Statement on teacher librarian qualifications - ASLA - Adopted: November 1994 - Amended: February 2009

Retrieved : May 24th, 2009

The role of the TL is a unique and Multi dimensional one.


In topic 2 for ETL401 we were asked to look at the following document as a starting point to examining the role of the TL.


The statement by ASLA on Teacher Librarian qualifications indicates the TL role and emphasises the importance of qualifications for a TL.

Summary of Statement:
• Teacher librarians support and implement the vision of their school communities through advocating and building effective library and information services and programs that contribute to the development of lifelong learners.
• A teacher librarian is defined as one who holds recognised teaching qualifications and qualifications in librarianship, defined as eligibility for Associate (i.e. professional) membership for the Australian Library and Information Association [ALIA]. Within the broad fields of education and librarianship, teacher librarians are uniquely qualified. This is valuable because curriculum knowledge and pedagogy are combined with library and information management knowledge and skills.
• The nature of teacher librarianship and library and information services is constantly developing. Educational research and new understandings impact on curricula, teaching, learning and digital technologies. Therefore, continuing professional learning for teacher librarians is essential to maintain a current library and information service for the school.
• As a member of a school’s teaching team, the teacher librarian has a role in the planning, implementation and evaluation of educational policies, curricula, outcomes and programs, with particular reference to the development of students’ information literacy.
• Courses in teacher librarianship emphasise the unique, integrated nature of the role. These qualifications ensure that the teacher librarian is both an educator and an information manager with integrated understandings from both of the areas.
A qualified teacher librarian will:
• develop a deep understanding of suitable pedagogies with relevance to learning styles;
• model excellent teaching practice and guide teachers with curriculum implementation through collaborative practice;
• model and develop information strategies to improve student learning outcomes;
• evaluate student learning in relation to library programs and information services to inform and improve professional practice;
• establish policies and procedures for efficient school library management;
• use best practices in library and database management to manage the diverse range of information resources including the online environment to maximise accessibility and relevance;
• adhere to standards in cataloguing, metadata application and database retrieval systems.