Assessment 1: First and latest thoughts on the role of teacher librarian

The role of teacher librarian did not exist for me until I started my Master of Teaching program in 2008, and I cannot clearly determine how much it existed even then. I am assuming there was mention of this role in my various courses on teaching literacy in primary schools and that I may have encountered such a person on my practicum placements. With certainty, I can say that the role came into existence in 2011 when the school wherein I was working called for expressions of interest for a teacher librarian to work in a new, dedicated primary library.

The opportunity certainly excited me, and I was urged to apply. Initially, I focused solely on the ‘librarian’ aspect of this title and was reluctant to apply. In all my experience, a librarian was not a role one simply adopted. I thought of both my university libraries; enormous buildings with enormous resources connected to an ever-expanding world of information! And the librarians always seemed so sure and calm in managing these enormities. They had gotten me out of many a stump, but I did not think their expertise had flowed through to me in any substantial way.

Prior to learning about the role more clearly, ‘teacher librarian’ consisted of a few notions: a cultivator of resources, namely quality fiction and non-fiction books; being a lively advocate of books and of reading; a creator of a welcoming space where students would visit as formal and informal learners. These thoughts came from the many Saturdays visiting our local library growing up, my vague memories of libraries from schooling, tertiary education, and what made sense to me as a primary educator.

From here, a little reading on twenty-first century libraries and trends in information services broadened the role considerably, but the  joint description from Australian Library and Information Association and Australian School Library Association provided clarity and enthusiasm for the position. My initial thoughts were not wrong, but they were incomplete. Most notably, I had not entirely considered how the role would support inquiry based learning in the school and how I would engage the community in this role (ALIA-ASLA, 2016).

I have occupied the role of teacher librarian for 8 years and my understanding of the role is always growing. With regular attendance of teacher librarian conferences, following relevant blogs and social media, and some communication with professional peers, the four roles of the teacher librarian as outlined by ALIA and ASLA are continuously clarified and expanded as I try to meet the ongoing needs of the library and the school community.

Perhaps the most substantial shift in my understanding of the role is that a teacher librarian must never be isolated or grounded in their library; a teacher librarian is always outward looking in terms of trends in information services, digital technologies, literature, and new media. The teacher librarian is leading the broad school community to the outside world, such as connecting them with other libraries, bookstores, events, galleries, animal shelters, gardens, authors, and whole specialised communities which might become their community. We must also keep our doors and windows open via social media and host events which share our resources and expertise with the community we serve. And, of course, in being outwardly connected, the teacher librarian is always learning. Expertise is ongoing.

References

Australian Library and Information Association & Australian School Library Association. (Revised 2016). Statement on Teacher Librarians in Australia. Asla.Org.Au. Retrieved February 24, 2022, from https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Policies/policy_tls_in_australia.pdf