Month: July 2025

The school library of today looks very different to the school library of my own secondary schooling experience. As I teach students how to access the library catalogue using their device or demonstrate how to navigate online research databases, I often find myself regaling classes with stories from when I was in high school. Inevitably, these conversations end with them looking at me, jaws open wide, and asking me just exactly how old I am – the idea of there only being two computer terminals in the whole library is simply unthinkable to Gen Alpha!

 

Having previously spent almost 20 years in a classroom teacher and later Head of Department position before undertaking my Teacher Librarian role, I have experienced the pedagogical shift that reframed the classroom teacher as a facilitator of learning, rather than a director, as described by Bodnar (Harasim, 2017). The school library and the Teacher Librarian were essential resources that I called upon as I navigated this change. As a Teacher Librarian now myself, I am experiencing first-hand the extraordinary but rewarding challenge of ensuring that students and staff are aware of the wealth of resources available.

 

In considering what a dynamic school library looks, sounds and feels like, I reflected on our school behaviour framework – Cooperation, Achievement, Respect, Learning and Ownership, known as the CARLO Way. When I imagine the learning and information environment, I envision a library that fosters cooperative learning, celebrates achievements — whether academic or socio-emotional — promotes respect, facilitates learning, and inspires ownership. This is encapsulated in my Y Chart.