Visions of the 21st century school library

Bales, Jennie “Is your school library on the learning map?”

Bales has written about the things I have read before about the role of the TL. The Tls part in the curriculum, information literacy, professional development, collaborative teacher, and resources. Bales also promotes a learning community that supports students, teachers, parents etc. I liked the idea of a whole learning community, a change that can be directed by the TL to promote learning at all levels of the school community. Tls want to promote lifelong learning to their students what better way to do it then Tls, teachers, principals, parents etc continuing their learning, being an example for their students. The learning community could be part of vision for the 504 assignment.

Bundy, Alan “Only connect: towards the information enabling of young Australians”

Bundy looks at the values set out by ALIA. I thought these values will help me to focus on a vision that I would like for the library I work in for the 504 assignment. Bundy also writes about the fact that technology is huge in our culture and in our schools but the waste of money on technologies in schools that don't promote or help learning outcomes. They are just there as a new technology but have no use as an educational tool. I agree with Bundy when he states that governments and school spend a lot of money on technologies when the school will benefit if that expenditure was put towards something else. I have seen first hand the school I am at spending tremendous amount of money on an IT tool yet it turned out to be a white elephant and the school is now heading up its own inquire into the technology, pretty much what can they salvage out of it.

Hay, Lyn & Foley, Colleen. “School libraries building capacity for student learning in 21c”

A great article with an example framework for building a vision for the 21 century library with the principal. It mentions the confidence and independence students gain with their learning when they have lessons with a TL. It's something I would like to aim for as a TL to build comfortable, confident, innovative and motivated learners.

Boehm, Patricia. “The new AASL program guidelines for school library programs”

This article does mention the same visions or roles of the TL as the other articles. It does place an importance of the 21^st century library being beyond the physical space, and that libraries should be supplying 24 hour access and guidance to its students. I wish our library could offer more to its students after school and on weekends via the Internet, but we a restricted by our IT department who are concerned by outside access.