So, one of the potential reflection questions that I came across in ETL503 regarding responsibility for resource selection was Who should have the final say on what is included [in a collection]? Why? In my experience in school libraries, the Teacher-Librarian (TL) selects resources for the library. I had never questioned it or considered that there would be an argument for anyone else to be involved. After some further reading it becomes clear that selecting resources can involve many people – school administrators, teachers, students, parents and other community members, to name a few (Jenkinson, 2002). In fact, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) states that not only is collection building a collaborative endeavour, but that such collaboration should be made clear in a school library’s policy (2015, p. 34). This is supported by a joint statement between the Australian Library and Information Association and the Australian School Library Association that states a collection policy should contain an element that includes responsibilities for collaborative decision making when selecting resources (Australian Library and Information Association, 2016 para. 6).

So, with so much importance being placed on collaboration that it should be written into policy, and with so many people collaborating on resource selection, the question of who has final say on these decisions seems like a pertinent one. One of the responsibilities of school libraries, and by proxy the TLs working in them, is to provide resources that enrich and support the curriculum (ASLA, 2018). This is a big task; the Australian curriculum covers eight learning areas, four of which include multiple subjects. It comprises seven general capabilities, as well as 3 cross-curriculum priorities (ACARA, 2018). Add to that the need to consider different learning needs and abilities of students, different teaching methods and styles of various teachers, and knowledge of particular teaching and learning programs delivered by a school, and the task of resourcing becomes mammoth. It would seem that allowing subject teachers, who have particular knowledge and understanding of their subject and students, to have final say in which resources are selected would be appropriate. On the other hand, the students are the main users of the library – perhaps they should have more of a say as to which resources are selected? Surely, they would select content that would be easy to use and relevant for their tasks. Patron driven acquisition techniques like suggestion boxes and requests books may be used in schools. Students may even be invited to join a school committee, or library group in order to make their selection decisions known.

The reality is that neither teachers or students have the knowledge or expertise in selecting material across an entire curriculum. Can the teacher tell if a resource may be useful for a particular topic – yes, probably. Can a student tell if a resource will be helpful or not based on the volume of the content and the ease of use – again, yes, probably. However, what they aren’t likely to do is make an informed judgement on the quality of the resource. They probably won’t make educated decisions on the usefulness of a resource across multiple subject areas. And they probably aren’t considering the accessibility of the resource and how people will use it. The American Library Association (2022) addresses the TL as the authority on coordinating and selecting resources, because they simply are the certified library media personal (para. 12). They have the expert knowledge as teachers, and as information professionals. TLs have expertise in the selection of high quality and diverse materials and ensure the collection meets the various needs of the learners (Australian Library and Information Association, 2016). Issues such as the authority of the author/creator, the appropriateness and currency of the information, how it fits within the context of the existing collection to maintain a balance between print and digital resources, are all examples of considerations that a TL may make before selection.

Clearly, building a collection that caters to a wide range of learners and diverse teaching and learning programs, would benefit from a collaborative effort. A lone individual does not have the knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the school curriculum, student abilities, or teaching and learning that is happening in a school (O’Connell et al., 2022). Therefore, collaboration “is an essential part of a school librarian’s work”, and through such collaborations the TL is able to bring “knowledge and skills related to the provision of information and the use of resources” (IFLA, 2015, p. 28). The TL is best placed to have final decisions on all resource selections based on the fact they are the most knowledgeable in aligning pedagogical practices and information management and use.

 

References

 

American Library Association (ALA). (2022). Workbook for selection policy writing. https://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=dealing&Template-/ContenManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=11173

 

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (ACARA). (2018, October 26). About the Australian curriculum. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/about-the-australian-curriculum/

 

Australian Library and Information Association (2016). ALIA-ASLA policy on school library resource provision. https://read.alia.org.au/alia-asla-policy-school-library-resource-provision

 

Australian School Library Association (ASLA). (2018). School library bill of rights. https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Policies/Bill%20of%20Rights_2018.pdf

 

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). (2015). IFLA School library guidelines. http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf

 

Jenkinson, D. (2002). Selection and censorship: It’s simple arithmetic. School libraries in Canada, 2(4), 22.

 

O’Connell, J., Fitzgerald, L., & Mitchell, P. (2022). Developing collections [Learning module]. ETL503: Resourcing the curriculum. Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_59966_1&content_id=_4906009_1&mode=view