main responsibilities are not to check in/ check out or shelve books, it’s to support teachers and students with research skills, digital citizenship, ethics, referencing and citing as well as of course promoting read- ing for pleasure.
“I spend most of my time in the classroom collaborating with subject teachers and supporting students. It’s really important that the librarian is familiar with the cur- riculum and attends curriculum planning meetings and has a voice at these meet- ings. The librarian should know what the student is doing, what they’re studying and what’s to come in the same way that when the student returns a book the librarian should have a general idea of that author/ plot or even better have read the book themselves. “Let the teacher teach as they have to with units, lesson plans, summatives and formative assessments but let the librar- ian be there to facilitate, collaborate and support students. Many teachers (and supervisors/principals) still don’t really understand the importance of the role which the librarian offers. It’s part of my
20 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL
job to demonstrate that. School librarians must market, promote and sell themselves as if they are a business. The parent/teacher/ student is the customer and they should expect the best service.”
Most international schools are inde- pendent and funded through school fees – this model provides its own benefits for students and staff. This financial model, coupled with greater independence over how money is spent, allows schools to
reinterpret how they allocate resources to meet student and staff needs. Graeme explains that this also allows for a spirit of innovation within the school, add- ing: “Many of the best international school libraries are now seen as flexible learning environments which anyone in the school community can use (including parents); shelves are on wheels and the library can transform into a yoga studio or makerspace or conference centre in minutes. Likewise micro-libraries are becoming more popular in schools (especially larger schools with multiple campuses) which essentially are hubs and OPAC stations scattered throughout the campus which students can quickly log into to check the catalogue, access a database, print or request resources.”
Personal development
So professionally, there is a lot to be said for taking that step into another country, but there is also plenty to be gained personally. Graeme talks about his experience of different cultures as being a high priority for himself.
July-August 2023
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