Another month of professional development links, articles, webinars, podcasts and more. A new term, a new list (and it’s a big one this month) of professional learning opportunities for school library staff. From library marketing to AI, high-interest K-6 library lessons, and how to support our high school readers, I hope you find something that interests you and helps to inspire, refine or transform your practice.
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Webinars
Back to Basics: what every school library should be doing right now – Follett with Gabrielle Mace – 6 May 2026, 9am GMT.
Igniting creativity and passion for reading – Zanni Louise with ASLA – 6 May 2026 7:30pm AEST – free for ASLA members, $40 non-ASLA members.
Tristan Bancks: Captivating young readers, inspiring young writers – Tristan Bancks ALIA – 9 May 2026 10:30am – 11:30am AEST – free for ALIA members, $55 non-ALIA members.
High-interest K-6 Library lessons – inspiring readers, researchers and thinkers – Maji Jorm with EduWebinar – 20 May 2026, 7pm -8pm AEST – $45
From page to play: Bringing picture books and visual texts to life in the library through creative, physical and participatory learning experiences – Emma McDonald and EduWebinar – 27th May 2026, 7pm -8pm AEST – $45
Videos
Perspectives on AI 2026 Mini Conference Recordings – Library 2.0
Podcasts
Your Kid’s Next Read – recent episodes include 10 Minutes with Matt Stanton, Can Reading be too comfortable, 10 minutes with Rebecca McRitchie
School Librarians United – recent episodes include Hosting a Book Battle, A Sense of Place, Bringing Math and Science into Your HS Library.
School Librarian Learning Network podcast – recent episodes include Bilingual Book Club, Library Loyalty Cards with Helen Farch, and The POWer of Graphic Novels
Book Lists
ASLA DANZ Children’s Book Award longlist
Articles and Blog posts
New research shows it’s never too late to help students learn to read – even in high school – Callula Killingly
ALIA ACSL and AMLA release statement on school libraries and media literacy – ALIA
“I am the only one teaching it” Australian primary teacher librarians leading information literacy – Kasey Garrison and Kay Oddone
Fact or Fiction? A new resource to help students navigate what they see, read and share – Natasha Ratajczek
Why teachers cannot afford to ignore AI – Amy Sarcevic
What branding really means in a library (and why most libraries get it wrong) – Angela Hursh
Nearly half of disadvantaged Australian schools run libraries on less than $1000 a year – The Times
Designing for Trust in the Age of AI – Noni Harrison
Social Reading and the School Library Design – Noni Harrison
ALIA and ACSL call for targeted school library funding – ALIA
What does a teacher librarian actually do? – Kelly Whiteway
AI and the librarian: reconciling personal ethics with AI as a professional necessity – Elizabeth Szkirpan
Role of the IB Librarian – Marwa Qattawi
The Value of Scotland’s School Libraries Report – CILIPS
Google’s Head of Learning says AI can’t solve education’s real problem – Dan Fitzpatrick
This is what the classroom of 2036 should look like – Joshua Brewer
Who are we building the future of library work for? – Joel Thornton
Information resilience: understanding and protecting against mis and disinformation – Australia’s Chief Scientist
STEM has an identity problem – Jennifer Martin
AI in Libraries: sustainability, responsibility and a practical path forward
Student self-reflection checklist for strategic GenAI use – AI for Education
The SEE Framework for Generative AI Literacy – AI for Education
Want more professional learning?
Have a look through last month’s professional learning list.