I have worked at universities, secondary schools, and TAFE, but in each of these I would say that my experiences with the library at each place was limited to booking computer sessions and chat. I am a bit embarrassed that I did not know that I could utilise the librarian a lot more in my classes, and now I have some ideas for lesson plans which I would like to re-work in my current ones.  

It is difficult not to think of stereotypes, even with this course. I always think of Indiana Jones, when he is in a library in Venice and the banging of Indiana’s breaking into a tomb coincides with the librarians’ stamping of books. I did imagine that a TL role would be identifying and cataloging resources, as well as simply managing book loans and returns. Now, in my eyes, I very much see it as a ‘teacher’ role, although this conflicts with the types of vacancies open for librarians in Sydney (which rarely feature actual teaching). I feel like I am being very optimistic in hoping to land one. This brings me to my recent experience at a job orientation.  

I have the fortune of getting a part time job as a TL at a private girls’ school, and what hit me the most was the consideration over the school library’s design and décor and the TL’s role with this. The space provided a calm and peaceful atmosphere conducive to the varied activities that students were doing. Whereas my last turn in a school library was just reading or printing homework, the students there were engaged in discussion on a whiteboard in a closed off classroom, doing their homework in a benched off space, or reading fiction in huge bean bags. TLs had created interesting displays to encourage the reading of new books, as well as considered the placement of furniture, and even lighting to create a space where students could get lost in a book. The TL at this school also organised the design and production of information and marketing materials in the library, for which all illustration and design was done in coordination with the art department and students. I am hoping that this TL role will include my artistic side as I am very much interested in the modern décor of school libraries, and the effort that the librarians made to produce and maintain displays of contemporary literature recommended by Booktok. 

The next thing that struck me about the TL role at the school were the book choices. I was expecting a private school to be quite conservative in the types of books that were available, especially in young fiction, which has seemed to move to more adult content very quickly. The school had a very interesting mix of stories, formats and cultures which the TL had been responsible for making happen with discussion between parents, other teachers and the TL; and I realised the pivotal role that the TL had played in maintaining the diversity philosophy of the school as the library collection reflected this including novels, picture books, graphic novels and multimedia texts spanning different genres, and ensuring the representation of all cultures, including LGBTQI+ material. Little did I realise the pivotal role a librarian plays in influencing the beliefs and values of the school.  

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