PASSIONATE ABOUT SCHOOL LIBRARIES
Finally, the end of the year. In some ways it seems like it’s been a very long year and in others it has flown by. Maybe professional learning is the last thing on you mind as we head into the holiday season, but just in case you are looking for some learning this month, here are a few links.
As we draw near the end of the calendar year and school year for those of us in Australia, there is still time for a bit of PD and to make sure we’ve met those CPD requirements. While this list of professional learning opportunities is a little Aussie-centric, most of them are online so they are open to all. I hope you find something worth learning.
It is so important to ensure that our library collections, however old they might be, reflect the truth about history and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and perspectives. This webinar hosted by ASLA and presented by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies is all about ensuring our libraries are free from offensive materials and are full of quality resources.
I have noticed a massive surge of professional learning opportunities recently, as well as people sharing their experiences online. I am getting to the point where I am signing up for things multiple times, having forgotten I’ve already signed up or having so many recording I simply can’t view them all. Doesn’t stop me from trying, though, as I love listening to people share their experiences or being inspired by what people are doing in their libraries.
If you are in still lockdown or just looking for some professional learning, then I hope this list of links, webinars, articles, podcasts and more is helpful. Most are targeted for school librarians, but many are transferable to any library or education setting. Please share it with your team, colleagues and network and contact me if there is a link you would like added to the list. Happy learning.
SLANSW are hosting a webinar with the amazing Judith Wakeman on the power of bibliotherapy – how reading improves the wellbeing of our students. So important for these current times (and always!).
Adobe are hosting free webinars every second Wednesday evening, combining inspiration for creativity and tips for using Adobe programs in the Education setting.
Inject Creativity – Adobe for Education – every second Wednesday 6:30pm AEST – free
September has arrived, which means we survived Book Week and now turn our attention towards the end of the year. It’s been a big, exciting and I know stressful year for many.
If you are in lockdown or just looking for some professional learning, then I hope this list of links, webinars, articles, podcasts and more is helpful. Most are targeted for school librarians, but many are transferable to any library or education setting. Please share it with your team, colleagues and network and contact me if there is a link you would like added to the list. Happy learning.
Welcome to August. Almost. Seems like the year is just flying by, but then again we always seem to say that.
Once again I have collected professional learning links to share with you for the upcoming month. I’ve decided to start grouping them by topic instead of type, so we’ll see how that goes. These links are perfect for school librarians, public librarians, teachers, education leaders and anyone interested in the wonderful world of literature, reading and education. I hope they have some value for you. Please do feel free to share and a massive thanks to all the people who have created these webinars, podcasts, articles, posts and more.
Well, we made it through the first semester of the year. I hope everyone is enjoying their school holiday break. If you have a chance to put your feet up, take a look at some of these professional learning opportunities for July 2021. Some of them are time sensitive, others are just what has come to my attention this month. Some are a quick read, watch or listen. Others are bigger time investments. I hope this list is helpful for you. The links are mostly for school librarians or the school library setting, but many are transferable to any library or education setting.
Looking for more resources? Check out my Professional Learning Series.
Last month's Professional Learning list.
Most of the opportunities below are free and easily accessibly by following the links, others are require a fee. If you have any suggestions or links, I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or contact me here.
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Issue 3 of the STEM ED magazine is available now. If you haven't seen this magazine before, check out Issues 1 and 2. A great range of STEM ideas for the classroom.
School Libraries are the Only Thing that Matters. This article has been making waves. If you haven't seen it, check it out. Interesting reading.
And here is the research that sparked the article. Predictors of Reading Ability among ten-year-olds.
School Librarians as Literacy Educators Within a Complex Role by Margaret K. Merga. Read it online for free.
Teacher Librarian as Leader: Lessons from the Literature article from Kay Oddone on Linking Learning.
While this is a sponsored post via EdSurge, this Infographic about preparing students for the future with interactive 3D has some great ideas and resources.
An interview with two researchers about their research into the decline of school librarians in the US.
The Power of School Librarians blog post from Elizabeth Hutchinson.
Is non-fiction dead? Insights from a Book Week Judge. A great article about the importance of non-fiction from Narissa Leung on her blog OzLitTeacher.
Beautiful Nooks for More Than Books. A great post from the Melbourne Girls Grammar team.
You might have heard about #OwnVoices. Now the We Need Diverse Books team has decided to not use this term anymore. Find out why in their post.
Don't Dream it's over; or, A return to cataloguing. A great personal reflection from Alissa on her blog Lissertations Cataloguing the Universe about changing workplaces and the important of updating our library systems to reflect good practice and change racist and problematic practices.
A Day in the Life of a Library Technician. So great to step into the lives of our school library staff. Thanks to Softlink for sharing this.
Love this idea from @cw_athome
New feature in school library "Don't judge a book by its cover". Was empty in 10 mins. Adding some more tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/5dMS4PAMet
— Carol W blog is under construction (@cw_athome) June 10, 2021
The ultimate list of helpful articles for school library professionals from Margaret Merga. You may have heard about this amazing list that Merga has gifted to school librarians. Check it out. Recent (2019-2021) peer-reviewed articles relevant for school library professionals and where to get them for free.
Does Your School Library Need A Literacy Check-up? From Cult of Pedagogy. This has sparked some great discussion at our school and renewed support for our library.
Which World Is Yours? Navigating the CBCA 2021 Shortlist with Dr Jennie Bales via EduWebinar. 21 July 2021. $30 for non-members.
Dear School Leaders: Why every school deserves a full-time, certified school librarian with K.C. Boyd, Courtney Pentland and Amanda Jones. Live July 7 2am AEST, but watch the recording afterwards on YouTube.
Your Kid's Next Read Podcast with Megan Daley and Allison Tait. You may have seen Megan's live videos or heard of the massive Facebook group of the same name. Check out the latest venture by this amazing team.
The Library Pros Podcast. A podcast I have just discovered. I really enjoyed Episode 86 with Matt Pascoe about the thinking behind Ipswich's new public libraries.
ASLA July Webinar 2021 - Why Representation Matters: The importance of family diversity in Australian children's picture books. 7th July, 2021. $20 members, $40 non-members.
Overcoming Isolation and Building Our PLN podcast with School Librarians United.
Join the Summer Book Club from the Future Ready Librarians. The group is reading Leading From The Library, which you can buy online or find at your local state library. The group has regular webinar meetings to discuss different aspects of the book.
Are you following @eduwebinar Not only will you get links to the latest webinars happening on the EduWebinar platform, but Karen shares links to some incredible resources and PD events.
Want to see picture of giant cardboard dinosaurs being installed in a children's library? Check out Matt Pascoe's Twitter account @Library_Matt. He is the Content and Experience Director at the Ipswich Public Libraries. They have recently gone under massive rebuilds, so Matt shares some incredible pictures and ideas.
Here is my list of professional learning opportunities for June 2021. Some of them are time sensitive, others are just what has come to my attention this month. It’s a way to help me keep track of things that I find or that are recommended to me. They mostly are for school librarians or the school library setting, but many are transferable to any library or education setting.
Looking for more resources? Check out my Professional Learning Series.
Last month’s Professional Learning list.
Most of the opportunities below are free and easily accessibly by following the links, others are require a fee. If you have any suggestions or links, I’d love to hear from you. Comment below or contact me here.
Personal Branding Strategy: A Roadmap for Professionals, Experts and Executives. Article with free ebook download. Branding and promotions are so much a vital part of a librarian’s role now, and this is a helpful resource. Free.
The library as “third space” in your school by Lori Korodaj, SCAN, Vol 38, 2019. I’ve been revisiting Lori’s work, which is always inspiring. Free
The 2020 Australian and New Zealand School Library Survey Report. From Softlink. Free.
Intuition and evidence: how I built a thriving school culture from the ground up by Adam Voigt, April 2021. I’ve been looking at building reading cultures and came across this interesting article. More at a school level. EducationHQ subscription required.
Library Blogs are the best. Super Library Marketing. April 2021. Free
The Tech Landscape and Libraries – 2021. Princh blog with guest post by Nick Tanzi. Libraries are often at the forefront of technology uptake. This is an interesting article about some of the challenges with integrating digital technology, some benefits and some of the new technology that might be of interest to you. Free
Ditching Dewey. Two articles from Don’t Shush Me about the flaws with the Dewey system and how this school librarian has restructured her school library to be more inclusive. Free
5 Steps to Create a Library Insta Your Students Will Love to Follow. Another fantastic resource from Don’t Shush Me. Free
National Education Summit. It’s not too late to sign up for the National Education Summit in Bribane that runs from the 4th and 5th of June. If you can’t make that, put the Melbourne Summit in your calendar for August. There is a fee involved and this event is face-to-face. Find out more here.
Here is my list of professional learning opportunities for May 2021. Some of them are time sensitive, others are just what has come to my attention this month. It’s a way to help me keep track of things that I find or that are recommended to me. They mostly are for school librarians or the school library setting, but many are transferable to any library or education setting.
Looking for more resources? Check out my Professional Learning Series.
Last month’s Professional Learning list.
Most of the opportunities below are free and easily accessibly by following the links, others are require a fee. If you have any suggestions or links, I’d love to hear from you. Comment below or contact me here.
I’ve just recently discovered Rachael Yates’ website. She is the Primary eLearning Facilitator at St Peter’s Lutheran College. She has some great articles and tips about tech use for children and teens and tech tips for teachers. Check out her website EducationalTechAndInnovation
Reading in the Age of Distrust by Alison J Head. Are educators equipping students with the analytical and deep reading skills they need for the future?
State of America’s Libraries Report 2021 – featuring the ways that libraries across sectors in the USA responded to the COVID-19 crisis.
April 2021 edition of the School Library Journal. The SLJ is currently enabling free digital access to their journal library. Once you enter your details in the link here, you’ll get access to the current and previous editions. The April 2021 edition features the School Librarians of the Year in the US.
Library and Information Week via ALIA. 17-23 May 2021. Access lots of free resources and tips for promoting your library programs on social media.
ACCESS from ASLA, Vol 35, Issue 1, March 2021 is available for members or via subscription on the ASLA website.
National Education Summit. This one is for June, but it’s time to put it on your radar now. The Building Capacity School Libraries conference is spread over two days (5 and 6 June 2021) and has a great list of presenters (I might be biased, as I am one of them). There is a fee involved and this event is face-to-face in Brisbane. Find out more here.
As we continue my Professional Learning Series, part 6 focuses on podcasts and video channels that are helpful for professional learning for school library staff. This is the area in which I am still growing and learning. I don’t watch videos or listen to podcasts very often, I’m new to the whole podcasting thing. If I’ve got time to spare I turn straight to an audiobook and even less often, just listen to music. But I’ve been directed enough to a school library podcast and surprise, surprise, actually really enjoyed it. Now, I find time to squeeze in a listening session every now and again. As I’m still growing in this area, I’d love to know what video channels or podcasts are your favourites. To whom do you turn when you need inspiration? And when and how do you tune in?
Recently, I’ve been doing a bit of vinyl cutting while making some new dividers for our school library (you can see them here), which gave me a bit of time at work where my hands were busy but my brain not so much. So, I grabbed the library iPad and tuned in to School Librarians United. If a student or teacher approaches, I’m quick to whip out my earphones, but it’s been a great (and time effective) way of getting in some professional learning while working at the same time.
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