To Dewey or not to Dewey?  Or even modify or simplify this scheme developed by American librarian Melvil Dewey in the late 19th  century that is still used in libraries around the world today.

In an age where there is a belief that “everything is available on the internet” so non fiction print collections are being discarded at worst, and reduced at best, this is a question that has vexed teacher librarians, particularly, for some time.  Even with the access to records that are already catalogued and just there to be downloaded through service like the Australian Schools Catalogue Information Service (SCIS) so that time that was spent on original cataloguing can be used for other essential tasks, there are still those who grapple with this issue.

There are some who feel that it is not a problem because their non fiction collections are so small that finding what is required is easy, but it bothers me that non fiction collections have shrunk so much particularly in the primary school. Others say that they have just completed post-grad tertiary studies and didn’t consult a print non fiction text once, perhaps forgetting that they had sophisticated search skills that littlies don’t, and one would have to question whether that is a reasonable reason to deprive students of access to their first source of information after asking their parents.  

Some years ago, lead by publishers such as Dorling Kindersley and Usborne, the format of non fiction became much more user-friendly particularly for young readers, and today, publishers have this age group firmly in mind because they understand that

• not everything is available on the internet
• what is there is not necessarily aimed at the curious minds of the very young and so is not accessible to them
• not all young readers have easy access to internet-enabled devices and don’t have the knowledge or skills to search for what they want
• young readers get as much from looking at the illustrations as they do from reading the text and so an attractive, graphic-laden layout is essential
• young readers like to look, think and return to the same topic or title over and over and the static nature of a print resource allows this
• that not everyone prefers to read from a screen, that print is the preferred medium of many, and there is research that shows that many prefer to print onscreen articles so they can absorb them better
• that research by people like Dr Barbara Combes shows that screen-reading and information -seeking on the internet requires a different set of skills and those most able are those with a strong foundation built on the traditional skills developed through print
• young readers need support to navigate texts so they offer contents pages, indices, glossaries and a host of other cues and clues that allow and encourage the development of information literacy skills, and again, the static nature of a book enables the young reader to flip between pages more easily
• the price of the book covers its cost and so there is no distracting eye-candy to distract the reader from their purpose and pursuit
• the content of most non fiction books is designed to inform rather than persuade or challenge, and so the young reader doesn’t need to be searching for objectivity, bias and undercurrent messaging
• that young children are innately curious and that exploring the answer to a question via a book with the child in charge is a unique bonding experience shared between parent and child that is not the same as looking at a webpage where the parent controls the mouse
• that children know what they’re interested in and a range of resources gives them a range of options all at the same time; that one question leads to another and the answer might be in another resources on the same topic but with a slightly different slant
• that children don’t know what they don’t know so browsing an interesting display of books  with bright covers and intriguing titles can open gates to new pathways

And so, publishers continue to publish brilliant non fiction – over 500 have been reviewed on my blog in the past few years – and as much as I use the internet and have done since 1996, I believe we still have a responsibility to purchase, organise and offer a robust well-rounded non fiction collection to those who wish to use it, thus making its classification and notation critical if users are to find what they want efficiently and effectively.  

For more whys. wherefores and ways to update and promote your NF collection , read this blog post  from Madison’s Library.

There are some who want to or choose to genrify their non fiction collections, a concept that completely baffles me because IMO Dewey has already done this by putting like with like under his system and so beyond imploring TLs to ask and answer the questions in Questioning Change so they are clear on why they are doing it, the impact it will have, and the evidence for it can justify any challenges, that approach will not be discussed here.

But, even if we choose to use Dewey as the basis for the classification of the collection, there is a school of thought that suggests that we should only use the first three numbers with no decimals after it, particularly in a time of shrinking collections and in the primary setting.  The reason commonly given for this change is that shelving is time-consuming and tedious especially when there is no paraprofessional assistance in the library.

So, once again, I find myself returning to the The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey, a book I was introduced to by an enlightened principal nearly 30 years ago and which has influenced me so greatly.  In it, Covey suggests that we should “begin with the end in mind” so all the steps we take are in the right direction.  So the basic question to be answered is

What do we want to achieve by organising the non fiction collection?

To me, there is one answer that stands above all others

• to enable users of the collection to be able to locate the resources they need effectively and efficiently

Having established the why then we address the how and given the time restraints we all face, surely it makes sense to use a system that is not only used in more than 140 countries around the world, but one that is continually monitored and updated as required by the changing society we live in by OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) a global library organization which owns all copyright rights in the Dewey Decimal Classification, and licenses the system for a variety of uses.  Although it was first published in 1876, it has undergone 23 hugely significant revisions, and each year changes to the core are made through “number building, interoperable translations, association with categorized content, and mappings to other subject schemes.” made accessible to subscribers through WebDewey so the updates are readily available.  ( Introduction to the Dewey Decimal Classification, 2019)

Because the DDC is used so widely by such a variety of libraries and an even larger variety of patrons, its notation can become complex, overwhelming and even unwieldy in some circumstances, such as a primary school library.  So, as the professionals in the field in the school, we must decide what is appropriate for those who use our collection and thus we return to our original question – What do we want to achieve by organising the non fiction collection?  and its answer -“to enable users of the collection to be able to locate the resources they need effectively and efficiently”

In the article cited from OCLC, the following definitions are offered..

Classification provides a system for organizing knowledge. Classification may be used to organize knowledge represented in any form, e.g., books, documents, electronic resources.

Notation is the system of symbols used to represent the classes in a classification system.

It is the degree of notation that seems to be main sticking point for school libraries – how much is too much but how much is enough?

To me, as well as keeping the end in mind, we must also keep the students is mind because, ultimately, that’s who we are there for.  So I offer these thoughts…

• If students are to be independent, efficient and effective creators and users of ideas and information then we must offer them the means and the tools to be able to locate the resources that will support this, and initially, this means being able to find things in their own school library.  Using a system that allows them to do this is common sense and teaching them how to use it properly is part of our specialist teaching remit.

• Students are more likely to use what they understand,  So while they don’t have to manipulate Dewey to the depth that they need to classify resources, understanding that each number has a meaning helps them realise there is a purpose to them and that purpose empowers them to use the system for themselves. Emphasisng that all they need to do is to be able to count in order from 0-999 is often all it takes for them to believe that they can master the system. 

• Being empowered to find things independently not only gives the students confidence but also promotes the concept that the library is a place for them to visit, use and enjoy. There are not many things that an 8-year-old has control over and so to feel able to find what they want when they want it is powerful. So as both teachers and librarians we have a duty to support them in doing this.

Imagine being a young person who has just signed up to play for their first soccer team and you want to learn some of the basics of the game.  You go to the library but instead of being able to find what you want immediately at 796.334 (because you already know how to use the OPAC) you are confronted by books about all sports, their guides, rules, and players and so forth, because they all have the same notation of 796. Are you likely to thumb through all of them to find the one that meets your needs, or are you like to turn to Google instead? And not bother with the library again?

Because that’s the reality if we choose to just use the main notation and not bother about decimal points.

It may make shelving less tedious and less time-consuming in the short-term, but how is it impacting the thought processes and research practices of the students in the long term?  Do we just teach for the ‘now ‘and not for the ‘then’?

We cannot underestimate the power and the importance of students feeling comfortable and confident in using the space, and dumbing down the curriculum to suit ourselves is not an option, in my opinion.

In fact, I believe we should go as far as we can to support students in their independence so anyone using the library has the potential to find what they want for themselves, even if that is just generally browsing because browsing can lead to wanting to know more about a specific topic that will most likely have its place on the shelf.  I liken it to being invited to a birthday party and being told that it is in Main Street, but without the specific address am I to knock on the door of every house in the street?  Kids understand that analogy and they understand that each book has its own “address” on the shelves.   

When, in 1996, after 26 years as a classroom teacher. life circumstances compelled me to make a switch to being a teacher librarian, I met the preschool daughter of a colleague, now BFF. Molly had just been diagnosed with severe, life-threatening epilepsy which resulted in significant learning difficulties.  But all she wanted to do was come to school and be in the library. And so, inspired by her, I vowed that the brand new school library I was establishing would provide physical and intellectual access to all, enshrining my belief that the library was for everyone and my intention to make it so in our mission statement. 

Thus, as well as teaching those who were able how to use the OPAC and the Dewey system in tandem, we created signage that meant that even Molly and her friends in the special ed unit could find the books about the things that interested them.  Using cheap, lightweight objects, commercial index blocks and MS Publisher we created a variety of signs that matched our library and our students’ needs. Molly was in heaven!

As well, we introduced a program that encouraged students to become shelf-angels.  They took responsibility for taking care of a shelf to ensure that resources on it were in the correct order, and before long, they were scouring the returns trolley to see if there were any books to be returned to “their” shelf.  Every now and then we would do random checks and little  shelf-angel certificates were awarded to those whose shelves met the standard. Given these were accompanied by other library-based privileges, they were well sought-after. 

And those that were the most proficient?  Those in Year 3 who were so proud of being able to show they could count to 999, make a contribution to school life, show their parents their prowess and feel ownership of the facility.  

So if you are one who is contemplating “ditching the decimal”, as with any major change to the way the library operates now and into the future, read, ask and answer the questions posed in Questioning Change   and consider the short and long-term impact of your decision.

In the meantime, Order in the Library has been a very popular shelving game for many years. And NSW teacher librarian Louise Mashiah recently shared this new game she created for her youngest students and which has become a favourite, even during breaks., and which she has given me permission to share. 

I painted some ‘bookshelves’ onto calico and added some Velcro. Printed ‘books’ onto iron on transfer paper and also put onto calico with Velcro on the back. Made some shelf labels that I could change to use for non fiction at a later date. Kids loved finding and shelving the books in the correct place.

Collaborative planning and teaching is the ideal in the teacher librarian’s world – that wonderful state when you can plan the aspects of an investigation that will be your responsibility and then team teach them in the library with the classroom teacher assisting (and learning.)

This approach is so successful because all the investigations into how the brain functions and how people learn suggest that learning in context is most likely to be retained and this is considerably heightened when there is curiosity about, a need and desire for  learning, a connection to it and the expectation of success.

Adapted from “The Whole Story: natural learning and the acquisition of literacy in the classroom” Cambourne, B. (1988)

When the brain is confronted with new information, the data goes through a series of ‘filters’ to determine where it fits in with what it already known.  Even without the 21st century science, Piaget called it assimilation and accommodation. while Marion Diamond’s book The Magic Trees of the Mind provides a very readable explanation of the learning process. Essentially when new information is presented to the brain, after being assessed for the fight or flight response, the brain seeks to associate it with something already known. If it finds it, the existing dendrites (the magic trees) assess whether they are being confirmed or challenged by this new information and it is assimilated into what is already known and the dendrites change to accommodate the new learning. If the new information challenges the existing knowledge and beliefs too much, it may be discarded and if no relevant connections are made it will be held in the short term memory but quickly forgotten if there is nothing to consolidate it.

So the argument for collaborative planning and teaching so that students understand the relevance of what they are being taught in the library curriculum within the bigger-picture context of a class investigation is very strong.

However, the reality is that more and more teacher librarians, particularly in the primary/elementary sector are being used to cover teacher preparation and planning time and there is little, if any, connection to what happens in the library and the classroom.  Indeed, it is this coverage of this time as part of the ‘specials team’ that is keeping those TLs employed!! And so instead of the learning being just-in-time it becomes just-in-case and often quickly discarded.

So if this is your situation, how can you make the most of it so the students can maximise what is on offer? This is particularly so when you may only see the students once a week on a fixed timetable and their class investigation moves on in between library visits.

Know the curriculum

As is explained in The Scope and Sequence Hat  having a step-by-step one-size-fits-all curriculum is not only difficult to develop but also ineffective if it has no connection to anything the students are doing. While the days of having students fill out a worksheet of responses after a brief introduction to a topic might seem attractive, their efficacy is very dubious and there is little evidence that what is learned in the library is then transferred to new situations in the classroom.

This was recognised when the Australian Curriculum  was first structured and the elements of information literacy that had been the domain of the teacher librarian were embedded in the curriculum itself rather than being an adjunct as a cross-curriculum perspective.  Now all teachers would be required to teach students how they could identify and information need, and then locate, evaluate, interpret and use what they discovered to satisfy it.

Thus knowing the requirements of the curriculum in relation to information literacy is a critical first step.

Each strand of the curriculum has aspects of information literacy and inquiry that are common to the others even if they are worded differently.  All require the students to

• pose questions
• locate information in one form or another that will help answer them
• determine its relevance, currency and authenticity
• interpret what it is telling them
• combine what they discover  to create new information
• present what they have learned so development and understanding is apparent
• use their learning as a stepping stone to taking action or even further learning

Of course, each year level requires a different level of sophistication but that is the beauty of a spiral curriculum that focuses on process rather than product and concept rather than content.

While the TL is primarily a teacher – hence our title- the teaching we do is different to that of the classroom teacher because we are trying to enable students to develop skills and understandings that transcend artificial subject borders and can be transferred to one degree or another to any situation throughout their lives.  Whether they need to know the time the next bus will get them into town or whether they have to solve a complex scientific or legal problem, they have the skills to assist them starting with the three basic questions…

• what do I need to know
• what do I already know
• what more do I need to find out

While curricula may specify particular content that students must cover, understand that a topic is just a vehicle on which the deeper concepts and processes travel on and so it is very possible to use any subject matter to embed that which you want the students to know.

Thus the term lifelong learning has particular application for what we do. 

Making the transition between the roles of a classroom teacher and a TL can be one of the biggest hurdles to be overcome but once it is done things become much clearer. So become very familiar with the curriculum for the year levels you are teaching and draw out and write down the information literacy aspects that are applicable using the headings from the Information Literacy Process as a guide.  If your school uses a formal pedagogical model  such as Guided Inquiry then map the elements of the Information Literacy Process on to that so you know where each fits. While this may be time-consuming initially, not only does it deepen your understanding of your teaching role but it only has to be done once because large-scale changes to overarching curricula are infrequent.

Consult with the teachers

This may seem to be easier said than done particularly if you are covering the only time a teacher has off class to plan.  But there are ways and means.

If the teachers are part of a team that has a team meeting when you are available put yourself on the agenda of that at the beginning of the term.  

If you have their classes while they meet, ask for a meeting before or after school or during a break.  The school day is longer than the 9-3 “performance” time and so they should be willing to meet with you at a mutually acceptable time.

If face-to-face meetings are not possible, then use email.

If their response is that they don’t care because they don’t view the library instruction time as an integral part of their teaching, then they are tacitly giving you the go-ahead to do what you like.

Whichever method you use, armed with your curriculum document ask them which aspects they would like you to focus on, regardless of the content vehicle you hitch it to. It is important to help them understand that information literacy is not a lock-step process – indeed most of the models demonstrate that it is recursive as we switch back and forth between elements as required – and so it is not possible to effectively teach each step in one investigation, particularly with once-a-week visits.  Try to complement their focus so you are linking but not rehashing what is being done in class. For instance, if the teacher is focusing on posing questions, then your focus could be helping the students locate the information and assessing it for relevance.  Stress that with this approach you are able to lessen their workload rather than add to it.

Often new TLs ask how they can increase collaboration in planning if not teaching and sometimes they have an expectation that offering to lessen a teacher’s workload will be a magic wand that will have them clamouring at the door and are disappointed when they aren’t. But there are many reasons that teachers feel unable to collaborate from being protective of their program to not understanding what it is you are offering, so the most common answer is to work with those who are interested.  Apart from the benefits, there is a belief that this will encourage other teachers to want a slice of the pie as though they absorb the increased learning opportunities by osmosis.   But often the result is that the status quo remains, there are those who do and those who don’t.

Spreading the Word

If you are going to do the best for the students in your care then the more teachers you can work with the better. So even if a particular teacher shows no interest in what you do with their students it is important to keep the lines of communication open.  

If full responsibility for planning and teaching rests with you, map out your program for those students for the term, including links to the curriculum outcomes they are addressing, and email this to the non-participating teacher.  At the very least, it helps break down the notion that library time is unrelated to anything that is happening in the classroom and is, in fact, a valid and valuable teaching opportunity. 

After each lesson, send a brief email outlining what was covered and even identifying those who grasped things and those who were struggling.  Again this emphasises the teaching aspect and demonstrates that while your job may be different, as a teacher you are on an equal footing.

Unashamedly eavesdrop on staffroom conversations and if you hear a teacher expressing concern over an aspect of the curriculum or something they are doing or proposing to do that you can assist with, even if it is just resources rather than teaching, then email them with your suggestions.  

Offer to run in-house professional learning sessions that demonstrate what you can offer and do to support what teachers are planning or doing. 

Every little bit helps to educate about and advocate for the role of the teacher librarian and demonstrates that we are much more than keepers of the books.

Walking the walk

Having talked the talk, it is essential to walk the walk.  

Once the focus of your sessions has been identified, use your own inquiry approach to plan your lessons.  Use these two big questions to guide your planning…

What do I want the students to know, do, understand, appreciate and value as a result of my teaching in the short and long-term?

What evidence will I accept that learning has occurred?

Then using your own or an imposed format, plan your lessons as required by your school authority.  

Link to classroom content wherever possible but don’t try to duplicate it – a parallel topic is just as valuable as the classroom investigation as it offers another perspective and shows the transference of knowledge, understandings and skills to new situations.

Use literature as a basis if desired – using open-ended question starters such as what if, how would/could/should, what could can open up lots of avenues for thought and investigation that can then kickstart further learning. My favourite is to read The Great Tasmanian Tiger Hunt by Michael Salmon and ask the children what Colonel Horsfeld-Smythe should have know about the Tasmanian Tiger to make his hunt more successful. Not only did it spark investigations about the life of the Tasmanian Tiger but it also opened up discussions about endangered and extinct species, conservation and even the ethics of hunting and zoos! And all the while the students were learning many of the elements of information literacy!

As accountability and data collection drive teaching more and more, for better or for worse, more and more teacher librarians are being asked to add comments to student reports.  In a climate where it is often hard to remember each student’s name because you see maybe 200 students per day, being asked to write an individual comment that is accurate and defensible can be very difficult but nevertheless it must be done.   Some teachers are happy with a blanket statement of what has been covered while others demand grades and specific comments. so devise ways that work for you that will allow you to keep track of progress and achievement so you can meet your responsibilities. It all adds to that advocacy that we are teachers first and foremost.

Wearing the prep-time hat can be a bonus and a blessing for all parties if we are prepared to make the most of the opportunities given to us. Rather than bemoaning that we have reality rather than ideality, we need to embrace it and make it work for us and the students.

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 

• Young Adult Readers Reviews- Australia
• Young Adult Books – What We’re Reading Now
• Just So Stories
• The Book Chook
• The Bottom Shelf
• Kirkus Reviews

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

• iCentre
• Three Rs
• Evidence-Based Practice for School Libraries

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.”