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Teacher librarians (TLs) can be important in the learning of literacy (Merga, 2018) where at the moment, approximately one million Australia children are a risk of reading failure (Australian Council for Educational Research, 2012; Wheldall, 2011; cited in Hempelstall, 2016). However, contemporary literature, like the podcast, do not restrict the TL role to literacy, and also highlight how the understanding of the word ‘literacy’ has grown in the digital age. This could explain how Halder (2009; cited in Momoh and Lanre, 2019) lists as the TL’s new roles, jobs which have developed so much further with the digital age such as: ‘lobbying and advocacy, consortia manager, consultant, content manager, facilitator, knowledge manager as well as web designer’ and back in 1931 Ranganathan referred to a library as a ‘living organism.’  

More than the recent educational developments of Makerspaces and STEAM Education, social and emotional learning and issues of equity and inclusion, the changing information landscape has had a great impact on the role of the teacher librarian, as it has on its most prolific of users: those of a school age. The school libraries often include more digital resources than physical ones and with this the role of TL librarians in teaching information literacy have grown significant with the internet’s commonplace use of trackers (cookies) to create sophisticated algorithms of propaganda and misinformation.  

However, I feel that currently the TL’s most important role must be tackling the use of AI chatbots in assessment work, or indeed, in research; and moving away from its role in plagiarism towards constructive and productive relationships with technology. Even when banned, I do think that students will always try to use it to complete their work regardless. Many institutions use learning analytics in different ways to track students’ progress. It could be interesting to see how these will be incorporated into the future, and possibly in the library, to prevent AI being used to plagiarise. 

It is almost as if the key concepts in information literacy, with expanded alongside information technologies, such as effective search strategies, resource-based learning, inquiry-based learning, digital literacy, and information fluency were designed in anticipation of chat GPT such as effective search strategies mean going beyond the google search bar while also advanced search techniques, resource based learning for students to gather and compared information on the topic, and encouraging students to research by asking questions and thinking critically.  

Anderson’s analysis (2006) comes to the conclusion that information literacy’s key concepts are key to upskilling learners with what they need to succeed in a knowledge-driven society as he argues that an information literature now only means to have knowledge, and be able to search for them and use them, but for this the learner also needs to understand how knowledge is socially organised in society. Information literacy seen from socio-theoretical perspectives I would argue is an upcoming theme in librarianship in this content-driven age. I think this could mean the integration of the teaching information process models to students at a younger age, as all types (the Big6, ISP, PLUS, etc.) describe the method of how to research effectively and ethically and in my teaching I have observed a clear need for these to be taught as a major skill. 

References 

Anderson, J. (2006) The public sphere and discursive activities: information literacy as sociopolitical skills. Journal of Documentation. Accessed on 20 July, 2023 from https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00220410610653307/full/html 

Hempelstall, K. (2016) Read about it. Scientific Evidence for Effective Teaching of Reading. The Centre for Independent Studies. Accessed on 20 July, 2023 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309129915_Read_About_It_Scientific_Evidence_for_Effective_Teaching_of_Reading 

Merga, M. K. (2018) How Librarians in Schools Support Struggling Readers. English in Education, 53 (2) p 145-160. Accessed on 20 July, 2023 from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/04250494.2018.1558030 

Momoh, E. O. & Lanre, F. A. (2019) The Evolving Roles of Libraries and Librarians in the 21st Century. Library Philosophy and Practice e-Journal. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Accessed on 20 July, 2023 from https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6243&context=libphilprac 

Ranganathan, S.R. (1931). The Five Laws of Library Science. London: Edward Goldston.