Unveiling the Joys and Rewards of School Library Work
The annual Softlink School Library Survey asked a number of open-ended questions to school library staff, providing an opportunity for them to share their thoughts about working in school libraries across Australia.
Themes that emerged in the survey include challenges staff face and that staffs’ enthusiasm and passion for their roles supporting their school communities including:
- Cultivating a love of reading
- Contributing to teaching and learning
- Engaging with students and staff
- The variety of the role
- Providing a safe and welcoming space
- Books! Books! Books!
- Supporting research and information literacy
There was an emphasis on how working in school libraries fosters and nurtures a passion for reading, supports reluctant and struggling reader into enthusiastic ones, facilitates the discovery of different books and genres while actively participating in students reading journeys.
Staff mentioned their work was fulfilling and there was often deep engagement, meaningful relationships, positive and rewarding interactions with both students and staff members that contributed to the school community.
Library staff expressed that working in school libraries provided them with enriching experiences where they could create secure and inviting environments for students by creating a dedicated space that not only fostered and nutured a passion for reading but also encouraged student development while also fostering innovation and supporting academic exploration.
School library staff expressed fulfilment in connecting students with reliable resources, teaching students to evaluate information critically, and fostering a passion for research and information literacy.
Library staff enjoyed supporting teaching and learning through student engagement, collection development, and collaborative endeavours with teachers.
One of the most common themes to appear in the survey that teaching staff enjoyed was variety of the role, the constant change, the unpredictability, and the opportunity to be constantly learning.
Working in a school library was highlighted as an immersive experience of being surrounded by books, celebrating their presence, and sharing their passion for books with
others.
Why is this survey important to school libraries and teacher librarians in Australia?
This report is of great significance to school libraries and teacher librarians in Australia as it provides a voice and gives weight to the thoughts of those most qualified and experienced to discuss school libraries.
Libraries are just not a place to quietly read a book but are places of great magic that include so much more. Students are provided with opportunities such as research, opportunities to explore different topics and genres of books where they can further expand their own interests, become exposed to new learning and put that learning into practice in the classroom and beyond. Skills taught during library lessons can be transferred to the classroom and skill students for real world applications that they can carry into their adult and working lives.
By providing teacher librarians an opportunity to have their voices heard also validates them and their opinions as it can also be a lonely role as it is specialised and not directly linked to a particular teaching stage in a school where collegial relationships are often formed.
This survey also allowed for trends or themes to be analysed to see commonalities or differences, areas of strength or weakness, areas of growth or decline.
This survey has allowed me to reflect and learn about different views of teacher librarians to expand my knowledge and awareness of the roles that they play in school communities and further embed their importance.
