WASLA on ABC Perth

12/11/2020

Updated 24/11/2020

Click below to listen to our President, Natasha Georgiou, being interviewed on the ABC Perth Morning show by Nadia Mitsopoulos and Russell Woolf regarding the petition tabled in State Parliament on the 12 November 2020.

WASLA AGM Guest Speaker

12/11/2020

Just a reminder that bookings are open for the 2020 WASLA AGM. 

To book please go to https://www.trybooking.com/BLPFA .

The event is free for all WASLA / AISWA members.

The event is also free for up to 2 staff from WASLA and AISWA Institutional memberships, each additional staff member from a WASLA / AISWA Institutional membership will be $10.

All non WASLA / AISWA members will cost $10.

We have a fascinating Keynote Presentation prepared by Dr Margaret Merga that I cannot wait to hear:

Australian teacher librarians: What makes them worth their weight in gold? 

In this presentation, we will discuss Margaret’s 2020 research on differences between qualified library staff in Australia, the UK and the US, with particular attention to literacy and reading-related practices and dispositions. You will learn about the role scope of the Australian teacher librarian, gaining insight into why you feel so tired at the end of a working day! We will explore how the Australian teacher librarian promotes reading engagement according to their role description and examine how the Australian teacher librarian role differs from their UK counterparts. Finally, we will explore how the Australian teacher librarian role differs from the US library professional role in fostering reading for pleasure. There will be time at the end of the presentation to ask any questions you may have about this research or Margaret’s other projects.  

There is a yummy afternoon tea organised with Angelo from Serendipity Catering.

Make this a relaxing and enjoyable end of year catch-up before the craziness of the Christmas rush kicks in!

The WASLA Committee look forward to seeing you on the 25th November.

WASLA 2020 Award Winners honoured at ceremony

12/08/2020

The Western Australian School Library Association took great pride in presenting the WASLA 2020 Western Australian School Library Award recipients with their awards at Bob Hawke College, who kindly hosted the event.

Mr John Burke, Principal of Bob Hawke College, presented the Keynote address in the school’s new library and took all attendees on a tour of the newly opened school in Subiaco.

WASLA would like to congratulate the following award winners. Videos of their acceptance speeches can be found in the Members Only Section of the website under ‘Videos’.

  • – School Library of the Year:  Kennedy Baptist College Research and Study Centre
  • – Teacher Librarian of the Year: Jennifer Currie, Lynwood Senior High School
  • – Library Technician of the Year: Lesley Dorrington, Mercedes College
  • – Library Officer of the Year: Sarah Klass, Chisholm Catholic College

Short and Sweet PD – Webex Recording is now available

Webex Link: Here

Password:  wM3fsyd6

Share your COVID19 School Library Experience

30/04/2020

COVID-19. It changed Term 1, 2020. It changed the way students and school staff approach Term 2, 2020. It changed the way we view education. It changed the world. What it didn’t change was the need for school libraries run by a qualified and passionate school library team.

The team at Students Need School Libraries want to know and share what school libraries or school library teams have been focusing on during this COVID crisis. It might look a little different from the usual, but it’s even more important during this time of change and upheaval.

Read more here and share your thoughts.

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School libraries hit by the loss of a dying breed as teacher librarians enter ‘survival mode’

“After hearing stories about jobs disappearing, the WA School Library Association (WASLA) recently surveyed its members, hoping to gain a clearer picture of what was going on.”
 
Read more to see how WASLA played an instrumental role in the publishing of the following article (ABC News) by Rebecca Carmody

Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-15/research-reveals-alarming-loss-in-teacher-librarians-in-schools/11494022

Read more…..

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Notice: COVID-19 Advice

17/03/2020

In these uncertain COVID-19 times the way that we operate in school libraries will need to change. It is important that you discuss any changes that you want to make with your school leadership before implementing them. The following safety measures have been used in some public libraries before their enforced closure. WASLA believes that these actions are based on sound medical advice. They are:

  • all items returned to the library should be quarantined for at least 24 hours;
  • returned items should be handled by staff with disposable gloves or staff wash their hands immediately afterwards, as part of safe-handling practices;
  • shelves, chairs and furniture should be spaced further apart (if possible);
  • toys, games and soft items should be temporarily removed from student use;
  • visitor numbers should be captured and reviewed frequently to limit the number of people within the library to less than 100 OR to meet the social distancing requirements as required by the government, such as being 2m2 apart, (https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/coronavirus); and,
  • talk to your Manager of Corporate Services or Business Manager regarding the cleaning regime of the library and any resources that may be available to the library.

As schools prepare for possible closures, the school library can continue to provide services online for students and staff. To stay up-to-date with online resources and strategies, it is recommended that you join WASLAnet (http://www.wasla.asn.au/waslanet/), the WASLA Facebook page, OZTL_net (https://oztlnet.com/), and the school library pages on the Department of Educations’ Connect communities. There are currently plenty of resources and strategies that are being shared by school library staff across the country.

Keep safe and healthy,

WASLA

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WASLA Awards PD – Postponement due to COVID-19

17/03/2020
 
In the light of the current situation with COVID-19, WASLA has made the decision that we are postponing the PD scheduled to be held at Bob Hawke College on April 1. Once we have been given the all clear that we can again hold non-essential activities by the Department of Education, we will let you all know the new date.
 
Please note the following:
  • If you require a refund for your ticket, please email wasla@wasla.asn.au.
  • For those of you who are willing to wait for the new date, you can keep your current ticket.
  • We will be advertising again for this PD once we are in the all-clear and have a new date.
  • WASLA Award nominees will be informed of the results in Term 1 and the winners will be announced in ic3. The winners will be presented with their trophy at the rescheduled Awards event.
We apologise for any inconvenience and will let you know the follow-up date in the near future.
 
Natasha Georgiou
WASLA President
 
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15/03/2020

Update to WASLA Scholarship and Awards policies

Note: Due to COVID 19 the following updates to the WASLA Scholarship and Awards Policy will take effect  from January 2021

For a full update regarding WASLA’s updated Scholarship and Awards policy, please download the following:

For additional information regarding WASLA’s Scholarship and Awards policy please click on this link:

to be directed to our Scholarships and Awards page

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11/03/2020

Survey results of Teacher Librarians in DET WA Schools

The Western Australian School Library Association recently conducted a survey of all Department of Education personnel who have been identified by HRMIS (Human Resource Management Information System) as Teacher – Library Services. On the system 56 people were identified. The survey had a 100% response rate. Our findings are as follows:

  • – Out of 812 public schools in WA there are only 29.6 FTE Teacher Librarians (TL) working in a school library role. None of them worked in primary schools. Three regional and remote schools had employed qualified teacher librarians.
  • – There are only 33 schools who employ teachers in a library role. In those schools 38 employees have Teacher Librarian university qualifications. Of these two staff have TL qualifications but are employed as School Librarians.
  • – 18 qualified Teacher Librarians work between 0.8 and 1.0 in a school library role. 20 work a fraction of 0.6 and 0.1 in the school library.
  • – Five schools recently had recently moved their qualified TL out of the library and now have Library Officers or Teachers (without a Library qualification) managing their school libraries.

Download the PDF survey results here: Parliamentary Question TLS in DETWA [PDF]

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