ETL503 Responsibility for Resource Selection

• Discuss how the teacher librarian’s expertise and role is different from that required by all teachers.

TLs select and acquire resources all the time. They have a broad overview of the curriculum, the school’s community of learners, and the ‘collections’ – not only in the library but those held within faculties and departments. They are best placed to assess what is already held and what needs to be refreshed or bought new.

Teachers and Learning Area Leaders are exerts in their curriculum and have insights about their subject that TLs may not have.

• Share ideas on how teacher librarians might effectively collaborate with the school community in the selection of resources in a school with which you are familiar.

It is vital that T-Ls develop and retain professional and supportive relationships with key stakeholders – teachers/ staff and students – in order to develop and maintain communication channels. Library users that feel they have a say in the collection will use and develop the collection.

• Consider also how to engage your learners in selection of resources for their school library.

Faculty requests are checked for current holdings. If we don’t already have that item, then we are happy to spend their money for them! Students love to recommend resources and have them appear on the shelf. We try to expidite student requests to build trust that we value student input.

• Who should have the final say on what is included? Why?

It depends on “who’s buying”. Students may not be best placed to assess the collection as a whole, or the broader suitability of a resource. Faculties have a greater leeway – Learning Area Leaders manage their own budgets – the library can only advise.