‘‘
School librarians are amazing people, often overlooked and underpaid but still out there fighting for their students in the quiet professional way that they know works best for them.
INSIGHT
School libraries
Moving on… A
FTER three years of writing for the Information Professional about school libraries and,
more recently inquiry learning, it is an opportune time to pass the baton to the CILIP School Library Group and we look forward to reading how SLG will continue to shape the future of our profession through this column (see their introductory column on p. 42). I have been extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to highlight an area of the library profession that I am passionate about and to be allowed to do it for so long has been a real gift. Looking back over my many articles, I do hope that I have encouraged school librarians everywhere to find that voice I was talking about in my first column back in 2018.
School librarians are amazing people, often overlooked and underpaid but still out there fighting for their students in the quiet professional way that they know works best for them. I believe, in this ever-changing world, that every school librarian has something to bring to the table but can only do this with constant encouragement through being challenged, engaged and inspired. We all need to see a brighter future and to read about ways to improve what we have, and I hope that this is what you have seen coming through my column. For me, this column needed to do two things. Firstly, speak to school librarians giving them inspiration and encouragement to continue doing what they do so well whilst also focusing on new ideas and tools to help move their students, teachers and schools forward. Secondly, to write in such a way that would help the wider
September 2021
professional community understand the daily struggles of school librarianship whilst highlighting the many successes that have been achieved in this remarkable area of our profession.
You can’t continue to write in such depth without learning a thing or two yourself. As far as school librarianship is concerned, I now realise that our focus comes not from the library or school librarians perspective but from our students and their education, which requires something more strategic from us as a profession. If we are ever to create school libraries that are integral to the education process our school librarians need a clear vision of the way forward, without which they will remain peripheral to the education process and continue to be seen as a luxury or worse unnecessary. I can clearly see now where this understanding is taking me and hope that any of you, who have been on this journey with me, can too. As far as my own personal journey is concerned, I have not only learnt how to write more succinctly, there is only so much you can say in 650 words, but I also found a voice and confidence that I hope has not only engaged but made you think about where school librarianship is heading. I have been pushed to raise my own game by continuing my own learning journey through reading, reflecting and talking to others, without which I would not have been able to write what I do. This opened a path that I am excited about and certainly will remain part of my future plans.
It is appropriate that writing for Information Professional has come to an end at this point. As my new business expands it is time for me to focus more on what I believe is
Elizabeth Hutchinson (@Elizabethutch
ehutchinson44@gmail.com) Is an Independent Adviser and Trainer for school libraries.
www.elizabethahutchinson.com
ahead for the school librarian as a professional and continue on the next part of my adventure.
I want to leave you with this final thought. For our students to become independent learners they need three things:
1. A desire to learn 2. Access to quality information 3. An understanding of the process
Just as our students need to be taught to read, they need to be taught the skills of learning and through this our school librarians sit at the heart of the curriculum. I hope your desire to learn is strong too. IP
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 51
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
