The Maurice Saxby Award for service to children’s and/or young adult literature is awarded to a person/s or organisation that has displayed excellence and passion in promoting reading and/or writing for young people in NSW. In recognition for his consistently outstanding contribution, the School Library Association of NSW presents the 2025 Maurice Saxby Award to Alex Wharton.

Alex is a dedicated and visionary educator whose passion for promoting literature and fostering a love of reading and writing in the classroom is truly inspiring. His ability to create engaging resources tailored to promote literature has consistently elevated student outcomes. Beyond the classroom, Alex’s passion for literature, coupled with his dedication to teaching excellence, makes him an exceptional educator who inspires both students and peers alike. He embodies lifelong learning, consistently seeking opportunities to refine his craft and share his knowledge with colleagues. He has generously shared this knowledge with members of the School Library Association on many occasions, including online meetups, conferences and special interest groups.

Alex has been a passionate and dedicated advocate for Australian literature through his exceptional involvement with the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA). This was especially the case when he served as a voluntary esteemed Book of the Year Award judge in the Eve Pownall category for the past three years, where Alex has demonstrated a deep commitment to celebrating and promoting Australian stories and authors. He has done this with great flair, participating in radio interviews and guest presentations.

More recently, Alex has taken on the pivotal role of Awards Co-Convenor and serves on the National Awards Subcommittee, where his leadership has been instrumental in shaping the CBCA’s mission to inspire young readers and support the literary community. Through his engaging speaking presentations and convening of three of the six CBCA Book of the Year Award categories, Alex has championed Australian literature to diverse audiences, sharing his expertise and passion for fostering a love of reading to change lives.

Alex’s unwavering dedication to promoting Australian stories ensures that they reach the hands of young readers across NSW and Australia. His contributions to the CBCA continue to leave a profound and lasting impact on the literary landscape. Along with his work with the CBCA, Alex has displayed excellence and passion in promoting reading and writing for young people in NSW by holding numerous pivotal positions, including Secretary for the national Mackellar Poetry Competition and a Board Member of #LoveOZYA. In recognition for the high regard in which he is held, Alex has been a respected judge for the 2020 Red Room Poetry Competition; the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition; and NSW Premier’s Literary Awards for Children’s Literature.

Alex’s passion to promote reading and writing in NSW schools is reflected in his work with teachers and students in the classroom and his involvement in external literature-focused programs and activities. In recognition of his work in literacy education and the promotion of reading, Alex has received several significant awards. As the recipient of the Copyright Agency’s Fellowship for Teachers of English, Alex researched how teaching First Nations literature could be improved through the use of literature frameworks and has been a keynote speaker on this topic at the Educational Publishing Awards and SLANSW. Other awards include the NSW Premier’s Teacher Scholarship; and an ACEL New Voice Scholar in School Leadership Award. In The Educator Magazine’s Hot List (2020), Alex was named one of Australia’s most influential educators for his innovative literacy leadership and profession-wide contributions.

Alex is a very worthy recipient of the Maurice Saxby Award, and he is congratulated on this achievement by all members of the School Library Association of NSW.

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The award for SLANSW Teacher Librarian of the Year is given to a teacher librarian or team of teacher librarians in recognition of their outstanding contribution to teaching and learning in their school and their engagement with the school library community. The 2025 SLANSW Teacher Librarian of the Year is Gina Krohn, Teacher Librarian at Glenfield Public School. Gina has demonstrated active professionalism by innovating in all dimensions of her practice to implement outstanding library programs and services and building professional relationships with students, staff, parents, and colleagues.

Gina genuinely enjoys creating age-appropriate comprehensive and engaging programs for K-6 students and, where possible, enhances these programs with opportunities to consolidate their learning in a variety of ways. In all research units she creates, the emphasis is on literacy skill building. As students explore topics that support their classroom learning or are of personal interest to them, she provides explicit and age-appropriate modelling of the skills needed to become independent learners, as well as a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their success in skill acquisition. Within units of work, aspects of digital literacy are explored, as students are encouraged to develop the habit of determining the relevance and veracity of the resources and websites they used. 

As a passionate advocate for fostering a love of reading, Gina regularly immerses herself in a wide variety of books, enabling her to recommend titles that resonate with diverse student interests and needs. For the past two years, she has demonstrated her dedication to literacy at a broader level by reviewing more than 40 books for the Premier’s Reading Challenge, reflecting her commitment to supporting readers far beyond her school community. To engage reluctant readers, Gina created the "Backpack Project," a literacy initiative that integrates creativity, collaboration and student-centred learning. Through this program, she has collaborated with 44 authors and illustrators to develop a variety of engaging activities, including literacy challenges and creative tasks tailored to specific books. Each backpack includes multiple access points for students: curated toys, games, examples of peer work, book-specific challenges, and personalised feedback from the contributing "Backpacker”. This initiative has significantly enhanced reading engagement among her school’s reluctant readers, fostering a positive connection to books and literacy. Its success is also reflected in its widespread adoption, with over 192 backpack bookings across schools in NSW, ACT, VIC, SA, TAS, and QLD. The Backpack Project demonstrates Gina’s ability to align resources with diverse student needs, create meaningful learning experiences, and build partnerships that amplify the library's role in education.

Gina is a tireless advocate for the vital role of school libraries in fostering literacy, inquiry and lifelong learning. She regularly promotes the importance of libraries to Department of Education staff, her school leadership and the wider community, demonstrating how libraries empower students as readers, researchers and critical thinkers. Beyond her local community, Gina demonstrates her professional commitment by actively participating in professional learning opportunities, including library conferences, workshops, and webinars. She attends many online Professional Learning sessions, recognising that there is always something to learn and new ways of promoting books and library services and programs from her many talented teacher librarian colleagues. As a mentor, she provides guidance and support to new teacher librarians, helping them navigate their roles and fostering a collaborative professional network. She has also taken the initiative to lead professional development sessions within the Primary Libraries: Creative Collaboration network, empowering colleagues with innovative strategies for library programming and resource management.

Gina’s advocacy for the library’s role in education and her ability to create meaningful connections between students, staff, and the community make her an essential part of Glenfield Public School. Her passion, expertise, and collaborative spirit not only enrich her school’s learning environment but also inspires those around her to recognise and support the transformative power of libraries. Gina’s professional knowledge and commitment ensure that the library remains a cornerstone of student achievement and staff development. Members of the School Library Association of New South Wales congratulate Gina Krohn as the recipient of the Teacher Librarian of the Year Award for 2025.

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The School Library Association of NSW Library Service Award is awarded to a member of the school community in recognition of their outstanding service to their school library. The 2025 Library Service Award is presented to Elizabeth Mitchell, Library Support Officer at Wallsend Public School.

Prior to holding this position, Elizabeth devoted countless hours to volunteering in the library, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to fostering a love of reading and learning among the students of Wallsend Public School. Elizabeth's willingness to go above and beyond during her volunteer tenure shows her passion for library services and her belief in the transformative power of information and knowledge.

Elizabeth serves as a role model for both staff and students, demonstrating the importance of professionalism, integrity, and kindness in all her interactions. Her outstanding work ethic and dedication to maintaining a welcoming, inclusive, and well-organised library space inspire all who work with her. Elizabeth takes pride in her contributions, ensuring that the library is not only a place for resources but also a community hub where students and staff feel valued and supported.

Her enthusiasm for library services is contagious, igniting a similar passion in her colleagues. Elizabeth’s positive attitude means that she is always willing to accept a challenge and learn new processes and procedures. Elizabeth's vibrant energy and enthusiasm creates an environment that encourages exploration and discovery, making the library a dynamic space for learning. She actively manages the Reading for Pleasure Program where the library reinforces the promotion of literacy and lifelong learning, which further demonstrates her commitment to her library’s shared mission. Elizabeth provides invaluable advice and perspectives to assist her library colleagues to develop rich learning experiences for students.

Elizabeth Mitchell exemplifies the spirit of the Library Service Award through her exceptional volunteering, knowledge-sharing, role modelling, and unwavering enthusiasm for creating a well-organised and inviting library environment. Her contributions have enhanced the library services of Wallsend Public School and have also left a lasting impact on that school’s community. Members of SLANSW are pleased to acknowledge Elizabeth’s achievements and honour her with this award, recognising her as a cornerstone of her school library's success and a true champion of the library profession.

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Media Release from ALIA and ACSL has called for 'urgent investment in Australia's school libraries as new analysis shows that students who reported never, or almost never, borrowing books from libraries scored lower on reading comprehension than their peers'. Download the pdf to read the full media release.

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The Maurice Saxby Award recognises service to children’s and/or young adult literature by an individual, team or organisation that has displayed excellence and passion in promoting reading and/or writing for young people in NSW. The worthy recipient of the School Library Association of New South Wales Maurice Saxby Award for 2024 is Dr Anita Heiss.

Dr Heiss has a longstanding history of advocacy for First Nations’ literature and has worked tirelessly to ensure Australian children and young people see themselves on the page in their life experiences, their skin tones, their families and realities, their ways of having fun, and their diverse lives. Through the publication of many titles, Dr Heiss has endeavoured to ensure all Australian children have diversity in their reading and are able to connect with other kids through the things they enjoy.

As a touring author since 1996, Dr Heiss has worked with numerous groups of young people in classrooms, libraries, and community organisations across Australia, finding joy in storytime and running writing workshops. For the last five years, Dr Heiss has worked with the Bathurst Catholic Education Office and has visited schools across its footprint on her own Wiradyuri country, running writing workshops with young people. Two other significant projects in her career include co-writing two novels with the students at La Perouse Public School and the TWUGIA project run through the NSW Dept of Education, which ran for three years and offered high-achieving Koori students in south-western Sydney the opportunity to attend a writing camp.

As a Lifetime Ambassador for the Indigenous Foundation (ILF), Dr Heiss has worked with young Indigenous people in Healesville (VIC), Katherine (NT), Tiwi Island, and in Sydney. The books published from those workshops include: Deadly Sisters of Worawa, Shock ‘Em:Storie of the Big River Hawks, and Nginingawila Ngirramini - Our Story. Dr Heiss has also been incredibly active in promoting the work of the ILF through speaking and fundraising events. Since 2006, she has contributed to the BlackWords: Aboriginal and Writers and Storytellers data set of AustLit.

Dr Heiss continues to support professional development for teachers in NSW and Qld. She is a regular keynote speaker at educational conferences, offering resources, particularly by First Nations authors, to educators. In 2023, Dr Heiss presented at the South Australian Primary School Principals’ Conference, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Symposium: a Voice for Generations in the ACT, and the QLD Catholic Education Conference.

Dr Heiss’ tireless and valuable work to promote reading and writing for young people in NSW reflects the objectives of the School Library Association of NSW.  Members of the Association congratulate Dr Heiss on receipt of the Maurice Saxby Award.

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The John Hirst Award honours the memory of the Association’s founder, who had a vision and a passionate drive to establish the primary place of libraries in every NSW school. The award recognises excellence in professional leadership and/or service by an Association member who is either a teacher librarian or who supports school libraries in New South Wales. 

The recipient of the School Library Association of New South Wales John Hirst Award for 2024 is Gabrielle Mace. Gabrielle is Head of Library Services at St Augustine's College – Sydney.

Gabrielle Mace has been proactive in promoting literacy and has demonstrated leadership through research and continuous improvement in the school libraries in which she has worked. In her previous school, Gabrielle led the implementation of a successful whole-school literacy intervention program and continues in her current school to advocate for the creation of a reading culture through activities such as her co-presentation for the International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) on ‘Developing a School-wide Reading Culture for Boys in 2023’. Furthermore, as the sole presenter on ‘Boys & Books: Breaking Down the Barriers’ podcast at the IBSC’s ‘Exploring Boys Education’ event in 2023, Gabrielle actively engaged in discussions surrounding the challenges and opportunities in boys' education, specifically in the context of literature, and advocated for the school library space and the imperative for school libraries to be staffed by qualified professionals. Gabrielle has generously shared her practice with others in the profession on her contribution to research into the development of a whole-school reading program.  In this regard, she has contributed to various publications, such as Connections magazine, ACCESS, The Book Curator and the Sydney Morning Herald throughout 2021, 2022, and 2023. Gabrielle has also presented her work at conferences, such as the AIS ‘Teacher Librarians Reading Symposium’ in 2022, the  ALIA/LARK Applied Library Research event at UTS in 2022,  the AIS Research Symposium in 2022, and the SLANSW 'Just Read' Online Meet-Up in 2021. Gabrielle’s research has led to invitations to continue to speak both nationally and internationally.

Gabrielle continues to advocate for school libraries as a member of the SLANSW Management Committee and the IBSC’s Special Interest Group on Libraries & Reading Culture. She also actively uses social media to advocate for school library spaces and the critical importance of library spaces run by professional qualified, knowledgeable staff.

Through her leadership, professional practice, passion and willingness to advocate for the profession, Gabrielle has demonstrated dedication to the advancement of school libraries in a variety of contexts. Gabrielle Mace is a worthy recipient of the John Hirst Award 2024 and members of the School Library Association of NSW congratulate her on this achievement.

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The SLANSW Library Professional Award is awarded to a library professional in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of library services within their school community. 

The recipient of the School Library Association of New South Wales Library Professional Award for 2024 is Bronwyn McLoughlin. Bronwyn is the Librarian in the Senior Library at The King’s School, Parramatta.

Bronwyn is an integral part of The King's School Senior Library team. She's been a friendly face, a reliable presence and a helping hand to students and staff in the Senior Library for twenty-three years. Her post-graduate qualification in Library and Information Management ensures the advice and support that she provides to the two teacher librarians, teaching staff, and students is authoritative and comprehensive. Bronwyn also provides support to staff in the school’s other two libraries as required.

The nature of Bronwyn’s position as Librarian is wide ranging.  The administrative side of her role involves everything from selecting, purchasing and accessioning physical and digital resources to ensuring the library tutoring system operates efficiently. As well, Bronwyn ensures that the library management system is accurate, operational, and accessible, and she also oversees supervision of the circulation desk. As the “go-to” person for copyright matters, Bronwyn undertakes regular professional development to ensure her advice is accurate.  She is a member of the school’s Prize Committee and oversees the purchase, allocation, and presentation of prizes for the end-of-year prizegiving ceremonies.

Bronwyn’s expertise was integral to the genrefication of the Senior Library’s Fiction Collection – amending catalogue records, re-labelling all items, and co-ordinating the physical reshuffle. She is currently part of the team involved in the creation of the library’s new LibGuides page following the migration of the catalogue from Destiny to Oliver.

Bronwyn's English Literature background informs both her attention to the needs of students studying senior English courses, especially student research related to Extension English 2 projects, and the promotion of reading through collection management and Readers' Advisory assistance for staff and students. She also contributes to the creation of promotional displays for regular and special occasions in the library space and the Staff Common Room.

Bronwyn’s research skills have been recognised by the Senior Leadership team and she is consequently a member of the school's International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Implementation Committee. To this end, she has undertaken the “Leading the Learning” and “Librarian” courses to ensure the library staff and resources are ready to support the IB curriculum.

Over her twenty-three year tenure, Bronwyn has witnessed and experienced the ever-changing face of school libraries and those who work in them. Her mantra is that "change is a constant" and, to this end, has embraced innovation and new directions, all the while ensuring the maintenance of the highest professional standards for the King’s School Senior Library.

Members of the School Library Association of New South Wales congratulate Bronwyn on the receipt of this award.

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The SLANSW Library Service Award is awarded to a member of the school community in recognition of their outstanding service to their school library. The recipient of this award for 2024 is Raelyn Carter, School Administration Officer (SAO) – Library at Cambewarra Public School.

Rae is an inspiring individual. She shows a deep commitment to the school community and a passion for the school library's role in education. Her journey, starting as a parent volunteer and evolving into a dedicated staff member, reflects a genuine desire to contribute to the school's success.

Rae consistently goes above and beyond her official part-time role by dedicating a full additional day a fortnight to the library, even volunteering during school holidays. Her willingness to do so demonstrates a selfless dedication to the betterment of Cambewarra Public School’s library. Rae’s recognition and addressing of the need for administrative support and proactive involvement shows her commitment to ensuring the library runs smoothly and the needs of students and staff are met in the best way possible.

Rae is extremely passionate about, and dedicated to, supporting the school library. So much so, that in 2021 she decided to pursue further study to enhance her knowledge and support the teacher librarian in the library. To this end, and with a background as a primary teacher, Rae is currently undertaking the Master of Education in Teacher Librarianship at Charles Sturt University.

It is commendable that Raelyn not only fulfills her official responsibilities but also actively engages and supports the teacher librarian in initiatives such as the library monitor program, resource lists, CBCA Book Week, library displays, and the general organisation and management of tasks in the library. She brings valuable insight and skills to her current role, enriching the school library and providing much-needed support for the teacher librarian. The fact that Rae willingly invests time and effort into her own professional development for the benefit of the library and the school community speaks volumes about her dedication and passion for school libraries.

Rae’s efforts demonstrate that she significantly contributes to the success of the school library. She is an invaluable asset to Cambewarra Public School, and the positive impact she has had on school library operations, and, by extension, on teaching and learning, is immeasurable. Rae is a worthy recipient for the SLANSW Library Service Award.

Members of the School Library Association of New South Wales congratulate Rae on her outstanding service to her school library.

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The Ross J Todd Research Grant honours the contribution and commitment of Dr Ross Todd to practitioner research in school libraries by supporting a member or members to engage in research in their school libraries that contributes to the building of local evidence.

In 2023, the Ross J Todd Research Grant is awarded to teacher librarian Vicki Bennett from Nowra Hill Public School and Cambewarra Public School.

Vicki’s research will focus on collaborative teaching between the teacher librarian and classroom teachers in a primary school setting that aims to improve student literacy outcomes. Such collaborative teaching will involve the teacher librarian working with classroom teachers in the implementation of inquiry learning, facilitating research skills in students, and providing appropriate resources to support teaching and learning.

Vicki is interested in the benefits of collaborative teaching for both students and teachers. Her research will be underpinned by literature that indicates the positive impact of collaborative teaching on students’ educational outcomes.

Members of SLANSW congratulate Vicki on the receipt of this grant and look forward to watching the progress of this research project.

This grant will be presented at Professional Learning Summit: The Strength of Story  on March 4th, 2023.

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