My understandings of the role and nature of a school library collection have increased in complexity through research, discussion and practice in developing a collection. I have discussed the power of the collection in influencing the engagement and success of student learning (Beaumont, 2023, April 9) and have begun to understand the impact that the collection can have on teacher engagement and success. Through advocating, collaborating and support, the Teacher Librarian (TL) and the collection can have huge impacts on the quality of the entire educational experience (Libraries Tasmania, 2022). I had not considered this until commencing my work in the school library and had previously only considered the direct impacts a collection may have on students. I now understand that if the TL is the information and curriculum specialist, then a well-considered collection can support quality just-in-time learning, satisfying Ranganthan’s (1931) fourth law ‘save the time of the reader’ whilst also saving the time of the teacher. This means that the careful development and management of a collection can encourage increased engagement, by allowing users to find information as required (Opara, 2017).
Collections are developed to respond to the needs of its users, whilst also catering for potential future needs (Fieldhouse, 2011). I understood that collection development was mostly a set of processes or steps to follow (Beaumont, 2023, March 4). I now understand this is the collection management process. I had little consideration for the values-based policy that needed to exist in order to guide these processes. The why was missing from my understandings. I began to explore how the values must be firmly embedded into the library mission and subsequent Collection Development Policy (CDP) to guide all procedures, acquisitions, management, decision making and associated teaching and learning (Beaumont, 2023, April 9). The CDP sits at the heart of all decisions made in relation to all parts of the collection. The following statement from the IFLA School Library Guidelines 2nd ed. (2015) highlights the importance of the Collection Development Policy in relation to school library collection development:
“A school library should be managed within a clearly structured policy framework that recognises the library as a core resource and centre for reading and inquiry. A school library policy should be devised bearing in mind the overarching policies and needs of the school and should reflect the ethos, mission, aims, and objectives, as well as the reality of the school (p 22-23).”
In advocating for the school library and the collection, it is essential that a strong CDP Policy exists and can be used as a tool in making strategic decisions benefiting teaching learning and wellbeing of staff and students.
A clear CDP will assist in futureproofing the library collection by incorporating statements on the community, the collection and selection aids. I have explored the ways in which collaboration between the TL, Teachers, students and the community is an important element in keeping the collection relevant to its users (Beaumont, 2023, March 12). In collaborating, rather than consulting, the resources selected for addition to the collection would be most appropriate to the learning that is taking place. The selection aids as stated in the CDP would then include a statement on user selection and the ways in which this offers student agency and teacher collaboration.
I have previously discussed the way in which information in the 21st century is becoming an increasingly complex web of communication (Beaumont, 2023, May 13). I have explored how the collection must address this, ensuring easy access to clear, purposeful, relevant and authentic information. I can now see the selection criteria in the CDP can also be applied to digital information sources, assisting in the selection of appropriate online student resources. The CDP is an ever-evolving policy with school values and students at the core, assisting in the navigation of the information landscape of the 21st century.
Fieldhouse, M. (2011). The process of collection management. In M. Fieldhouse & A. Marshall (Eds.), Collection Development in the Digital Age. (pp. 27-43). Facet Publishing.
IFLA. (2015, June). IFLA School Library Guidelines, 2nd revised ed. IFLA. https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf
Libraries Tasmania (2022). Effective School Libraries. School Library Guidelines. https://libraries.tas.gov.au/school-library-guidelines/effective-school-libraries/
Opara, U. (2017). Empowering library users through the five laws of library science. Library Philosophy and Practice, 2017(1).
Ranganthan, S. (1931). The Library is a Growing Organism. The Five Laws of Library Science. Mandras: Mandras Library Association.