ALIA submission to Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians in Australian schools

May 2010

ALIA submissions
ALIA made two submissions to the Inquiry: a main submission and a letter of support signed by over 750 members and friends of ALIA. Links to both submissions are at the end of the page.

Introduction
We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians.

We thank the Federal Government for the recognition that the Building the Education Revolution (BER) is not just about physical infrastructure. We are pleased that the Government has responded to calls from the library and information sector for a review focusing on school libraries and teacher librarians.

ALIA is committed to promoting the free flow of information and ideas in the interest of all Australians and a thriving culture, economy and democracy. We support the development of a 21st century information infrastructure with libraries as the conduit for a sustainable knowledge economy.

This submission strongly supports the separate submission from the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) with whom ALIA works in partnership on issues concerning school libraries and teacher librarians.

Other contributors to this submission include the ALIA Schools Group, the joint ALIA/ASLA Policy Advisory Group, and current practitioners.

ALIA and ASLA are looking forward to working with the Federal Government on implementing the Inquiry recommendations.

Key principle
The key principle in this submission is that there should be a teacher librarian in every Australian school in order to achieve the best educational and social outcomes for all young Australians, and to ensure their lifelong participation in the Australian economy, culture and society.

The key issues include:

• School libraries staffed by teacher librarians are critical for higher levels of student achievement
• School libraries with qualified teacher librarians inspire and support literacy and reading
• Teacher librarians have an important role in teaching - teaching information and digital literacy skills and partnering with teachers to resource, enrich and expand the curriculum
• Teacher librarians facilitate the effective participation of students in the areas of cybersafety, cyberbullying, identity theft, privacy, etc.
• School libraries and teacher librarians are leading the way for technology use in schools and in the curriculum
• School libraries are the social hub of the school and are safe supervised places.

The role of school information services and teacher librarians are key factors in the improved delivery of curriculum outcomes, attainment of the goals of education, promotion of literacy and reading, information literacy, technology use in schools and the curriculum, and lifelong learning.

Having access to a well resourced school library and the services of a fully trained and qualified teacher librarian is the right of every student in an Australian school. The provision of the school library facility and the employment of a qualified teacher librarian in every school is the responsibility of the federal and state governments of Australia, and is in the national interest.

Click here to view the ALIA submission [ pdf 532KB ]

Click here to view ALIA's Letter of support [ pdf 279KB ]

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House Standing Committee on Education and Training
Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians in Australian Schools
The inquiry terms of reference, submissions and public hearings are available here

ALIA presented at the Melbourne public hearing, 29 April 2010 (ALIA presentation transcript : pp 2-15 of Official Committee Hansard).

ALIA presented at the Adelaide public hearing, 12 July 2010 (ALIA presentation transcript: pp 2-8 of Official Committee Hansard).