As discussed in my first blog, “Who Am I? Just Me!”… I have most definitely scored my dream job. However, this dream was not always ‘The Dream’. You see, growing up I was from a small country town. Tucked away in the Hunter Valley, I grew up with my mum as the senior coordinator at the only Catholic High School and my dad… well… he was the School Principal of that very same school. Let’s just say teaching was always going to be my journey, I just didn’t realise it was going to surrounded by the magic of a school library. Actually, it wasn’t until recently that I ever even realised that the magic was there.

When it came to graduating Year 6 I knew I would be spending the next 6 years (or what then, felt like eternity) with my parents, but never did I think I would also be spending the next 6 with the same Teacher Librarian I had during my primary years. Yep… that’s correct…I had the same TL for 12 years whole years. For the sake of this blog let’s call her Mrs. Smith.

Mrs. Smith was truly a kind woman. Obviously, being the daughter of two staff members within the school, I saw what most of my peers didn’t see…the teachers after dark!. However, during class she had a strong demeanor, tough skin and came across as wise and knowledgeable as they come. To be honest, the library just wasn’t for me at school. I can’t blame Mrs. Smith for this. I can only blame ME as I honestly just never gave stern Mrs. Smith a real go! Therefore, obviously, my own schooling experience was indeed NOT the precedent for my love for books or my interest in my current position. That love started with my nan, Marion. You can read more about her and her wonderful ways here https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mrspiggott/2022/07/14/this-is-me/

Nanna’s Home Library

My Nanna, Marion, with her handmade life-size dolls.

When asked to stop reflect on my understanding of the role of a TL, prior to the beginning of my study, I have to admit I didn’t instantly reflect back on Mrs. Smith but rather I reflected back on that same nanna of mine, Marion. For many years she would sit and read me beautiful stories, fables and poems. I would love listening to her voice! Certain people have that ‘reading voice’. One that can captivate any listener. I always wanted to have that! So, even though that my curly haired, funky dressed, over the top Nanna was not a TL, she was the (physical) vision I would have painted of one if ever asked. Luckily for me… the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree!

My Nanna, Marion

The Australian School Library Association defines the Teacher Librarian as; ‘…a person who holds recognised teaching qualifications and qualifications in librarianship, defined as eligibility for professional membership for the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA)’ (What Is a Teacher Librarian?, n.d.). When applying for the current TL position that I hold, this was about as much information as I had about the ‘insides’ of TL role. After finishing my teaching degree, I fortunately gained a wonderful classroom teaching position within a small Upper Hunter school. Within small schools, similarly to the one I currently teach, the library role tends to only be for 1 or 2 days a week and in that time usually filled with the RFF role.

Therefore, my understandings of the TL role prior to beginning my role and studies was simply a vision of a woman I once loved and A LOT of questions. However, now after settling in to my role and spending time with my share-job Teacher Librarian (yes,… who I am EXTREMELY lucky to have!!!), I am more than ready to begin my new chapter. I now, with the support of my studies, want to display to my own school community how vital our school library truly is, through its important place for teaching and resources (Herring, 2007).

The lines may always stay a little blurry!

Cas. x

Reference List

Herring, J. (2007). Teacher librarians and the school library. In Libraries in the Twenty-First Century (pp. 27–42). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-876938-43-7.50002-8