D.++PROFESSIONAL+COMMITMENT

=PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT=

**3.1 Lifelong learning**
According to ACER research fellow, Dr Michele Lonsdale (2003) "School libraries can have a positive impact on student achievement – whether such achievement is measured in terms of reading scores, literacy or learning more generally. Libraries can make a positive difference to students’ self-esteem, confidence, independence and sense of responsibility in regard to their own learning." With this in mind, we can see the importance of the library in the students' lives. Providing a quality collection and having a strong computer network connecting the library's resources to the classroom can make all the difference to the lifelong learning of the child. If their love for literature is nurtured from an early age, it will set them up for life. Lonsdale (2003) also states that "A print-rich environment leads to more reading, and free voluntary reading is the best predictor of comprehension, vocabulary growth, spelling and grammatical ability, and writing style." Observing and working the the three TLs, I know that it requires a certain kind of dedication to be an effective TL. The lack of funding or time in the libraries, such as at Site 2 and 3, should not prevent the students from achieving. Lonsdale(2003) states that " A strong library program that is adequately staffed, resourced and funded can lead to higher student achievement regardless of the socioeconomic or educational levels of the adults in the community." The message is clear that the library is the hub of learning in the school, as long as it has passionate TLs who in turn, have a supportive Administration Team.

**3.2 Commit to the principles of education and librarianship**
Promotion of literacy and reading and the firm understanding that enthusiastic readers have better language and learning skills is not only supported by Krashen whose research showed that “…free voluntary reading has a positive impact on reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling ability, grammar usage and writing style, and that children who read more typically have higher literacy development.” (Krashen 1993, 1998), but is also upheld by the TL at site 1. Reading for pleasure, also referred to as ‘independent reading’ (Cullinan, 2000), ‘leisure reading’ (Greaney, 1980), and ‘voluntary reading’ (Krashen, 2004), has increasingly been recognized as an essential component in improving children’s’ attainment of literacy skills (Clark and Rumbold, 2006). However, the TL experiences extreme frustration at not being able to promote reading more thoroughly across the school. This frustration stems from the fact that she faces obstacles such as time constraints and lack of teacher cooperation. Given that each class has a 20 minute borrowing time and a 40 minute lesson weekly, teachers are reluctant to allow book talk by either the children or TL to encroach on their lessons, as they feel that this is taking time away from the children’s learning.

To circumvent this shortcoming, the TL has created an attractive welcoming environment in the library, furnished with comfortable, interesting furniture. She has also created an eye catching focal point in the library, which she hopes to utilize for the promotion of individual authors and their books, series of books or a variety of newly acquired reading material. The TL also engages the children in reading though book fairs, Book Week and Author visits. She ensures that the promotion of reading challenges such as the MS Read-a-thon and the Premier’s Challenge are announced in the school newsletter to encourage children to read. The school newsletter is also used as a vehicle to create an awareness of the activities the children are involved in within the library. The use of reading challenges stimulates the extrinsic motivational facet for reading in the child. “…reading motivation is a multifaceted construct that includes reading goals, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, self-efficacy and social motivation for reading. (Guthrie and Wigfield, 2000). Once students experience some facet of motivation, they begin to develop an intrinsic love for reading too.


 * [[image:LABORE_LIBRARY_SPP_SITE_005.jpg width="273" height="212" caption="Comfortable furniture"]] || [[image:LABORE_LIBRARY_SPP_SITE_007.jpg width="283" height="217" align="center" caption="Book display"]] || [[image:LABORE_LIBRARY_SPP_SITE_008.jpg width="268" height="202" caption="Easily accessed shelves"]] ||

Another tactic she has employed is that of rearranging the library in order to ‘open up’ certain shelf areas that were previously shielded by the desks and chairs in the work area. She has noticed that the children are automatically drawn to these shelves when they came in for their borrowing time or during lunch times. The arrangement of the reading environment in the library is one which is interesting, welcoming and comfortable, providing a pleasant sanctuary in which to read.

If I were to be in the TL position in that library I would continue to employ the methods the current TL uses as what she does, when given the opportunity, is effective. On the other hand, I would provide the students with increased access a to a greater variety of material to read, not merely the printed media, as is illustrated by Clark & Foster, 2005, who conducted a Reading Connects Survey, “…when pupils were asked what types of materials they were reading outside class, magazines, websites, text messages, jokes and books/magazines about TV programs emerged as the most popular reading choices. Over half the pupils also indicated reading emails, fiction, comics, while newspapers were also popular choices.” Bearing this in mind, I believe that the students should have access to a wider variety of reading material, which is of specific interest to them. They may not necessarily utilize these entire various medium in the library, but during collaborative planning, I would encourage teachers to incorporate these media in their programs.

I would also utilize other methods of promoting reading, namely the students. “Research shows that children and young people are most likely to identify role models from their immediate social environment. In addition to this, following family influences, they cite peers as their most important role models (Bricheno and Thornton, 2007). It therefore goes without saying that it would be beneficial to encourage the students to promote reading in a variety of ways. These are some examples suggested by The National Literacy Trust, UK, 2010: “…pupils could create visual displays, using posters, swap boxes or belly bands, in places where pupils might not expect to see reading suggestions. Using the technology in your school to make recommendations – (on the school website, screensavers or on the welcome screen in reception – is a good way to disseminate messages to a large audience, including parents. “ Utilizing the students in this way provides a greater opportunity for reading promotion to take place in the school with little burden on the teaching staff.

**3.3 Leadership**
As previously stated, Site 1 is extensively resourced in the ICLT department. It is with this in mind that the TL is heavily engaged in promoting a whole school approach to developing responsible digital citizens. She has located a number of informative video clips which teachers show their classes. These video clips teach students to be responsible digital citizens which is one of the most critical lessons we can teach them as they interact with Web2.0 based tools. The TL ensured that the parents were also well educated by keeping them up to date and informed. This was done by locating a number of “Acceptable Technology Agreements” documents which were used in a few Brisbane Catholic schools, to give her and idea of what such an agreement may look like. A document to cater for Site 1's demographic was developed and distributed to all families and explained to the students. The TL conducted a number of Digital Citizenship workshops during staff meetings to ensure that the teachers were able to deliver meaningful activities to their classes.

I have noted with interest that many TLs are also the Curriculum Support Teacher or Head of Curriculum. I don't think that you could find a better suited individual for both roles as they compliment one another well - having said that, I don't think I would like to be responsible for both those areas as they are both highly demanding roles. The TL at Site 1 and 3 are both highly involved in curriculum planning across the school. The TL at Site 3 is the Head of Curriculum, which often draws her away from the library due to its high demands. At times she is expected to forfeit her library time to focus on curriculum. I believe this is a huge oversight by the Administration Team as she cannot be expected to do both roles justice. All three TLs are engaged in promoting literacy and literature across the school via staff meetings or separate professional development days. I believe that this is valuable in terms of having a finger on the teaching and learning pulse across the school.

**3.4 Community Responsibilities**
According to Kapitzke (2003) "...professionally trained media centre specialists and teacher-librarians function as intermediaries between society and school, and between teacher and student, through their work of acquiring, managing and distributing information resources and services." The TLs at all three sites are expected to share their knowledge at staff meetings and other professional development days. The TLs at Site 1 and 3 were both required to run workshops for the staff using the First Steps program. These workshops were delivered over a period of time to enable teachers to do required activities with their classes between sessions. The TL at site 2 is involved in an external global education program, which she is able to share with her staff when given the opportunity. All three TLs try to become as involved as possible in literacy promoting initiatives such as Book Week, Reader's Cup Challenges, Premier's Reading Challenge and MS Readerthon. At Site 1 the TL is currently getting all the children in their 1:1 iPad program to download the Overdrive app in order for them to access books via the Brisbane City Council. Keeping the parents informed of current trends in reading and promote activities occurring in the library is very valuable. The TL would be able to do so by writing in the school newsletter. Inviting authors into the school setting and inviting the school community to attend is another way in which to promote the library and reading. I am pleased to say that all 3 TLs endeavour to do as many of these things as they possibly can to promote the library and information services.