want to seek an interview.
Keep a diary of notes,quotes and anecdotes so you can prepare an annual report that shows them how their child’s learning has been enhanced and enriched and the value they have had for the money invested in the library, its resources and its staff. That is the focus, not stats about circulation and loss rate and so forth.

peers

Classroom-based teachers want

resources to support their teaching
ideas for integrating information literacy and ICT
suggestions for class read-alouds
information about professional courses and events

Conduct an Information Needs Audit and find out what their priorities are and how they would like them delivered.
Provide them with a booklet that outlines the key services of the library and how these can be accessed and utilised
Be pro-active and take every opportunity to find out what’s coming up in their program that you can support this with physical and online resources – develop learning paths, pathfinders and hotlists, and give them catalogs to browse for suggestions for collection development. Let them know what you have gathered and how these can be accessed. Offer to write a statement about how the library has contributed to students’ learning for reports.
Be their professional learning scout. Co-ordinate a program of professional learning opportunities to develop information literacy and ICT skills, such as how to use the databases. Provide a summary of instructions or a list of Web 2.0 tools that support a particular strategy or Bloom’s Taxonomy Help them understand the SAMR model so they can prepare more effective lessons. Introduce them to tools such as online scheduling apps that will make their administrative tasks easier. Share teaching tools that will assist their planning such as this Teacher Planning Kit for Bloom’s Taxonomy or this new take on the KWH chart.
Monitor listservs and other professional services for information about upcoming events, conferences, professional learning opportunities, programs and competitions their students could be involved in and so on and email these details to individuals directly.
Use your non-teaching time to go into the classroom and booktalk the bulk loan, new releases, the PRC titles, the upcoming Book Fair or Scholastic BookClub titles, authors, series or themes. Watch the interest grow and the teacher’s problems with sustained silent reading diminish
Offer the library as the venue for displaying the class’s work on a theme or invite classes to develop a display on a mutually agreed theme. Look for ways that student work can be seamlessly integrated into what is happening in the library. Whenever the media or politicians go to a school, they always go to the library – have it loaded up with student work.

principals

Principals need to know the big picture of what is happening and how money is being spent so keep them informed by

preparing a detailed budget in advance of the preparation of the school’s budget identifying the priorities and how these have been determined. Apart from demonstrating your professionalism, it enables the principal and those allocating the money to be aware of your needs so they can make informed decisions.
organising events like Literary Luncheons, author visits, Book Week celebrations and so forth. As protocol ask permission and keep the principal in the loop. Invite the media to such events -it always makes the principal look good.
sending a weekly email which keeps them in the loop of
- the events happening in the library
- collaborative planning and teaching opportunities;
- comments about individual learners – you know who;
- individual achievements like who has reached their PRC goals so he/she can congratulate them;
- significant new purchases;
- anything that shows the range of duties you undertake that is not a load of meaningless statistics.
becoming their personal information specialist and send information aboutsetting up a professional Facebook account and subscribing to the pages of library-based organisations such as ASLA, ALIA, iCentre, Children’s Book Council of Australia and a host of others which are continually sharing interesting articles about libraries, reading and learning that principals should know about and may choose to share with staff
- research they should know about
- publications and articles they should read
- events (school and local) they should attend
- promotions and programs the school might be involved in
submitting policies, plans, proposals and so forth for approval and ratification so he/she is aware of your professionalism, the scope of your role and the seriousness you devote to it. Act with integrity, dignity and respect and it will be reciprocated
offering to co-ordinate a Principal’s Reading Challenge that allows students to set and meet their own targets and be acknowledged for their efforts with a certificate from the principal. If you use a prescribed list of must-reads, ensure that the books are available from the library, that the students have input into the list, and that they are not restricted within it by arbitrary levels or lexiles
co-ordinating a school-wide professional reading program that meets the requirements for inclusion in teachers’ professional learning documentation

pre-service teachers

Because pre-service teachers are in the school for such a short time we really need to get in early, but they are often on information overload with their head moving like Noddy’s. So greet them on their tour of the school and give them an information pack that has the essential information about what you offer, how they borrow and so forth.

Include anything that will help them understand what you do, how they do things, things they might use on this prac or at a later date

a formal invitation to discuss their prac assignments with you,
any forms for booking the library
access to the school’s computer network and the significant folders and files they need
a diagram of the information literacy process that you use
a library map
a summary of what the spine labels cover (eg if you have your PRC books colour-coded for stages explain this)
pro-formas for book reviews that they might be able to use
a list of titles, authors and series that are appropriate for each age group within your school
a form they need to fill out to get borrowing privileges (so they are responsible for what they borrow not their associate teacher) which includes contact details for after prac is finished. You might also want to make it clear that their prac report won’t be signed until all loans have been returned.
a link to Doug Johnson’s 10 Things a Baby Teacher Should Know which has become a seminal article that helps during those few weeks
include a bookmark or some other freebie (even a chocolate frog), to add to the atmosphere of friendliness.

Set aside a time (even if it’s a recess) early in the prac when they can show you what they need to achieve and how you can help them do this, either with resources, ideas or collaborative planning and teaching. Make sure they know that the resources are not limited to print and that services are not limited to circulation. This may be their first experience of working alongside a teacher librarian and if you do it well, they will be looking for the same support in their next school and when they have their own class for the first time – knowing that there is a colleague whose core business is to collaborate and support can be the rock on which they base that first year on.

If you live near a university which offers a B.Ed program, get to know the staff and offer yourself as a guest lecturer to explain and demonstrate information literacy. Given that the new Australian Curriculum has its inquiry aspects built into each strand, teachers are going to need to know the language we are speaking to the students so that there is uniformity and conformity not confusion.

politicians

Politicians love to be seen as being ‘in on the action’ which is attracting their constituents. They love an opportunity to be seen and talk and getting them on your side is imperative. Be apolitical and put your personal preferences aside. Don’t limit yourself to the sitting member – wannabes need to get their names into the community so people recognise it on that election sheet, and those in Opposition love to be informed enough to ask Questions in the House. Build up a positive relationship so when the politician needs a school for a photo opportunity, a launch, a place to place funds, it’s your name and face that come to mind. But first, make yourself aware of any school or education-authority protocols that need to be observed and adhered to.

Invite them to any library-based function you have but look for unusual celebrations – the Unique Selling Point that will make your event stand out – such as a student-organised Literary Luncheon, a poetry reading by a local poet, a book launch by a new author or illustrator – anything that is also likely to attract the media so they can have a photo opportunity
Invite them to be guest readers, bloggers, speakers, artists or presenters, especially celebrating students achievements based on library challenges. Do a lot of the legwork for them such as
- booking well ahead, including information about the importance of the event with the invitation, sending a reminder with a background brief and an indication of what they are expected to do – it’s about getting them to value the library not necessarily save them work. They will come again if you are PROFESSIONAL
- selecting the book and getting it to them in advance to practice
- suggesting the focus of the blog post such as their opinion of a particular hot topic relating to education
- have them be a focal point of your citizenship studies so they talk about what they do
- if you know they have a passion for poetry, drawing, music or whatever invite them to perform as part of a school-based event. It doesn’t matter if it’s not library-related, it’s about reinforcing the connection

Email, write or phone them to let them know how decisions affecting the employment and deployment of teacher librarians affects the teaching and learning in the schools in their electorates – let them know that the parents are the voters who will keep them or not
If there is a particular policy or program that is really going to impact on the teaching and learning at the school, make an appointment and visit them. Be prepared and demonstrate how the issue will affect the families in the electorate rather than your employment. Keep in mind that votes talk and there are more parents than teacher librarians.

Australia’s Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister of Education at a local primary school

Putting on your reporter’s hat is not an added extra – it’s about taking yourself and the things you do in the course of your day beyond the library walls. Many teacher librarians seem to have covered themselves with Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak and when you say you’re a teacher librarian even those who should know look blankly and move on because they’re not really sure of just what it is you do. Be subtle but be VISIBLE and be seen to be promoting teaching and learning rather than your own employment barrow and you will be acknowledged. It is YOUR responsibility

Be PRO ACTIVE

Be PREPARED

Be PROUD

Be part of your own future

the paperwork hat

Aug23

Paperwork can be a pain – so much so, it often gets left at the bottom of the in-tray or filed in the too-hard basket.

However, I believe it is an essential part of our job as we are so often the only one of us in the role in the school and there is much that we do that is a mystery to those who are unfamiliar with the L side of TL. Paperwork allows for continuity and consistency of policy, procedures and practice even when the personnel changes. It can be used to explain and defend decisions by showing that they are based on accepted best-practice in library circles.

Paperwork also provides possibilities to explore and to reflect. As we construct policies , procedures and programs and align them to fit the specific situation we are in there is an opportunity to examine why we do what we do and, if necessary, explore other ways to do it. For example, many are choosing to switch their shelving arrangements to one driven by genre rather than author and while there are many questions that need to be satisfied before that, or any other major change, is made, nevertheless it provides the motivation to consider different practices.

But paperwork is so much more than a Collection Policy and a Procedures Manual glanced at occasionally and amended every now and then.

Purpose

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey tells us to “begin with the end in mind” so all the steps we take are leading in the right direction. Therefore it is critical to explicitly identify the purpose that the library serves within the learning community. Return to The Visionary’s Hat for ideas about examining the current place and perception of the library’s role and then construct a mission statement that clearly establishes

what this library is about
what it stands for
how that is demonstrated

The mission statement is the basis for all decisions made regarding policy, procedures and practice and sets the guidelines and parameters for the services you offer.

If the purpose of the library now is different from what it should be, then create a vision statement and a strategic plan so that your mission statement can be achieved. Because a mission statement should be a brief, broad, big-picture concept, there will always be a gap between what is and what could be. Having formal paperwork to support what you are doing not only establishes priorities but also provides evidence should your actions and decisions be challenged.

Position

Having established the purpose of the library within the its community, it is then essential to identify the position of the teacher librarian within that so it is clear what it is that we do that makes the role distinct from all others.

Ask yourself,

What is my role within this school?

Revisit the beliefs and manifesto that you developed in The Teacher’s Hat and then try to encapsulate your role in just six words. Here are some examples…

Inspiring students to read and learn
Service Information Reliability Convenience Vision Strength
Share literature and information seeking skills
Reading builds success. We build readers.
21st century transliteracy impacts academic achievement

Learning for the Future, 2nd edition identifies the role as

curriculum leader, information specialist, information services manager

View this presentation by Ned Potter and brand yourself!

Then consider

Why are you a teacher-librarian?
- It is critical that the specialist teaching role of the TL is the predominant one or the perception that the role can be done undertaken by a general librarian, a library assistant or an untrained clerical will continue to grow, particularly as “everything is on the internet” and “librarians are all about books” remain the perspectives of many
- It is critical that you demonstrate how you value-add to the teaching and learning in the school and support this with evidence-based practice, formal or informal.
- Understand that your most important clients are the staff, not only because it is easier to influence 30 staff members than 300 students but also because the greatest influence on students’ use of the library is that made of it be their teachers.
- Research shows that for pedagogies and scaffolds such as inquiry learning and information literacy to be most effective, they need to be embedded in meaningful contexts and because the teacher librarian does not have the time nor the opportunity to teach everything that needs to be taught, it is essential to form partnerships – 1:1, team, faculy and whole-school- to offer professional learning so that these approaches are across-school and across-curriculum practices.
- As the curriculum leader it is essential to know the scope of the curriculum -national, state and school-based- so it can be resourced in collaboration with teaching staff so the needs of students, staff and curriculum are met
- It is also our role to introduce new services such as access to the online resources of the National Digital Learning Resources Network through Scootle, and programs such as Improve, Spatial Genie, Mathletics and so forth. We are also often considered the experts in the identification and use of Web 2 tools so teachers can use these with their students, so it is essential we know what these are.

What is your current position in the school?
- Do you collaboratively plan and teach across the curriculum?
- Do you cover classroom-based teachers’ planning and preparation time?
- Are you viewed as a specialist teacher with skills that span the curriculum or are you viewed as an English teacher on steroids whose primary purpose is to enhance reading and the love of “literature”?
- Are you everyone’s dogsbody or doormat with no defined teaching role?

What do you want your position to be?
- Use the domains, standards and performance indicators of the Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians (or the appropriate professional role statements for your location) to clearly understand the scope of the teacher librarian’s role. Even though the AITSL professional teaching standards govern our professional knowledge, practice and commitment for accrediation and registration purposes, these specific statements developed and promulgated by ASLA explain just what an excellent teacher librarian is expected to know, do and provide, giving us not only heights to strive for but also a succinct role description for our colleagues. ASLA have also produced the Evidence guide for teacher librarians in the highly accomplished career stage and are working on guides for the other AITSL levels which provide more detailed advice about the role of the TL but these are available only to members.
- Know the difference between a dream and a goal is an action plan and a timeline and in the same way as you have created a strategic plan, develop a plan to get you where you want to be. Use The Bridge-builder’s Hat for suggestions for strategic connections and consider
  - what you want your primary position to be
  - what you need to do to achieve your goal
  - what you already know, do and have that you can use
  - what you need to know, do and have to move forward
  - what resources – personnel, physical, financial and time – do you need to achieve your goal’
  - what would be a reasonable timeframe in which to achieve your goal
  - what would be significant milestones on the journey
  - what will be the indicators that your goal has been achieved

The most important factor is to be visible – recess, staff meetings, faculty meetings, online. Even though it is a university site there is much we can learn about visibility from the Arizona State Uni libraries and adapt it to our situations.

However, as well as being visible, put your position in writing. Develop a role statement for yourself and the other members of the library’s staff that can be used to introduced the staff and what they do for the learning community. Use statements from

Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians (ASLA)
Statement on Teacher Librarians in Schools (ALIA)
Learning for the Future, 2nd edition particularly those relating to the roles of curriculum leader, information specialist and information services manager

to provide a generic statement on the role of the teacher librarian and then develop this to demonstrate what this means for you in your school. Use the duty statement to explain and educate so you become your own best advocate. Make it a fluid document so that what you do this year, you can build on next year and so the duties change to meet the changing needs and expectations.

Begin with a brief rationale based on creating an information literate school community just to set the context of the library within the school for both your supervisor and those who follow in your footsteps.. Set clear S.M.A.R.T (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely) goals and demonstrate, ensure and check that each duty you perform is helping you achieve them. Think of a Duty Statement as a self-management policy as opposed to a collection management policy. But ensure your goals are in alignment with the schools’ philosophies and policies. use the Learning for the Future headings of curriculum leader, information specialist and information services manager and adapt their descriptors to demonstrate how this will be interpreted in your situation-what it will look like in your school.

Use the Standards of Professional Excellence to set personal performance targets. be canvassing the staff to see what their expectations of you are so you can set priorities on the results of an Information Needs Audit.. They may have needs that the previous teacher librarian didn’t meet, or they may not be aware of the range of services you can offer. Draw on your Collection Policy to determine goals and priorities for purchasing, assessing, weeding and so forth. Write these up as specific duties so that the annual inventory becomes a collection evaluation exercise not just “counting the books”. Avoid quantitative performance targets such as “increase circulation by x%” because you are providing a measure whose achievement is beyond your control. But, under a sub-heading such as Curriculum Renewal you could write something like “Assess and map the resources supporting the current _____ curriculum to determine if they are current and relevant to staff and student needs. Discuss with ________ faculty how their resource needs (in digital and print format) can be met. Research cost and availability of new resources. Advocate for appropriate budget funds and allocate these to acquire these resources.” That still gives a measurable target but also includes a structure for you to follow and your supervisor to understand what is involved.

Create a balance of duties that demonstrate that you are an integral part of both the teaching and exec teams and that you also have unique skills in librarianship and those times not filled with direct contact with staff and students are filled with administration roles, such as supervising and teaching your administrative staff.) Include references to specific documents so the hierarchy can see that your duties are being guided by authoritative sources. Use this document for professional performance appraisal, both personal and formal. Impress with your professionalism.

Develop similar statements to cover the roles of any other library staff members and volunteers so it is clear that each has a distinct and different contribution to make to the efficient and effective functioning of the library.

Policies

Having policies in place about the what and why means there is agreement of knowledge, consistency in application, and accountability regardless of personnel changes.

Library policies are broad statements based on research and best practice. They

provide an important reference for library staff, administrators and teachers
provide a ratified document that can be used to defend a decision which is challenged
guide decisions about the necessary staffing, funding and facilities to implement the policy
offer assistance to new staff about what is done and how it is done and why

They need to be developed within the context of the philosophy, policies, guidelines and directives of the school and the educational authority to which the school belongs and reflect their ethos and goals so they demonstrate the professionalism and ‘librarian’ side of ‘teacher librarian’.

A policy provides a concise formal statement of principles which underpin how the library will act in a particular area of its operation. It needs to be developed within the parameters of system and school requirements and philosophies and demonstrate how it will contribute to those big-picture goals during its life. A policy should identify

a definition of its focus
its purpose
the goals to be achieved during the life of the policy
the broad principles which are to be followed to achieve these
key personnel responsible for authorship and implementation
its review cycle

A policy is a public document available to the school community and often written in consultation with them. It should be brief and broad stating what happens and why. A change in personnel or procedure should not require a change in policy.

Key library-based policies include

mission statement (what the library stands for)
vision statement (how the library’s services will grow and change over the next three years)
collection policy (how the collection is developed including its purpose, selection, acquisition, evaluation and a Challenged Materials Policy)
collection management policy (what happens to the resources once acquired, although much of this will be in the Procedures Manual)
collection access policy (who may access the resources, when and how and consequences for those who show a lack of responsibility)
textbook policy (for those schools where circulation of textbooks becomes the library’s responsibility)

However, there is a host of other policies that may be developed under the auspices of the library including those relating to

intellectual property and ethical use of ideas, information and images
information literacy
inquiry learning
technology planning
internet access
computer network usage
privacy
administration

These policies should be school-wide documents rather than library-specific. However, as the person with the speciailist knowledge, the TL is in a position to take a leadership role in their development.

Procedures

Procedures differ from policy because they explain how something is done, rather than why. They reflect the information services manager aspect of the TL’s role. A Procedures Manual is an internal document which details specific practices that implement the policy and ensures consistency and continuity of practice and equity so the library’s practices are not the subject of one person’s or faculty’s agenda. They are based on research and best practice, and thus are more easily adapted to new situations than a policy. A change in personnel or practice should be identified in the Procedures Manual not the policy. For example, while the policy might state that “acquisitions will be made in accordance with identified school requirements”, procedures identify exactly what those procedures are. If the Procedures Manual provides a step-by-step description of how new resources will be entered into the library management system, then if the LMS is changed, it is the Procedures Manual which will be changed rather than the Collection Policy.

Procedures, particularly those relating to acquisition , must be in alignment with the education authority’s requirements and therefore it may be necessary to continually maintain and manage your budget, invoices and receipts. Keeping track of expenditure is an essential element of the TL’s role.

As well as providing step-by-step guidance for those undertaking particular tasks associated with the smooth running of the facility, there are some procedures which impact directly on the library’s users such as stocktake or inventory. Therefore it is worthwhile producing documentation which explains why the interruptions are necessary and how they will lead to an improved collection and services. Some jurisdictions also require a formal report of the state of the collection for auditing purposes so it is essential that this be completed and submitted. Check how long such reports need to be kept – in NSW, it is seven years.

Similarly, if there are procedures you require users to follow, such as requesting resources or booking a library timeslot, then these need to be explicitly documented (with links to the software if that is used) and distributed to those who require them. Make sure your form, print or electronic, provides you with all the information you need to provide the most comprehensive service possible so the user is inclined to return.

Documentation of how to access online databases, other subscription services and the use of Scootle to access the NDLRN (Australia only) is also essential so that these services can be used independently. Acknowledge that there are those who do not like to seek help so the provision of such information through pamphlets or posters can be very liberating for them and it’s another way to reach that long tail of potential users who think that the library is not for them.

Clear, attractive and accurate signage is also critical. Made using an app such as MS Publisher using a consistent format, font and colourway, signs can be tailored to the needs of your collection allowing even the youngest users to be independent in their searching and selection. Hanging signs using appropriate models connected with fishing line over the areas most often used by your clientele also enable users to feel empowerment over the environment.

Explicit, clear signage allows for independent selection.

Hanging signs made from cheap, lightweight models strung together with fishing line mean even the youngest user can find the section they want.

The teacher librarian is often regarded as the copyright manager and thus it is worthwhile developing documentation that details what is allowed to be copied and under what conditions. While staff and students may have access to official copyright sites such as Smartcopying in Australia, providing a ready reference for the most common situations will empower clients to make their own decisions.

Programs

Because we are teacher librarians our teaching programs have to be as explicit and professional as those required of our classroom-based colleagues. We need to identify what we want students to know, do, understand, appreciate and value as a result of our teaching and this has to be explicitly identified in the preamble and rationale of our programs. Not only does it emphasise the teaching aspect of the position, it demonstrates why the TL must hold dual qualifications. Programs must

be based on current best-practice pedagogy
reflect our knowledge of the curriculum
demonstrate the AITSL professional teaching standards
embrace education authority-based initiatives like Quality Teaching
support identified school-based priorities
focus on inquiry-based learning and information literacy
promote cyber safety and digital citizenship
develop online competency

The American Association of School Libraries has identified a set of standards for the 21st Century Learner that could well underpin the programs of all of us, regardless of location or sector. They cover four broad categories

inquire, think critically and gain knowledge

draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations and create new knowledge

share knowledge and participate ethically and productively in our democratic society

pursue personal and aesthetic growth

Within each category, there are skills, dispositions in action, responsibilities and self-assessment strategies that permeate every level and strand of the curriculum. The document provides an authoritative base on which to build any teaching platform but also highlight the specialist nature of the TL’s role.

promotion

As well as those teaching-based programs, there are also promotion programs such as the Premier’s Reading Challenge, Children’s Book Week, World Read-Aloud Day, National Poetry Month and so forth that can help put the library at the hub of what happens in the school. However, because it is possible to have something new every week, it is essential that as the TL we pick and choose judiciously those events which will receive a heightened focus. Once an event has been selected, it is worthwhile creating a file that explicitly links the event to the teaching and learning outcomes within the school and promoting this to teaching staff so they immediately identify how it will add value to the curriculum. Including information about resources used or activities undertaken means there is a ready-reference if the same event is chosen in subsequent years.

Most schools are required to produce an annual report each year do parents are informed about what has been achieved and accomplished. Contributing a section about the achievements of the library to this is formal way of alerting administrators, executive, staff and parents to the doings of the library and how funds, including the salaries of the library staff have been invested in teaching and learning outcomes. An even more extensive report such as this one by Joyce Valenza for the Springfield Township High School Library can be produced and made available through the school library’s website. As well as encapsulating data, it could also be an outlet for your Junior Journalists as they report on the key activities that have taken place throughout the year. Take photographs and videos of special events so they can be included.

It is also worthwhile to regularly gather statistics such as patron usage, resource acquisition and circulation and other relevant data several times throughout the year so a snapshot can be provided and analysed. User satisfaction reports from staff, students, school leavers and parents can also provide valuable evaluative information, as well as demonstrating growth and change. Creating a well-rounded, well-balanced annual report not only demonstrates professionalsim but can also demonstrate how well you are adhering to and working towards your strategic plan as well as giving pointers for improvement.

Less formal promotions such as supporting parent participation programs or producing a pamphlet to assist parents with reading with their child at home are all part of the paperwork but all contribute to that evidence-based practice that is so critical.

propaganda

There are many ways to advertise the library’s services that involve informal paperwork and these will be examined in The Promoter’s Hat.

Putting on your paperwork hat, as ill-fitting as it might feel, goes a long way to declaring and demonstrating your professionalism.

the bridge-builder’s hat

Jul15

No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.

John Donne

Yet, within the school setting, the library is often seen as an island, apart from the main rather than a part of it.

The physical isolation imposed by the nature of the space, and the professional isolation of usually being the only TL within the school and not part of a particular team or faculty can mean that, at the very least, a moat separates the facility from the school mainstream. In the past, some TLs have been guilty of not only building the moat but also pulling up the drawbridge and it is this perception of exclusiveness and remoteness that is often only a childhod memory, that drives the modern-day perception and stereotype – a bit like that of a library being a quiet space where people are continually told to shoosh.

Thus the work we do is often invisible to other staff and students and therefore the value we add to the teaching and learning of our community is often overlooked. Just today, there is yet another discussion about the role of the teacher librarian within the school on a state listserv as a TL finds her professional knowledge and responsibilities eroded by those who don’t understand them, and sadly, responses show that there is little, if anything, official to back up what it is we must and can do. Even though, individually and collectively, teacher librarians have been promoting their role -even instigating a formal Federal Government inquiry in Australia- it appears that advocacy is a hat we will continue to wear. We wear it for ourselves, for others and for those who are yet to come.

The moat must go and it is the TL who is in the best position to remove it.

Building bridges builds influence

It is widely accepted that the library, with a qualified teacher librarian at the helm, should be the hub of teaching and learning within the school and its associated community. Building influence enables a broad base of people to understand our role and accept that it is valid, valued and valuable thus enabling us to be a leader of the teaching and learning – our core business as TEACHER librarians.

If we were to reflect and represent our current sphere of influence, would it look like this…

Or this?

If a bridge is defined as a structure, real or metaphorical, which spans a gap or a barrier, then there is the implication that a bridge connects two points. One end of the connection is the library, but where could its other end be? We need to answer these questions…

Let’s look through the people lens …

Networks

People

local physical TL networks
state, national and global online TL networks
social networking groups such as iCentre, Three Rs, ALIA, CBCA, OZTL
professional associations
networks of other library professionals
networks of other educators, local, state, national and global
P&C and other parent organisations
children’s services organisations and providers
local public and specialist libraries
personal learning networks, physical and virtual
profession leaders on Twitter
local schools including those in other sectors
student networks

principals, peers, pre-service teachers
students and student leaders
executive staff
administrative staff
other library staff and volunteers
classroom-based teachers across KLA and year levels
parents, including pre-school parents and grandparents
people whom students admire and regard as role models
community leaders and experts
politicians- local, state and national
other teacher librarians
publishers, authors and illustrators
the ‘long tail’ – those who believe the library has nothing relevant to their needs, interests and abilities
media

We need to ask…

Who do we already have strong connections with?

Which connections could be strengthened or renewed?

Who could we reach out to, to make new connections?

How could one set of connections be used to build a new set?

Even if the TL is in the fortunate position of being in a positive, well-supported environment, there are always new connections that can be made that will help to spread the influence of the library further and cement its place as an integral, vital part of the community.

The Networked TL

While connections are all about people, there are unique aspects about our job that we can employ to allow us to make existing connections stronger and also reach out to a wider audience to make new ones.

Processes	Spaces	Resources
knowing the curriculum across the strands and year levels collaborative planning and teaching recognising our unique position within the school and being prepared to take on a leadership role being visionary, knowing what the best 21st century library looks like, plan and deliver that environment collection, analysis and presentation of evidence of our contribution to teaching and learning initiation, promotion and publication of library events broad-based promotion through traditional and social media of what the library offers – reaching the “long tail” development of tutorials so users can operate independently making the sorts of services we can offer known to our clients (see Information Needs Audit) staying up to date with personal professional learning including knowing the critical research which shapes our programs and practices being up-to-date with research in other areas which can be shared with colleagues developing a contemporary collection based on the needs, interests and abilities of its users participating in a range of committees where library input would enhance outcomes delivering or facilitating professional learning for teaching staff, especially about library-related matters such as Guided Inquiry, information literacy, the role of recreational reading, using ICT tools. being visible at and contributing to staff and faculty meetings contributing to school communications establishing an evolving online presence so that the library’s resources are available anytime, anywhere actively seeking and listening to user input encouraging a gaming culture in learning offering scheduled and just-in-time learning opportunities using technology to reach and expand the knowledge of library users maintaining lines of communication particularly with the principal, executive and administration staff providing opportunities for student participation and leadership being open to new ideas and opportunities having the policies, programs and procedures which will take the library into the future sharing research and resources for and with all developing strong parental support through communication offering parent participation programs inviting volunteers to participate	beyond the walls – anytime, anywhere physical and virtual attractive, comfortable, welcoming, imaginative, collaborative, flexible, interactive and safe quiet as well as more boisterous ares makerspaces the domain of everyone not just the library staff a place where the students want to be a place where users can operate independently meeting special needs so services and resources are accessible to all liaising with public institutions such as libraries, galleries and museums being where the community’s children and youth are	contemporary collection which meets the needs, interest and abilities of its users opportunities for user input into collection development to help reach the ‘long tail’ ‘own’ vs’ acquire’ vs ‘access’ acknowledge need for both physical and virtual resources create and build on local community resources identify, collect, annotate and curate resources inter-library loans research and resources which support teachers’ professional learning open access vs locked-down support a variety of learning styles seek support from networks for new resources keep abreast of new publications and tools collection is kept relevant through continual evaluation, analysis and weeding promote new resources through traditional and social media support parents and parenting efficient and effective online connections through working hardware, appropriate software and robust internet connectivity

None of these lists is exhaustive – there are many additions that could be made. But they might offer a starting point for putting on the visionary’s hat and then identifying a specific focus for your future planning.

Begin with the end in mind by defining the need by identifying a particular area for development that relates to your situation. Put on the hat of your clients and consider how bridges could be built between their needs and the library’s services, remembering that we are one and they are many. Rather than telling people what is on offer from the library’s perspective, view the issue from the angle of “What does this group expect/require of the library in order for it to be relevant and useful to them?”

What sort of bridge should you build?

Market research using something such as the Information Needs Audit modified to meet the shape of its audience is always a valuable foundation because it provides the evidence that your practices are targeted, required and likely to be valued.

Then use an inquiry approach beginning with posing questions such as

How might we use the Australian Curriculum to lead teaching and learning in the school?

How might we use social media to reach our clientele and to offer anywhere, anytime access?

How might we collaborate with other child-centred community organisations to extend what we offer teachers, students and parents?

How might we develop a collection which meets the needs, interests and abilities of its users?

How might we develop tools that will help the user use the library, its collection and services more independently?

How might we promote the physical space of the library as a teaching and learning centre?

How might we use the expertise and experience of other members of the staff and student body to build better connections?

Using a question format and wording it so that it offers the possibility of collaborative solutions that invite a range of creative possibilities that may or may not be adopted demonstrates a willingness to work with others to explore a variety of options to negotiate and implement solutions that can be woven together to form a strong, sustained and sustainable connection. Having the ‘big-picture’ question then allows for its detailed analysis as solutions are sought, explored, and prioritised.

For example, in a recent workshop one group focusing on raising the profile and identity of the TL and knowing that the teachers in their schools were struggling with the implementation of a new required curriculum that spanned eacj key learning area, proposed, “How might we use the Australian Curriculum to lead teaching and learning in the school?” Rather than the more nebulous question of “How might we raise the profile of the teacher librarian in the school?” it was turned into a more practical and productive question that, through its solutions, would directly address clients’ needs while also working towards achieving that ultimate goal of raising the TL’s profile.

A brief brainstorming session identified that this could be addressed by

knowing the curriculum across all strands and year levels, acknowledging that often the TL is one of just a handful in the school with this sort of overview
delivering or facilitating professional learning to support new initiatives embedded in the curriculum such as an inquiry-based approach or the introduction of a new perspective such as a greater emphaisis on indigenous issues
being pro-active in collaborative planning and teaching by seeking and suggesting opportunities where our specialist knowledge can enrich and enhance teaching and learning
having an online presence which allowed anytime, anywhere access to the collection for staff and students
building a relevant contemporary collection

Some of these were well-established concepts, others were more novel. A longer timeframe may well have elicited a greater range of ideas. Within the group, pairs then further brainstormed just one of those aspects identifying what they currently had and what they eventually wanted, and then started to build the a bridge between the two by identifying what needed to be done to achieve the goal. Having narrowed the big statement Building bridges builds influence into a specific, manageable, achievable, relevant and timely goal, these ideas then provided the practical foundation for the library’s immediate strategic planning. Apart from the direct connections that would be made during its achievement, it was clear that there would be a number of others, each of which would contribute to the influence of the library and a greater understanding of its contribution to teaching and learning.

An image search of the Internet for “bridges” brings up an amazing array of these structures built in the greatest geographical extremes and using what appear to be the flimsiest of materials, created by people who had a need to span the gap regardless of the obstacles it posed. TLs must adopt a similar can-do attitude by being open to new ideas, looking for opportunities, stretching beyond the traditional anchor points (such as English and Social Studies) and be willing to tackle the deepest of chasms or the broadest of floodplains. As we advocate for our positions which seem to be becoming more and more tenuous as new staffing models are developed, the roads to and from the library need to be broad, strong and well-populated, rather than beings seen as just a single lane only wide enough for us to push our own career barrows. Rather than a rickety, one lane bridge built to take the minimal traffic of a previous generation, there must be a network of connections leading in many directions providing the super-highway to and for 21st century education.

the information literacy hat

Feb27

Information Literacy is the teacher librarian’s specialist subject, but it is a whole school responsibility.

In the K-12 education sector, information literacy is a double-edged concept. There is the workplace culture that Henri (1995) calls the ‘information literate school community’ (ILSC) and which he describes as “a philosophy as well as a place; it is a way of being as well as a working model. It is a mindset as well as a map,” (Henri, 2005, p11). There is also the pedagogical platform of a skillset based on the definition that to be information literate means “being able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” (American Library Association, 1989, para 3).

Many, such as Eisenberg (2009), argue information literacy underpins all other literacies and is the foundation of lifelong learning defined as “the systematic acquisition, renewal, upgrading and completion of knowledge, skills and attitudes made necessary by the constantly changing conditions in which people now live.” (Candy, cited in O’Sullivan, 2002). While the ability to locate, evaluate, interpret, select, organise and use information has always been a skill required of students – indeed, the population generally- it was the development of the Internet that has had the most significant impact. Internet usage is now so widespread that over 34% of the world’s population has access, an increase of more than 566.4% since 2000 (World Internet Usage Statistics, 2012). It is estimated that by 2015, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and Indonesia alone will add 610 million users (Boston Consulting Group, 2010).

While it took 1850 years for all that was known in the time of Jesus Christ to double, in 2002 and prior to Web 2.0 technologies, it was estimated that, spanning the four storage systems of print, film, magnetic and optical and the information conduits of telephone, television, radio, and the Internet, five exabytes (10¹⁸⁾of information) were produced that year – about 800MB per person on the planet. (Lyman & Varian, 2003). In addition, researchers suggest that, in 2008, Americans alone consumed “information for about 1.3 trillion hours, an average of almost 12 hours per day. Consumption totalled 3.6 zettabytes [10²¹] and 10,845 trillion words, corresponding to 100,500 words and 34 gigabytes for an average person on an average day.” (Global Information Industry Center, 2009).

From this burgeoning, incessant production has arisen a new paradigm – information literacy, a term first coined by Zurkowski (1974) who used it to refer to workers who had mastered using information tools as well as their primary materials to solve work-based issues and which, by 2005, was identified as “a basic human right in the digital world” enabling individuals “in all walks of life to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively to achieve their personal, social, occupational and educational goals” by the Alexandria Proclamation.

The Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the 21st Century acknowledged this right when it stated,

Australia’s future depends upon each citizen having the necessary knowledge, understanding, skills and values for a productive and rewarding life in an educated, just and open society … when students leave schools they should have the capacity for, and skills in analysis and problem solving and the ability to communicate ideas and information, to plan and organise activities and to collaborate with others.

Students will need to be able to survive and thrive in an information-saturated and technology-rich environment, and be independent, creative thinkers, making informed decisions based on careful evaluation and interpretation of available information, developing expertise through experience, and be lifelong learners. They need to be information literate. And as the ability to be able to access whatever, whenever, wherever becomes the norm, we, as teacher librarians, need to change our thinking so that rather than being the source or the gatekeepers of the information (as we were in a print-dominated society) we need to see ourselves as the filter. While the front end of the information literacy process involving location, selection and organisation remains important, it is the back end such as validation, synthesis, leverage, communication, collaboration and problem-solving with information that are the critical elements of information literacy in the 21st century. The what and the why are summarised in this clip which was created as a summary of the ASB Unplugged Conference in Mumbai, India 2010. It compiles thoughts from leaders in technology education and explores the big topics of conversation around what the 21st century classroom looks like. It demonstrates that these skills need to be an across-curriculum perspective, spear-headed by the teacher librarian but not limited by artificial boundaries such as physical location, job description and so forth.

Therefore, even though information literacy is the specialist subject of the teacher librarian, the creation of an information literate school community cannot rest on one pair of shoulders.

An ILSC is one that “places a high priority (policy, benchmarking, funding and evaluation) on the pursuit of teacher and student mastery of the processes of being informed,” (Henri, 2005, p12). The community (which comprises all stakeholders including the principal, the teacher librarian, teachers and ancillary staff, students and parents) is built on collaboration, constructivism and constructionism with each member having a clear focus and responsibility so the synergy of the parts ensures the success of the whole.

Rather than being an individual experience, learning becomes a collaborative and co-operative interaction dependent on its particular context to give it value and determine its application and communication. Learners are “engaged, enabled, enriched and embodied by social, procedural and physical information” (Lloyd, 2010, p30). A successful ILSC is driven by the staff led by the principal and teacher librarian, who, as the information specialist in the school, can enable classroom-based teachers to shape their teaching so it sits on a solid information literacy platform. It requires a sustained commitment by willing partners who are prepared to evaluate, initiate and change philosophies, policies, programs, practices and priorities and invest time, money and effort in achieving the goal.

However, despite the demonstrated need for information literacy beyond the formal education period, and the evidence from numerous studies (summarised in Kachel, 2011) that “quality school library programs impact student achievement” (Kachel, 2011, p4) information literacy is still seen by many practitioners as “library skills” focusing on and confined to students’ use of print materials in the library and taught while they have their preparation and planning time. There is no broader vision that values and validates information literacy as an across-curriculum perspective with purpose and application in all spheres of life.

Thus, it becomes the TL’s job to drive the change towards an ILSC.

But if change is to be successful, it will have to explicitly demonstrate that it will improve quantitative student outcomes, rather than just making a more meaningful learning experience, as regular external testing is now used to measure a school’s ‘success’. It will require a clear blueprint that demonstrates the transition to an ILSC is not just a fad that will add to teachers’ workload. Critical elements of that blueprint are

The principal’s support is imperative for success and there must be an expectation that the TL will take a leadership role and that staff will be required to make the requisite changes
Staff will need to understand the concept of and the need for an ILSC, and be actively involved in the changes to policies, programs, practices and priorities enabling them to invest in and take ownership of the new philosophy
If learning is to be successful it must engage students by meeting their needs and interests based on a constructivist, problem-solving approach
The depth and breadth of the TL’s role in the 21st century needs to be clear and accepted and thus the TL must be part of a collaborative team involved in planning, preparation and assessment practices so that information skills are taught in context not isolation.
The library, its programs and its collection need to be viewed as the hub of the teaching and learning in the school community.
Parents need to be informed of and active participants in changes of philosophy, pedagogy and practice.
The transition to an ILSC will need to be gradual as such significant change needs to be planned and supported so concepts become culture as community members embrace and take ownership of a new era in education for the students at this school.

Thus there needs to be a plan in place and for that the TL will have to put on the planner’s hat.

Links

Information skills in the school: engaging learners in constructing knowledge (NSW Department of Education)

School Libraries & Information Literacy (NSW Department of Education)

Beacons of the Information Society: The Alexandria Proclamation on Information Literacy and Lifelong Learning, 2005

Information Literacy: the most basic of basics (Mike Eisenberg)

Information Literacy models (a summary of some of the models as well as a graphic)

ILSC rubric Adapted from Henri, J., Hay, L. and Oberg, D. (2002). The School Library-Principal Relationship: Guidelines for Research and Practice. [International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Professional Report]. The Hague, Netherlands: IFLA Headquarters, p.90.

Kathy Schrock’s Guide to Everything

Pinterest boards

Unlinked References

Henri, J. (1995). The information literate school community: exploring a fuzzy concept. Scan (14)3: 25-28

Henri, J. (2005). Understanding the information literate school community. In J. Henri & M. Asselin. (Eds.). The information literate school community 2: Issues of leadership. (pp. 11-26) Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia: Centre for Information Studies

Lloyd, A. (2010) Learning from the workplace: Theorizing an architecture for understanding information literacy as practice. In Lloyd, A & Talja, S (Eds.) Practising information literacy: Bringing together theories and information literacy practice (p29-49) Wagga Wagga, NSW Australia: Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University

O’Sullivan, C. (2002). Is information literacy relevant for the real world. Reference Services Review, 30(1): 7-14.

Zurkowski, P. (1974). The information service environment: Relationships and Priorities. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, Washington DC, ERIC Clearinghouse on Information Resources, ED 100391.

Policies and Procedures

Documentation of policies and procedures explains why and how things are done in the library and ensure that there is consistency of application regardless of changes of personnel and other circumstances.

Library policy and procedures

- provide an important reference for library staff, administrators and teachers
- provide a ratified document that can be used to defend a decision which is challenged
- guide decisions about the necessary staffing, funding and facilities to implement the policy
- offer assistance to new staff about what is done and how it is done

A policy provides a concise formal statement of principles which underpin how the library will act in a particular area of its operation. It needs to be developed within the parameters of system and school requirements and philosophies. A policy should identify

- a definition of its focus
- its purpose
- the goals to be achieved during the life of the policy
- the broad principles which are to be followed to achieve these
- key personnel responsible for authorship and implementation
- its review cycle

A policy is a public document available to the school community and often written in consultation with them. It should be brief and broad stating what happens and why.

Procedures are specific and detailed instructions used to implement the policy. They should be in a logical and systematic sequence and where practical, supplemented with a flowchart. They are intended for those who implement the policy, are practical and often situation-specific so are much longer than the policy they support because they explain how. A change of procedure should not require a change of policy.

The key policies of a school library are

- mission statement
- a vision statement
- collection development
- collection management
- collection evaluation
- collection access

However there is a number of information policies that should be developed as part of an information literate school community and for which the teacher librarian should have a leadership role.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

General statement about intellectual property and the ethical use of information
Copyright compliance including
- Fair Use
- allowances under school licences including CAL, Screenrights, AMCOS, ARIA , AMCOS/ARIA and digital publishing
- material published by the school
- categories of material for which copyright has been waived such as Creative Commons and Open Education Resources
- downloading online resources
- standard citation or referencing style e.g. APa or MLA
- plagiarism and the consequences of academic dishonesty
- the purchase and use of illegal copies of materials
- Crown Copyright
- the use of students’ work in public places

INTERNET ACCESS

General statement about access to the Internet
Instructional use of Internet
Non-instructional use of the Internet
Internet acceptable use policy
Access to and use of Web 2.0 tools
Internet filtering and blocking
Web Page Publishing policy

INFORMATION LITERACY

Information literacy definition
Information literacy standards
Information literacy as an across-curriculum perspective
Professional learning for staff to improve and implement information literacy across the curriculum

INQUIRY LEARNING

Inquiry Learning across the Australian Curriculum
Inquiry learning definition and scaffold
Professional learning for staff to design and deliver inquiry-based units

TECHNOLOGY PLANNING

Mission Statement
Vision Statement
Educational jurisdiction requirements
Development and maintenace of school’s online presence
Curricular and instructional needs
Information infrastructure, provision, storage and accessibility
Access to online resources
Computer literacy standards for students
Computer literacy standards for teachers
Technical support
Hardware and software needs, maintenance and update
Provision of hardware – this may require a separate Bring your Own device policy
Use of subscription services such as video streaming
Licensing agreements for software
Knowledge management
School intranet
Evaluation of technology planning

PRIVACY

General statement about data privacy
Data security on networks
Authorized disclosure of personal information
Access to personal information by students and parents e.g. attendance, performance, etc.
Complaint procedure for parents and students
Privacy Coordinator
Students’ records
Destruction of records/files of deceased students or those no longer at the school
Referral procedures, forms
Photos of students – taking and using
Enrolment data
Library borrowing records
Creating materials
Teachers’ Professional growth plans
Teachers’ Promotional information
Teacher Technology Standards
Teaching plans
Assessment procedures, forms
Competency statements

COMPUTER NETWORK USAGE

Electronic mail (Staff use)
Electronic mail (Student use)
Electronic mail (Parents access)
Access to and use of social networking tools
Acceptable Use policies for students and staff including consequences for breaches
Access to computer resources outside of regular school instructional hours

ADMINISTRATION

Storage of and access to files for staff and students
Use of school/departmental information management systems
Description of and access to shared files/folders on school network
Authority and levels of access
Document (print and electronic) management
Security
Networking computers
Use of CCTV systems
Staff technology training program
IT coordinator role
Backup procedures for data

In 2018 ALIA released A Manual for Developing Policies and Procedures in Australian School Library Resource Centres (2nd edition). It can also be downloaded from ASLA.

Questioning Change

As the world turns and technology develops, so new ideas about efficiency and effectiveness impinge on the design and delivery of the library’s services and significant changes are suggested, sometimes by the TL but often by those who do not share our specialist knowledge. Recent, common suggestions have focused on the arrangement of the library such as having books shelved by genre or an arbitrary reading/ability level. Another is the introduction of catalog records in RDA format.

Those considering the arrangement of the collection based on genre might like to consider this quote from Louise Penny, the award winning author of the Inspector Gamache crime stories:

I don’t buy into the notion of genres, perhaps for obvious reasons. I think that’s an effective marketing tool, but nothing more. Good storytelling is good storytelling. There are no borders or boundaries in literature and to try to define is to limit. Finis.

It expresses my opinion perfectly and demonstrates why i would never arrange a collection by genre, especially a primary one where there is no evidence or experience that genre is the child’s preferred selection tool.

If you are being pressured into labelling books in a way that discriminates, you might refer to your Collection Policy which should have a statement such as this…

No resource in the general collection will be shelved, labelled or displayed in a way that discriminates or marginalises a user on the grounds of

ability
culture
ethnicity
religion
sexual orientation
any other consideration

Regardless of the origins of the push for changes, as the TL it is our role to examine the proposals to decide if they should be implemented, and to do this well we should consider the following questions and ask those proposing the changes to consider them too. Only then should a decision be made which demonstrates that the proposal has been tested against specific criteria and the decision is defensible on those grounds.

Why is the change being considered?
Is this a sound reason for change?
Why is what is currently in place not working? What is the evidence that it is not? How can it be changed/ modified to work rather than introducing a non-standard ‘fix’?
Is the solution based on sound pedagogical reasons whose efficacy can be measured?
How do the proposals fit within the research which
- demonstrates a need for traditional print materials to develop and maintain the literacy skills that underpin the ability to read comprehensively from a screen?
- identifies that not everything, especially material for higher level of study, is available on the Internet – there is much that is valuable that has not been digitised and will not be because of copyright and digital rights management laws
How do the proposals fit mandated currciulum requirements such as that requiring about 70% of US students’ reading must be non-fiction under their Common Core legislation because of the need to develop information literacy skills?
What reliable evidence (apart from circulation figures) exists to support the changes and demonstrates improvement to student learning outcomes?
How will the change support the Students’ Bill of Rights?
Have students had input into the proposal?
Will the proposed changes lead to students being more independent, effective and efficient users of the library’s resources?
Will the change marginalise or discriminate against any users such as identifying their below-average reading level or sexual preferences?
Will the change broaden or narrow the students access to choices and resources?
Is it based on school-library best practice? Are there successful models (measured through action research and benchmarks and published in reliable authoritative literature) that demonstrate that this is a sustainable, effective and efficient model to emulate?
Will the change make it easier to achieve your mission statement and your vision statement?
How do the changes fit within your library policy, which, presumably, has been ratified by the school’s executive and council? Will the change in procedure require a change in policy?
Who is responsible for developing the parameters of the change and documenting the new procedures to ensure consistency across time and personnel?
If a change is made, what S.M.A.R.T. goals will be set to measure its impact?
How will the changes be measured?
How will it be determined that any changes are sustained differences rather than a result of the novelty factor?
Who will do the measuring and ensure that the conclusion is independent and unbiased?
If those goals show no change or a decline, will the library be willing to reverse the process? Will this be a practical proposition?
How will the proposed change impact on the role and workload of the teacher librarian?
How will the proposed change impact on the role and workload of other library staff?
If the change changes the traditional library arrangement, how is consistency across time guaranteed if personnel change because decisions are subjective?
Who is responsible for developing and maintaining the criteria for placement and the Procedures Manual to ensure consistency?
Is the change worth the time that is invested in re-classifying every title and the money invested in new labels, staff wages etc?
Could that time and money be better spent?
Would better signage, including more shelf dividers, address the problem?
What role can displays play in highlighting different and unfamiliar resources to broaden access and choices?
If the proposals are based on providing e-resources only, how will needs be addressed if the resources are
- not available in e-format
- publishers either forbid distribution to libraries or limit the number of times an item is circulated
- in-house digitisation is forbidden because of copyright or digital rights management laws

the visionary’s hat

Oct14

Libraries have been part of society’s culture since man first began to convey information by etching images on the walls of caves. School libraries have been part of the Australian education system since well-meaning people in London sent religious texts to recently-established Sydney so the children of the convicts would learn to read the scriptures, learn from them and become better people than their parents. But libraries, like society, change so they can meet the needs of their users and remain relevant in the context in which they sit. Digital technoliges have replaced markings on cave walls, and school libraries have evolved to be much more than a repository of religious readings.

These changes have not happened because Tinkerbell sprinkled fairy dust. They’ve been inspired by visionaries in the profession – those who have the ability to see around corners and over hills; who see obstacles as opportunites; who aspire and inspire and lead change which others are compelled to emulate.

With the introduction and implementation of a national curriculum in Australian schools, and the rollout of the Common Core Standards in US schools, and other significant changes being made as the developments in technology roll inexorably on, this is a time for great change and great opportunities in school libraries – change that can be directly linked to mandated requirements and supported by evidence that makes its acceptance and resourcing more likely.

But for change to be successful and sustainable, it needs to be planned and supported. In my very first post on this blog I explained my adherence to Covey’s mantra of “Begin with the end in mind”, and this is essential to the change process.

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you are going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction … how different our lives are when we really know what is important to us, and, keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and to do what really matters most.

Covey, S. (1989) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Melbourne: Information Australia

To have a vision of the destination so your journey continually leads towards that is essential. Encapsulating the dream in a precise and succinct statement provides the focus and foundation on which to develop a strategic plan incorporating goals, policies, strategies, performance indicators, and a timeframe that will lead to its achievement.

the vision statement

Creating a vision statement is a complex task. It is a narrow, future-oriented declaration of the library’s purpose and aspirations.

Firstly, you need to know what you want to achieve so you need to know

What does a best-practice library look like?
What does a best-practice teacher librarian do?

There are many models on which you can base your ideas – my favourite is the Springfield Township High School Library developed under the guidance of Joyce Valenza – and the Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians statement developed by ASLA is an essential guide to the sort of professional knowledge, practice and commitment a top-shelf TL has.

Regardless of the model (or combinations of models) you use, your vision must be in alignment with your own beliefs or it will never sit well or be a good fit. Go back to The Teacher’s Hat and revisit your beliefs about being both a teacher and a teacher librarian and create a new manifesto based on what you believe a top-shelf library should look like including the elements which drive your

literacy and literature programs and collections
research and information literacy programs and collections
services you offer your clients
environment in which you and they work

Articulating your beliefs in such a way takes them out of the world of the airy-fairy and into a tangible document that can be used to shape goals and defend decisions.

However, you need to keep in mind the practicalities of your particular situation. Consideration must be given to any requirements, restrictions or expectations put on your vision by your school and only you can decide if these are important enough to embrace as an enhancement of your beliefs, adapt so they fit with your beliefs or try to change through evidence of better practice To set impossible goals based on someone else’s ideality rather than your reality only leads to despair and despondency as it looks like failure.

The next step is to craft a mission statement so the purpose of the library and its place within the school’s philosophy, ethos and educational programs are explicit. It is based on those beliefs, values and principles that are at your inner core, be they personal or corporate. It needs to be clear and concise and should answer the questions

What is this library about?
What does it stand for?
How do we demonstrate these?

It is the basis for all decisions made regarding policy, procedures and practice and sets the guidelines and parameters for the services you offer

A sample mission statement can be found here

However, it is essential to understand the difference between a mission statement and a vision statement – the former defines your purpose, your reason for being; whereas a vision statement identifies your future direction.

The next step involves several key elements

reading and research identifying what is, what needs to be and what could be for the three key hats that the teacher librarian wears – curriculum specialist, information specialist and information services manager
identifying specific areas of focus to develop policies, programs, procedures, practices and priorities
drawing on the perceptions and needs of the stakeholders so that the vision is shared and they feel they have ownership of it and can make a contribution towards its success.

identifying what is

Establishing the current state of the library’s programs, services and environment is essential because it identifies its strengths and its needs, as well as establishing a benchmark against which future progress can be measured. It identifies whether what is currently on offer is valid, valued and valuable.

There are several ways that this can be done – the most common being a SWOT analysis. Rather than trying to assess everything in one analysis, it may be more practical to identify the key factors that make up what you offer and on both the educational and resourcing sides of the coin and analyse them individually, then combining them into a summary.

SWOT Analysis

A STEEP analysis is another option or you might consider purchasing Strategic Planning for Nonprofit Organizations: A Practical Guide and Workbook, 2nd Edition which has a whole section on assessing the current situation including

preparing a history and descriptive profile of operations
articulating previous and current strategies
gathering information from internal and external stakeholders
gathering information from documents and other sources
summarising the information into a situational assessment

identifying what needs to be

School library programs and services and the environment in which they sit are subject to outside influences such as mandated curriculum, identified school priorities and the needs, interests and abilities of their clientele so establishing and articulating what these are and how they shape what is delivered is essential. As well as pinpointing what the essential elements are, they also provide evidence to support any proposed changes enhancing the likelihood of the vision being accepted and resourced.

identifying what could be

Start by examining the Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians and identifying some personal professional goals that will guide your professional learning and practice and may lead to innovation and initiatives that have not been considered.

Identify leaders in the field such as Joyce Valenza, Buffy Hamilton, Judy O’Connell, Doug Johnson and Lyn Hay and follow their blogs and other social media communications to see what’s happening at the leading edges and how you might be able to adapt it to your situation. Look for Facebook groups such as iCentre and Evidence-based Practice for School Libraries and for Pinterest boards and so forth which share photos and links that can provide inspiration.

Standing on the shoulders of giants is a great way to become a giant yourself and instead of following the pack, you become a leader of it.

Create surveys for your clients that give them input into what they would like the library to provide and go out of your way to find out the needs of the long tail -those whose needs and interests are not met by the common, the popular or the overtly-on-offer and who do not use the library’s services becasue of this.

Writing the vision statement

The final step in this process is writing the vision statement. Visions statements need to be precise and concise stating what the library and its services (educational, resourcing and environmental) will be like at the end of the time period (usually three years or in line with the school’s development plan.) They are aspirational using superlative language that inspires others to want to be part of the process.

The vision statement for my current school library is

An excellent 21st century library which supports the teaching and learning at xxxx Primary School.

Having identified where you are going and where you want to be it is time to put on your leader’s hat but that is another post for another day.

500 Hats

-the teacher librarian in the 21st century