Month: August 2023

Change in organisations such as libraries are continually experiencing change from a range of internal and external drivers (Zimmermann, 2011). Internally change comes from the continual cycles of updates in strategic improvement plans, staff attitudes, student access of library resources, and advancements in resources and equipment all revolving around 21^st century learning needs. Externally there have been some significant changers that affect education and libraries that come from global and domestic sources:

• • Digital literacy has become a global changer to standards moving beyond learner’s needs at the foundational ICT levels to a more holistic approach to digital skills required to be successful online and have future focussed and desirable employment skills (DQ Institute, 2021, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, 2023). Digital literacy has also been a development affecting Australian schools with ACARA updating the focus of ICT to a new capability of digital literacy, incorporating specific additions to online safety and protection (ACARA, 2021).

• • The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration has now superseded the Melbourne Declaration in an agreement of the Council of Australian Government Education (2019). This new agreement builds on the previous by extending targets and looking at life long and 21^st Century learning, whilst emphasising the need to focus on mental health among other key areas.

Change drivers have impacts within schools and often the practical nature of change making comes to those who have specialist roles within the organisation. Teacher Librarians occupy a special role that has them as a classroom teacher and a specialist educator prime to collaborate with all staff across the organisation where needed. For this to be effective there are certain skills or processes required to lead change from the often ‘middle’ that the Teacher Librarian occupies as their space in the organisational hierarchy:

• • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Problem solving
  • Conflict resolution

(Zimmermann, 2011)

Change can come at a price for those leading it and this often comes from inertia and failure along with what might feel like an overloading of work (Lodge & Pymm, 2007). Teacher Librarians much like any other educator have limited time and resources, however, can also occupy that special place in colleagues and executives’ minds of do-nothings. People don’t always trust or want the help, let alone leadership from a Teacher Librarian – the sad fact is they often need convincing through advocacy of the actual role and strengths it can bring from the middle vantage point (AASL, 2013, Bishop, 2011).

References

American Association of School Librarians. (2013). Chapter 4: Empowering learning through leadership. In AASL, Empowering learners: Guidelines for school library programs (pp.57-63). American Library Association.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2021). General capabilities – digital literacy (previously ICT): Consultation – introductory information and learning continua. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/media/7024/gc_digital_literacy_ict_capability_consultation_curriculum.pdf

Bishop, K. (2011). Connecting libraries with classrooms. Linworth.

Council of Australian Governments Education Council. (2019). Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration. https://www.education.gov.au/alice-springs-mparntwe-education-declaration

DQ Institute. (2021). What is the DQ framework? global standards for digital literacy, skills, and readiness. https://www.dqinstitute.org/global-standards/

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (2023). IFLA Trend Report.  http://trends.ifla.org

Lodge, D. & Pymm, B. (2007). Library managers today: The challenges. In S. J. Ferguson (Ed.), Libraries in the twenty-first century: Charting directions in information services.  https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-876938-43-7.50017-X

Zimmermann, N. (2011). Dynamics of Drivers of Organizational Change. Springer Gabler.

Teacher Librarians are not often considered main characters in hierarchical organisation of schools with their actual job role usually having the “Teacher” part forgotten about, except when it comes to supervision of students during free periods. So where do they belong? Are they more than a teacher? Do they get paid more? Do they hold a position of power?

Most of these answers will likely not surprise or impress you if you are looking at the role as a pioneering leader who is widely recognised and rewarded openly above that level of others within a school. But that may also be context driven by the leadership Teacher Librarians take on (Turner, 2015). Teacher Librarians do not technically sit above teachers, they also do not get paid more. However, they are a dual qualified staff member with both the “Teacher” and “Librarian” aspects to their name coming with their own unique and well-earned qualifications. This positions them often ahead of other classroom teachers in terms of qualifications and also provides a role within the school which works as a school wide leader. They are more than a classroom teacher in what they do, which is to build collaboration, advocate for student outcomes and success (Crippen & Willows, 2019), and work strategically on school wide goals in a school wide way (Zmuda & Hararda, 2008). This is a professionally recognised position, but without advocacy for this may still be a hidden one (Stephens, 2011).

 

References

Crippen, C. & Willows, J. (2019). Connecting teacher leadership and servant leadership: A synergistic partnership. Journal of Leadership Education, 18(2), pp. 171-180. https://journalofleadershiped.org/jole_articles/connecting-teacher-leadership-and-servant-leadership-a-synergistic-partnership/

Stephens, W. S. (2011). The school librarian as leader: out of the middle, into the foreground. Knowledge quest, 39(5), 18-21.

Turner, L. (2015). Becoming a library leader. ATLA Summary of Proceedings, (69), 179-185.

Zmuda, A,. & Hararda, V. H. (2008). Librarians as learning specialists: moving from the margins to the mainstream of school leadership, 36(1), 6.