The role and nature of school library collections
The ETL503 course introduced the practices and issues related to school library collection development. It was a lightbulb moment when I realised the teacher librarian (TL) was perfectly placed to assist teachers to cover the requirements of the cross-curriculum priority areas. With the release of the new Partnership Agreement (2020-2030) between the New South Wales Consultative Group (AECG) and the NSW Department of Education (DET), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures is a current and significant priority area for public schools (New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc., n.d.).
While considering issues which arise during collection development, I was surprised to learn how much negotiation must be carried out by the TL. In my reply to Deborah Hagger’s (personal communication, March 23, 2021) forum post, I agreed that bundled sets were a good option for librarians who were inexperienced or short on time (Friend, 2021, May 6). I had never thought about suppliers trying to clear stock in their warehouses, so it would be necessary to negotiate terms that allowed TLs to return unwanted stock.
Another issue that I was pleased to acknowledge and learn more about was copyright. This is an issue that is constantly overlooked in schools, but TLs need to be aware of the legal issues when negotiating licences for digital content. Schools are covered by the ‘Statutory Text and Artistic Works Licence’ which allows them to copy a reasonable amount of text for educational purposes, provided it does not adversely affect the potential revenue of the copyright owner (National Copyright Unit, n.d.). Some material is licenced under creative commons and is free for staff and students to use, provided they abide by the terms of use outlined by the copyright holder (Friend, 2021, May 5).
The importance of a collection development policy as a strategic document.
The collection development policy is important because it is a public document outlining the purpose of the collection in line with the goals and vision of the school (Friend, 2021, March 15). It should be developed in collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure the priorities of the school are reflected in the library collection. It took some time for me to get my head around the difference between collection development and collection management, because the terms are quite often used interchangeably. In the end I have discovered that collection development forms part of a larger collection management plan. A well-developed collection development policy can be used to defend decisions made about selection or deselection of resources in the event of a challenge.
I found it useful to learn about the different resource selection tools that were available to assist the TL when choosing resources to add to school library collection. Developing selection criteria is essential for creating a balanced collection which meets the information needs of the school community. It was interesting to consider how output measures could be used to inform purchasing decisions. Mary Wood (personal communication, April 27, 2021) pointed out some considerations when thinking about output measures, like borrowing patterns of staff and students, the size of the library and the socio-economic background of the students. When I replied to her forum post, it made sense that socio-economic status would affect purchasing decisions (Friend, 2021, 6 May). If students are to access digital content at home, they need the equipment to view the learning materials.
Strategically, the collection management plan explicitly shows how the library is aligned to the goals of the school. The TL can use the policy to demonstrate how the library plays a role in achieving the school’s overall vision. There may also be a case to be argued for more funding, by aligning the policy to the needs of the learning community.
Collection development policy for future proofing the collection.
The collection development policy should be revisited and updated every three years (Braxton, 2018). This will ensure that the nature of resources remain current, and the goals of the library continue to reflect the strategic directions of the school. The School Excellence Cycle has schools develop a Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) every 4 years, so the TL would be wise to align their policy updates with the planning cycle (New South Wales Department of Education, 2020).
The collection should continue to be evaluated by a number of methods to ensure the needs of its users are being met. On the discussion forums I outlined the methods of collection analysis, I thought were most suitable for school libraries (Friend, 2021, May 6). Quantitative analysis such as circulation statistics and data from electronic resources, such as cost per use are useful ways of evaluating what resources are being accessed. The TL can use this data to purchase additional copies of popular titles or work out the cost effectiveness of e-resources. Vanessa Stephens (personal communication, 16 May, 2021) agreed that both quantitative and qualitative methods should both be used in the collection evaluation process to locate where gaps may occur in the collection. However, she believes collection mapping would not be feasible or sustainable in the context of a school library.
Other considerations for future proofing the library collection include being responsive to changes in digital technologies and equipment, to ensure learners have access to the latest educational resources. The changing nature of the information landscape can mean rapid change occurs and it is important for the school to be responsive to the learning preferences of modern learners. The TL should follow syllabus updates with interest, to ensure the collection remains relevant after any changes in the school curriculum. All these considerations should be reflected in the collection development policy. Good decisions regarding selections for library collections, will ensure that libraries remain relevant to learners into the future.
Reference List
Braxton, B. (2018, February 7). Sample Collection Policy. 500 Hats: The teacher librarian in the 21st century: https://500hats.edublogs.org/policies/sample-collection-policy/#policy_review
National Copyright Unit. (n.d.). The Statutory Text and Artisitc Works Licence. Smartcopying: https://smartcopying.edu.au/guidelines/education-licences/the-statutory-text-and-artistic-works-licence/
New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc. (n.d.). Partnership Agreement 2020-2030. https://www.aecg.nsw.edu.au/about/partnership-agreement/
New South Wales Department of Education. (2020, September 9). The School Excellence Cycle. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/school-excellence-and-accountability/2021-school-excellence-in-action/school-improvement-and-excellence/the-school-excellence-cycle#External2
