Month: January 2024

In our fast paced and ever-changing world, the pressure to keep up with technology and be on the cutting edge can be overwhelming. School libraries and the role of teacher librarians are not immune from this pressure. These challenges, coupled with issues of advocacy, misconceptions about the role of teacher librarians, alongside access and funding, can often make our roles seem like a constant battle (Maughan, 2022). 

However, throughout this subject, I have come to appreciate and learn about the various tools teacher librarians can have at their disposal that support the many pivotal roles libraries play in their school communities. These supports, such as collection development policies, collection mapping and annual reports allow for advocacy, access, transparency and accountability (Dawkins, 2023). In these processes, these ‘actions and evidences’ (Todd, 2009) can be enacted and exhibited, through adherence to the aims of selecting new resources according to the CDP, or celebrating the access students have had to digital resources, such as e-books, which in turn supports student learning and engagement.

Before this subject, I would have considered that chunks of time spent on evaluating the collection, or drafting policies took away from the real work of teaching and learning in the library (Dawkins, 2024). However, without these policies and procedures providing guidance on decision making, the collection may evolve without being able to effectively meet the needs of the students and teachers it serves.

Collection development policies can assist to help prevent an ad-hoc collection and there are various considerations to be made in this area. CDP models vary and can include quite specific criteria about how different resources are selected, and others can be more general. This in turn will affect the teacher librarian, either providing avenues for the teacher librarian to exercise their own judgement, or needing to stick to a more prescribed criteria (Staats, 2024). The CDP protects the collection in the present, and into the future, such as the treatment of emerging digital resources. (Mullahey, 2024) advocates for digital resources to be managed differently than print resources due to how they can be accessed and used. However, new curation approaches are needed and can be considered for ensuring libraries reflect global progress (ASU Library, 2017). This protection extends into protecting access to resources by ensuring that school librarians aren’t able to control the collection through their own agenda and bias (Moody, 2005). 

Ensuring that the collection meets the needs of the school’s educational and reading enjoyment is protected through adhering to the CDP, in conjunction with activities, such as collection mapping.

Collection mapping is essential for identifying strengths and weaknesses and can provide avenues for student collaboration (Dawkins, 2023). Methods that encompass both qualitative and quanitative measures are important, such as borrowing statistics, user surveys and mapping based on curriculum needs (Yeo, 2024). Even though these processes take time, they are essential for ensuring that resources are selected to support curriculum teaching and to support the teachers in the school community. Teacher librarians are uniquely skilled to be able to research and locate resources (Novak, 2016) and collecting data and information ensures the right information can be circulated.

Further to my learning, I have become more aware of my role as advocate within the school community. These policies and procedures, and information that is pertinent to the collection will be a stronger resource when embraced by the wider school community. The American Association of School Librarians (AASL, 2018) defines advocacy in a way that embraces my own philosophy: ‘the on-going process of building partnerships so that others will act for and with you, turning passive support into educated action for the library program.’

The collection, both present and ongoing will be strengthened by robust policies and procedures and ongoing education of all stakeholders – to ensure that the library continues to be a place that meets the needs of the community in which it serves.

American Association of School Librarians (2018) AASL Advocacy Toolkit. Educated  Support for School Libraries and School Library Professionals. https://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslissues/toolkits/AASLAdvocacyToolkit_180209.pdf

Arizona State University Library (2017) The Future of the Academic Library Print Collection: A Space for Engagement. https://lib.asu.edu/sites/default/files/docs/ASU%2520Whitepaper%2520-%2520Which%2520Books.pdf

Dawkins, B. (2023, Dec 15) The Story of Your Library. A Librarium of Adventure.   https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/bdawkins/2023/12/15/the-story-of-your-library/

Dawkins, B. (2023, Dec 18) Collection Mapping. A Librarium of Adventure     https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/bdawkins/2023/12/18/collection-mapping/

Dawkins, B. (2024, Jan 8) Policies and Procedures – the Winning Ingredient. A Librarium  Of Adventure. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/bdawkins/2024/01/08/policies-and-procedures-the-winning-ingredient/

Maughan, S. (2022, June 10) School Librarians Under Pressure in Industry News. Publishers Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/89573-school-librarians-under-pressure.html

Moody, K. (2005) Covert Censorship in Libraries: a discussion paper.     http://eprints.rclis.org/7107/1/Censorship_discussion_paper.pdf

Mullahey, J. (2024, January 9) 6.1. Editing a Collection Development Policy. (Online Discussion Content). Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68466_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140367_1&forum_id=_330419_1&message_id=_4665305_1

Novak, B. (2016, Term 4) It’s time: Let’s improve schools’ perceptions of teacher librarians. Issue 99. Schools Catalogue Information Services. https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-99/it-s-time-let-s-improve-schools-perceptions-of-teacher-librarians/ – :~:text=Teacher librarians can support teachers,skill held by teacher librarians.

Staats, A. (2024, January 14) Forum 6.1. Incorporating digital resources to a Collection  Policy. (Online discussion content) Interact 2.https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68466_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140367_1&forum_id=_330419_1&message_id=_4669299_1

Todd, R.J. (2009) Transitions for Preferred Futures of School Libraries: Knowledge Space, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2009, 4:2 not Information Place. Connections, not Collections. Actions, not Positions. Evidence, Not Advocacy. Keynote address. International Association of School Librarianship Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 9-12 July 2001.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26634053_Weaving_Evidence_Refection_and_Action_into_the_Fabric_of_School_Librarianship_Editorial

Yeo, K. (2024, January 1) Forum 5.3. Methods of Collection Analysis. (Online discussion Content). Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_68466_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_140367_1&forum_id=_330418_1&message_id=_4661108_1

 

 

 

 

Giving time to policies and procedures is not a task that many people jump to with enthusiasm and excitement. These documents tend to be thought of as dreary and boring, something to be trundled out every blue moon to conduct a review, for compliance or box ticking.

This was certainly my view, until recently. I have read a variety of pieces of literature that have discussed the value and necessity of policies in school libraries, one being the Collection Development Policy. Ensuring the library collection is relevant and useful is critical as it impacts learners, teachers, and curriculum in so many ways (Phillipi & Calzada, 2022)

(Oberg & Schultz-Jones, 2015) describe a collection development policy as the policy that ‘defines the purpose, scope, and contents of the collection as well as access to external resources and helps to ensure a wide range of high quality resources.’. In their writing they discuss the need for collections to be continually developing, in order to meet the needs of the community that the library serves. In past times, the teacher librarian may have chosen resources that they felt was in the best interest of the patrons, however, I am committed to my library being one that is there to serve the needs and interests of my school community.

I was struck in my readings by the need to ensure that the collection is not static, but an evolving and relevant set of resources. In this way, the collection development policy protects the collection, in its current and future states. This important document sets out the guidelines for who makes the selection decisions, what criteria they are subject to, who the main stakeholders are and carefully reminds staff and the community at large of the vision and ethos that the library is seeking to follow.

The policy is a powerful document that can ensure the library works at it’s best. It can protect the library from bias, censorship and irrelevance. It can guide appropriate budget spending and work against waste. In this way, it feels like a huge task – to ensure that my library has a relevant and well known policy – that it is familiar to community stakeholders and referred to often.

My approach to writing a collection development policy would be as follows:

• Ensure I had read current literature and practitioner knowledge and I was aware of a range of best practice and current research around school libraries
• Read a variety of already established collection development policies to be aware of the different ways policy writing can be approached
• Make a list of what needs to be included in my policy – such items as the school vision and ethos and other important elements
• Collaborate with others – I want to ensure that advocacy forms part of my library policies!
• Draft, edit, re-draft!

It is important that this document is reviewed regularly – to ensure it is best serving the library that is is written for.

Oberg, D. & Schultz-Jones, B. (eds.). 4.3.1 Collection management policies and procedures. In IFLA School Library Guidelines, (2nd ed.) (pp.33-34). IFLA. https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf

Phillipi, L. & Calzada, B. (2022) Why Collection Development is Important. Knowledge Quest, Vol 50, Issue 4. American Library Association.

https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA697577815&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=10949046&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=anon%7E8f0ce844&aty=open-web-entry