At the beginning of my journey in completing the Masters of Teacher Librarianship I stated that whilst I knew a little about the role of TLs in school libraries, I had not been aware of the full scope of the role (Piper, 2020). As I completed each core subject and my chosen electives, my reflections demonstrated a greater depth of understanding of the role of the teacher librarian. Teacher librarians are valuable assets to schools and the wider community displaying qualities of information experts, managers, leaders, and resource gatherers.
Fulfilling the TL role within a small school, I found I had intimate knowledge of the resources held within my library and resource room. Whilst this has been useful, ALIA’s Standard 6 objective of observing and maintaining collection age highlights the importance of keeping resources relevant and current (I & J Management Services, 2021). I know that many of my resources need to be updated, added to, and deselected from the collection. Building upon my knowledge of current resources, I aim to attend professional development provided by organisations such as the ASLA, NSW School Library Association and State Library of NSW (Australian School Library Association, 2023; School Library Association of NSW, 2019; State Library of NSW, 2018). These organisations promote and advocate authors and literature that support curriculums. The implementation of the new NSW English and maths syllabus has been an opportune time for increasing awareness of quality resources. Commitment to attending conferences that promote literature and keeping updated with literary award schemes such as the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) will strengthen my knowledge and awareness of new and contemporary resources and will provide networking opportunities to enhance my collaborative practice with fellow librarians.
Being an excellent teacher librarian requires the ability to maximise the level of service to the school community. This includes ensuring technology is maintained and accessible for users of information (I & J Management Services, 2021). Increasingly libraries and TLs are called upon to demonstrate skill in using digital resources and tools to enhance quality teaching programs and learning opportunities (EveryLibrary, 2021). My school accommodates a specialised technology teacher and room. Because of this my role as the TL is focused on literature, author studies and research tasks supporting KLAs such as history and geography. Whilst I use technology in some forms, my confidence in utilising a wide range of innovative technology programs and tools is not as strong as it could be. An initiative organised by a group of keen like-minded TLs aim to promote further professional development for TLs (PLCC, 2023). Keeping up to date with these summits, webinars, and shared programs will add to my technological skills enhancing my teaching programs and student learning opportunities when I implement activities such as makerspace. It has been observed that schools that have implemented collaborative initiatives between libraries and classrooms have demonstrated that students develop critical and creative skills (Lonsdale, 2003). Engaging students in all forms of learning should be at the forefront of educators’ minds. Core to the school community, TLs have the unique opportunity to teach and collaborate with students of all ages and learning needs. My hope is that as I continue my journey as TL, I embrace the challenges of improving my skills to educate in an information driven world that thrives on innovative solutions.
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