The study visits presented a variety of career opportunities that I hadn’t previously considered that could become reality. Pauline Fitzgerald completed the Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) and was previously a teacher librarian, she is now manager of learning services at the State Library of NSW. At the State Library of NSW Pauline has combined her knowledge of the curriculum, pedagogy and library skiils to create, promote and conduct events and work within teams to manage the vast collection and library services including website development. Pauline explained the Covid-19 pandemic generated exponential demand for online resources and virtual events providing new opportunities for teacher librarians.
The staff at Marrickville library, part of Inner West Libraries, discussed the pitfall of minimum staffing impacting services. Staff work in each of the council libraries, creating the need for staff to be flexible. I would be very keen to see if operations were uniform across the Inner west libraries and how staff worked together. Chow & Conte (2021) indicated that the worst quality of a library employee is the inability to work well in a team. Inner west library staff would especially need to work well within a team that is constantly changing, while also adapting to the needs of the users in each library.
TAFE presented the few career opportunities due to nil budget for suitable resources and technology to suit 21st century learners. It was heartbreaking and demonstrated how government policy changes can impact future job prospects and satisfaction. TAFE library staff were understandably negative, as unfortunately the passion for their role had been eroded due to a lack of commitment and direction from leadership. Chow & Conte (2021) indicated that the most important quality for library staff was a strong work ethic stemming from a real passion for the job, leading to an employee’s commitment to continuous learning. The lack of support for TAFE library services diminished the passion and work ethic of the library staff over time.
On the other end of the spectrum, Sydney University had abundant resources and staffing, presenting an alternative career path. The speakers outlined students coming from high school requiring support using the databases, library and referencing. However, traditional librarianship approaches must adapt to the changing environment of libraries and increased library consumer expectations, particularly in the university space. Goodwin (2022) discussed the challenges librarians face when delivering information literacy instruction including a lack of an integrated approach to information literacy at the institution and a lack of engagement from some academic staff and students. Librarians need to keep up to date with current knowledge and enhance their abilities to manage effective change and find new ways of working (Aslam, 2022).
A teacher librarian would be ideal for information literacy instruction at academic institutions, however the salary most likely would be lower and without paid holidays. As discussed in the study visiit, meeting goals and outcomes would be high on the agenda, though the pathways were flexible providing room for career growth into leadership which is often unlikely for teacher librarians.
Surprisingly, the visit to Loreto Kirribilli was underwhelming. It was disappointing to see the primary library run by a teacher, rather than a teacher librarian, reflected in the collection size, depth, look and feel. The survival of teacher librarians is yet to be determined, as is the ongoing relevance of school libraries. While this risk is present within schools, public libraries gained popularity and growth during and after the pandemic. Though the gap between the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ public libraries is widening. I am hopeful with the change in federal and state government, that teacher librarians will be better off. Labor have supported Trove which was due to cease without funding, there is hope that there will be improvements. Discussions have begun with public school teachers, hopefully teacher librarians will be vocal in their many challenges to create change.
I have been in contact with the several public libraries for my placement as it would provide experience at a wider organisational level. I am hoping to gain experience in events, digital curation, educational services, managing collections and resources. Professional development is an important step in continuing to fuel the passion for our careers as teacher librarians and information specialists. The completion of this course signals an even greater demand for professional learning networks and development. After careful consideration the yearly teacher librarian conference with AISNSW, professional reading, ongoing courses with SLANSW and engagement with teacher librarians online creates sufficient opportunities to further develop my practice. Writing professional articles, blogging and engagiement in LinkedIn enhances opportunities to collaborate and connect with other teachers and teacher librarians.
Aslam, M. (2022). Adapting to change in academic libraries. Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 71(8/9), 672–685. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-04-2020-0053
Chow & Conte (2021) indicated that the worst trait of poor leaders was micromanaging staff, not permitting staff freedom to make their own decisions.
Goodwin, A. (2022). The role of librarians in information literacy instruction and student learning and development: Perceptions of Australian regional university librarians. Charles Sturt University.