Graeme Boyd.
was his next move that really allowed Graeme to think about the different opportunities that working in libraries could deliver – not just on a profession- al level.
“I then moved to Amsterdam where I worked for Greenpeace International as their video and film archivist (my first degree was in film),” explains Graeme. The notion that his chosen profession could also allow him to experience life in other countries, was planted. Graeme says: “I became interested in schools because I wanted to travel. I found out that qualified UK librarians could work abroad in international schools as librarians. For me, this was an ah-hah moment and that’s what I’ve been doing to this day! My first job was in Kuwait and since then I’ve worked and lived as a librarian in Lebanon, China, Brazil, Germany and now Ghana. I don’t plan on stopping!”
Graeme, who has just completed his latest contract at a school in Accra, Ghana, says that there are opportunities out there, but they may not be obvious. “The international school library world is a niche. There are few of us, but we all know each other and most importantly It’s almost like a hidden secret.”
While it might not be for everyone, Graeme believes more librarians should consider the benefits of working abroad. For one, school libraries in Interna- tional Schools are often well-resourced and play a key role in delivering quality education. Many International Schools follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) exam system and the IBO, which administers the exams, says librarians are an important part of that process. A spokesperson said: “The IB empowers teachers to design courses that suit dif- ferent cultures, contexts, and national
July-August 2023
requirements while being supported by materials, global community, and profes- sional development opportunities. The IB is committed to supporting the whole school community, including librarians, who play a vital role in promoting literacy, research skills, school cohesion and com- munity involvement – all of which cul- tivate the best students and teachers’ outcomes.”
Graeme says that, in his experience, the international schools where he has worked have followed that principle of placing a high value on the school library, its resources, and its librarian. “The library is at the heart of the school,” he says. “All the international
schools I work in follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. The IB believes that the Library and Librarian should offer a central role to the school. They published a seminal document in 2018 called Ideal Libraries: a guide for schools. This document, freely available, describes the various roles of the librari- an; how the library works as a system and how libraries support multiliteracies and technology integration.”
Supporting the whole school That backing for the school library/ librarian means that the role is tailored to supporting the implementation of the curriculum at all levels. Graeme says: “My
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