Professional Learning Opportunities March 2025
Professional learning is such a key part of our practice as school library professionals. Whether it’s networking with fellow library staff, learning the latest AI tips or continuing on that journey to supporting and building a reading culture, professional learning can inspire and encourage us to keep preserving in our roles. I have a great list of webinars, podcast episodes and articles to tempt you this month.
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Webinars
Teaching How AI Works to K-8 Students – edWeb with Vicky Segwick – 3 March 2025, 3pm EST – free.
Ditching Dewey: Revisited – ASLA with Lizzy Martin – 5 March 2025, 7:30pm AEDT – free for members, $40 non-members.
Demystifying AI in the Classroom: Hands-on tools for future ready learning – edWeb with Alicia Verweij – 6 March 2025, 2pm EST – free.
Readers’ Advisory: Ideas and Practice 2025 – Booklist – 13 March 2025, 11am PT or 4am AEST – free. Includes: The State of Genreblending in Adult and YA, Nonfiction Readers’ Advisory and Top Tips for Hand-selling
AI and Libraries: Literacy, Ethics and Responsible Use – Library 2.0 – 13 March 2025, 12pm US Pacific time – free.
Ethics and School Libraries: our foundation and connection – ALIA with Jacqui Lucas – 29 March 2025, 10:30am AEDT – $44 members, $66 non-members.
Conference
2025 Curriculum Connect Symposium – State Library of Queensland – 6 March 8am – 4:30pm AEST – Online and in-person – $120 online ticket.
ALIA Information Online: Transformation and Disruption – ALIA – 18 March to 20 March, 2025. Online – costs range from $150 a day to $500 for the full conference, membership depending.
Courses
Cataloguing for Practitioners – 6 weeks intensive course – March 4 – April 14. ALIA – $550 members, $730 non-members. Online.
Podcasts
Your Kid’s Next Read – recent episodes include School Libraries 101, 10 Minutes with Helen Milroy and Real Talk about Reading.
School Librarians United – recent episodes include Students as Staff, Passive Programming 2.0 and District Reading Culture.
School Librarian Learning Network Podcast – recent episodes include Torybery Author Blitz and Young Teen Lit, When Fact Meets Fiction, and Finding Your Next Read.
Articles and Blog posts
Understanding Australian Readers – the latest report from Australian Reads. Check out the executive summary and full report.
The Library’s value is increased in the age of AI – Nick Tanzi
The AI revolution in schools: Why reading still matters more than ever – Gabrielle Mace
“An uphill battle”: school library professional fostering student reading engagement – Dr Margaret Merga and Saiyidi Mat Roni.
School libraries in Australia: A preliminary analysis of the Knowledge Bank of Australian and New Zealand school libraries – Mary Carroll, Kasey Garrison, Kay Oddone and Simon Wakeling
SCIS Connections #132, Term 1 2025. Includes articles on systematic synthetic phonics lesson packs, AI leadership framework and celebrating Book Week.
Documenting a profession: An exploration of the published history of school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian – Mary Carroll, Kasey Garrison, Kay Oddone, Sue Reynolds
5 budget-friendly ways to revitalise school libraries – Natalie Screen
Resources
Autism and ADHD Book Guide for children, young people, parents and professionals – Emily Katy
Research Opportunity
Participate in the Australian research project lead by Dr Kay Oddone and Dr Kasey Garrison. Understanding the changing nature of information literacy in Australian primary school education.
Want more professional learning?
Have a look through last month’s professional learning list.