ALIA Schools

July-December 2002

Six-monthly report to the ALIA Board of Directors

from ALIA Schools Victoria, November 2002.

Purpose and goals as stated in ALIA group application:

1. To encourage collegiality among its members
2. To promote the interests of school libraries and teacher-librarians
3. To provide opportunities for professional development for personnel in school libraries
4. To lobby for school libraries with state and local groups
5. To liaise with other professional groups in the field, for example SLAV
6. To identify and analyse current trends in teacher-librarianship
7. To maintain the profile of teacher-librarians within the ALIA structure
8. To hold regular meetings and to disseminate information in print and electronic format

• On 17 July and 14 August, ALIA Schools Victoria conducted professional development sessions titled Evidence-based practice. These spaced learning modules each of two and a half hours duration focused on how evidence-based practice operates in relation to information literacy programs in two Victorian secondary colleges. The modules were designed to allow the participants time between the sessions to implement a small project and to report back on progress. The participants were most appreciative of the collegial support that this model offers and stated in their evaluation comments that they found the seminars to be of great assistance. These activities fulfilled the following goals: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7.
  
  
• On 2 August, ALIA Schools Victoria co-hosted with SLAV the 2002 International Speaker Series. Assessing the evidence, assessing the learning featured two speakers: Drs Ross Todd and Sheila Offman Gersh. Each, in different ways, focused on the importance of being able to provide evidence of the value of teacher-librarians to information literacy. This activity fulfilled the following goals: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7.
  
  
• Submissions to both LISEKA and the Senate Inquiry: Role of Libraries in an online environment were prepared and forwarded to ALIA for consideration. This activity fulfilled the following goals: 2, 4, 6, 7.
  
  
• The group has held scheduled meetings on 20 July, 17 August, 19 October and 9 November. Earlier, at the meeting on 4 May, a mail out to members was collated. This contained a newsletter and a flyer inviting participation in the July and August professional development sessions. These meetings fulfilled the following goals: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8.
  
  
• Three members of ALIA Schools Victoria are members of the joint ALIA/ASLA committees. Kris Johnstone is the ALIA representative on the joint issues committee. Anne Girolami and Sandra Ryan are the ALIA representatives on the joint policy committee. Anne Girolami is the convenor of this group. Regular teleconferences have been held and reports have been submitted from both committees. In these ways ALIA Schools Victoria is fulfilling the following goals: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
  
  
• An article for the December issue of inCite was e-mailed for the deadline of 1 November. This article outlined the group's activities for the year and was titled: Evidence of a role for teacher-librarians. This article fulfilled the following goals: 2, 4, and 7
  
  
• On Monday 21 October, the annual School Libraries Day Dinner was jointly hosted with SLAV. The guest speaker, Cate Kennedy, provided insights into the skills of a short story and poetry writer. This activity fulfilled the following goals: 1, 2, 3 and 5.

This analysis clearly demonstrates that all of the group's goals have been covered by these activities.

Forward Planning for 2003
Four seminars have been outlined as possible activities for 2003. The first, in March, will probably focus on the learning needs of individual students. Another two spaced learning modules on evidence-based practice are scheduled for May and June.

In June 2001 when group submissions were made, ALIA Schools Victoria forwarded a two year plan. Pending the continuation of the group beyond June 2003, in October, an evidence-based practice forum is planned for the participants of the 2002 and 2003 seminars. In this way we will be able to learn more about good practice and provide an opportunity for others to receive ongoing collegial support.

Sandra Ryan
Co-convenor
ALIA Schools Victoria