Written materials have been collected since ancient times, but other than as an expression of power, and the desire to centralise knowledge, as in the great Library at Alexandria, the bases of ancient selection decisions are unknown. Over time, selection criteria emerged (Johnson, 2018, p.3). For 21st century libraries, the need for selection criteria is […]
Author: jocourt26
Now I know what TLs make!
Back in March, I reflected that I was ignorant of the meaning of ‘teacher’ in teacher-librarian (TL), (Court, 2021, March 9) but now I know what TLs make! They make a difference! Valenza’s (2010) passionate rejoinder to claimants that school librarians are an ‘anachronism’, immediately deepened my understanding of what teacher-librarians (TLs) do and ‘can […]
Collection Evaluation
The question for reflection is the most appropriate and practical methods for the analysis or evaluation of a school library collection in a particular context . This is at best a third level question. It cannot be answered until the following threshold questions have been addressed. What is actually being measured or evaluated? What is […]
Accountability and shaping 21st century learners
Are the acquisition of 21st century skills and the focus on accountability mutually exclusive? Teacher training, the Melbourne Declaration, school plans, curricula and professional standards make clear that teachers are charged with educating students in 21st century skills, so that they can be effective and lifelong learners, creative workers and active and informed citizens. At […]
Access and OERs
‘Librarians and other information workers’ interest is to provide the best possible access for library users to information and ideas in any media or format. This includes support for the principles of open access, open source, and open licenses’ (IFLA, 2012, principle 4). Despite the limited exceptions and statutory licences that permit some use of […]
Library collection: balance and access
Recently I have been working casually in the school library of a Sydney high school. I was struck by the amount and quality of fiction books and the dearth of current physical non-fiction and digital resources. The library was narrowly focused on the promotion of recreational reading of a permanent physical collection. There was no […]
Principal and TL Mutuality
In an optimum learning environment, the school principal and a teacher-librarian (‘TL’) have a strong and supportive relationship. Both influence how successfully the other carries out their role and responsibilities to students and the school community. According to a respondent quoted in the Softlink Survey (2017, p.12) three factors determine the success of a school […]
The ‘Infosphere’, ‘Being’ and the TL
When reading about the ‘information landscape’ and reflecting on what it will mean for me professionally as a future TL, I was most struck by Flodori’s (2007) concept of the ‘infosphere’ and his metaphysical take that the end point of the digital information revolution will be a dissolving of the distinctions between the material and […]
Before I was interested in becoming a Teacher Librarian…….
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 […]