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The fourth age of libraries
By Sean McMullen
Issue 92, Term 1 2015
for modern librarians, some of whom even turned up in costumes based off my work. Fifteen years later, many of these librarians are now wondering if libraries will still exist in twenty years, let alone two thousand. The past holds some clues about the future of libraries. What did people do for
An African library journey
By Cheryl Lopez
Issue 93, Term 2 2015
approximately 1000 library books. These were all donations; either new books from sponsors and visitors or secondhand from Western Australian school libraries. While some of the books were fairly new, having been carried to Ethiopia in personal luggage by school visitors over the past few years,
The challenge of implementing change
By Angela Platt
Issue 103, Term 4 2017
hout the day. Silence was key, and this was (and still is) strictly enforced all day. When I compared this environment with the environments in the libraries of my library colleagues in other schools, I felt that I was failing miserably. Other librarians described having classes coming in nearly a
School libraries and sustainability
By Katalin Mindum
Issue 113, Term 2 2020
With the current focus on climate change and the impact we are having on the environment, many of us are wondering how we can make a real difference. Libraries are quite naturally places that people turn to for ideas as well as answers. They tend to be positive, proactive and full of amazing, commun
ASLA Conference and Awards 2023
By Australian School Library Association
Issue 124, Term 1 2023
ld of teacher librarianship and school library resource services. The 2023 conference will be held in April on the Gold Coast, with the theme School Libraries: Navigating the Future . This year, there will be three award categories open for nominations: the ASLA Australian Teacher Librarian Award,
The importance of school libraries in the Google Age
By Kay Oddone
Issue 98, Term 3 2016
g the internet (ABS 2016). With such widespread access to information comes the commonly asked question: now that we have Google, do we still require libraries and librarians? This question is particularly being pressed in schools, where smartphones mean that both teachers and students carry a wealt
The new librarian: leaders in the digital age
By Digital Promise staff
Issue 96, Term 1 2016
ge and small, have cut librarian staffing to part-time or eliminated positions entirely. These cuts can impact both students and teachers. Although libraries remain open, they lack trained educators to support students, despite a technological landscape that makes information literacy more importa
Engaging students with emerging technologies
By Chelsea Wright
Issue 94, Term 3 2015
it is to still be having this conversation, we have not yet convinced every raised eyebrow to relax when it comes to the evolving identity of school libraries. If the school library is not seen as a natural place for new technologies to appear, and if technology-oriented initiatives such as a Tech
Positive promotion of the school library
By Jae Rolt
Issue 93, Term 2 2015
After I was named Australia's Favourite Librarian people began asking what it is that makes me so popular with my students, families, colleagues, and community. Whilst the ideas here work for me, they may not work for everyone. Sometimes you need to try other ways to find what works for you and yo
It’s time: let’s improve schools' perceptions of teacher librarians
By Bev Novak
Issue 99, Term 4 2016
dian , teacher librarians still need to assert their relevance within school communities. In her article in Connections 98, ‘The importance of school libraries in the Google Age’, Kay Oddone notes the positive attributes of teacher librarians, and implores readers to use her arguments as a ‘catalyst
What do our students really want?
By Megan Stuart
Issue 101, Term 2 2017
ith the fear and excitement that disruptive technology can bring, it is library staff. Over the course of nearly four decades teaching in schools and libraries, I have witnessed incredible change and welcomed exciting progress in the way information is accessed, books are published and students are
School library spotlight: Glen Eira College
By Karys McEwen
Issue 102, Term 3 2017
staff and a group of dedicated student library monitors that help keep the library cogs well and truly turning. How long have you worked in school libraries, and what inspired you to go down this path? I have been in school libraries for four years. My undergraduate degree was in Fine Art and I
Reimagining the library landscape: an approach to school library design
By Anne Whisken
Issue 103, Term 4 2017
ool in Kew, Melbourne, has about 2,400 students from Early Years to Year 12 across two primary schools and a combined middle and senior school. The libraries There are two primary school libraries, and a third library is shared by the senior and middle schools. Both VCE and IB are studied at sen
School libraries: miracles and madness
By Jackie French
Issue 104, Term 1 2018
The first school I went to burnt down. This was not my fault. The library didn’t burn down, because there wasn’t one — just a classroom with a shelf of books. I won third place in the lottery to read one of the two or three new books donated each year: The Magic Pudding . Three weeks later, it was
Do we need library lessons?
By Barbara Band
Issue 104, Term 1 2018
l initiatives. Communication via tutors and promotional posters has a limited reach. Lifelong learning In addition to library skills, many school libraries deliver an information skills program teaching basic competencies that are essential for both further education and the workplace, and that
Making the library the true heart of the school
By Caroline Roche
Issue 105, Term 2 2018
ibrarian, you see it in tweets, you see it in newspaper articles, and it is even the title of the All Party Parliamentary Group white paper on school libraries: ‘The beating heart of the school’. But where does this phrase that is so ubiquitous now come from? Well, actually, I know. It is a phrase t
School libraries enhancing student wellbeing
By Jackie Child
Issue 105, Term 2 2018
home, playground and classroom. It is a safe place where students can come to chill out, meet, talk, study, make and play. For many students, school libraries have always been a place of refuge from the playground or extreme weather. School libraries, like so many public libraries, are changing.
School library spotlight: Rolleston School
By Kay Morfett
Issue 105, Term 2 2018
What is your job title, and what does your role entail? How many people work in your library? I work at Rolleston School as the librarian. My role is 25 hours a week, split over five days. I have a teacher in charge who is really wonderful and supportive and, aside from a brilliant group of stude
Enhancing the flexibility of library services
By Claire Elliott
Issue 106, Term 3 2018
Libraries and librarians are built around relationships. It is essential that they provide exceptional customer service as a means of ensuring sustainable growth. With this in mind, a number of changes were implemented in the Trinity Grammar Preparatory School library to improve the services that w
School library spotlight: Mt St Michael's College
By Sandra Mannion
Issue 106, Term 3 2018
ed in-house to provide students with subject-specific digital and interactive resources, including links to relevant websites and databases. School libraries are places where all students feel welcomed and are encouraged to grow and learn. We do a lot more than just provide books and information;