Advocacy News

Australian Education Union issues statement on teacher librarians 14 June 2012

  • SLANSW and ISLA meet with NSW Federation of Parents and Citizens' Associations. A timely and convivial information exchange. 8 June 2012
  • Threat to TLs by school autonomy makes Channel 10 News 22 May 2012.  Watch Principal Changes.
  • 2012: ISLA/SLA NSW visits Ryan Park, Noreen Hay, Lee Evans and Anna Wastson, Illawarra MPs.
  • A SLANSW Inc. delegation visited our president's local MP for Goulburn, Pru Goward, Minister for Women, to discuss the threat of school autonomy to school library staffing in Bowral, 23 March 2012.

The 30 minute meeting was attended by Ms. Goward, her staffer, Megan, Bill Sommerville, President SLANSW and constituent, Di Ridley, President, Illawarra School Libraries Association, and Member, SLANSW, Georgia Phillips, Committee Member, SLANSW.

Bill introduced our concerns and we all spoke to them. A copy of the Federal Inquiry Report, the ALIA/ASLA professional standards and a background paper on the issues was given to Ms. Goward.

Ms. Goward was interested to learn there was a connection between the introduction of school autonomy and the loss of teacher librarians in Australia.

She was also interested to learn about the evidence relating teacher librarian qualifications and staffing to student literacy and learning and was pleased to be given links to the research to follow this up.

Ms. Goward was very interested in hearing that lecturers of first year UoW students are accepting only research done through databases and print sources because their research skills are so poor.

She felt she could support the need for longitudinal studies, tax-deductibility for donations to public schools, provision of cheaper access to databases (we should follow this one up with further information on the role of Electronic Resources Australia), and professional development for school leaders on school libraries.

As a member of Cabinet and the Liberal Party Ms. Goward is unlikely to oppose “Local Schools, Local Decisions,” but was receptive to learning of our concerns.

Follow Up

Ms. Goward will write a letter representing our concerns, with her recommendations, to the Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli.

 

Di Ridley and Georgia Phillips visited local member, Ryan Park,

  

who has asked Questions on Notice in the House for us and Noreen Hay, who has put a Private Member.s Statement for House debate.

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 ISLA Past President, Margaret Cooper, and Georgia Phillips visit Shellharbour MP, Anna Watson. Anna will raise our concerns in Labor caucus.

 

8 June, Margaret and Georgia met with NSW Federation of P and C Associations' Sr. VP, Rodney Johnson, and Dianne Butland, Met VP.

The meeting was especially timely and informative for both parties.

 

Bill Sommerville will contact Adrian Piccoli’s office to organize a visit from our delegation. (Note sitting dates.) 

February 2012 SLANSW Inc. has begun lobbying state members before arranging a delegation to the Minister of Education, Adrian Piccoli. See the letter being sent to every state MP/MLC.

October 2011 - Letter sent by former ASLA (NSW) Inc. to all NSW principals. Start your dialogue at your school or your network meetings.  Think of ways you can bring evidence to bear to support the points in this letter. 

Download letter to principal here (pdf). 

TL gets National Award

Congratulations to Jo Sherrin, teacher librarian, for her National Primary Teacher of the Year 2011 Award.
Award details here (doc).

Maslen's a friend in need

In the digital age school librarians are needed as much as ever, but they feel undervalued, professionally isolated and subject to constant pressure to justify their existence, says a House of Representatives committee.
A friend in  need (pdf) (House of Representatives About the House Magazine August 2011) by Geoffrey Maslen.  

Federal Inquiry Links

Overview of the 2010 Federal Inquiry
Federal Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians in Australian Schools 

Inquiry Report
 
Under the leadership of Ken Brock our State Association made a submission.
ASLA (NSW) Submission to the Inquiry (pdf)

Witnesses speak at Sydney Hearing on 28 April 2010
Sydney Hearing Transcript