The Visible Library

Is your library in the spotlight?

Dr Jennie Bales, Teacher Librarian, Lilydale District School

Visualogist, 2009, Photo beam.

How visible are you?

Time for some naval gazing.

Think about how people see you, where people see you, and what

you are doing when they see you.

This is your public persona.

Part of the team OR

Splendid isolation?

A crowd at the post exchange, 1942-1945, U.S. Army Air Corps Soares, P 2012, Cup of tea, please,

How do others see you?

The Protector.

Top dog.

Payne, C 2011, Documentally cat

Orangeaurochs, 2011, Cat and books Clanger, M 2004, A cat on books

Out of sight, out of mind.

Different Scenarios

• Library Technician

• Library assistant

• Teacher assistant

• Librarian / Teacher / Teacher librarian

In charge

Work alone

Work with others

Supervised from a distance

Part-time. Shared duties on different days

What is your vision?

• Libraries past - libraries future http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K-4ZF0x5ic&feature=related

• Transition - where do school library staff fit and how can they be actively engaged in change processes?

Opportunities with

Students

• Name game - do they know yours, do you know theirs?

• How do students perceive you? The library? The services offered?

Library displays targeting students‟ current curricular needs and personal interests

Signage

Suggestion box / wiki / blog

Support students’

learning

• Library web presence

Is the library on the

parent radar?

• Promote library activities in the school newsletter and follow up with a report.

• Encourage others to use the library (e.g. Parent Association) – take photographs, report in newsletter.

• Library page in the school magazine

• Promote information services, e.g. access to online data bases and encyclopedias

Opportunities with Staff

• Regular communications

• Emails

• Announcements in shared workspace

• Ensure all library staff are „visible‟ – share responsibility and authorship of announcements.

• Quick, simple displays of new resources, change in staff area. Change weekly.

Staff

Communicate

Create shared lists (wish / teaching foci) identifying needs and gaps in the collection

Relevant sales notifications - e.g. Book Week merchandise, short list, standing orders, magazine subscriptions

Displays –

Staffroom & Library

Catalogues / brochures for browsing

New titles

Targeted library displays

Intranet /e email / sharepoint

Staff

Resources to

support staff

meetings, PL events

Provide resources to leadership team

Pass on teacher resource catalogues, e.g. SCIS, ACER

Resourcing for

teaching & learning

“The bulk loan” Top-up students‟ selections

Include several new items „on top‟.

Add reviews, teacher resources, teaching notes etc.

Accessing the

Collection

• Know current curriculum content

• Check subject headings on records

• Modify records

• Use Dewey to customise access

Shelby Designs and Illustrates, 2012, Dewey pictograms

It’s all about access

• Can students and teachers find what they want?

• The Confusing Library - The Two Ronnies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGlN_EaEgPQ&feature=related

Books available from the Department of Veteran Affairs

Accurate Records

• Check bibliographic details when adding items to library system.

• Add further information to facilitate access. • Ask others to assist if required.

• Add notes using key search terms, e.g. persuasive writing, First Steps.

• Provide more detailed subject headings that address curriculum content.

Resource Selection

• Foreshadow future curriculum foci

• Cast curriculum lens over catalogues

• Organise book displays - invite teachers and classes

• Respond to recommendations and selections

• Subscribe to journals and provide to staff to inform purchasing decisions

• Join lists e.g. Allen & Unwin, Penguin, Paper Tiger, Junior

Involve & Inform

Ask teachers to read new resources and provide feedback and suggestions to improve access to titles

Put out alerts through daily news etc

Ask staff to identify topics and teaching foci

Give lessons on using the catalogue using key subject terms – add notes with curriculum terminology

Provide support materials or links to teacher notes on texts

Staffroom resource box - e.g. History resource lists (& post alerts to new additions

Collective Knowledge

Management

• Talk to SEO / IT support / Leadership team about establishing a resource bank

• OR contribute to the one already in place.

Performance Review

Opportunities • Delivering high quality

results and client services

• Judgment, common sense & strategic thinking

• Communication skills

• Leadership & people skills

• Developing own skills

Cummings, P 2010, It's that time...

Creating your future

References

• BBC, 1982, The two Ronnies: the confusing library, online video, July 30 2011, accessed 11

October 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGlN_EaEgPQ&feature=related >.

• Johnson, D 2010, Libraries past : libraries future, online video, March 25 2010, accessed 11

October 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K-4ZF0x5ic>.

• Theunquietlibrarian, 2011, Building the future of libraries now with enchantment and

participatory learning, online video, June 20 2011, accessed 11 October 2012,

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8DNWgdzQmU&feature=related>.

Images in order of

appearance • Visualogist, 2009, Photo beam, photograph, , accessed 20 September 2012,

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/visualogist/3202396970/>, Creative Commons licence:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

• A crowd at the post exchange, 1942-1945, U.S. Army Air Corps, accessed 23 September 2012,

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/-pee-/6806550379/in/photostream/>, Creative Commons licence:

<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en>.

• Soares, P 2012, Cup of tea, please, photograph, , accessed 23 September 2012,

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/-pee-/6806550379/>, Creative Commons licence:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

• Payne, C 2011, Documentally cat, photograph, , accessed 23 September 2012,

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianpayne/5481423552/>, Creative Commons licence:

<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en>.

• Orangeaurochs, 2011, Cat and books, photograph, , accessed 23 September 2012,

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/orangeaurochs/5357301669/>, Creative Commons licence:

<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en >.

Images continued

• Clanger, M 2004, A cat on books, photograph, , accessed 23 September 2012,

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/major_clanger/943482483/>, Creative Commons licence:

<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en>.

• Gardner, L 2010, Hedwig w/ more books, photograph, , accessed 23 September 2012,

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/grandgrrl/5065369903/>, Creative Commons licence:

<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en>.

• Shelby Designs and Illustrates, 2012, Dewey pictograms, poster, accessed 30 September

2012, <http://libraryliteracy.org/staff/differences/index.html>, Creative Commons licence:

<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/>.

• Cummings, P 2010, It's that time..., illustration, , accessed 11 October 2012,

<http://www.flickr.com/photos/pgcummings/4543441250/sizes/m/in/photostream/>,

Creative Commons licence: <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/deed.en>.

Abstract

• Abstract: How visible is the school library to your school community? Do staff, students and parents understand the work that is undertaken in the library and how it can make a positive difference to teaching and learning across the school and at home? This session will focus on the importance of profiling the library and the work undertaken by library staff. Strategies for promoting services and contributing to the educational needs of the school will be examined. Tips and guides for selection of resources will be shared.