Getting Started

Learning in an online world – learning spaces framework

Technology, architecture and furniture

Education Queensland – School Resource Centre Website

EQ BER Information

Fran’s Wikispaces link

Research in constructivist learning and student information

seeking in complex and diverse information environments tells
us that our resource centres should be drivers of teacher and
student learning.

We cannot afford for our resource centres to be underutilised

or bound in a twentieth century learning paradigm. Fixed class
lessons, closed doors, program development and inflexible
instruction need to be replaced by flexible, anytime and
anywhere learning by staff and students.

With new and refurbished facilities in many schools and a

demonstrated need for us to raise expectations and improve
the higher order thinking skills of students, this is a good time
to focus on the role of the teacher librarian and the resource
centre. Schools can invigorate their resource centre to be the
hub of teaching and learning – owned by everyone in the
school.

Clive Dixon
Regional Executive Director
Far North Queensland

1.
Doug Johnson says all
libraries will need to
redefine their value-added
qualities and suggests
three primary things
libraries can do. 1.

2.
 ‘Today more information is stored digitally than in
all the libraries in the world combined. We simply don’t
need to ‘remember’ everything. The output of our digital
mediums exceeds the wildest dreams of nineteenth
century industrialists, and alters our view of memory;
forgetfulness; creativity and originality.

That’s why schools need to extend their vision of learning

beyond ‘memory-arts’. We are in a hyper-dynamic world of
connections, relationships, and adaptive tools that help us
make sense of the information flooding about us.
We are standing at the entry of an age of infinite
recall, where the lines between original works and
derivatives are blurred because duplication is
simple and storage cheap.

Our students need to develop insights into how to

navigate and select a pathway in their learning
world, how to juxtapose text, sound, media, and
social connections in real time, and how to mix
and match what they see, hear and experience
to build personal knowledge and understandings.

For that they need help from 21st century teacher

librarians – by managing better school-wide library
services; by creating better learning resources;
by using better tools; and by developing better
information literacy frameworks.

Rethinking our structures and learning frameworks

is central to meeting the demands of 21st century
learning. Along with the information revolution, we have
the social revolution of new media which has created new
Writing about
relationships and new forms of discourse.’
emerging technologies
and innovation in
information services,
Judy O'Connell, Head of
Library & Information Services
at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill offers us
the challenge to rethink and re-imagine what
school libraries can do in a multimodal global
society. Read her blog at
http://heyjude.wordpress.com

3.
 “ The primary task of the educational system must be to give
learners the right tools and provide them with a critical mind, so that
they can ask the right questions and make the right connections.
Today as Thomas Friedman notes in ‘The World is Flat’ we are
preparing students for jobs that don’t exist, using technologies that
haven’t been invented, to solve problems we
haven’t begun to think about. As a result, the
definition of what it means to be educated in the
light of the modern world has changed and
continues to change.
In the information age, citizens will need to
‘The work with information in all forms to fashion
illiterate content products that have value, that entertain
and teach. But if all learners do is learn the traditional literacies,
of the they may be literate by 20th Century standards but certainly not
by 21st Century standards.” 2.
21st century
will not be
those who cannot read and
write, but those who cannot
learn, unlearn,
and relearn.’
-Alvin Toffler
20th Century Learner 21st Century Learner

 Acquisition of  Creators of knowledge

knowledge/facts
 Teacher is the audience
for student work
 Learning happens at
school
 Book based
resources/information
 De-contextualised skill
based tasks
 Passive learning
 Individually completed
tasks
 Teacher is assessor
 World is the audience for
student work
 Anywhere/anytime learning
 Web based
resources/information
 Authentic tasks
 Active learning
 Collaborative tasks
 Assessment by a variety of
audiences

4.
 ‘Microsoft believes that if they build it, we will
come—and buy their product. Google’s
approach is different: if they build it, we will
integrate it into our lives. We use Microsoft
products on their terms, but we use Google
products—from iGoogle to Google Docs—on
our terms, to construct whatever we want.
What has to happen for school libraries to become relevant?
If we want to connect with the latest generation of
learners and teachers, we have to totally redesign the
library from the vantage point of our users—our thinking
has to do a 180-degree flip. In short, it’s time for school
‘We libraries to become a lot less like Microsoft and a lot more like
should Google. No longer will the library be something that students
stop andteachers need to remember to come to—instead it will be
integrated into their lives. Finally, the library will become
seeing the hub of teaching and learning—a place that everyone
libraries owns and contributes to—one giant conversation that’s
3.
as places both a social and a learning network.’

of function –
storing this, lending that,
checking the other, and more as
places of free and shared
exploration
and learning
via all 20th Century Library 21st Century Resource
media.’ 4. Centres

 Static collection of  Trim and relevant collection

physical resources of physical resources in
 Inflexible teaching conjunction with access to
space virtual resources.
 Fixed scheduling of  Flexible learning space
timetabling  Flexibility of timetabling
 Resource hub of  Learning/resource centre of
school school
 Computer labs  Learning pods
 Whole class  Variety of group learning
instruction/meeting configurations
areas
 Library viewed as T/L  Library viewed as learners’
domain domain

5.
 ‘Credentialed school library media professionals promote, inspire and
guide students toward a love of reading, a quest for knowledge, and a
5.
thirst for lifelong learning.’

“The real role of teacher librarians is one of instructional

intervention that moves students beyond information
seeking and helps them to transform found information
into personal knowledge.” 6.

‘As
the
information and communication
landscapes continue to shift, do
you know where you are going?
Do you plan for change?’ 7.

20th Century Teacher Librarian 21st Century Teacher Librarian

 Keeper of knowledge  Facilitator of learning

 Information literacy teacher  Information specialist
 Isolated skills lessons  Collaborator
 Technical support officer  Media advisor
 Resource worker – event manager  Resource manager –
physical, virtual and human
resources – vision

6.
 ‘Waiting a week until the
class’s regularly scheduled
library period is inappropriate
and counterproductive. The
library media program requires
flexible and equitable access to
A 21st century Teacher Librarian working within an
information, ideas, and
aesthetically pleasing and flexible library will not achieve 14.
21st century learning for students without a shared vision and resources for learning.’
‘
understanding by all stakeholders of the needs of 21st century
learners and the implications this will have for teaching and learning
across the school. All stakeholders should be actively
involved in the reinvigoration process. A starting
point for these discussions may include co-operative planning, collaborative
learning and flexible timetabling and how current practice may be adapted or
changed to ensure the principles of
21st century learning are embedded.

‘School leaders need to facilitate closer connections between the library and the
classroom. Eisenberg refers to a continuum of involvement of the library and
classroom, which moves from isolation to collaboration. Where does your school
sit on this continuum?’
Invest in school libraries to create 21st Century learning communities

‘… the belief that teaching skills in isolation does

little to extend student learning, while building on prior knowledge at the point of
need leads to greater retention and application of knowledge.
Just how flexible are we?

‘Consider a capacity building approach to ensure that school libraries are

seamless, flexible learning centres which engage students to become discerning
readers and critical information users.’
School libraries building capacity for student learning 21C

‘Effective collaborations with teachers helps to create a vibrant and engaged

community of learners, strengthens the whole school program as
well as the library media program, and develops support
for the school library media program throughout the
‘In a world of constantly
whole school’
changing information and
technology, it is timely to
Collaboration: Where does it begin?
reflect upon our vision for
15.
schools.’

7.
 ‘What I hope to do is
change your thinking
from "build it and
they will come" to
"build it right and
they will come back."
10.
‘A library may look like a
single building, but please don't be misled by the walls. It's a single link in an
enormous chain. It's a single being in a gigantic
ecosystem of words and thoughts and ideas.’ 11.

The library as a facility needs to be considered in terms of the physical space

and the resources. The space itself, the design and the furnishings, will impact
not only on the functionality and flexibility of the venue but also on the appeal to
clientele. From signage to seating, all aspects of the centre need to take into
account both purpose and aesthetics. The
resources within the library must also be given due
consideration. To ensure resources are relevant, accessible and multi-modal,
collection development policies need to reflect this.
The links below will provide information to assist with
decision making about these issues.

‘We could benefit immensely from applying

tried-and-true retail practices, especially since we have so much in common…’
Retail interior layout for libraries

‘Gone are the days of independent study with a stack of books and a librarian
who glares if you sneeze and hushes if you read out
loud to yourself.’ The transformation of the library

‘The importance of clear patterns of circulation, of

architectural and spatial legibility, and of coherent and attractive signage cannot
be over-estimated.’
21st century Libraries changing forms, changing futures

8.
 ‘Libraries need to provide
better signage, better
displays and better
presentation of stock. The
‘In today’s interconnected, technology driven world, institutional feel of the
learning typically takes place in physical, virtual and remote library needs to be
12.
removed.’
places. It is an integrated, highly technical environment in which
learners learn.’ 21st Century learning spaces

‘A learning space should be able

to motivate learners and promote learning as an activity, support collaborative as
well as formal practice, provide a personalised and inclusive environment, and be
flexible in the face of changing needs.’ 13.

‘The library media centre collection should not be an

interactive museum of equipment, media, and information from past generations.’
Crying over spilled milk

‘Great 21st century libraries are more than books and computers.’
Today’s libraries from the inside out

‘Just because it doesn’t fit in a display case doesn’t mean you can’t make it
visible.’ Managing the Intangible: Digital Resources in School Libraries

‘Weeding is a professional responsibility. It is what librarians in all types of libraries

do.’ Crying over spilled milk

‘For inspiring library designs…. ‘

Demco Interiors

M Misleading information ‘A collection development plan that limits the

library’s holdings only to subjects directly included
in the curriculum will deny youngsters the
U Ugly
opportunities to reach their full educational
S Superseded by better
works
potential.’ Leading forward by looking backward

T Trivial – may have been

more valuable to the
‘ What would make teens use the library more?’
collection years ago Teen third space

Images to stimulate Flickr (compiled by the

Y Your collection has no
use – irrelevant to Kimberly Bolan Cullen –
curriculum, student, or http://indielibrarian.blogspot.com
teacher needs
Crying over spilled milk

9.
 ‘One of the biggest
challenges facing
librarianship is relevance.
.. We struggle to remain
‘ We have no textbook relevant because we are
8.
a hidden profession.’
for this. We have no
pedagogical guides. And we
need to work a bit harder to share effective practice at this point. We are just
beginning to develop models to point to when folks ask us what a school librarian
looks like today, what a 2.0 school library program looks like today.’ 9.

It essential for Principals, school

leaders and Teacher Librarians to understand
st
the role of the 21 century Teacher Librarian, to shape that role within the school
context and promote the importance of that role to
education in the 21st century.

The following links will help develop a deeper

understanding of the contributions Teacher Librarians/Media Specialists can make
and to assist with the shaping of this role.

‘Principals are paramount in setting the tone and

expectations for teaching and learning and as such are also paramount in
developing and supporting the role of the Teacher Librarian / Media Specialist.’
Principal Support of Teacher Librarians

‘A teacher librarian has the expertise to build the

capacity of students as effective information users through class-based, group and
individual instruction.’
School Libraries building capacity for student learning in 21C

‘Halting the drift to mediocrity requires that Teacher Librarians stop and look at reality
objectively, that they clarify what really matters to them and focus their energies on
achieving those things.’
Teacher-Librarianship and Change: Why Institutionalization has Failed

‘There is one role in education that has been

forced to keep up with changes brought about by the information age, computers and
the changes in society ~ the Teacher Librarian.’
The changing role of the Teacher Librarian in the 21st Century

What does an excellent Teacher Librarian look like?

Australian School Library Association

You know you’re a 21st century librarian if….

10.
 Rolf Erikson’s hope for the future:

More and more school administrators will

recognize the growing body of research that
demonstrates the positive effect of school libraries
and school librarians on student reading abilities and
academic achievement;

Architects and school facility planners will

recognize that their end product will benefit
from working with experienced school
librarians who have expertise in school library
facility design, and they will bring someone
with that unique expertise and perspective to
the design process;

Recognizing that there are no good reasons to

design school libraries that are based on an outdated
model, that are too much like school libraries from the 1960s,
everyone involved in the planning of new school libraries
will work together to achieve innovative design;

School libraries as a “place” will continue to be

important, but library staff will expand programs beyond
the library walls and create virtual libraries capable of
reaching and serving students wherever they are, both at
and away from school.

11.
 1. Johnson, Doug. Imaging the future of the school library.
Designshare.com http://www.designshare.com/index.php/articles/school-
library-future (accessed 14 June 2009)

2. Juke, Ian. The committed sardine.

http://www.committedsardine.com/index.cfm (accessed 25 May 2009)

3. Loertscher, David -- Flip This Library: School Libraries Need a Revolution,

11/1/2008. Schoollibraryjournal.com
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6610496.html (accessed 15 June
2009)

4. Dolan, John. Head of Birmingham Libraries Development Agency.

5. Smith, Ester G. (2006). Student Learning through Wisconsin School Library

Media Centers: Library Media Specialist Survey Report. Madison, WI:
WisconsinDepartment of Public Instruction.

6. Hay, Lyn and Foley, Colleen. School libraries building capacity for student
learning in 21C. Scan • Vol 28 No 2 May 2009 (pp17-26)
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibraries/assets/pdf/S
choollibraries21C.pdf (accessed 2 July 2009)

7. Valenza, Joyce Kasman. Manifesto for 21st Century School Librarians.

Information.wikispaces.com.
http://informationfluency.wikispaces.com/You+know+you're+a+21st+century+lib
rarian+if+.+.+.
(accessed 12 July 2009)

8. Brown, Myra. Can I have your autograph? American Libraries, November

2004.

9. Valenza, Joyce . A few new things. LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION

April/May 2008 (pp10-13)
http://www.linworth.com/pdf/lmc/reviews_and_articles/featured_articles/Valenza_Apri
l_May2008.pdf (accessed 13 June 2009)

10. Gunether, Kim. The evolving digital library. Computers in Libraries,

February 2000

11. Klinger, Shula Richmond, BC. Quoted in Beyond Words: BC's Public Libraries Are
Changing Lives.

12. Fisher, Graham. Director, London Libraries Development Agency.

13. JISC, 2009, Designing Spaces for Effective Learning: A guide to 21st century learning
space design
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/learningspaces.pdf (p3)
(accessed 20 May 2009)

14. Creighton, Peggy Milam. Just how flexible are

we? LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION
November/December 2007 (pp10-14)
‘You see, I don't
http://www.linworth.com/pdf/lmc/reviews_and_articles/featur
ed_articles/Milam%20Creighton_November_December%20
2007.pdf (accessed 13 June 2009)
believe that libraries
should be drab places
15. Hay, Lyn and Foley, Colleen. School libraries building
capacity for student learning in 21C. Scan • Vol 28 No 2 May
2009 (pp17-26)
where people sit in
http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/schoollibrari
es/assets/pdf/Schoollibraries21C.pdf (accessed 2 July 2009) silence, and that's
been the main reason
Collators
for our policy of
Nicola House – Education Coordinator – FNQ Learning
Development Centre ICT.
employing wild animals
Kim Johnson – A/Principal Advisor Regional Projects.
as librarians.’
Sue Biggs – A/ Principal Education Officer - School
Improvement. "Gorilla Librarian." Monty
Python's Flying Circus

Photos from www.iclipart.com 12.