Philosophy of an Effective Teacher Librarian

Effective teacher librarians (TL) are master multi-disciplinarians. They are leaders with a vision for the library that supports the school’s goals. They have good relationships throughout the school community. They are collaborators, approachable, advocates, and establish a safe environment for users.

Effective TLs are managers of both physical and digital spaces, resources, staff, and students. They are knowledgeable in the curriculum, literature, community needs, student interests, and staff requirements. They keep the library organised and accessible.

Effective TLs are models of innovation and reflection. They stay current with the evolving education landscape, constantly improving and demonstrating a passion for lifelong learning.

Reflection Through Key Themes

A word cloud of the most commonly used tags in this blog

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Schools

The web guide I created as part of ETL523 gave me experience and confidence that I would later build on.

I have had a love-hate relationship with ICT and ebooks (McEwen, 2020, December 30). Our school has a limited number of computers. If available, it seems there is as much time spent solving or managing problems with the computers or students as there is time spent on a task. I often wondered if the task was being performed online just to prove how “high-tech” we could be when the same thing could be accomplished offline. Then a pandemic thrust us into a digital learning environment (DLE) (McEwen, 2021, March 5) that made me question the authenticity of the learning (McEwen, 2020, May 1) happening. I chose the elective, ETL523 Digital Citizenship in Schools, knowing my thinking needed to be stretched (McEwen, 2021, February 23) in this area.

A screenshot of the video presentation given to the school community during Book Week using the skills I learned when making the web guide.

ETL523 did expand my thinking and challenge my assumptions (McEwen, 2021, May 29). As predicted by Singh and Tiwari’s research, with increased experience and exposure, my perception of ICT in the classroom improved positively (2022). I realised how much I was already using ICT without knowing it and even a lot of my social media (McEwen, 2021, March 27) use was for professional development. Previously, I was frustrated that most students seemed to stop reading for pleasure as they got older until I understood that they were being transliterate (McEwen, 2021, January 1). I realized the importance of explicitly teaching transliteracy and digital citizenship (McEwen, 2021, May 3) as a 21st Century skill. My view evolved to excitement over how my students could contribute and create (McEwen, 2021, March 8) in a DLE.

A screenshot of a slide from a presentation I gave at the State Library of Victoria (SLV) demonstrates how, over time, I have become comfortable integrating technology into my role.

One of the most painful, but valuable, experiences during this course was creating a web guide (McEwen, 2021). This was the first big step for me to create within the digital space (McEwen, 2021, April 20). After creating a video for the guide, I then knew how to create a video for Book Week that was played in front of over 500 people in my school community. From here, the ideas (McEwen, 2021, March 22) have continued to come and I have persisted in integrating technology into my teaching from exit tickets to redesigning my school’s library website (McEwen, 2023) a work that is still in progress.  My school is in a lower socio-economic area, and I now feel more confident in using and helping them to use ICT to lessen the digital inequality they might be experiencing at home (González-Betancor, et al., 2021).

Snips of two pages I created for my school’s library website

These learning experiences will continue to serve me in the future. I have a plan to model digital citizenship (McEwen, 2021, April 28) well for my students.  Some staff and students seem to think that Google has replaced the need for a library (McEwen, 2023, September 30). In response, I looked at other school library websites (McEwen, 2022, March 3), and plan to create a library website portal for my school and use the school catalog as a collaborative space (McEwen, 2023, March 15) to encourage students to engage with library resources (McEwen, 2023, September 20). The school library’s online presence is crucial in today’s digital age, enabling librarians to engage stakeholders through various tools like websites and blogs, ensuring timely communication, and showcasing the library’s relevance and resources (Coatney, 2010). So far, I have met with the IT staff and have a VCE teacher who is keen to be the first to collaborate on a digital resource page for her class. I also plan to investigate Artificial Intelligence (AI) (McEwen, 2023, September 20) and its use in the library. In summary, when educators have a sense of professional confidence, they are more receptive to change (Oduro, et al., 2013), and this course has set me on a path of self-assurance and continued learning.

Collection Management

Examples of book displays, many of which are a collaboration between different departments in the school (Sports, Science, Drama, Maths, etc.) and are designed to spark student interest.

I set up ten scenes that covered a range of Senior, Junior, and Picture books. For example, a miniature suitcase with a jar of marmalade resting on it and a picture of train tracks behind it (Paddington). Students of all ages brought their friends in and riffled through books trying to find the answers!

Unlike technology, management is something that comes more naturally. However, if it were not for this course, I would be lightyears behind in understanding the big picture of collection management. It was also timely as I was unexpectedly thrown into solo management (McEwen, 2022, February 22) during the pandemic. ETL402 Literature Across the Curriculum (McEwen, 2021, January 22), was the first step in thinking through organising the library for students and exposed me to concepts like genrefication (McEwen, 2020 December 29). ETL505 Describing and Analysing Resources (McEwen, 2023, May 24) was a tough class but equipped me to understand the importance of making resources discoverable and has helped me to support my library technician (McEwen, 2023, February 15). ETL503 Resourcing the Curriculum (McEwen, 2022, May 21) was key in my developing insights into using the library to support staff and the big picture of the school community.

Wanting to refresh the library space on a low budget, I encouraged staff to enter a contest and we won these curved ottomans. I then won a set of portable lapdesks after writing a review of the ottomans.

As I reflected on these courses, three key roles for TLs were constructed in my mind: promoting literature, resourcing the curriculum, and maintaining the library as a learning centre (digitally and physically). For the first role, ETL402 helped me connect how to purchase and promote literature for students based roughly on their age (McEwen, 2020, December 28). In the second role, ETL503 encouraged me to promote fiction to staff (McEwen, 2021, January 2) as a way to engage students across all different types of curriculum. Lastly, I have had to think creatively about how to get the most out of my purchasing (McEwen, March 23, 2022) to create and maintain a pleasant learning centre. So far, I have utilised free online resources (McEwen, 2020, December 22), I have won two ottomans and a set of lap desks, created two fundraising streams and after reading Lantzy, et al.’s article (2020), I am creating a five-year cycle of assessment to make sure our budget is maximised.

The result of the deselection process!

In my opinion, a strategic plan paired with a management policy (McEwen, 2023, December 25) is the lattice on which to build a successful school library. The value then of the understanding I have gained is how to plant, grow, trim, and make accessible the growing resources. Managing resource selection (McEwen, 2022, March 16) is a challenge I enjoy and I am growing in my boldness to deselect materials (McEwen, 2022, April 24). ETL505 emphasised the importance of creating consistent and discoverable metadata. To this end, I have created a separate page on our website to help students find Accelerated Reader (McEwen, 2020, August 1) books that interest them within our catalog. This is something that I have collaborated on with our Library Software provider to potentially roll out to everyone who uses SCIS (McEwen, August 19, 2023). I also think that in our rush to stay updated and address the expectations placed on us, we must ensure we do not compromise crucial services and resources that foster reading involvement (Merga, 2018). To that end, I have focused on promoting literacy through displays and contests, in our weekly school newsletter, making displays in other areas of the school in collaboration with staff, and promoting participation in the Premiers’ Reading Challenge.

An activity I designed for younger students to use call numbers to locate Dewey the cat hiding in a book

This learning has already been beneficial to me and will continue to be in the future. There are several projects I have begun and would like to expand on.  I have created and labeled a section of books for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures Cross Curriculum Priority (CCP), and I would like to do the same for the other CCPs. Not only does this make it easier for teachers to find, but it highlights these books to students as well. I have created a “Find Dewey the Cat” activity for Year 2 students that helps them learn about using call numbers to find books. I would like to expand on this and better plan for explicit teaching of library and research skills across the year levels. Reflection is a key part of managing a successful school library (Farmer, 2017) and responding to user needs. I endeavour to continue to ‘blog’ as a part of my reflection practice, but also use this to form a section of the articles for my school’s newsletter. Another way this learning will help me is that I am on a committee to form a library in South Sudan. I have been tasked with writing the collection policy draft that will then go to people on the ground in South Sudan. This will be the guiding element both involving and informing the community (Hughes-Hassell, 2020). This has been a fascinating and difficult task that I could not have imagined contributing to had it not been for this course.

Shelving organised to make Cross Curriculum Priorities easily discoverable

Leadership

Illustration I developed of the leadership structure of my school

My thinking around leadership has been a major area of growth for me during this course. ETL504, Teacher Librarian as Leader, was a pivotal contributor to my development in this area. I was nervous (McEwen, 2023, June 26) going into the course, but it clarified the difference between leaders and managers (McEwen, 2023, July 5), highlighted the ways I can use my skills to contribute (McEwen, 2023, September 30) to the school, and defined the importance of middle leadership. Middle leaders play a vital role in school improvement and student outcome (Bush, 2023), both of which I am passionate about. The course was also timely as my school has been undergoing massive leadership changes (McEwen, 2023, July 26) which I could now understand how to support and I contributed to hiring new library staff (McEwen, 2023, August 19).

Posters on display emphasising the importance of the school library

Lunchtime Clubs I have organised to draw students into the library

ETL504 prompted a lot of self-assessment of both myself (McEwen, 2023, August 19) and my job (McEwen, 2023, August 21). I recognised that I possessed many of the attributes that I had previously admired in mentors (McEwen, 2023, June 28). This perception has led to a tangible confidence boost in the workplace. Middle leaders convert strategic objectives into practical plans and ensure they are carried out (Gedvilienė & Supranavičienė, 2023). I have lots of ideas of how to support the school’s mission (McEwen, 2023, September 2) and the tenacity to see it through, but confidence was the missing component I needed to approach staff about pursuing things like collaborating on the website portal or to get lunchtime clubs up and running. I also started putting up posters around the library and foyer areas to promote the importance of the library and started to include library statistics in the school newsletter.

End-of-year library stats for the school newsletter

While my children were young, I did a lot of relief teaching because of the flexibility. This helped me build relationships across the entire K-12 school, gave me experience teaching at all tiers, and insight into the curriculum at every level. It is what ultimately led me to the TL position. I think the most valuable aspect of this course is the realisation that I have been positioned as a servant leader through these experiences and already leading in several ways. I think as leaders TLs need to constantly adapt to changing times (McEwen, 2023, July 4) to meet their community’s evolving needs. TLs should involve parents, coworkers, and students in advocating for the school library’s value by tailoring plans to meet each group’s needs, thereby amplifying the message beyond what a librarian alone could achieve (Coatney, 2010). Beyond my normal role, this course has helped me to involve the community through things like the Library Legacy Program where the broader public can contribute books to the library with their contribution acknowledged in the front of the book, forming a Book Week committee representing a broad range of roles in the school, and involving parent and student volunteers in the running of the library. Through these interactions, they see the role the library plays in the school and I gain a better understanding of their needs.

Inspired by an idea from a local SLAV meeting, I launched the Library Legacy Program during Grandparents Day, involving special older friends from the community and acquiring hundreds of new books for the library!

There are many ways these understandings and experiences will be helpful to me in the future. I have mentioned that my confidence has been increased through the knowledge and understanding of a TL’s position and role and an understanding of my style of servant leadership. During my placement at the State Library of Victoria (SLV) (McEwen, 2023, December 25) I felt confident enough to give a presentation on collaboration (McEwen, 2023, December 25) between the SLV and TLs. This led to a meeting two months later with the Membership Program Manager. We sipped coffee and brainstormed ideas about a special teacher membership and newsletter and how the website might be improved for students wanting to access resources. At this point, when the website is ready for testing, I will coordinate with teachers and students to try it and give feedback to the SLV. I will also coordinate professional development for the teachers at my school regarding the resources and opportunities available to them at the SLV. I will also be bringing this up at my local SLAV branch. It is exciting to think that I might be a part of helping many teachers and students across Victoria in this way! I am also serving on a committee to build a library in South Sudan. I have been asked to go and train a Dinka librarian to coordinate the library once it is up and running. This is complex in many ways from the nature of the library, to potential language barriers (English is the official language but there are many tribal languages in the region), to civil war, to potential cultural misunderstandings. An area within my school I am leading is a project with the Head of Senior School. The senior students hardly ever come to the library, but they are frequently in the “Common Room.” I proposed that we put Perspex bookshelves on the wall with books that might interest students. They could simply email me the barcode of the book to borrow it without setting foot in the library! So far, I have collaborated with the design tech team to make the Perspex shelves with some students, and with the Head of Senior School to select suitable high-interest books that align with themes he is trying to promote. Hopefully, this will be up and running at the start of Term 1 with the possibility of a similar thing happening in the private study room as well as the staff room for professional development. These things have all originated in the past six months. It is exciting to think of what the future might hold as I continue to reflect, learn, and build skills in leading from the middle as well as in ICT and collection management.

Instructional poster for students for a collaborative project with the Head of Senior School to put books in the Year 12 Common Room

Professional Standards