1. Standards of professional excellence
AUSTRALIAN
SCHOOL
LIBRARY
ASSOCIATION
for teacher librarians
The Australian Library and standards of excellence for teacher qualities of the specialist teacher
librarians in Australian schools in librarian. All references to ‘teacher
Information Association (ALIA)
order to improve teacher librarians’ librarian’ in these standards refer to
and the Australian School
professional practice and enhance excellent, highly-accomplished teacher
Library Association (ASLA) student learning outcomes. Involvement librarians. While this document may
are pleased to endorse and in ongoing national consultation provide a useful framework for pre-
promote this statement of concerning generic standards for service and in-service tertiary education,
teachers convinced ASLA and ALIA it is primarily intended for use by
standards of professional
of the importance of a standards teacher librarians as a framework for
excellence for teacher document that identifies the distinctive ongoing professional learning.
librarians. This statement knowledge, skills and commitment
describes the professional of excellent teacher librarians. How are the standards structured?
For a relatively recent profession Within the broad framework of
knowledge, skills and
— the first tertiary-qualified teacher professional knowledge, professional
commitment demonstrated librarians graduated in the 1960s — a practice and professional commitment
by teacher librarians working standards document also represents there are twelve standards which
at a level of excellence. an opportunity to reinforce a uniform attempt to encapsulate the complex
expectation of the work of the teacher
It represents the goals to work of the teacher librarian. No
librarian in our schools.
hierarchical arrangement of statements
which all Australian teacher
is intended, rather it is recognised
librarians should aspire, What is a teacher librarian?
that experienced practitioners draw
and provides inspiration for Teacher librarians support and
from a professional palette combining
implement the vision of their school
quality teaching and ongoing knowledge, skills and attributes
communities through advocating
professional practice. appropriate to their context. Structural
and building effective library and
consistency with existing professional
information services and programs
Background standards documents has been a
that contribute to the development of
The document, Standards of priority, and brevity was a deliberate
lifelong learners. A teacher librarian
professional excellence for teacher holds recognised teaching qualifications preference for this statement as an
librarians, is built upon the professional and qualifications in librarianship, expanded narrative discussion of the
values and standards of the two defined as eligibility for Associate work of a teacher librarian is available
professions to which teacher librarians (i.e. professional) membership for the in Learning for the future.2
owe their allegiance. It is informed Australian Library and Information
strongly by the standards movement Association [ALIA]. Within the broad Who has developed the standards?
in other Australian professional fields of education and librarianship, The joint ALIA/ASLA Policy Advisory
associations for educators, and is teacher librarians are uniquely- Group has been responsible for
closely-related to activity in the library qualified. This is valuable because developing these national professional
and information sector, in particular curriculum knowledge and pedagogy standards in conjunction with teacher
the ALIA core knowledge, skills and are combined with library and librarians, administrators, policy-makers
attributes and the ALIA core values information management knowledge and academics from both the education
statements at http://alia.org.au/ and skills.1 and librarianship sectors.
policies/.
Who will use the standards? Further information
Why a standards document? These standards describe experienced Further information is available from
The major aim of the Standards project practitioners who hold the dual ASLA (asla@asla.org.au) or ALIA
is to achieve national consensus on qualifications that define the unique (enquiry@alia.org.au).
Australian Library and Information Association PO Box 6335 Kingston 2604 Australian School Library Association PO Box 155 Zillmere 4034
ph 02 6215 8222 fx 6282 2249 enquiry@alia.org.au http://alia.org.au ph 07 3633 0510 fx 07 3633 0570 asla@asla.org.au http://asla.org.au

2. 1.1 Knowledge of the principles of lifelong
learning
Excellent teacher librarians:
AUSTRALIAN
SCHOOL • are well-informed about information literacy theory and practice
LIBRARY
ASSOCIATION
• thoroughly understand how all learners develop and apply
lifelong learning skills and strategies
• have a sound understanding of how children and young adults
become independent readers
• comprehensively understand the role of information and
communication technologies (ICTs) in lifelong learning
1 Professional knowledge
1.2 Knowledge of learning and teaching
Excellent teacher librarians…
Excellent teacher librarians:
1.1 understand the
• have a detailed knowledge of current educational pedagogy
principles of lifelong
learning • are thoroughly familiar with the information literacy and
information needs, skills and interests of learners
1.2 know about learning
and teaching across • fully understand the need to cater for the social, cultural
curriculum areas and and developmental backgrounds of learners in program
developmental levels implementation and curriculum resourcing
1.3 have a rich
understanding of the 1.3 Knowledge of curriculum
school community and Excellent teacher librarians:
curriculum
• have a comprehensive understanding of literacy, literature for
1.4 have a specialist children and young adults, curriculum and specific programs in
knowledge of
their schools
information, resources,
technology and library • have a detailed knowledge of how to promote and foster reading
management
• have a sound understanding of current assessment theory and
processes
1.4 Knowledge of library and information
management
Excellent teacher librarians:
• understand that professionally managed and resourced school
libraries are crucial to the achievements of the school community
• have a rich professional knowledge of national standards for
library and information management 3
• have a comprehensive understanding of national standards for
information retrieval 4

3. 2.1 Learning environment
Excellent teacher librarians:
• create and nurture an information-rich learning environment
which supports the needs of the school community
AUSTRALIAN
SCHOOL
• provide access to information resources through efficient, LIBRARY
ASSOCIATION
effective and professionally-managed systems
• foster an environment where learners are encouraged and
empowered to read, view, listen and respond for understanding
and enjoyment
• appreciate the dynamic nature of ICTs and their role in education
2.2 Learning and teaching
Excellent teacher librarians:
2 Professional practice
• collaborate with teachers to plan and implement information
literacy and literature programs that result in positive student Excellent teacher librarians…
learning outcomes
• ensure that their programs are responsive to the needs of learners
2.1 engage and challenge
in the school community learners within a
supportive, information-
• support learning and teaching by providing equitable access to
rich learning
professionally-selected resources
environment
• assist individual learners to develop independence in their
learning 2.2 collaboratively plan
• teach the appropriate and relevant use of ICTs and information and resource curriculum
resources programs which
incorporate transferable
2.3 Library and information services information literacy and
management literature outcomes
Excellent teacher librarians:
2.3 provide exemplary
• ensure that the library's policies and procedures implement the library and information
school's mission services consistent with
• provide exemplary reference and information services to the national standards
school community
2.4 evaluate student
• strategically plan and budget for improvement in library and
learning and library
information services and programs
programs and services
• apply information management practices and systems that are to inform professional
consistent with national standards 4
practice
2.4 Evaluation
Excellent teacher librarians:
• monitor teaching practice to ensure improved learning and
teaching
• evaluate student learning to provide evidence of progress in
information literacy and reading
• measure library resources, facilities, programs and services against
current policies, standards documents and benchmarks
• use evidence to inform programs and services

4. 3.1 Lifelong learning
Excellent teacher librarians:
• empower others in the school community to become
lifelong learners
AUSTRALIAN
SCHOOL
LIBRARY • undertake research which informs evidence-based
ASSOCIATION
innovation in school library programs
• engage in debate on educational issues within the school
community
• create and foster library-related professional development
opportunities for staff
3.2 Commitment
Excellent teacher librarians:
3 Professional
• are dedicated to excellence in professional service
commitment
• emphasise a learning and teaching focus in school library
Excellent teacher librarians… programs and services
• promote the profession of teacher librarianship in their
3.1 model and promote
schools and the wider community
lifelong learning
• foster a reading culture through the active promotion of
3.2 commit to the principles literature
of education and • participate in continuing professional development
librarianship
3.3 Leadership
3.3 demonstrate leadership
Excellent teacher librarians:
within school
and professional • actively engage in school leadership and participate in key
communities committees
• promote and nurture a ‘whole school focus’ on
3.4 actively participate in information literacy policy and implementation
education and library
• build and foster collaborative teams within school and
professional networks
professional communities
• provide effective and transformational leadership to
school library and information services staff
Related documents
3.4 Community responsibilities
Learning for the future: developing information Excellent teacher librarians:
services in schools 2nd ed, Australian Library and
Information Association/Australian School Library
Association • model the sharing of knowledge
National framework for professional standards for
teaching, MCEETYA • actively participate as members of professional
National professional standards for highly- communities
accomplished teachers of science, Australian
Science Teachers Association
• demonstrate collegiality and mentor colleagues
Standards for excellence in teaching mathematics
in Australian schools, Mathematical Teachers
Association • promote library and information services to the school
Standards for initial programs for school library and the wider community
media specialist preparation, ALA/AASL
Statement on teacher-librarians in Australia,
Australian Library and Information Association/ Footnotes
Australian Schools Library Association 1
ALIA/ASLA statement on teacher librarians in Australia (2002) http://www.asla.org.au/policy/p_tlaust.htm
STELLA — Standards for teachers of English 2
Learning for the future 2nd ed (2001) Curriculum Corporation, Carlton South
language and literacy in Australia, Association for
it13122004
3
the Teachers of English Current edition of Learning for the future: developing information services in schools, Curriculum Corporation
4
Current edition of SCIS standards for cataloguing and data entry, or NLA KINETICA cataloguing standards