Hot off the press! Literature to support the Australian curriculum.

Literature to support the Australian curriculum 
by Fran Knight has just come off the press!

The book contains annotated lists of literature that support the Australian curriculum. This is sorted into Asian themes, Indigenous themes, Sustainability themes, Poetry books, Books suitable for class sets and Books suitable for reading aloud.
There is  a range of titles including many that are newly published as well as some that may already be available in the library.

Each title is annotated, giving a taste of what the book is about. Approximate age levels are given and the lists are divided into the following age groups: Entry level to Year 3, Year 4 to Year 6, and Year 7 to Year 10.
Check out the sample which shows a selection across the K-10 years.


The titles have been carefully selected by Fran Knight, children’s literature
specialist. They contain a range of books including many that are newly
published as well as some that may already be available in the library. 


Order from https://www.pledgerconsulting.com.au/secure/secure.cfm or use order form
http://www.readplus.com.au/download/order2011.pdf




Price $35 ($46.20 including postage and GST)

All Australian Students need Teacher Librarians in their schools.

 "The school library—and the job of the librarian—have both morphed into something that most adults these days would hardly recognize. Helping kids find books to read is only part of the job, say those on the profession’s leading edge. Today, a major mission of the librarian, aka media specialist, is to teach students digital literacy by showing them how  to use the Internet to efficiently find, organize, and share information with peers." http://www.hepg.org/hel/article/502

School Libraries may have changed, however, research shows that they provide many very valuable services for staff and students in their learning communities and that those services help students to become successful lifelong learners.  

Below are two of the recent media stories that are helping to keep School Libraries on the agenda. We need your help!  The Government only has until the end of August to respond to the eleven recommendations of the Inquiry. We need to make plenty of people know how we all feel about the importance of school libraries for our students.

Open publication - Free publishing - More inquiry report

Open publication - Free publishing - More inquiry report

Open publication - Free publishing - More inquiry report

Visit The Hub post:

ACTION    Teacher Librarians Campaign

"We petitioned. We got an Inquiry. We now have a Report.  The federal government has until the end of August to respond to the Inquiry Report. Many of our concerns were not strongly addressed. Now more than ever we need to keep up the campaign.  In each state and territory as well as federally."

There is plenty of great support and advice available at the above post at The Hub. Visit to find out how you can help.

ERA responds to House of Reps call....

Electronic Resources Australia

Electronic Resources Australia (ERA) is a consortia for Australian libraries for collaborative purchasing of electronic resources.

Below are a few of the major news items from the ERA eNewsletter: June 2011

House of Reps Committee calls for a nationally funded set of online resources for schools

In mid May, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment released its report on school libraries and teacher librarians in Australia’s public and private schools. The report investigated the issues of role, adequacy and resourcing of school libraries and teacher librarians in Australia.

The Committee Chair, Ms Amanda Rishworth MP, said: “The Committee was struck by thepassion and enthusiasm that teacher librarians have for their profession. We hope that this report goes some way toward highlighting the issues faced by school libraries and teacher librarians, and showcases the valuable contributions that they make to educational outcomes in schools across Australia.”

The Committee makes 11 recommendations in the report, including a recommendation that the "Commonwealth Government partner with all education authorities to fund the provision of a core set of online database resources, which are made available to all Australian schools." 

This is a very very important recommendation and ERA will be following up with ALIA, ASLA and the department about possible directions.

Roxanne Missingham (Chair, ERA Executive Committee)

Do you already have a subscription to GALE or Informit? 

You should be excited! 

ERA announced that Trove now searches millions of articles from Gale and Informit

The National Library of Australia has released Trove 4.0.  Trove now searches across millions of articles from ERA vendors GALE and Informit.

These articles are found in a new zone called “journals, articles and datasets”.  Library users can view most of these articles online for free if their library has already purchased a subscription from GALE or Informit.

The NLA is continuing to work with vendors and libraries to further improve the quality of article links and authentication.

The Trove homepage has also been redesigned to make it easier to communicate with you, and for new users to understand the benefits of Trove.

This version would not have been possible withoutcollaboration across the library sector.

Information for libraries with Gale and Informit subscriptions is available here.

Further links of interest:

How does my library subscribe to a product via ERA? 

Free product trials

Another service may be axed without your voice....

I was totally surprised and disappointed to hear the news that  Edna's services were to be closed. I have been using  Edna for over ten years  to access reviewed  and catalogued resources for my staff and for many others in my PLN, through my  blogs, to support learning. 


As the result of a year long review, edna is to be decommissioned. The decommissioning of edna will commence on 30 June 2011, and be completed on 30 September 2011.

Services to be closed:

edna news, events and resources
The edna website and most associated services will cease, including:
>    news headlines, newsletters, news RSS feeds
>    resources, theme pages, search and browse functions and associated RSS feeds
>    event listings, schools calendar, event RSS feeds

OzProjects (http://www.ozprojects.edu.au)
OzProjects is funded as part of the edna suite of services and therefore will cease on 31 December 2011.

This review did not include the major states using edna, WA, NT, SA and Tasmania.

The National Curriculum is struggling to provide supporting resources, as they search for copyright free digital resources through the National Digital Learning Resources Network.  Edna Resources is already up and running and half way there.  It has over 40,000 resources for all education sectors and around 23,000 for schools.

Teachers and teacher librarians and library officers will be struggling even further to find time to locate appropriate resources for quality teaching and learning.

See http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/ednaclosure   for further information.

We don't have time to wait for the federal government to realize that a portal, as Erica Jolley says in our latest Hub blog, A message from the heart, is not the one stop answer to real learning. Erica is Education/Health liaison, Australian Federation of Graduate Women-SA

 Erica Jolley encourages people to have a look at the item Ian Purcell sent her. Ian wanted to share what has been happening in USA. " In the USA we have a tendency in this country to wonder where something went and valuing it when it is irretrievable. The report re School Libraries and Teacher Librarians did not push for action now. We do not need more reports. We need to protect the school libraries still in existence and bring in teacher librarians where they have been lost."  Libraries as Safety Nets

Some comments about the wide range of services that EdNA has provided over the years to many people can be found at The Hub and other comments can be left at http://www.groups.edna.edu.au/mod/forum/view.php?f=13877#p165987

For specific enquiries regarding the closure of edna contact 1300 003 362 (1300 00 edna) or email support@edna.edu.au

Ring and email your local federal member now. 

Say NO to Edna's closure, especially if no one asked YOU!http://hubinfo.wordpress.com/

Susanne Gervey-award winning author

Congratulations to Sydney author Susanne Gervay OAM who has been awarded a Medal in the General Division of this year's Queen's Birthday Honours.
Her titles include:

I am Jack;


Super Jack; Jack Forever; Butterflies; The Cave.
Susanne is the only children's/young adult author in this years awards.



I would like to share a post by Barbara Braxton (with permission)

"This is such a richly deserved award. If you haven't read any of her works,

then you must. Her latest is 'Always Jack' and its focus is breast cancer .

This is the review I wrote last year:"

ALWAYS JACK  Susanne Gervay   Cathy Wilcox

Angus & Robertson, 2010

9780732290207

Jack's back! Hero of I am Jack and Super Jack and his family,



including Nanna (and her infamous purple underpants),
are back in another story, this time dealing with a crisis
that so many families face - breast cancer. Known for being
the author who tackles the big issues, Susanne has drawn on her
experiences as a breast cancer survivor to weave a story of how
a family can receive such shattering news and then pull together
to emerge stronger than ever.
The cover, by Cathy Wilcox, sets the scene perfectly. Jack is on
 his surfboard paddling on calm waters unaware of the big wave
that has risen behind him and is about to come crashing down.
His world, at the moment, consists of his scientific experiment
with his ponto, his photography, his budding relationship
with both Anna and soon-to-be brother Leo, and THE wedding
between his mum and stepdad Rob. What happens when his mum
receives the news after a routine mammogram makes for an
intriguing  and intimate look at this family's relationships and
you soon understand that this disease is a family problem,
not just a mum problem.
Initially, in her innate bid to protect the children, Jack's mum
tells the children to keep it to themselves, not to worry and that
she will be all right. But this is not what Jack and Samantha need
to hear. They are worried, they need to tell their friends and they
 can clearly see mum is not all right so feel she is lying to them.
They feel confused, powerless and shut out of this thing that is SO
big that even the wedding is postponed. 
But Nanna has some remarkable advice that brings the family together
and helps them endure the surgery and the subsequent radiation
treatment so that it becomes almost a positive in their lives.
"Story gives children a voice", Susanne says, "particularly in these
sorts of circumstances. My job, as an educational psychologist and
a storyteller is to give them that voice so that those around them
know what they are thinking."
But this is not a sad , heavy book - Jack's zany jokes, his life-changing
project on Vietnam with his friend Christopher, and his deep love
for his sister despite the surface bickering, shine through to provide
a positive, uplifting tale that leaves a real impact on the reader.
It is not didactic but there is a powerful message both between and
beyond the lines.


Endorsed by the Cancer Council NSW (http://www.cancercouncil.com.au) 
and the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (http://nbocc.org.au)
this book is an essential addition to your collection. But it is also an essential 
addition to the libraries of those organisations whose role is to support 
families affected by cancer so perhaps you might choose to donate a copy
to them. My colleague and I gave one to our local McGrath Foundation 
breast care nurse. A percentage of the proceeds goes to the Cancer 
Council and the NBOCC so your purchase will touch so many lives.

If you are affected by this disease, the helpline number is 131120 or visit
the National Screening program  for details of the program. 

If you are interested in the 2011 recepients of the OAM you can read this doument

Coffs Harbour Library invites you to come along....

 Come along and join the fun

EARLY LITERACY EXTRAVOGANZA

WITH “MR JIM”

Coffs Harbour 14 – 19 June 2011

Presented by Coffs Harbour City Library.

Dr James Thomas has over 20 years’ experience teaching and working to promote early literacy awareness with adults and their little ones.  He specializes in developing activities that encourage language and early literacy skills in under two’s. Coffs Harbour City Library is pleased to facilitate the following workshops & information sessions being conducted by “Mr Jim”. Parents, Carers, Community Workers, Child\care workers and Educators are most welcome to attend.

·         SESSIONS FOR LITTLE ONES & THEIR PARENTS / CARERS

Young & the RestlessFor Children 12 -24months and parent / carer.

Tuesday 14 June 2011 – 10.00 – 10.30 Coffs Harbour City Library

Language based program for Adult  caregivers and 12 – 24mnth old child.  Adults will learn how to engage with their child in early literacy activities that foster development and understanding of concepts, language, movement, exercise, signing and interactive social play. (30 minutes parent/carer& child session)  Refreshments to follow

Itsy-Bitsy Babies (for mothers and others)For babies 0 – 12mth and their parent / carer.

Tuesday 14 June 2011 – 11.00 – 11.30 Coffs Harbour City Library

Unique language play program for adult caregivers and their newborns to 12 months The 30 minute activities demonstrate age-appropriate finger plays, songs, signing, body movements, and books for babies. (30 minutes parent/carer& child session) Refreshments to follow

Man in the Moon  (for male carers) For babies 0 – 12mth and their parent / carer.

Saturday 18 June 2011 10.00 – 10.30 Coffs Harbour City Library

Unique language play program for adult caregivers and their newborns to 12 months The 30 minute activities demonstrate age-appropriate finger plays, songs, signing, body movements, and books for babies. (30 minutes parent/carer& child session) Refreshments to follow

·         HANDS-ON WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS – Suitable for parents, caregivers and child care workers

Language Play for Infants – WORKSHOP FOR ADULTS Suitable for parents, caregivers and child care workers

Tuesday 14 June 2011 – 12.30pm – 2.30pm – Cavanbah Centre, Room A & B

Activities and ideas for captivating and communicating with one year olds.  This is a fast paced program of body movement, songs, yoga, and signing, demonstrated can be adapted to any home, library or childcare environment.  Participants will learn ways of organizing a setting that will be interesting & engaging for little ones.  Refreshments included.

Ready to Read early literacy workshop.WORKSHOP FOR ADULTS Suitable for parents, caregivers and child care workers.

Tuesday 14 June 2011 – 5.30 – 7.30pm– Cavanbah Centre, Room A & B (Also on Saturday)

Saturday 18 June 2011 – 11.00 – 1.00 – Coffs Harbour City Library

Early Literacy, what children need to know about reading and writing before they actually learn to read and write is crucial to success.  Participants will learn about the six early reading skills, how they relate to brain development, and how to integrate them into daily routines.

·         INFORMATION SESSION FOR ADULTS – Suitable for parents and educators.

Boys, Books and Reading:The REAL ChallengeSuitable for parents and educators.

Thursday 16 June –5.30 – 6.30 Cavanbah Centre, Rooms A & B

An informative one-hour presentation about ways to engage boys with reading including lots of recommended titles. Discussion will include the various genres that hold the greatest appeal, and identify appropriate programming ideas for boys.Refreshments to follow.

BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL for all sessions.

Reserve your place early to avoid disappointment.

All sessions are FREE.

Please contact Judy Atkinson for additional information.

Phn: 66484900

Email coffs.library@chcc.nsw.gov.au

Mr Jim’s Web info 

itsybitsybabies.pbworks.com; 

rtor.pbworks.com

2s3s4s.pbworks.com

boysbooksreading.pbworks.com 

toddlericon.pbworks.com

An important message from ALIA

This message is from Anne Girolami, ALIA Schools Convenor:

School libraries and teacher librarians

 in 21^st century Australia 

School libraries and teacher librarians in 21^st century Australia by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment is the result of the Inquiry into the role, adequacy and resourcing of school libraries and teacher librarians in Australia’s public and private schools. The Report documents the evidence collected from March 2010 until July 2010. The Inquiry was then suspended due to the Federal election. Towards the end of 2010 the Inquiry was reinstated. The Report was tabled in parliament on Monday 23 May.  Eleven (11) recommendations have been made.

Call to Action

In response to the release of the Report, the Australian Library and Information Association [ALIA] and the Australian School Library Association [ASLA] have created a:

• wiki http://schoollibraries2011.wikispaces.com/
• Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/What-a-difference-a-school-library-makes/120543444695337/

These social networking tools enable parents, students, teachers, teacher librarians and everyone else who is concerned about the state of school libraries to find out more information about this highly topical issue and to join in the discussion. Both Associations see the importance for positive, informative and engaging advocacy activities. You are encouraged to share the wiki and the Facebook page with your school community, your parents, your friends, your local MP and everyone on your Christmas list.

Now is the time for our profession to work together, speak with one voice and begin this concerted lobbying campaign to ensure the recommendations are implemented. Here is a list of actions that if completed by each person will show the ‘passion and enthusiasm of teacher librarians’.

This is your call to action:

• Visit the wiki on a regular basis
• ‘Like’ What a difference a school library makes Facebook page
• Download and read the Report
• Write an article for your school’s newsletter informing the school community of the Report and invite parents to complete The 10-point checklist and to visit How good is your child’s school? and feel free to use any material on the wiki
• Invite everyone you know to ‘Like’ the What a difference a school library makes Facebook page - the more ‘likes’ the more interest our politicians will have
• Write to your Federal Member of Parliament and State Member of Parliament, for sample letter go to http://alia.org.au/schoollibraries/
• Book an appointment with your Principal to discuss the Report
• Ask to be on the agenda at an upcoming staff meeting
• Place facts about school libraries regularly in your school’s newsletter
• Sign the A qualified teacher librarian in every school petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/a-qualified-teacher-librarian-in-every-school.html
• Visit The Hub at http://hubinfo.wordpress.com
• ‘Like’  the Facebook page A Library in Every School  at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/ALibraryInEverySchool

Be an active part of the vision for school libraries and teacher librarians in 21^st century Australia.


For more information visit the ALIA website.

How does your school library measure up?

This wiki is the basis for a campaign by library associations and teacher librarians to bring parents into the discussion about the future of school libraries.

I feel confident that our school library provides most of the ten point checklist provided for parents.

Unfortunately we are only a four day a week library due to our school size so we do not open on Fridays.
What do you think?
How does your school library measure up?


The 10-point checklist for parents

* There is a qualified teacher librarian managing the library
* The library is open whenever the school is open
* Students learn information processing skills in the school library
* Students can borrow the resources they need, when they need them
* There aren’t long waiting lists for popular fiction
* There’s more than enough space for a whole class to fit into the library
* There is high speed access to the internet
* Students are encouraged to use online electronic resources, not just Google
* There are special activities eg for Book Week, the Premier’s Reading Challenge
* Your child thinks the library is ‘awesome’


Check out their new What a difference  a school library makes facebook page.