No Books? No Libraries?

In 2007, COBURG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, VIC. was a new school with dispersed book collections, virtually no non-fiction and lots of computers. (See article in Access, Nov 2007 by  Jennifer Sargeant, Director of Information Resources).  The principal had said there would eventually be a library “of sorts.”  Is there now?

Also in 2007, MORDIALLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL, MELBOURNE, closed its library entirely, disposing of its existing collection “so that the space could be used for a VCE centre, with the remaining books split amongst each year level. No catalogue, no borrowing system.” Each year since, they had to buy duplicate copies of books for access.  No TL then. What’s happening now?

BULLEEN HEIGHTS SCHOOL, an autistic school in Doncaster, Victoria, didn’t have a library.  Children were using the public library. Are they still?

In 2008, the sole TL at a school of 1000 students was told that all of the non-fiction would be removed from the MACKAY HIGH SCHOOL, QLD  library. The rationale was that students in the era of the Internet do not need books to research information. Some walls in the library were knocked down to form one large area to house a mass of computers.

In 2011 the library, however, is still functioning and a thriving hub, though the non-fiction collection is much smaller.  A staff survey which opposed the removal of non-fiction may have stopped the change.

I am told that MACKAY NORTH HIGH SCHOOL, QLD was to divest itself of non-fiction [see update in comments, this has not happened.] as has CALEN SECONDARY COLLEGE, (P-12) QLD. What do students and staff and parents think?

In 2008, LUMEN CHRISTI COLLEGE, GOSNELLS, WA a consultant reviewing the library suggested the idea of getting rid of non-fiction and replacing the books with computers, because “students in the era of the Internet do not need books to research information.”  Awaiting update. (I would love to know if this “consultant,” who doesn’t know the recreational benefits of non-fiction, is still employed.)

HENLEY HIGH SCHOOL, SA 2010

The Principal of Henley High in November 2010, announced through the Messenger Press  that her school was going ‘Hi tech’, because “few books were borrowed from the library.” Within three years, she expected there to be no need for the use of that space as such. The photograph in the Messenger Press showed empty shelves behind the girl with her laptop near the fiction section that had been retained.  Many books have gone to other libraries which appreciated them. There is now no TL or library assistant. The library is now called a Senior Study Centre.

The worst aspect of it all was the reaction of DECS and the fact that the unnamed spokeswoman for the Department of Education when asked about the loss of the library simply said that schools were moving to computers. She seemed to be unaware that the Federal government has just spent billions putting libraries in schools, public and private, throughout Australia!

Departments of education in NSW and other states are using the coming into play of the Local Empowerment Policy to wash their hands of responsibilities for decisions by principals in schools. It saves so much $$!

Theoretically, school councils might be used as governing councils, but they can be told whatever the principal wishes and their advice can be ignored.

The Local Empowerment Policy, already being abused in WA through the Independent Public Schools program being set up by the Liberal government there, will allow Principals to have free rein but what about funding? There do not appear to be any guarantees built in for principals to include as essential members of staff either school counsellors – that’s why the push to chaplains – or teacher librarians. And in SA the newly negotiated agreement with the AEU has now excluded teacher librarians and school counsellors from the essential members of staff.

So now under a state government “Expanding State High Schools” program, MARRYATVILLE HS, SA Resource Centre looks to be replaced by a General Learning area where a reading room is now, a science building with an “Area supporting Resource Based Learning”, an admin office….in short dismantled and dispersed as at Henley HS.

VARSITY COLLEGE SENIOR CAMPUS LIBRARY, Qld Nov 2011

The school has made the decision to remove all the non-fiction books from the catalogue, cull many and move the rest to the backs of middle school classrooms [sound familiar?]. Senior classes will be expected to rely solely on the internet or the online databases. Some fiction books will be kept in the library space which is being converted into a “digital break-out” space.

It’s all done with smoke and mirrors folks, and under the directorship of a regional director who has publicly stated that we don’t need libraries in schools any more. Many state schools on the Gold Coast now do not have a T/L (NB: Robina, Miami, Palm Beach, Currumbin, Nerang, Southport and others… and others with a teacher in charge who is taken off some classes and spends that time in the library [remember the "good old days"?]. As one deputy has stated, their teacher in charge “sets up displays and orders books”.

MT TAMBOURINE HIGH SCHOOL, Qld. was advertising for a TL for a library with NO books  Awaiting update.

AQUINUS COLLEGE, Melbourne is reputedly going paperless next year. What do these schools know about the availability and licensing of Australia history, art, industrial arts, health, sexuality, poetry, culture, etc. books in e-format that we don’t know?

AND CLOSING DOWN A LIBRARY?

CAMBRIDGE HS, NZ, LIBRARY WAS CLOSED, NOW REOPENED 2011

Philippa Stevenson: Library’s return puts heart back into high school

The school library that was closed to be replaced by a cyber cafe was at Cambridge in the North Island of NZ.  The principal thought it was a ‘museum”.  She was eventually replaced when the decision was reversed because of the publicity and the Department of Education and government got involved.

Some US primary libraries are re-opening (though with no TLs, only volunteer parents many of whom are raising the  funds themselves to re-open their libraries: one school district in California, one in Philidelphia, a school in Michigan.  Clerks are being rehired in 2 Napa Valley schools to re-open their libraries. Belmont CA has rehired 3-4 TLs to reopen six primary school libraries 

And in Windsor Canada Catholic Schools are bringing back libraries and books!!   The Windsor Public Library and the region’s Catholic School system are working on a partnership to save the school board’s libraries from extinction. Last spring, the board made a controversial move to remove most of the books from its school libraries…..

Is there a message here?!

And the latest good news? The US Congress is set to approve $28.6 billion for school libraries.  Thanks to the heroic work of school library champion, Senator Jack Reed.  (Or should it be READ!:-)  Now where is our OZ champion?

Our response to the government

The government’s response to the Report of the House Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians is disappointing but not unexpected,  continuing to shift responsibility to states, while the states continue to shift to principals. The same old mantra is given of “it is a state and territory responsibility”  while crucial education funding continues to decline.

 

Some half-hearted considerations will be made by the government to the Report recommendations, while no decisive action will be taken to arrest the hemorrhaging of teacher librarians in our government schools.  Lack of state and federal leadership now means that some regional directors and state library services managers fill the gap with ignorant advice to eliminate the expense of school libraries and books altogether.  The laptop panacea must be seen as a godsend.

 

Recommendation 1 on consideration of making much needed online databases affordable to all schools is fine and costs little.

 

Recommendation 2  ignores the role of teacher librarians in teaching the thinking skills of Information Literacy while addressing technology tool use of ICT competence.

 

The hope is that Recommendation 3 for data collection will go beyond principal- and self-identification of TLs in schools to specific criteria identifying qualifications of staff placed in charge in a school library (and not a classroom as occurs too often in Queensland and Tasmania.)

 

Recommendation 4, National Year of Reading, is occurring already, but with no visible connection to the role of teacher librarians and school libraries in literacy development.

 

Commitment to school-library research (Recommendation 5) depends on available funds, hardly a commitment.  Meanwhile, it is left up to TLs to demonstrate effective programs through the Teach Learn Share “evidence”-collection site.

 

Interestingly, recommendations 6 and 11, working with ALIA and ASLA to promote the leadership role of TLs and partnership programs with other libraries, are not supported, so as not to show bias towards any professional association.  In a second breath, however, projects with other associations are described.

 

Recommendation 7. No special role is recognized for TLs with the National Curriculum. The emphasis, instead, appears to be online delivery of student and professional learning.

 

A priority recommendation (8) for the TL profession on workforce data MAY reveal shortfalls and inadequacies (see reservations expressed with Recommendation 3), if criteria are made specific enough, and “if there is additional funding available.”

 

Two other priority recommendations (9 and 10,) to look at TL training needs and enhance state and territory partnered support for school libraries and teacher librarians, is a matter to be raised with MCEECDYA. It is vital that these two issues are raised and given due consideration with solutions implemented.

 

The need for national standards and guidelines are ignored.  The need for scholarships right now to support TL training is not addressed. The research-proven role of qualified teacher librarians in literacy and learning is yet to be acknowledged in any tangible policy or program.

 

We still have a long way to go.

 

 

Government responds to recommendations

The federal government’s response to the recommendations of the Report on the Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians is now available.  Download it here.

1000 more schools to get the blame

Today education minister Peter Garrett issued a release that the National Partnership Agreements will be extended to 1000 more schools next year.

Please let parents and citizens know they are being hoodwinked. Write to local papers.  Spread the truth of NPAs and local control.

Parents and citizens beware. Global budgeting and staffing in schools is sold to the community as a way for principals and schools to determine their own needs.  In reality, they have become a means by which governments of all persuasions have been able to continually slash education budgets without having to wear the pain. The responsibility, and blame, is handed over to local school principals and parent boards.

Our situation is part of a much larger issue of declining education funding.  Over the past 20 years, education funding in Australia has declined, as funding in other OECD countries has increased.  We are now among the lowest funding countries in the developed world, 28th after Lithuania and Greece.

Under local control of staffing, principals have to hire from reduced budgets and cash in specialist teachers  no longer quarantined in staffing formulas.  The National Partnership Agreements give schools extra funds to experiment with staffing mixes.  What a surprise that they are happier with more staff! But with the reality of state funding cuts, this school based management is the reason we have hemorrhaged specialist teachers such as counsellors and teacher librarians around the country for the past two decades.

Now NSW wants to follow suit. Don’t be hoodwinked by Local Schools, Local Decisions.  There is plentiful evidence to show qualified teacher librarians improve student literacy and learning.  There is no evidence to show that localized staffing, and the dismantling of a state transfer system which ensures teachers in country regions, will improve student learning.

 

Further reading:

NSWTF on 47 NPA trial schools <http://www.nswtf.org.au/journal/education-92-11/index.html>

NSW next in line <http://hubinfo.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/nsw-next-in-line/>

Tip of the iceberg hits the press in WA

West Australian

Well done WASLA for this start to a much needed media campaign!  Parents and voters need to know.

Students support teacher librarians

Students support TLs

Students in NSW support teacher librarians.

Dear Minister Garrett,

Thank you for the reply through Margaret Banks to our recent correspondence.

However, I am afraid either you or Ms Banks have not kept up with recent initiatives of the federal government in supporting educational change in Australian schools.

How is it possible to repeat the same responsibility-passing nonsense from four years ago that “While the Government plays a leadership role and supports Australian schools, responsibility for the day-to-day management of schools, including allocation of staff such as teacher librarians, rests with state and territory education authorities.”

The Inquiry of 2010 into School Libraries and Teacher LIbrarians, as you must be aware, held 13 hearings, reviewed 387 submissions, and made 11 recommendations for the role the federal government could take in improving the quality of school libraries in Australian schools.  This goes far beyond mere “day-to-day management.”

To address the lack of trained teacher librarians, the federal government can offer scholarships for teacher librarian training.

It can collect workforce data, develop national guidelines,  tie resource funding of new BER libraries to qualified staffing, preserve teacher librarian staffing under National Partnership Agreements and require that literacy programs and other national curricula explicitly recognize the central role school libraries have in student achievement, literacy attainment, and preparation for post-secondary success.

Many of these initiatives are recommended in the Report.  Most were asked for in the original petition from 1600 citizens to then Education Minister, Julia Gillard, in November 2009, a prelude to the Inquiry. Since then, a further 1400 citizens have respectfully signed the petition.

You are asked to view this petition and its signatories at <http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/a-qualified-teacher-librarian-in-every-school.html> Click on signatures and read the views of voters.

As our petition states:

We, the undersigned, call on the federal government to ensure that all Australian primary and secondary students have access to a school library and a qualified teacher librarian.

As it has done in the past, the federal government is in a position to influence state school library funding and staffing. To do this, they can: collect national data on school library staffing, funding, and scheduling; tie funding so that states can and must adequately staff and fund school library programs and services; require that literacy programs and other national curricula should explicitly recognize the central role school libraries have in student achievement, literacy attainment, and preparation for post-secondary success; develop national school library standards; increase teacher librarian training positions in university programs.

All Australian students deserve 21st century schools staffed by 21st century professionally qualified teacher librarians.

We ask for a considered reply this time to our request for the federal government to respond to the Report of the Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians.

Thank you,

Georgia Phillips

for

The Hub: Campaign for Quality School Libraries in Australia

Resending Petition Update Today

Thank you to all who have supported our petition for Quality School Libraries in Australia.  The original was sent two years ago on 16 November 2009 with 1600 signatures.  An update will now be sent to Julia through Peter Garrett, who needs to be informed of the fact that the federal government DOES have a role to play in education nationally (hmm, thought Julia might have shown him a few of the current federal initiatives….and our Inquiry Report.)

So call out all teacher librarian and school library supporters today who have not yet signed to sign our petition now.  But please don’t sign again as I am having to spend the day eliminating all the duplicate signatures name by name.  We need to have a valid petition, even though I know you REALLY care!

There IS a role for the federal government to play in supporting TL training, developing national guidelines, collecting workforce data, tying resource funding, preserving TL staffing under National Partnership Agreements and requiring that literacy programs and other national curricula explicitly recognize the central role school libraries have in student achievement, literacy attainment, and preparation for post-secondary success.

We are frankly appalled that Peter Garrett is giving us the same message which federal parliamentarians fobbed us off with four years ago. Peter Garrett, time to come back from apparently being Lost in Space and Time!

 

It’s Back to the Future with Peter Garrett

Your letters are being answered, but Garrett’s office seems to have gone through some time warp!  Replying to your requests for a government response to the teacher librarian Inquiry Report, our federal education minister Peter Garrett is repeating the cop out from four years ago: “responsibility for the day-to-day management of schools, including allocation of staff such as teacher librarians, rests with state and territory education authorities.” (See full reply here.)

It appears that our minister has not read the Inquiry Report.

It appears that our minister does not know that the federal government is taking a HUGE interest in controlling what happens in our schools.

It appears that our minister does not know that the federal government funds the training of specialist teachers such as pre-school teachers.

It appears that our minister does not know that the federal government directly influences territory schools.  It has demanded, mandated, English-only in schools and tied funds to fulfilment of that requirement in the Northern Territory.

It appears that our minister does not know that the federal government funds universities with teacher and teacher librarian training courses.

It appears that our minister does not know that the federal government can intervene in other state areas of responsibility, such as health care.

Maybe he needs to be told. Has he looked at the recommendations? They certainly don’t recommend telling the states how to staff their schools.  Instead they ask for the workforce data to be collected, for a national digital and information policy to be developed, for funding for a core set of online databases, for additional MySchool library data provision, for longitudinal studies, for ideas to enhance partnerships and the establishment of a national dialogue on training needs.

Where does it say that the federal government will direct states and territories in their staffing?!!

Of course, the Inquiry recommendations should have also included a national policy on school library services, including staffing recommendations, and the immediate need for funding of tertiary training places.

Even then, we know the federal government doesn’t want to tell the states what to do.  Ha!  That’s not what the National Curriculum and AITSL and NPAs and MySchool and NAPLAN are all about, or is it?

I think Peter Garrett needs to be told, don’t you?

Email Peter.Garrett.MP@aph.gov.au  or use his feedback form.

BER staffing: The Hub asks for Questions on Notice

One way to try to get information out of governments is to get members to ask Questions on Notice of Ministers, written requests for information often requiring detailed responses concerning government administration.

In an attempt to get detailed information on government school library staffing, and especially BER library staffing, the Hub has contacted an opposition member in each state or territory to ask their Minister of Education for figures on the qualifications of persons-in-charge of their school libraries.

We have had questions asked in 6 of the 8 parliaments:

QLD Bruce Flegg, Shadow Ed Minister, has asked a QoN* on 11th October.

ACT Meredith Hunter, Greens leader, has asked these Questions on Notice* on 11th October.

NT Shadow Minister of Education, Peter Chandler, has asked Questions on Notice.

SA Greens MLC, Tammy Franks, has put these Questions on Notice*.

Vic Sue Pennicuik, Greens senator, was to ask the QoN at the end of October.

NSW  Senator John Kaye, Greens education spokesperson, asked these questions* on 24 Octber during Budget Estimates.

WA‘s Shadow Minister, Ben Wyatt, has not responded.

Tasmania‘s Shadow Minister, Michael Ferguson, has not responded.

*See our original question and the questions asked here.  As you can see it is a tricky business for some pollies to interpret your question accurately.  Yet the issue has been raised and replies may be useful.  If you are in WA or Tasmania and think your local member can help please contact hellohub@gmail.com