ASLA National Journal - Editorial

Literature has key role to play

ACCESS, Vol. 22, issue 2, 2008, p.1.

Literature is an integral part of a teacher librarian’s role. As new ASLA President Rob Moore points out in his first ‘Leading edge’ column (page 3, this issue), a love of literature is also a strong motivating factor for many in the profession. It seems literature has the capacity to captivate people on many different levels, hence its appeal and also its importance to teacher librarians.

This issue of Access explores some of the many and varied influences of literature within the world of teacher librarians. Andrew Smith starts things off by challenging some traditional views about the influence of popular culture on young people. He contends that literature can help young readers navigate a pathway to understanding and interpreting the forces of popular culture, and teacher librarians can play an active role in signposting this sometimes convoluted journey.

Then Linda Gibson-Langford and Di Laycock compare reading to archery in a clever and thought-provoking exploration of techniques to develop a love of reading among school students. Their case studies provide real-world examples of programs that have produced demonstrable results.

Our refereed article this issue has been authored by Patricia Carmichael, who outlines a learning project that was implemented in her school. The project set out to instil within students a more independent learning approach. This proved to be a challenging exercise that had both expected and unexpected results, which make for interesting reading.

Also on the topic of learning is Jeff Herd’s report. He catalogues an action learning project that involved collaboration both within the library team and with other teachers. The outcomes highlight the value of such an approach.

This issue of Access also has some of our regular features such as FAQ, the Buzz news update, news and reviews.

The tireless efforts of Alle Goldsworthy, from South Australia, are profiled and we also have a report on this year’s Somerset Conference, which was held on the Gold Coast in March.

Last updated 1 July 2008