Statement on teacher librarians in Australia

Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and Australian School Library Association (ASLA)

Purpose
To describe and promote the role of teacher librarians.

ALIA objects addressed:

• To ensure the high standard of personnel engaged in information provision and foster their professional interests and aspirations.
• To represent the interests of the members to governments, other organisations and the community.

ASLA objectives addressed:

• Promote an understanding of the aims, needs and educational significance of school library resource services and teacher librarians.
• Maintain the awareness of Government bodies of the needs and educational significance of school library resource services and advise them on all matters concerning school library resource services and teacher librarianship.

Principle
Teacher librarians support and implement the vision of their school communities through advocating and building effective library and information services and programs that contribute to the development of lifelong learners.

Statement
The teacher librarian is a leader within the educational community. The valuable role of the teacher librarian focuses on:

learners and learning;
teachers and teaching;
resourcing the curriculum;
facilitating access to information;
developing the physical environment.

This can be evidenced by:

understanding learners and their needs;
collaborating with teachers to plan and implement information literacy and literature programs;
ensuring the school library collection supports the school curriculum and community;
using technologies as teaching and learning tools;
creating effective learning environments;
participating in the school and wider learning community.

Related documents
ALIA core values statement

Australian School Library Association and Australian Library and Information Association 2001, Learning for the future: developing information services in schools, 2nd ed., Curriculum Corporation, Carlton South.

Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians

Statement on information literacy for all Australians

Statement on library and information services in schools

Statement on teacher librarian qualifications

Adopted: May 2003 - Revised: February 2009