Part B- Critical reflection
As I delve deeper into this course, I am often astonished at how little I knew of all the different facets of the role and responsibilities of teacher librarians (TL). Although I worked alongside a trained librarian part-time for 3 years, I often missed out on many chief responsibilities that the TL undertook to manage and build the collection. I was mainly focused on the teaching and programming aspects of my role. As I now move to my own library space, ETL503 has proven to be illuminating as it allowed me to explore a facet of the TLs role which underpins and strengthens all the other roles- collection and resource building and provision.
When thinking about collection development, my understanding of the process was incredibly skewed. I assumed it was a process whereby the TL selects and acquires resources based on ratings, reviews, author popularity, and trends. It almost felt like a job perk, where I get to go shopping and spend money on an assortment of random books and resources to help keep the collection new, fresh, and exciting. However, one module into the subject, I quickly realised that this was not the case and that the process was incredibly complex and intricate. I understood it to be an ongoing process catered towards the needs of the school community. Resources must be carefully selected, managed, and evaluated in consultation with policy documents to warrant their existence in the collection (Kimmel, 2014). My understanding was further enhanced after conducting research for my response to Forum 1.1. This task provided enriching insight into the exact activities that constitute collection development and management (Al-Muti, 2021, November 19). Through this exercise, I was able to compare and contrast various definitions of collection development to help me gain a better understanding of the process.
A collection development policy (CDP) is vital to a school library as it explains why the resources in the collection exist. As I engaged with the readings in this subject, I learned about the importance of having a CDP that conveys the purpose of the library collection in relation to the school context. A CDP helps guide the selection and de-selection process of all resources to promote transparency and provide rationalization regarding the acquisition of resources (Australian Library and Information Association, 2016). From completing part A of this assessment, I was able to develop a deeper appreciation of the complexity of planning and drafting an effective CDP. That is, a poorly written policy could potentially pose complications such as ethical issues that can be to the detriment of not only the students but also the TL. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the responsibility does not fall on the shoulders of the TL alone, rather, it is most effective when it occurs in a collaborative setting. This allows for goals and priorities to be holistically addressed, strengths and weaknesses to be identified, and allocation of resources and budgets to be properly delegated. A collaborative approach will ensure that the library is in the best possible position to offer a range of resources that are essential to the needs of the entire school community (Keeling, 2019). As it is a working document, A CDP should be regularly consulted, modified, and updated to remain relevant to the ever-changing needs of students as well as the rapid technological advancements (Levenson, 2019).
To reflect these rapid technological advancements taking place today, an effective CDP that includes “future-proofing” will prevent the collection from becoming outdated and irrelevant. CDPs governed by vision statements and goals that embody these advancements will ultimately make for a well-balanced collection. With the prevalence of technology throughout today’s schools, digital resources are a crucial tool in 21st century learning as it infuses multiple literacy requirements such as information literacy, media literacy, visual literacy, and technology literacy (Wine, 2016). TLs must adopt a CDP that shifts from being a policy purely about the acquisition of assets and material, to one that facilitates and supports a changing curriculum that integrates ICT capabilities. As many information sources became digitized, it is important for the CDP to convey the importance of digital literacies. While I was scouring forum 6.1 responses, I was surprised to read that many school libraries do not have a CDP, and those that do lack the inclusion of digital content or any future-proofing evidence in their policies. K. Stolz (personal communication, 2022, January 1) states that while her school does have a CDP, it is outdated, and digital resources are merely referred to as “materials.” Therefore, it must be emphasized that ambiguous wording be avoided in the development and implementation of a future-proofed collection policy and that policies include some detail on the type of collection they are aiming to attain. In fact, some have suggested that a separate policy should be devised specifically for digital collections to encapsulate the rapid technological changes (Kennedy, 2006).
Working in a school located in a low-socioeconomic area, many students come to school having experienced severe trauma due to living in dysfunctional households or arriving as immigrants and escaping harsh circumstances. As a result, student wellbeing is placed at the forefront of the school’s priorities. The principal and executive team strive to provide equity and opportunity for the students to access the curriculum through a safe and supportive learning environment. For many, the ability to come into the library during lunchtimes to access the internet and engage with digital technologies provides genuine joy and excitement. Therefore, as the TL it is imperative that I promote awareness of a collection that caters to the interests of the learners. Negotiating budgets that allow for the integration of digital resources can help support wellbeing initiatives, allowing students to view the library as a safe and dynamic learning hub. It is more important than ever to view opportunities for library collections to offer benefits for students beyond academic goals (Merga, 2020). Having a CDP that recognises student wellbeing needs will be on the top of my professional development goals for the upcoming school year.
References
Australian Library and Information Association. (2016). A manual for developing policites and procedures in Australian school library resource centres. https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Policies/policies-procedures-manual_ed2.pdf
Keeling, M. (2019). What’s new in collection development? Knowledge Quest, 48(2), 4-5. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2311879567/fulltextPDF/57FD04FBE7D941FEPQ/1?accountid=10344
Kennedy, J. (2006). Collection management: A consise introduction. Chandos Publishing.
Kimmel, S. (2014). Developing collections to empower learners. American Library Association.
Levenson, H. (2019). Nimble collection development policies: An achievable goal. Chicago: American Library Association, 1-15. https://10.5860/lrts.63n4.206
Merga, M. (2020). How can school libraries support student wellbeing? Evidence and implications for further research. Journal of Library Administration, 660-673. https://10.1080/01930826.2020.1773718
Solz, Kelly. (2022, January 1). Editing a collection development policy [Online discussion comment]. Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_58478_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_115077_1&forum_id=_260200_1&message_id=_3853862_1
Wine, L. (2016). School librarians as technology leaders: An evolution in practice. Journal of education for library and information science, 207-218. https://10.12783/issn.2328-2967/57/2/12