Until I became interested in commencing library studies, my understandings of the role of the Teacher Librarian (‘TL’) in schools were limited. Actually, I was quite unaware of the ‘Teacher’ part of the role’s title. Principally, I viewed the role as  ‘librarian’ and as the manager of a space where students meet, study, access fiction and non-fiction texts and use technology. However, one TL I fortuitously met started to raise my awareness of the nature and broader scope of the role.

I have understood ‘teacher’ and ‘librarian’ as distinct roles and I have rarely interacted with a TL in my teaching practice. I have taught History (including both Ancient and Modern), Legal Studies and other HSIE subjects in New South Wales secondary schools for about seven years. The nature and size of the schools varied; a small low fee religious independent school in Western Sydney (Kindergarten to Year 12) with almost all students from a non-English speaking background; a large public co-educational high school in Sydney’s North-West with a diverse student body and most recently two comprehensive all-girl high schools. My teaching role has encompassed preparing resources and programs, and teaching and assessing reading, writing and research skills including for inquiry learning and Stage 6 independent research projects or essays. In carrying out this part of my role, I encouraged students to attend and use the school and other libraries and I made some use of text resources held by the library, but I did not seek the advice of or work with a TL.

However, my teaching experience has informed my understanding that the library can be at the heart of the school as a learning and meeting space. Also, that the way the TL perceives and carries out their role can make the library a happy dynamic learning space or the opposite. At the independent school where I first worked the furniture was basic and the resources limited but the librarian was welcoming and helpful and students were happy to be there. I loved watching the Kindergarten class excitedly climbing the stairs to the library hand-in-hand with their book bags. The library was also the location of a History Week ‘museum’ display where my Year 10 Elective History class arranged and labelled ‘artefacts’ and other sources they had collected about the lives of students and teachers in the school. The librarian worked with us in making space for and constructing the display which was then available for the whole school community to view and enjoy .

Partial personal understandings of the TL role persisted until a TL turned the light on. My understandings included the TL being responsible for: purchasing texts and resources at the request of teachers; selecting and encouraging the reading of fiction; cataloguing; designing and furnishing the library; keeping order; laminating and assisting with photocopying and issuing digital devices. It was only when a TL proactively came to see me in the staff room, introduced herself and asked how she could assist me in curating some resources for a Year 11 Legal Studies task (or in any other way) that I obtained an inkling that there is more to this TL role……and I am keen to learn all about it!