Federal Minister for Education orders School Libraries Inquiry

The House of Representatives Standing Committee 

on Education and Training has been asked by the Federal Minister for Education

to inquire into and report on the 

role, adequacy and resourcing of 

school libraries and teacher librarians 

in Australia's public and private schools.

This inquiry is critical in gathering information and insight into what is happening in and to school libraries in Australia - something that hasn't been done since the 70s - and shaping their future. 

It has taken over two years of consistent and persistent lobbying to get this and we really need a wide range 
of submissions from a wide variety of sources.  Many significant organisations, including those beyond education, are making submissions but the stories and thoughts of individuals are also critical. 

Submissions close April 16 so we are urging people to submit NOW.

to: edt.reps@aph.gov.au

Please use "Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian schools" as the subject line.

Submissions can be sent in the body of the email or as an attachment in Word or pdf format.

They can also be sent on disk or CD ROM, again in Word or pdf format to:
Committee Secretary Standing Committee on Education and Training PO Box 6021 
House of Representatives Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 AUSTRALIA

If you want to send a hard copy submission, it should be typed on A4 paper. This helps with reproduction of the submission. Where typing facilities are not available, hand written submissions are acceptable, but care should be taken to ensure that they are legible and suitable for photocopying.

It is helpful if each hard copy submission is sent with an electronic version on disk or CD-ROM, preferably in Microsoft WordR or Portable Document Format (PDF). This assists committees with publishing submissions
on the Parliament's website.

Whatever the format or delivery message, each submission must include ...

The author must sign a written submission either on his or her own behalf or on behalf of the organisation making the submission.

Those signing on behalf of an organisation should indicate the level at which the submission has been authorised (eg President, Chief Executive, Secretary).

A return address for correspondence and a contact telephone number should be provided with the submission. Submissions forwarded by email must include the name, postal address and phone number of the person or organisation making the submission.

Remember you can request that all or part of the submission should remain confidential. 

This should be indicated clearly in the front of the submission. You could also consider presenting any confidential information in an appendix to the submission to allow the body of the submission to be published.

For further information: 
The main site is http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/edt/schoollibraries/index.htm 
and details about preparing submissions etc is available at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/documnts/howsub.htm

A big thank you to Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian for kindly providing this information.