ETL503 Resourcing the Curriculum

ETL503 Assessment 2 Part B: Reflective Practice

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A school library without an effective collection is like a body without a working heart. Just as our hearts pump vital blood to our organs, the school library collection – developed and maintained by a qualified, perceptive, and vigilant teacher-librarian – ensures our learning communities get what they need to function and thrive.

The collection is so crucial to the library that the concept of a library is almost synonymous with its resources (Fieldhouse & Marshall, 2011, p.3). As information specialists, it is essential for teacher-librarians to provide balanced collections which serve the educational, socio-emotional, and recreational needs of our communities through the provision of relevant, accessible physical and digital resources. By providing equitable access to our collections, school libraries safeguard the right of users to seek, receive, and impart information (United Nations 1948, Article 19; South Australia Department of Education, 2020, p.2). Like many of my peers, I was shocked at the different types of censorship affecting libraries (Hilzinger, 2022, January 10; Abed Ali, 2022, January 12). We must be acutely aware of our own biases when managing our resources and resist attempts by others to censor our collections (Morrisey, 2008, p.165; Evans & Saponaro, 2012, p.306).

ETL503 exposed the complex paradigms underpinning the various approaches to collection management. The teacher-librarian in the Collection-Centred Model amasses resources “just in case” (Hughes-Hassell & Mancall, 2005, p.6). Conversely, the Learner-Centred Model and Collaborative Access Model create “just in time collections and position teacher-librarians as guides ensuring equitable, user-friendly access to materials serving user needs (Hughes-Hassell & Mancall, 2005, p.9, Crawford et. al, 2020, p.2). Yet patron-driven models, while increasing user connection to library resources, potentially lead to unbalanced collections where popular titles are prioritised over quality or curriculum resources (Fleishhacker, 2017, p.26, 31).

Therefore, in a rapidly changing information landscape and with increasing budget pressures, it is important for teacher-librarians to future-proof our collections through continual evaluation, ensuring a balance between “just in case” and “just in time” as well as popular and quality resources, and to extend our collections through the provision of curated digital resources and interlibrary loans (Evans & Saponaro, 2012, p.83; Albitz et. al., 2014, p.267; Gregory, 2019, p.9, 37). We must think carefully about the ongoing selection, acquisition, and promotion of our collections (Keeling, 2019, p.4) to ensure we combat overt and covert censorship and meet the ever-changing educational, cultural, recreational, and professional needs of our students (NSW Department of Education, 2017, p.8). Clearly, being an effective teacher-librarian is about so much more than just buying the books we love!

If a library without an effective collection is like a body without a heart, then a collection without a development or management policy is like a body without a brain. Just as the brain co-ordinates the body’s actions, so too does a collection development policy guide the library’s effective operation. A well-written manual with clear policies and procedures is essential for ensuring best practice and effective delivery of relevant, accessible resources and services for the library community (Australian Library an Information Association [ALIA], 2017, p.4).

Early in this course I learned that while collection management and collection development are often used synonymously, they can also refer to separate concepts (Lysaught, 2021a, para.3-4):

(Johnson, 2018, p.1; Gregory, 2019, p.xiv).

Gregory argues that effective collection development policies have three main purposes: to inform, direct, and protect (2011, p.31). Fieldhouse & Marshall extend on this, stating that effective collection development policies function as a ‘contract’ between the library and its community, and are powerful advocacy tools which inform users, guide administration, and justify funding decisions (2011, p.165-166). While Newsum argues that collection development is the teacher-librarians’ exclusive responsibility (2016, p.101), others argue that collection policies are most effective when planned and implemented democratically (Oberg & Schultz-Jones, 2015, p.34; Johnson, 2018, p.83). I believe that while the final responsibility lies with the teacher-librarian as qualified expert, libraries should be as democratic as possible (Lysaught, 2021b, para.14). A collaboratively designed collection policy is an important public relations tool which encourages ownership, understanding, and support from the school community regarding the library’s role, resources, and processes (Kimmel, 2014, p.70). It is crucial that school libraries have strong policies supported by their local community and colleagues (Lysaught, 2022a, January 17). Without them, a library and its resources are vulnerable to misuse and misunderstanding, exposed to challenges, and overall likely to be less effective at meeting users’ needs and interests.

When I inherited the library, the collection was damaged, outdated, and irrelevant (Lysaught, 2022b, para.4). Like many of my peers, there was no Collection Development Policy (Gemell, 2021, December 27; Losanno, 2022, January 1) and as a result the collection was not effectively meeting user needs (Lysaught, 2022b, para.3). The understandings developed during this unit assisted me in conducting my first ever Stocktake (Lysaught, 2022c, para.4), and helped me weed many resources that no longer met the needs and interests of our users (Lysaught, 2021b, para.10).

This is what happens when library hygiene is neglected – we have a collection in desperate need of a weed!

Moving forward, I intend to engage in the Continuous Review, Evaluation and Weeding cycle outlined by Larson (2012, p.13). Library hygiene is a key element of our role as information specialists (Fieldhouse & Marshall, 2011, p.36; Newsum, 2016, p.201). Just as we need to keep our hearts in shape, so too must we ensure that our collections are in shape via continuous needs assessment, evaluation, selection, acquisition, and promotion (Kimmel, 2014, p.17; Johnson, 2018, p.122). I’ve already created a draft selection criteria to help with ETL503 Assessment 1 (Lysaught, 2022b). One of my first priorities in 2022 will be to create a Library Committee where students and staff come together to collaboratively plan, implement, and promote our policy and resources (Lysaught, 2021b, para.12). Once our collection development and management policies are ratified, I intend to present the information to the whole staff body – though making it accessible and entertaining will likely prove to be a challenge (Lysaught, 2022d, January 14; Oddone, 2022, January 23)! By creating a collection development and management policy in partnership with my community, I hope to protect our collection against changes to user interests and needs, to the information landscape, and to the curriculum by planning for continual evaluation and improvement. To quote the well-known adage, if we fail to plan, then we plan to fail!

 

Word count: 1043

 

Bibliography:

Abed Ali, K. (2022, January 12). RE: Key takeaway from your readings on censorship [Online discussion comment]. Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_58478_1&conf_id=_115077_1&forum_id=_260201_1&message_id=_3899339_1&nav=discussion_board_entry

 

Albitz, B., Avery, C., & Zabel, D. (Eds.). (2014). Rethinking collection development and management. ABC-CLIO, LLC.

 

Australian Library and Information Association [ALIA]. (2017). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres (2nd edition). Australian Library and Information Association.

 

Crawford, L. S., Condrey, C., Avery, E. F., & Enoch, T. (2020). Implementing a just-in-time collection development model in an academic library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 46(2), p.102101.

 

Evans, G. E., & Saponaro, M. Z. (2012). Library and information science text : Collection management basics. ABC-CLIO, LLC.

 

Fieldhouse, M., Marshall, A. (2011). Collection development in the digital age.

 

Fleishhacker, J. (2017). Collection development. Knowledge Quest, 45(4), 24–31.

 

Gemell, L. (2021, December 27). RE: 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

 

Gregory, V. L. (2011). Collection development and management for 21st century library collections : An introduction. American Library Association.

 

Hilzinger, C. (2022 January 10). RE: Key takeaway from your readings on censorship [Online discussion comment]. Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_58478_1&conf_id=_115077_1&forum_id=_260201_1&message_id=_3899339_1&nav=discussion_board_entry

 

Hughes-Hassell, & S., Mancall, J. C. (2005). Collection management for youth: responding to the needs of learners. American Library Association.

 

Johnson, Peggy (2018). Fundamentals of collection development and management. ALA Editions.

 

Keeling, M. (2019). What’s new in collection development? Knowledge Quest 48(2), 4-5.

 

Kimmel, S. C. (2014). Developing collections to empower learners. American Library Association.

 

Larson, J. (2012). CREWing children’s materials. In CREW: a weeding manual for modern libraries, (pp. 33-36), Austin, TX: Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

 

Losanno, J. (2022, January 1). RE: 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

 

Lysaught, D. (2021a, November 15). ETL503 1.1 definition of collection management and collection development. All You Read Is Love. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/allyoureadislove/2021/11/15/etl503-1-1-definition-of-collection-management-and-collection-development/

 

Lysaught, D. (2021b, November 22). ETL503 2.1 developing collections. All You Read Is Love. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/allyoureadislove/2021/11/22/etl503-2-1-developing-collections/

 

Lysaught, D. (2022a, January 17). RE: 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&conf_id=_115077_1&forum_id=_260200_1&message_id=_3900966_1&nav=discussion_board_entry

 

Lysaught, D. (2022b, January 14). ETL503 6.1 editing a collection development policy. All You Read Is Love. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/allyoureadislove/2022/01/14/etl503-6-1-editing-a-collection-development-policy/

 

Lysaught, D. (2022c, January 6). ETL503 5.1 methods of collection analysis. All You Read Is Love. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/allyoureadislove/2022/01/06/etl503-5-1-methods-of-collection-analysis/

 

Lysaught, D. (2022a, January 14). RE: 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&conf_id=_115077_1&forum_id=_260200_1&message_id=_3900966_1&nav=discussion_board_entry

 

Morrisey, L. J. (2008). Ethical issues in collection development.Journal of Library Administration, 47(3-4), 163-171.

 

Newsum, J. M. (2016). School collection development and resource management in digitally rich environments: An Initial Literature Review. School Libraries Worldwide, 22(1), 97–109.

 

Oberg, D., & Schultz-Jones, B. (eds.). (2015). 4.3.1 Collection management policies and procedures. In IFLA School Library Guidelines, (2nd ed.),  (pp. 33-34). Den Haag, Netherlands: IFLA.

 

NSW Department of Education [NSW DoE] (2017). “Handbook for School Libraries. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/learning-across-the-curriculum/school-libraries/your-library

 

Oddone, K. (2022, January 23). RE: 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&conf_id=_115077_1&forum_id=_260200_1&message_id=_3899262_1&nav=discussion_board_entry

 

South Australia Department of Education. (2020). Selecting and using resources for educational purposes guideline. https://www.education.sa.gov.au/doc/selecting-and-using-resources-educational-purposes-guideline

 

United Nations (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

ETL503 6.1 Editing a Collection Development Policy

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Discuss new areas needing coverage in your collection development policy, in view of the digital content of your collection.

Like so many newbie teacher librarians, I have been unable to locate a formal written collection development or collection management policy. As such, I’ve felt more than a little lost this year as I’ve floundered my way through budgeting, selection, and acquisition of resources to support my school community and feel like I probably haven’t made the best choices.

When I started this unit last October I saw the School Library Collection Rubric (ALIA, 2017) and quickly reflected on where I thought our school library collection sat. The results were eye-opening: out of the 31 elements I felt confident to assess, I deemed 8 to be developing, 20 to be at foundation level, and only 3 to be effective. Clearly there is a lot of work to be done to bring our collection up to scratch! 

I plan on using this rubric to set goals (some of which will even make it onto my PDP! What great evidence for accreditation maintenance!) and work towards improving our collection over the next year – though honestly, it will probably take much longer! As noted on my blog, I’ve already undertaken a stocktake and weeded many of our outdated, damaged, and irrelevant resources. It will be interesting to review my initial assessment at the end of the year with more qualitative and quantitative data. 

One of the tasks I set myself this year was to at least create a selection criteria which would guide the acquisition of future resources. This draft has drawn on a number of samples and will hopefully guide the development of a more effective collection in future and allow staff to see the complex nature of what teacher librarians actually do. 

1. Criteria
Relevance to Curriculum and Recreational Needs, Interests and Abilities of Users 1.1 Does the resource meet an existing or anticipated need?
1.2 Will the resource be well-used by students, staff, parents, or other community members?
1.3 Is the cost justified in terms of the potential use and value to the collection?
1.4 Is the print comprehensible and formatted to suit the age level and reading abilities of the target audience?
1.5 Are the content and vocabulary appropriate for the target audience?
1.6 Is the resource suitable to the interest level of the intended users?
1.7 Is this resource high quality?
2. Criteria
Currency of Content

 

 2.1 Is the information current and up-to-date (especially regarding resources on topics such as science, technology, social issues, and geo-political content)?
2.2 Is the information and presentation in keeping with current educational practice?
2.3 Are the tables, charts and other relevant data in the resource recent?
2.4 Are links to websites active and current?
3. Criteria
Accuracy and Quality of Content

 

 3.1 Is the content clearly factual or fictional?
3.2 Are facts and opinions identified and presented impartially?
3.3 Is the content correct?
3.4 Is the content of literary merit?
4. Criteria
Authority and Reliability of the Composer 4.1 Is the author or creator qualified in the field?
4.2 Is the publisher well-established/reputable in the field?
4.3 Has the author or creator produced other works in the same area?
5. Criteria
Presentation of the Resource

 

 5.1 Is the style appropriate for the subject and use?
5.2 Do the illustrations extend the factual information?
5.3 Are the print, illustrations, multimedia, and sound of a high quality?
5.4 Is the resource physically attractive?
5.5 Is the resource durable and well-constructed?
6. Criteria
Accessibility

 

 6.1 Is the format accessible for users?
6.2 Is the content easy to navigate?
6.3 Are ideas developed, organised, and presented clearly?
6.4 Does the resource have peritextual elements such as an index, author’s notes, table of contents, chapter summaries, glossaries, bibliography or menus to assist users to locate relevant information?
7. Criteria
Respectful to All Peoples

 

 7.1 Is the resource free of bias or prejudice?
7.2 Does the resource present positive images of gender, disability, and cultural and ethnic groups?
7.3 Are the representations of people honest and accurate?
7.4 Is the resource free of stereotypical images and role definitions?
For resources dealing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, consider the following additional criteria:
7.5 Is the resource accurate in its presentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues?

 

 

 7.5.1 Authenticity – is the resource an authentic representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues? 
7.5.1.1 Is the material up-to-date?
7.5.1.2 Is the material accurate?

7.5.1.3 Does the material repudiate the concept of terra nullius?
7.5.1.4 Does the material accurately represent Aboriginal resistance to European occupation of the land?
7.5.1.5 Does the material avoid overgeneralisations?
7.5.1.6 Is the number and diversity of both Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal languages and cultures represented?
7.5.1.7 Are illustrations and photographs positive and accurate portrayals of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and relevant to the text?
7.5.1.8 Are photographs accompanied by captions which name the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person or group in a culturally sensitive manner, and indicate where they come from?
  7.5.2 Balanced nature of the presentation – is the representation of content balanced and representative of the diversity and complexity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures?
7.5.2.1 Is there a balanced representation of men and women in the material?
7.5.2.2 Does the material accurately represent women’s roles in First Nations societies?
7.5.2.3 Are stereotyping and racist connotations absent?
7.5.2.4 Does the resource include all readers by not assuming a European background?
7.5.2.5 Does the resource include Torres Strait Islander people?
7.5.2.6 Does the resource avoid over-representing the ‘exotic’ to the exclusion of other cultural aspects?
7.5.2.7 Does the resource acknowledge that First Nations practices continue to the present day?
  7.5.3 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander participation – has the resource been created by, or in consultation with, members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities?
7.5.3.1 Does the resource acknowledge Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander participation in the research, writing, and presentation processes?
7.5.3.2 Is the author Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander?
  7.5.4 Accuracy and support – does the resource accurately represent and support local First Nations groups?
7.5.4.1 Is the material about your local area or state?
7.5.4.2 Has the material been endorsed by local, regional, state, or territory Aboriginal education consultative groups?
7.5.4.3 Has the material been endorsed by other Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander groups?
7.5.4.4 Is the material acceptable to the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities?
  7.5.5 Exclusion of content of a secret or sacred nature – does the resource depict culturally sensitive materials?
7.5.5.1 Does the material avoid culturally insensitive references to information about secret and/or sacred items, practices, sites, and/or representations?
8. Criteria
Criteria Specific to the School’s Context: Support for school and local community issues

 

 8.1 Does the resource support the school as it works to implement the School Improvement Plan (SIP)?
8.1.1 Strategic Direction 1: Student Growth and Attainment
8.1.2 Strategic Direction 2: Enhancing Learning Culture
8.1.3 Strategic Direction 3: Enhancing Wellbeing for Successful Learning
8.2 Does the resource support the socio-emotional needs of our current and emerging student populations?
8.3 Does the resource support the teaching needs of our current staff, such as a specific syllabus option or course?
8.4 Does the resource support specific school-based programs?
8.5 Does the resource support specific local community programs?

Bibliography and other useful resources for future reference:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library, Information and Resource Network (2012). Welcome to the ATSILIRN protocols for libraries, archives and information services. https://atsilirn.aiatsis.gov.au/protocols.php

Australian Library and Information Association. (2017). A manual for developing policies and procedures in australian school library resource centres. (2nd ed.). ALIA Library. https://read.alia.org.au/manual-developing-policies-and-procedures-australian-school-library-resource-centres-2nd-edition

Braxton, B. (2021, October 1). Sample collection policy. 500 Hats. https://500hats.edublogs.org/policies/sample-collection-policy/

Debowski, S. (2001). Collection management policies. In K. Dillon, J. Henri & J. McGregor (eds.), Providing more with less: collection management for school libraries (2nd ed.). (pp.126-136). Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.

Debowski, S. (2001). Collection program funding management. In K. Dillon, J. Henri & J. McGregor (eds.), Providing more with less: collection management for school libraries (2nd ed.). (pp.299-326). Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.

Dillon, K. (2001). Maintaining collection viability. In K. Dillon, J. Henri & J. McGregor (eds.), Providing more with less: collection management for school libraries (2nd ed.). (pp.241-254). Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.

Fieldhouse, M., & Marshall, A. (2012). Collection development in the digital age. Facet.

Fleishhacker, J. (2017). Collection development. Knowledge Quest, 45(4), 24–31.

Gregory, V. L. (2019). Collection development and management for 21st century library collections: an introduction. American Library Association.

Herring, J. (2007). Chapter 2: Teacher librarians and the school library. In S. Ferguson (Ed.) Libraries in the twenty-first century: charting new directions in information (pp.27-42). Wagga Wagga, NSW: Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.

Hughes-Hassell, & S., Mancall, J. C. (2005). Collection management for youth: responding to the needs of learners. American Library Association.

Johnson, Peggy (2018). Fundamentals of collection development and management. ALA Editions.

Keeling, M. (2019). What’s new in collection development? Knowledge Quest 48(2), 4-5.

Kimmel, S. C. (2014). Developing collections to empower learners. American Library Association.

Librarians Portal (2013, October 24). Book selection principles. Librarians Portal: A Place For Library Professionals. https://newonlinelibrary.blogspot.com/2013/10/book-selection-principles.html

Queensland Studies Authority. (2007). Guidelines Indigenous perspectives: Selecting and evaluating resources. https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/approach2/indigenous_g008_0712.pdf

South Australia Department of Education. (2020). Selecting and using resources for educational purposes guideline. https://www.education.sa.gov.au/doc/selecting-and-using-resources-educational-purposes-guideline

 

ETL503 5.1 Methods of Collection Analysis

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From your readings of module 5.1,  discuss which collection methods are suitable and practical in school libraries, and which ones you will use. 

As teacher-librarians, one of our core responsibilities is to identify the needs of our learning community and then figure out what we have and what we require to ensure those needs are served effectively and efficiently. The readings for this module reveal that a balance of qualitative and quantitative methods can help teacher-librarians discover and meet these needs with our existing collections and future purchases. Some of the methods outlined in Johnson’s (2018) chapter fit the ‘just in case’ collection development paradigm, while others exemplify the ‘just in time’ approach.

In my secondary library, I already use circulation statistics from our library management system, Oliver, as well as from Wheelers ePlatform which hosts our online library collection. For these eresources I will also conduct cost-per-use analysis to determine whether to renew all of our subscriptions later this year (we currently subscribe to 3 packages through Wheelers: ebooks, audiobooks, and the Wellness collection). 

I have just completed a stocktake of our non-fiction, biography, and senior fiction collections since circulation data indicated that they were our least used resources. During this process I was able to conduct a direct collection analysis/shelf scanning, though I didn’t realise that this was what it was called at the time! During this process I was able to not only become familiar with our collection, but also to determine whether these resources were still relevant and in good condition. Our shelves have gone from an overpacked, outdated, uninviting mess to a more streamlined collection which will hopefully allow students to identify relevant materials more effectively. One thing I realised was that sometimes poorly performing resources might still be valuable, but need to be displayed or promoted in a more effective manner. However, this was definitely a time-consuming process and not one which could be conducted easily every year!

 

I’d also love to begin more qualitative methods of collection analysis this year. One of my 2022 goals is to establish a student-led library committee, and we could incorporate other methods such as focus groups and more regular user opinion surveys (for my last one, only 11 staff out of 95 responded). I have also tried to get staff to share their assessments with me so that I can conduct curriculum mapping, but this task often gets put aside and forgotten amidst the rush of term so I’ll try to find new ways to get my hands on their tasks. List checking, for example against lists such as the Suggested Texts for the English K-10 Syllabus (2012) or the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge, is another useful qualitative way to analyse the relevance and quality of our library collection. 

I think it would be interesting to see whether the gaps in our collection could be filled by resources available at other local libraries; however, while this might be a cost effective way to ensure the needs of our learning community are met, it is hard to quantify using data and when we pass these ‘sales’ (so to speak!) to other libraries they don’t appear on our statistics which makes it difficult to prove the value of the school library’s work to the powers that be. The importance of advocating our value is a recurring theme in this course, and I’d love to be able to include some of these qualitative and quantitative collection analysis methods in our annual School Report to show students, staff, and parents the complicated nature of our work and how we are supporting their learning and recreational needs.

ETL503 4.2 Creative Commons Licensed Resources

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Locate at least two Creative Commons licensed resources. Write a short description of each and explain the CC license chosen.

Resource 1: Disney by Marc Levin
I chose this resource because I know that the House of Mouse can be quite protective of its IP, and I wanted to ask whether this resource was actually covered by Creative Commons. I found it on Flickr at https://bit.ly/3HgzuLT with the generic attribution licence logo, but I’m wondering if it is legally covered by this licence since Disney (the creator and copyright holder) is not the poster of this material. Instead it looks like Levin has taken a screenshot (with a computer mouse icon included). What’s everyone’s thoughts on this?

Resource 2: How Disney Writes a Villain Song by Polyphonic

Watch Video

Duration: 9:42
User: n/a – Added: 19/10/18
I found this on YouTube by filtering my search using the Creative Commons option. This resource was shared under the Creative Commons Attribution licence allowing reuse. Again, I’d be interested to know if Polyphonic’s use of Disney’s images and music is legal to begin with. YouTube’s copyright policy states that creators shouldn’t use content in their videos that someone else owns the rights to; though this video might be covered by the USA’s Fair Use laws and Australian content creators might be covered by our similar Fair Dealing exemptions: research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting the news; enabling a person with a disability to access the material.

ETL503 4.1 Copyright Questions for Teachers and Students

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From your reading of the Smartcopying website, choose some facts you think teachers or students in your school may not be clear about. Develop two questions for each fact – one for teachers and one for students.

From my experience, a lot of people in schools don’t seem to understand that their actions are “unreasonably prejudicing” the rights of the copyright holder and misunderstand the licensing terms we operate under – I’ll admit that prior to studying for this degree I was just as ignorant. Just recently I had a DP email me to check because a staff member thought it was ok to give our students access to free book torrent sites because it was ‘educational’. I also had to step in when a Year 12 student tried photocopying an entire textbook so he could have his own copy over the holidays!

I’ve come up with the following questions:

For staff: Can I show a movie from Netflix to my class as a reward for them finishing their assessment task?

Answer: Under section 28 of the Copyright Act 1968, staff are allowed to show films, television or radio in their classrooms when it is for educational instruction and not for profit. HOWEVER, if this activity does not have an educational purpose, our school is legally required to obtain a Co-Curricular Licence to avoid copyright infringement. Also, Netflix’s Terms of Use 4.2 state that their content may not be shared with individuals beyond your household and shall not be used for public performances, with the exception of a limited number of documentaries (you can find out more here).

If you wish to legally watch a film with your class please ensure that it is a) educational and b) does not break the service provider’s Terms of Use. You can use our school’s Clickview account to avoid these issues.

For more information please refer to the following resources:

Films and Videos in Schools: https://smartcopying.edu.au/guidelines/films-and-videos/

Netflix Terms of Use: https://help.netflix.com/en/legal/termsofuse

 

For students (though staff might need reminding too!): How much can I photocopy from this textbook?

Answer: It depends. You are allowed to copy limited amounts of material without seeking permission from the copyright owner as long as you are copying for:

  • research or study
  • criticism or review
  • parody or satire
  • reporting the news.

The amount you are allowed to copy depends on whether you are unreasonably affecting the rights of the copyright owner to be fairly paid for their work. If the resource is freely available for you to purchase, you should either a) purchase your own copy; b) only photocopy a reasonable portion (a good guide is 10% or one chapter – whichever is greater); or c) seek the copyright holder’s permission to copy more.

No matter how much you copy, you should be labeling it with the details of the copyright owner/author, the name of the resource, where it was copied from, and when it was copied. Where possible, try to copy only what is absolutely necessary or link to the original material instead. Using Creative Commons licensed material will also help you avoid copyright infringement.

For more information about photocopying, please explore the following resources:

Students and Copyright: https://smartcopying.edu.au/students-and-copyright/

Scanning – What am I allowed to do? https://smartcopying.edu.au/scanning-what-am-i-allowed-to-do/

 

Another student in this unit also posed this question, which I think is a great example of how social media in the school context can totally confuse the issue. I’ve copied the information here for future reference, since I’m now a member of the school’s Social Media Committee:

A student is filmed playing a copyrighted song. Can this recording be shared via the school’s Facebook page?

Answer: From https://smartcopying.edu.au/music-copyright-guide-for-schools/

Making audio or video recordings

Under the School Event Licence schools are able to make recordings (this includes both visual and audio recordings):

  • of school events at which musical works are performed or a sound recording is played
  • to play at a school event (eg copying music to CD or MP3 to play at a school graduation)
  • to include in a video or electronic presentation (eg classroom PowerPoint slides, or in presentations at assemblies or functions)
  • to play in class, whether face-to-face or virtual (eg in order to play musical works and sound recordings relevant to material being studied).

The recordings made by the school should display the following notice:

‘This recording has been made under a licence from AMCOS and ARIA for school purposes only’.

Schools must also display the following details of each musical work captured in the recording:

  • the title
  • the composer/arranger
  • the artist and recording company (if the school is using a backing track).

Schools can also authorise members of the school community to make recordings of music performed at school events for private and domestic listening or viewing by members of the school community (eg parents, guardians and friends can make a video of a presentation night at which the school band played).

Recording a school event

Schools can make a recording (including an audio or video recording) of a school event at which musical works are performed and/or sound recordings are played. Schools can also synchronise a musical work or sound recording with an existing recording of a school event (eg to add a backing track).

Remember to label the recording in the following way:

‘This recording has been made under a licence from AMCOS and ARIA for school purposes only’.

You must also display the following details of each musical work captured in the recording:

  • the title
  • the composer/arranger
  • the artist and recording company (if you are using a backing track).

For example, you could have this information flash up in the final credits.

What can I do with the recording of our school event?

Schools can do the following with recordings of their schools event(s):

  • upload the recording to the school website
  • upload the recordings to a password protected school server, intranet or DTE and make this available to parents, guardians and students. For example if parents and guardians are unable to attend an assembly or graduation day, the school could send them a link to the recording on the school’s password protected intranet and allow them to download a copy for their private use.
  • upload the recording to an app that is being used by the school for internal school communications to members of the school community, such as Schoolbag, Seesaw, Compass and SZapp. This is limited to apps being used by the school for internal school communications, and would not include apps like Snapchat or TikTok.
  • email/message a copy or make a physical copy of the recording (eg copy it on to a USB) and distribute it (for a no cost or on a cost-recovery basis) to members of the school community (eg students and parents or guardians)
  • provide a digital or physical copy of the recording to third parties , including other schools and administering bodies, for the purpose of events the school is or would like to participate in (eg competitions and festivals)
  • stream a live communication of the school event from the school’s website.

Uploading a recording or live streaming a school event to social media

Schools can rely on the school’s music licences to upload recordings of their school events, or live stream their school events, to the school’s official social medial page on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. In order to communicate (ie make available) those recordings from those social media pages, school can rely on the licences that APRA AMCOS and record labels have with the social media platforms.

Note, that where a musical work or sound recording is being performed or played at a school event, the post may still be blocked or muted, see ‘Blocking or muting of events on social media’ below.

Blocking or muting of events on social media

Music recording companies (ie record labels) and some music publishers use software to identify potentially infringing content on social media platforms, such as Facebook. When a school live streams a performance where a musical work or sound recording is being played, or uploads a musical work or sound recording, this software may alert Facebook or other social media platforms to mute the recording or send a takedown notice to the school. If you are concerned about a live stream or recording being muted or your school being issued with a take-down notice, contact the National Copyright Unit.

Alternatively, you may want to consider uploading the recording to your school website or password protected digital teaching environment or intranet.

ETL503 2.1: Developing Collections

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  • Discuss how the teacher librarian’s expertise and role is different from that required by all teachers.
  • Share ideas on how teacher librarians might effectively collaborate with the school community in the selection of resources in a school with which you are familiar.
  • Consider also how to engage your learners in selection of resources for their school library.
  • Who should have the final say on what is included? Why?

From my understanding of the readings set for this module (and my personal experience working in a high school library), there are a number of ways that the teacher librarian’s role and expertise differs from the expectations of all other teachers. The main three that I can tell are:

a) that the TL’s role is poorly defined and seems to be whatever the school requires, whereas a classroom teacher is working from a clearly defined curriculum document;

b) that the TL’s curriculum knowledge spans multiple subjects, general capabilities, and cross-curricular priorities, whereas in the secondary setting most classroom teachers might only have knowledge of two subject areas (and most likely only work within one); and

c) that TLs are in the privileged position of seeing students across different subject areas throughout their time at the school.

As a result, TLs are uniquely placed to know the diverse interests and capabilities of their students and can use their wide-ranging curriculum knowledge to develop collections to support the needs of their learning community.

However, it takes a village to raise a child and schools are no exception. I inherited a library that still has content from when the school was founded in 1976, which means that there is a lot of material that I simply don’t know about or that is irrelevant to the changing needs of today’s teachers and learners. One way I will get my head around this is by conducting a stocktake in a few weeks time, followed by a review of the physical resources once this subject is completed.

I have also collaborated with members of my school community by sending out a survey to staff asking if they had any recommendations for our library collection, and as a result I was able to stock up on relevant learning materials that will better support the staff as they implement their learning programs. I’m in the process of collecting the units of work for each faculty so that I can design displays and curate resources to help staff and students with their work.

Our library is sadly closed to students due to Covid restrictions and our finances had to be finalised in week 2 of this term so no more purchases can take place this year, but next year I plan to form a library committee with students who can help recommend books and other resources that they and their peers might enjoy and find useful. I feel that this will be useful especially with the development of our manga collection (one of the most popular in our library) since I’m not entirely up to speed with the different series that our students seem to love.

One final way that I’m collaborating with my school community is to build a digital space to complement our physical space. I’ve worked hard this year to build a virtual library using Wheelers ePlatform and promoting it via the school’s official Facebook and Instagram accounts. Next year I’d love to build more excitement and increase student ownership of the library collection by creating ‘unboxing’ videos which showcase our new purchases.

While I believe that libraries should be largely democratic, the final say will be mine. While staff and students can request resources and should definitely have a role in shaping a library that is relevant for them, the expertise and responsibility ultimately lies with the Teacher Librarian. After all, I’m the one who will cop the blame if there are any complaints, and therefore I’m the one responsible for creating a collection development and management policy that can justify purchases and stand up to potential challenges. It’s all well and good for a staff member to request that we stock the Outlander series (true story!) or for students to want more copies of the raunchy Food Wars series (it’s amazing how much our teen boys love these images 😂) but if it doesn’t serve the teaching and learning needs of our school community then I have to be prepared to reject these requests. A well-developed collection development and management policy can be a crucial tool in situations like these.

ETL503 1.1: Definition of Collection Management and Collection Development

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So here we are again, ready for another session of study! This week in ETL503 we’ve been looking at the idea of ‘collection management’ and ‘collection development’. What’s the difference?

ALIA (2017) notes that the terminology surrounding collection development and management have changed since 2007 due to changing technologies and the impact this has had on library services. Gregory (2019, p.1-2) emphasises the increased complexity of collection development and management in a rapidly changing information landscape.

Johnson (2018) states that when librarians use the terms ‘collection development’ and ‘collection management’ that they are referring to all the activities involved in building and managing library collections, including physical and electronic resources. She distinguishes that ‘collection development’ refers specifically to “the thoughtful process of developing or building a library collection” (p.1) to meet the specific needs of the library community, while ‘collection management’ refers to the treatment and handling of the collection once it has been developed, though these terms are often used interchangeably.

Gregory (2019) defines collection management as “the process of information-gathering, communication, coordination, policy formulation, evaluation, and planning that results in decisions about the acquisition, retention, and provision of access to information sources in support of the intellectual needs of a given library community” (p.xiii). Collection development, on the other hand, “is the subpart of collection management that has primarily to do with decisions that will result in the acquisition of materials” (p.xiv).

I work in a NSW DoE school. I haven’t found a specific definition of ‘collection development and management’ for this context, but the Handbook for School Libraries (NSW Department of Education, 2017) features a section on the provision and management of resources. This handbook outlines that one of the teacher librarian’s key roles is to manage the school’s collection of resources by “selecting, developing, organising and managing information sources, services and appropriate technology to meet the educational, cultural, recreational and professional needs of the school community” (p.8).

 

Sources:

Australian Library and Information Association [ALIA] (2017). “Manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres (2nd edition)”.

Gregory, V. L. (2019). Collection development and management for 21st century library collections: an introduction.

Johnson, Peggy (2018). Fundamentals of collection development and management.

NSW Department of Education (2017). “Handbook for School Libraries.”