In this new blog post, SLANSW Management Committee member, Fabian Amuso, shares a process to assist in the management  of disputed materials. He also advocates for schools to have a Disputed Materials Policy (DMP), to allow stakeholders within the school to consider the suitability of a resource against their needs, in line with the processes involved in selecting an item. A Disputed Materials Form is also provided to members.

To read the full blog post by Fabian Amuso, click here and login to your Member Portal.

School Libraries: Improving the Literacy and Wellbeing Outcomes for Young People

The first SLANSW Flexible Blended Learning Course for 2023 will feature the recent work by Dr Margaret Merga. Participants will engage with the content of Dr Merga’s book, which will be supported by recordings of Professional Conversations between Dr Merga and Dr Lyn Hay about the content of the book. Sessions will also include video content only from the restricted section of the SLANSW Professional Learning Archive.  Other supporting resources have been curated to expand participants’ access to content around this very important topic. The cost of this course is $120, which represents outstanding value. All participants of the course will receive a copy of Dr Merga’s book, School Libraries Supporting Literacy and Wellbeing, as part of the registration fee. (This book retails for $105). This course will provide 10 hours of Elective Professional Learning.

Course structure 

Participants can choose to start the course anytime during Term 2. The course will open on May 1. Participants will work at their own pace to complete the viewing and reading of resources. At the end of Term 2, an optional online meetup will be offered for participants, however attendance at this meetup is not compulsory to achieve the course requirements. Due to the amount of content being offered, the course will remain open until July 21. Participants will submit a reflection on their learning at the end of the flexible blended learning course. 

Course Overview

Session 1

Introduction and assessment of current services and programs

Session 2

The Teacher Librarian as Literacy Educator

Session 3

Teacher Librarians Engaging Struggling and Reluctant Readers

Sessions 4

School Libraries and Reading Engagement for Wellbeing

Session 5

School Library Environments Supporting Students and Staff

Session 6

Visibility and Advocacy for School Libraries and Staff

Session 7

Analysis and Reflection

Registrations* for this course are now open: Flexible Blended Learning Course 1, 2023

As numbers are restricted to 24 participants, we recommend early registration to avoid disappointment.

*This course is only open to current SLANSW members.

The School Library's role in including Indigenous Australian Voice in the English Curriculum K-10

This session will provide insights, guidance and resources into embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice through a diverse range of texts to strengthen all areas of the English curriculum, along with how the school library needs to be a critical component in supporting students and staff in developing culturally safe and responsive competencies when engaging with literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. During the session we will also touch on how to create culturally responsive practices when developing and maintaining your Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collection of texts and other resources in your context.  This topic is relevant for primary and secondary Teacher Librarians and Library staff.

Rosalyn Thomas is a Dunghutti woman from Kempsey on the mid-north coast of NSW, who grew up and lives on Darug and Gundungurra Country in the Blue Mountains.

Rosalyn is the Senior Consultant for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education at the Association of Independent Schools of NSW, leading the Waratah Project across 30 schools along with providing support to all NSW independent schools to enhance educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and enable teachers to build confidence to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, and languages across all curriculum areas.

With 12 years’ experience teaching in schools across Western Sydney in NSW, Rosalyn has taught in both mainstream and special needs classes, along with holding key school leadership and executive positions.

Rosalyn has a Master of Educational Leadership and a recipient of the NSW Quality Teaching Award for her work in building high-expectation relationships with Aboriginal students and their families within the Special Education context.

Register now via: The School Library's role in including Indigenous Australian Voice in the English Curriculum K-10

Collection Development Policies: Creation and implementation

In this online meetup Jade Arnold will present on the key features of a collection development policy and how a collection development policy can be used by teacher librarians to advocate for themselves and their collection.  This topic is relevant for primary and secondary Teacher Librarians and Library staff.

Jade started her teaching career as an English and History teacher, but retrained as a Teacher Librarian after seeing the devastating impact the loss of her school’s library to fire had on her students. She is an avid reader of YA fiction and is passionate about engaging teenagers in reading for leisure. Jade's current position is the NSW Premier’s Program Officer – Reading and Spelling, which involves overseeing the Premier's Reading Challenge and Premier's Spelling Bee.

Register now via: Collection Development Policies: Creation and implementation

We hope all SLANSW members have signed ALIA’s e-petition regarding the possible demise of Trove due to insufficient funding. What a loss that would be! SLANSW President, Dr Di Laycock has written to Minister Tony Burke (Minister of the Arts) on behalf of the members of SLANSW and hope that, individually, you will all take the time to contact your local members. To help you out, you’ll find a generic letter here that only needs the addition of your member’s name and email, and your signature. 

The Teen Reading in the Digital Era research program at Deakin University has released the preliminary research findings of the Teen Reading survey and links to the research that have been published from the project.  You can access the preliminary findings here.

SLANSW members that engaged in sessions during 2022 related to this project may be particularly interested. If you wish to find out more about the Teen Reading Project you can access a wealth of information via: https://teenreading.net/

In this new blog post, SLANSW Management Committee member, Fabian Amuso, shares strategies to ascertain the age of a school library’s collection. As Fabian concludes, however, caution is required in the use of such strategies as the sole criterion for collection development, especially in secondary school libraries where “ageing” texts that are no longer published may remain relevant in subjects such as English and Modern/Ancient History.

To read the full blog post by Fabian Amuso, click here and login to your Member Portal.

Resourcing the Curriculum - Selecting First Nations Resources

In this online meetup Krystal Gagen-Spriggs will present on the new module being added to the CSU Resourcing the Curriculum subject - Selecting First Nations Resources. This topic is so important for all Teacher Librarians and Library staff who are involved in developing collections to support the new curriculum.

Krystal Gagen-Spriggs is a PhD Candidate and Lecturer with the School of Information and Communication Studies at Charles Sturt University. She has a background in teacher librarianship and secondary school education. Krystal is passionate about the role of the  teacher librarian, school library advocacy and the promotion of reading for pleasure. Her PhD research aims to understand the factors that affect the teacher librarian’s influence on reading cultures in schools.

Register now via: Resourcing the Curriculum - Selecting First Nations Resources

Susanne Gervay goes where ‘angels fear to tread.’ She is an author and activist who advocates for peace, inclusion and feminism, through story. In her latest book, The Edge of Limits, she goes further and reveals the reality of CONSENT. Susanne is an ambassador for Room to Read, Patron of Monkey Baa Theatre, heads The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (ANZ), and Role Model for Books in Homes. Her literature ‘demonstrates with great power that we can teach our children profound truths and timeless values.’ Professor of English, D.R. Pattanaik, Banaras Hindu University.

Susanne will be presenting on “Search for Identity is the Journey” at SLANSW's The Strength of Story Professional Learning Summit, 4 March 2023. Registrations open soon: Events

Jantiena Batt is a school leader working as Director of Early Childhood Projects in the ACT Education Directorate. She has worked in a range of settings and sectors including education and care services, OSHC, preschool, schools and, as a literacy and numeracy coach over the last 20 years. In 2022, Jantiena received the Reading Australia Fellowship for Teachers of English and Literacy, supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.

Jantiena will be presenting on “Sharing stories - is your response story driven or issue based?”  at SLANSW's The Strength of Story Professional Learning Summit, 4 March 2023. Registrations open soon: Events