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As an active and reflective learner, I feel incredibly fortunate to have completed my placements with the MRCC Libraries and Knowledge Hubs. I was able to participate in the varying operations of 3 permanent library sites (Mildura, Merbein and Red Cliffs), the rural outreach service (Cullulleraine) and the mobile home library service. This diversity allowed me to interact with patron cohorts and understand the different ways that public libraries meet the various needs of their communities (Wakeling et al., 2022).  Further, through a strategic and well organised timetable, my placement supervisors gave me the opportunity to learn from numerous, dedicated Library Officers from all sections of the Libraries and Knowledge Hubs. From programs to preservation, customer service to cataloguing, collection development to communications and marketing; each step of the operational process was founded on collaboration, consistency, and quality.

Pavey (2024) points out the importance of working with the various strengths and personalities within an information organisation and the impact this has on the success of library services. I was given time to observe Library Officers in specialist roles, discuss the work they engage in, and was trusted with participating in practical tasks including customer service, children’s programs, resource repair and preservation, shelf reading, weeding, digitisation, among other duties (S. Haby, personal communication, August 30, 2025).

While the theoretical understanding gained throughout my course has been invaluable in laying the foundation for my Teacher Librarian Master of Education degree, the practical experience of this placement has given me skills that I could not have gained through an entirely online study mode. Engaging with professional networks, and the broader information service community, is essential professional development for Teacher Librarians (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL], 2022). In response to my work ethic and growing understanding of library services, my placement supervisor noted that ‘…Bianca, at all times, was extremely professional, diligent and had a pleasant demeanour which resonated positively with patrons and library staff. Given Bianca’s background and experience as a teacher librarian, she was able to bring her knowledge and interest in children’s literature and programs to assist a number of patrons…’ (S. Haby, personal communication, August 30, 2025).

The placement at MRCC, opened my eyes to the complexity of working within a consortium of public library branches and the ways in which the highly developed and systematic approaches to strategic organisation, grounded in clear policies and practices, may also benefit a small, isolated school library. I am exceptionally appreciative to the leadership and staff at the MRCC Libraries and Knowledge Hubs, for generously sharing their time and knowledge.

References

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Limited (AITSL). (2022). Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 2011, Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. AITSL. Melbourne.

Australian Library and Information Association. (2020). Foundation knowledge, skills and attributes for information professionals working in archives, libraries and records management. https://read.alia.org.au/foundation-knowledge-skills-and-attributes-relevant-information-professionals-working-archives-

Pavey, S. (2024). The networked librarian: the school librarian’s role in fostering connections, collaboration and co-creation across the community. Facet.

Wakeling, S., Garner, J., Hider, P., Jamali, H., Lymn, J., Mansourian, Y., & Randell-Moon, H. (2022). ‘The challenge now is for us to remain relevant’: Australian public libraries and the COVID-19 crisis. IFLA Journal, 48(1), 138–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352211054115

The Australian Library and Information Association [ALIA] (2020), sets out the knowledge, skills and attributes that information professionals are expected to acquire over their career. While on placement at the MRCC Library and Knowledge Hubs, I was able to spend significant time focusing on processes and practices relating to information management, in particular, ways in which to ‘…appraise and assess the significance of collections… establish priorities and implement decisions about their use, retention and disposal’ (ALIA, 2020, pg. 2, para. 9). The practical experience gained during this time, complimented the theoretical knowledge gained in ‘ETL503 – Resourcing the Curriculum’ (Charles Sturt University [CSU], 2023) and gave me deep insights into active, evidence-based decision making, especially in the context of the iterative resource selection, acquisition, de-selection, and evaluation cycle.

The collection development processes at the MRCC Library and Knowledge Hubs are governed by a strict set of policies and procedures that ensure consistency, and quality, across the consortium. O’Connell et al. (2015) point out that effective collection development policies explicitly outline the decision-making processes for the selection, acquisition, and deselection of resources and are essential to providing an effective and relevant library service. Operational policies for the MRCC libraries are stored in a central database with a Library Officer allocated to the development and oversight of each policy, including the addition of any ad-hoc amendments and the undertaking of yearly reviews. I was given the opportunity to examine the ways in which policies are created, enacted and managed through a digital staff portal. The database offered clear and accessible overviews of the processes involved in each step of collection development and included both descriptive information, and visual examples, to promote standardisation across library branches. Being able to view the policy database, and work with various Library Officers as they put the collection development practices in action, has helped me to identify the need to initiate a policy data base, on a smaller scale, in my own school library.

Sound collection development process not only ensure that current practices maintain a high level of continuity but also guarantee that patron needs continue to be met in the context of a rapidly changing information environment (Debowski, 2001; Kimmel, 2014; Mitchell, 2021; Feighan, 2015; Kennedy, 2005). By explicitly placing the goal of supporting a ‘…healthy, respectful and connected community…’ as central to the MRCC Libraries and Knowledge Hubs ethos (Mildura Rural City Council, 2025e, para. 8), Library Officers aim to be cognisant of changing literary trends, emerging technologies, new community needs and evolving patron interests. Collaboration and communication through face to face and virtual meetings, enable staff to use this knowledge to inform the collection development process and adapt service delivery. Furthermore, enacting the guidelines of peak library bodies through clear collection development policies and processes, enhances the overall status of the library within the wider community and ensures that the library is recognised and funded as a vital resource, central to the educational, cultural and recreational needs of the Sunraysia community (ALIA, 2024; ALIA & ASLA, 2016; IFLA, 2015).

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Limited (AITSL). (2022). Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership 2011, Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. AITSL. Melbourne.

Australian Library and Information Association. (2020). Foundation knowledge, skills and attributes for information professionals working in archives, libraries and records management. https://read.alia.org.au/foundation-knowledge-skills-and-attributes-relevant-information-professionals-working-archives-

Australian Library and Information Association. (2024). ALIA core values policy statement. https://read.alia.org.au/alia-core-values-policy-statement-0

Australian Library and Information Association School & Victorian Catholic Teacher Librarians. (2007). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres. https://asla.org.au/policy-development-manual

Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) & Australian School Library Association (ASLA). (2016). Joint Statement on school library resource provision. https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Policies/policy_School_Library_Resource_Provision.pdf

Charles Sturt University [CSU]. (2023). ETL503 – Resourcing the Curriculum. https://handbook.csu.edu.au/subject/2024/ETL503

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).

Feighan, D. (2015). Building a school library collection to keep up with the digital age. FYI: The Journal for the School Information Professional. 19(3), 6–12.

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions School Libraries Section Standing Committee. (2015).  IFLA school library guidelines.  https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf

Kennedy, J. (2005). A Collection Development Policy for Digital Information Resources? The Australian Library Journal, 54(3), 238–244.

Kimmel, S. C. (2014). Developing collections to empower learners. American Association of School Librarians.

Mildura Rural City Council. (2025e). Council plan 2025-2029. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Council/Policies-plans-and-strategies/Community-Vision-Council-Plan

Mitchell, P. (2011). Resourcing 21st century online Australian curriculum: The role of school libraries. FYI: the Journal for the School Information Professional, 15(2), 10-15.

O’Connell, J., Bales, J., & Mitchell, P. (2015). Literature in digital environments: Changes and emerging trends in Australian school libraries. In L. Das, S. Brand-Gruwel, K. Kok, & J. Walhout (Eds.), 2015: IASL Conference Proceedings (Maastricht, Netherlands): The School Library Rocks: Living it, Learning it, Loving it (pp. 324-337). International Association of School Librarianship. https://doi.org/10.29173/iasl7467

Oddone, K. (2019). School library collection development: It’s not as simple as you might think. Linking Learning. https://www.linkinglearning.com.au/school-library-collection-development-its-not-as-simple-as-you-might-think/

Public libraries serve as community hubs that offer more than just books. As a vital information service, public libraries ensure that all members of the community have fair and equitable access to resources that support their knowledge, interests, and wellbeing (Wakeling et al., 2022). In rural and regional contexts, libraries provide particularly significant contributions to their local community, supporting patrons to make meaningful social connections and addressing the technological inequities presented by their geographical locations. Further, public libraries located in country towns are often compelled to address knowledge and/ or wellbeing needs, unique to their own local community demographics, that may normally be provided by other services in a metropolitan location (Hider et al., 2024).

Operating as a systematised network, the Mildura Rural City Council (MRCC) Libraries and Knowledge Hubs are located across 5 physical sites, that span more than 200km across Sunraysia, Victoria. The library also runs a rural outreach library services van to four more locations, as well as a home library delivery service that aims to increase accessibility to eligible community members (Mildura Rural City Council, 2025a). Mildura hosts the central branch of the MRCC library network and is located on Latji Latji Country, adjacent to the Murray River and the traditional waterways of the Barkandji people (Chilly, 2020). Geographically, Mildura is located 400km Northeast of Adelaide, 550km Northwest of Melbourne and 1100km West of Sydney (Regional Development Victoria, 2023). Despite its regional location, Mildura currently has over 57 000 citizens with a population projected to increase for the foreseeable future. 26.3% of the population in Mildura is aged over 60 years (slightly higher than the state average of 22.4%) and 4.6% of Mildura citizens identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (more than four times the state average). Young people, aged 0-19 years constitute 21.3% of Mildura’s populace compared to the Victorian average of 23.6% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021; Mildura Rural City Council, 2025b).

Reading materials are carefully selected to meet the needs and interests of the local community, and include a vast regular and large print collection, dyslexic print texts, magazines, graphic novels and a variety of formats that support audio, visual and digital text accessibility. Physical resources can be accessed across a consortium of Victorian libraries, allowing customers to request items from sites across the state. As well as boasting a broad, hybrid collection of quality reading resources, MRCC libraries connect their patrons with services such as information technology assistance, digital preservation services, community engagement and social groups, strategic lifelong literacy programs and rural outreach programs. Additionally, MRCC libraries serve the wellbeing of their community through various health initiatives. Examples of these include co-hosting spaces for health outreach services like the Community Paramedicine Program, the loaning of health monitoring devices through innovative schemes such as the Mildura Library of Things, a vegetable and herb seed co-operative and a soundproof booth which enable private meetings, including telehealth consults (Mallee Track Health & Community Service, 2022; Mildura Rural City Council, 2025c).

The MRCC Libraries and Knowledge Hubs are founded upon values that underpin the overarching work of the MRCC. These values include respect, teamwork, customer satisfaction, open communication and integrity (Mildura Rural City Council, 2025d). In 2025, the MRCC developed a consultation-based vision of the municipality into the future and determined that the Libraries and Knowledge Hubs strive to meet the ongoing cultural, educational and recreational needs of its patrons and are a vital supporting service in developing a healthy, respectful and connected community (Mildura Rural City Council, 2025e).

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Mildura 2021 census. https://abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/quickstats/2021/LGA24780

Chilly, T. (2020). Yuranga Aboriginal network Mildura local Aboriginal network community plan 2020. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/files/assets/public/document-resources/council/publications/community-plans/yuranga-community-plan-2020.pdf

Hider, P., Wakeling, S., Marshall, A., & Garner, J. (2024). Public library services in rural Australia: Challenges and prospects. Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, 73(2), 122-147. https://doi.org/10.1080/24750158.2024.2315338

Mallee Track Health & Community Service. (30 March, 2022). Mallee track pleased with community paramedic trial. https://www.mthcs.com.au/news-and-events/news/2022/03/29/mallee-track-pleased-with-community-paramedic-trial

Mildura Rural City Council. (2025a). City profile. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Council/About-Council/City-Profile

Mildura Rural City Council. (2025b). Library locations & opening hours. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Explore/Libraries/Library-locations-opening-hour

Mildura Rural City Council. (2025c). Library services. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Explore/Libraries/Library-services  

Mildura Rural City Council. (2025d). Working at council. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Council/Careers/Working-at-Council

Mildura Rural City Council. (2025e). Council plan 2025-2029. https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Council/Policies-plans-and-strategies/Community-Vision-Council-Plan

Regional Development Victoria. (27 December, 2023). Regional city of Mildura. https://www.rdv.vic.gov.au/victorias-regions/mildura

Wakeling, S., Garner, J., Hider, P., Jamali, H., Lymn, J., Mansourian, Y., & Randell-Moon, H. (2022). ‘The challenge now is for us to remain relevant’: Australian public libraries and the COVID-19 crisis. IFLA Journal, 48(1), 138–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352211054115

Talks about finance can be a tricky and sensitive subject. In the context of chronically underfunded public schools in New South Wales (NSW Teachers Federation, 2022), talks of where a very limited budget should be spent within a busy school can cause competitive angst . Lamb & Johnson (2012) suggest that before tackling the finance talks with school leader ship. that teacher librarians must first act as ‘collaborators’ who build partnerships with their teacher colleagues. This vital step of collaboration  lays the foundation for the TL to better understand the curriculum requirements and reading interests of the school community and ensure that acquisition and collection development reflects these needs. It sets the library up as a space that is useful, relevant and a contributor to student achievment. Through mutual respect and trust, TLs can advocate for the significance of the library and its qualified staff within the wider school community.

When considering whether teacher librarians should have the responsibility of submitting a budget proposal to fund the library collection to the school’s senior management and/or the school community or whether such proposals should come from a wider group such as a school library committee NSW TL’s should be guided by a strong, local Collection Development Policy (CDP) that is supported by school leadership, reflects the context of the school and follows both NSW Department of Education and ASLA policy. The NSW Department of Education Library Policy (2019) describves the TL as a ‘…a specialist teacher who develops, manages and evaluates, on behalf of the principal, systems and procedures that include…library budgeting’ (para. 11) and while this indicates that the overall responsibility lies with the TL, the policy also indicates that ‘…Principals and teacher-librarians are responsible for… a detailed description of the support each library provides to meet the particular needs of the students of the school…’ (para. 4) and that TLs must ‘…collaborate with teachers in planning, implementing and evaluating teaching and learning programs…’ (para. 6).While some schools have developed custom and practice that the funding for the school library collection be distributed to teachers /departments so they have the power to determine what will be added to the library collection, it is the TL who knows what the overall composition of the collection needs to be. Further, to ensure that resources meet the future needs of a library in the context of a rapidly changing information landscape, ultimately final budgeting decisions should be the repsponsibility of the TL.

By working together as a collective group, overseen by the TL, to develop a CDP with criteria that reflects the needs of the school, Teacher Librarians can ensure that money spent through library acquisitions support the needs of the whole school community. ASLA’s (2016) Statement on School Library Resource Centre Funding states that TL’s should consult with school leaders to develop a budget that meets the learning needs of the school and ALIA (2017) suggests that the final authorship of a school’s budgeting policy should include school library staff, the Principal, and the finance department.

References:

Australian School Library Association. (2016). Statement on School Library Resource Centre Funding. https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Policies/policy_school_library_funding.pdf

Australian School Library Association & Victorian Catholic Teacher Librarians. (2017). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres. (2nd ed.). https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Policies/policies-procedures-manual_ed2.pdf

Lamb, A. & Johnson, H.L. (2012). Program administration: Budget management. The School Library Media Specialist. http://eduscapes.com/sms/administration/budget.html.

NSW Teachers Federation. (2022). Coalition’s $10bn in sweeteners for private schools while public schools remain underfunded. https://www.nswtf.org.au/news/2022/04/28/coalitions-10bn-in-sweeteners-for-private-schools-while-public-schools-remain-underfunded/

After completing units on cataloguing and inquiry learning, I was so excited to finally dive into literature. At the onset of this course, I characterized reading as dual purpose. I determined that reading developed functional literacy and was also an engaging form of recreational enjoyment (Bertalli, 2023, November 19). Over the course, however, I became aware that this representation was overly simplistic and did not encompass the full potential of reading.

From an early age, I understood that fiction allowed a reader to experience the world in new ways, due to my own firsthand experiences (Bertalli, 2023, February 26). As a child, I lived in housing commission. The fortnightly visits from the mobile public library van gave me access to books that were an escape, an adventure, and an education of the possibilities outside of my own world. At age 10, I would wake early to walk to the community centre carpark, on my own, and excitedly greet the librarian to exchange my pile of novels. Sometimes, I would lie and tell the librarian that my chosen selection of hardcover books was for my parents, so that I wasn’t redirected to the children’s section for borrowing!  However, it wasn’t until my learning within this subject that I truly began to articulate the power of literature and the lasting effects this may have on our students and their sense of identity and place in this world (Johnston, 2017).

Johnston (2010) describes literacy as a chameleon (p. 25). Literacy looks different across and within various contexts and disciplines, something I have previously acknowledged in my blog (Bertalli, 2023, March 22). However, it is the study of quality literature that feeds into all inter-discipline and trans-discipline conceptions of literacy (Johnston, 2010). Through the critical exploration of characters, settings and plot in fiction, and the ways that various concepts may resonate with a reader beyond the reading of the text, literary learning is key in developing multiliteracy- the ability to interpret and create meaning across various modes and contexts. (Anstey & Bull, 2006; Johnston, 2010). A strong foundation of quality literature prepares students for lifelong critical and creative thinking.

Literature also teaches a reader to apply imagination and intelligence to unfamiliar situations and assists them to develop ethical understanding and social/ emotional capabilities (Johansson, 2013; Lyngfelt, Sporre, Lifmark, Lilja, Osbeck, & Franck, 2023; Litner, 2006). This is something I highly value in my personal teaching pedagogy (Bertalli, 2023, May 20). Johnston (2017) articulates this well, saying that ‘…deep literacy…affects how we see the world and deal with others… affects our thinking…encourages respectful attitudes and behaviours… connects and ethically considers options… recognises [and] negotiates differences…’ (p.65). As a teacher librarian I have both the privilege and responsibility to support my students to gain these attributes through literary learning. ‘ETL402: Literature Across the Curriculum’ has allowed me to fully appreciate the power of purposeful literature selection, when teaching curriculum content. It is an awareness that I will carry with me as I collaboratively plan with teacher colleagues in 2024 and beyond.

References:

Anstey, M., & Bull, G. (2006). Teaching and learning multiliteracies: Changing times, changing literacies. International Reading Association.

Johansson, V. (2013). “I am scared too”: Children’s Literature for an Ethics beyond Moral Concepts. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 47(4), 80–109. https://doi.org/10.5406/jaesteduc.47.4.0080

Johnston, R. R (2010). ImagiNations and deep literacy; Ideas, dreams and visions for Australian futures. University of Technology, Sydney. https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/accy-imaginations.pdf

Johnston, R. R. (2017). Australian Literature for Young People. Oxford University Press.

Lintner, T. (2006). Hurricanes and Tsunamis: Teaching about Natural Disasters and Civic Responsibility in Elementary Classrooms. Social Studies, 97(3), 101–104. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.3200/TSSS.97.3.101-104.

Lyngfelt, A., Sporre, K., Lifmark, D., Lilja, A., Osbeck, C., & Franck, O. (2023). Bridging “as is” and “as if” by reading fiction in ethics education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 53(1), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2022.2075323

In beginning to think of the history of Children’s literature, it makes sense to consider the future.

Children’s  literature has its origins in moral education, more specifically through the framework of religious education. However, a quick survey of the contemporary bookshops shelves demonstrates that children’s books do indeed still often carry a strong message on ethics, However, today this is more reflective of  the broader contemporary values of inclusion, social justice, environmental education, mental health and multicultural issues- including First nations perspectives.

Another growing category of children’s literature appears to be non fiction texts that are presented as narrative tales or infographic stylised picture books. These books tap into childrens’ innate curiosity and sense of fun. They also cater to many childrens’ connection to rich visual input that they may encounter through digital media and technology. Interactive elements, such as QR codes, enable students to cross the boundaries between text modes.

Graphic novels are also a hugely growing genre. Once used as a way to entice reluctant readers, these books- both original stories and appropriated classics- have grown in popularity and availability. The colour illustrations and speech bubbles, reflect the narrative style of television and movies that are devoid of narration, figurative language and imagery. The effect that this genre will have on reading engagement still remains to be seen, however. If reading for enjoyment is the goal, does it matter that these elements are missing?

So what does this mean? Literature available to young people now days allows children and teenagers to explore a growing field of issues from more diverse points of view. However, with the right wing reaction to this historical development resulting in book ban lobbying in some regions, it is difficult to predict where the future of children’s literature will go.