SearchConnections

The Teacher Librarian and ChatGPT

By Stephanie Strachan

Issue 126, Term 3 2023

self, this is the next biggest tech development of our time and the implications for educators are huge. In short, we need to equip both students and teachers with the ‘skills that will be needed in an AI-dominated landscape’ (Allen and West, 2018). Universities all over the globe are currently s

SCIS interviews Teacher Librarian Award winner Megan Daley

By Megan Daley

Issue 126, Term 3 2023

Congratulations on winning the ASLA Teacher Librarian Award. Can you talk to us a little about what it is that drew you to becoming a teacher librarian? I was originally an early childhood teacher, so my first degree was a Bachelor of Education in early childhood. I did that always with the k

The future role of the teacher librarian

By Dr James E Herring

Issue 100, Term 1 2017

xpected to manage the library, taking in book selection, cataloguing and classification, displays and class visits — and advise students, liaise with teachers, complete administrative tasks, and teach students about using information and the library. So, perhaps I should call this article the futur

The Listserv for Australian Teacher Librarians

By Schools Catalogue Information Service

Issue 30, Term 3 1999

OZTL_NET stands for OZ(Aus)tralian Teacher Librarians' NET-work. This electronic forum is designed to meet the professional information needs of Australian TLs. The conversation on OZTL_NET deals with topics of interest to the Australian TL community, including the latest issues and developments th

ASLA Australian Teacher Librarian Award 2021

By Kerry Pope

Issue 118, TERM 3 2021

on Services, Mercy College, Coburg, Victoria. Anne Girolami was announced as the winner of Australian School Library Association (ASLA) Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year for 2021 by Kerry Pope, ASLA Vice President, on 13 April at the ASLA/SLASA National Conference. The presentation was mad

Ten ways to advocate for your role as a teacher librarian

By Jenny Kemp

Issue 103, Term 4 2017

One of the challenges faced by teacher librarians is that it isn’t always easy for the rest of the school to understand why we are important. In my experience, comments like ‘Surely everything’s online these days?’ and ‘What?! You went to university to get a library qualification? Isn’t it just abo

Students Need School Libraries (and teacher librarians)

By Cherie Bell

Issue 128, Term 1 2024

developing research and referencing skills, and it is the school library that leads this development. School library staff collaborate with classroom teachers to give students access to resources that are relevant to their studies and to the age and stage of each student’s development. Supporting

Five powerful digital tools for teacher librarians

By Ceinwen Jones

Issue 118, TERM 3 2021

Some of these may be new to you. Some of them may seem obvious. But here are five digital tools I enjoyed using as a teacher librarian! Trello Currently my favourite for to-do lists, one way I regularly use Trello is for my daily brain-dump of jobs I need to do. I then allocate tasks to

What Do Teacher Librarians Need to Know about Cataloguing?

By Ashley Freeman

Issue 34, Term 3 2000

The recent publication of the fourth edition of SCIS Subject Headings as a tool for use by both cataloguers in SCIS cataloguing agencies and Teacher Librarians in schools makes this an appropriate time to reflect upon the role of the Teacher Librarian with respect to cataloguing. The roles of a

It’s time: let’s improve schools' perceptions of teacher librarians

By Bev Novak

Issue 99, Term 4 2016

it on Twitter, and was delighted to read Sally’s reply: ‘It needs saying!’ Dring’s article highlighted the many valuable attributes and skills that teacher librarians bring to the school community. These are outlined below. Having dual qualifications in both teaching and library management all

Bring the teachers in: enticing teachers into the library

By Brett Moodie

Issue 90, Term 3 2014

ton College were aimed at meeting the needs of students. Displays and competitions were focused toward students, and little attention was paid to how teachers and support staff used the library. In an effort to boost the profile of the library within the school–and align with our mandate to support

Website and App Reviews

By Nigel Paul

Issue 128, Term 1 2024

AEC for schools: Teacher resources https://education.aec.gov.au/teacher-resources/ This Australian Electoral Commission website aims to enhance the practical skills teachers need to teach electoral education as part of the Australian Curriculum, in Civics and Citizenship. The professional lea

EAL/D in school libraries

By Nicki Moore, Martin Gray

Issue 121, Term 2 2022

At Singleton High School in New South Wales, Nikki Moore is an EAL/D teacher who is based in the school library. Situating Nikki in the school library has led to collaboration between the library staff and the EAL/D teacher, as well as the non-native English-speaking students who often use the libr

Working together: collaboration between libraries and bookstores

By Kristen Proud

Issue 112, Term 1 2020

ity to gain empathy and understanding from books that might portray characters from backgrounds different from their own. Engaging with book-loving teachers, enthusiastic librarians and innovative principals is one of the most joyful parts of our existence. For us, we want to ensure that we are ge

Guerrilla book fair: getting staff involved in your school library

By Lucas Maxwell

Issue 100, Term 1 2017

ing me for the gift bags. Again, it is very time consuming, but it will certainly pay off. Offer your library’s services As previously mentioned, teachers are busy people. I found that offering my services for context and research lessons pays off in several ways. First, you get to demonstrate t

Can a chatbot write like an Aussie?

By Bridget Forster

Issue 129, Term 2 2024

a foil against authentic Australian literature, students can come to appreciate the nuance of stories created in their own locale. This involves the teacher librarian selecting passages from Australian YA novels and using a series of prompts prescribing equivalent settings, characters and scenarios

Navigating the information landscape through collaboration

By Elizabeth Hutchinson

Issue 101, Term 2 2017

volved in curriculum discussions and included as part of the teaching and learning team to make an impact. However, even if this is happening, unless teachers fully support and are encouraged to use their school library, their students will struggle to become independent learners. In a perfect wor

Working together to ensure student access to high-quality school library services

By Holly Godfree

Issue 113, Term 2 2020

Tell me if this sounds familiar: A local group of school library staff are meeting to share ideas. One teacher librarian, let’s call her Janice, is describing how she’s been building a culture of reading with her Year 6 students — trying to reverse the trend we see of teenagers turnin

School library spotlight: University High School, Melbourne

By Stephanie Ward

Issue 123, Term 4 2022

ing the events, programs, services and work of the team. We’re really lucky at Uni High, we’ve got a staff of five; two library technicians and three teacher librarians. We’re not all full time, but it’s nice to have that team to work with and really bounce ideas off one another as it creates a sens

School Library Spotlight: Xavier College, Burke Hall

By Fiona O'Rourke

Issue 119, Term 4 2021

1. What is your job title and what challenges are you facing? I have just commenced at Xavier College, Burke Hall as a part-time teacher librarian for the Middle Years. Beginning a new job in a school can be both exciting and daunting. However, when you begin at the commencement of Lockdown