For members who may have missed the earlier advocacy efforts, the following provides additional information to make your voice heard.

Grassroots advocacy is a powerful force for change, and every voice matters.

Every voice adds pressure and advocacy is most powerful when we sing as a choir.

Every kid in Australia deserves a school library and a teacher-librarian.

It’s time for our governments to mandate libraries and teacher-librarians. In fact, It’s well overdue. 

Fifty-eight teacher-librarians have just lost their jobs (or been redeployed to classroom positions) in the Maitland-Newcastle Catholic diocese schools in NSW.

These losses are just the latest in what has been a steady and devastating cutting of teacher-librarian positions all around the country. Many schools do not have a teacher-librarian and some do not even have a library.

Many people and organisations are campaigning for teacher-librarians and school libraries to be mandated. For instance, the recent petition  started by author Kate Temple, and the work being done by this organisation ASLA (Australian School Libraries Association), SNSL (Students Need School Libraries) and ALIA (Australian Library and Information Association) and Australia Reads, among others. 

Please join us and ask your state and federal MPs to support the mandating of teacher-librarians and a library in every Australian school.

Use the information in this template to make your voice heard.

Template

 Thank you for making your voice heard!

Martha Itzcovitz 
President

Grassroots advocacy is a powerful force for change, and every voice matters.

Every voice adds pressure and advocacy is most powerful when we sing as a choir.

So we are asking for you as individuals to make your voices heard by contacting your local state and federal members of parliament.

Here is a template that you can follow for a letter, but we ask that you please personalise it to some degree because we have been advised that letters are scanned and less weight is given to those letters that follow identical templates. 

• Find your state electorate below and then click through to find your local member and google for their email address. NSW here, Queensland here, SA here ,WA here, Victoria here, Tasmania here, ACT here, NT here
• You can look up your federal electorate here. Click through to find out who the local member is, then google for their email address. 
• Federal senators (representing all of NSW, or all of Victoria etc) can be found here. Here is a list of federal senators of all states. Choose those representing the state you live in.  

Dear [local member]

I’m a constituent and live in [suburb]. Are you aware that not every school in our area has a library? A recent report from the Dymocks Children’s Charities revealed widespread underfunding, critical staffing shortage, and outdated collections and book budgets of $0 in Australian schools.  

(Here’s more on the Dymocks report if you want to quote)

At a time when we are in the midst of a reading crisis, and as Australia registers its worst ever PISA results, we need every school in the (state or country, depending on who you are emailing) to have a library and qualified teacher-librarian and a budget for books. 

(Here’s some options for what you might ask for - and it’s important to include an ‘ask’)

• I’d like to meet with you to find out how I can help you to lobby for this in parliament.
• What is your party’s policy on the matter of mandating libraries and teacher-librarians in all schools
• Can I provide you with more information so you can make a statement on your social media? 
• Can we invite you to our library to see what’s at stake (showing them a thriving library and then letting them there is none of this at the state school down the road). 
• Can you please facilitate a meeting with Minister (Clare for federal, or relevant state education minister’s) office [the education minister in NSW is Prue Car). 

Thank you for making your voice heard!

Martha Itzcovitz 
President

ASLA Statement on Teacher Librarian Cuts in Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle

The Australian School Library Association (ASLA) is profoundly disappointed that Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle will proceed with changes that discontinue teacher librarian roles across affected schools in the Diocese, despite calls from staff and professional organisations for meaningful consultation.

Read the letter to parents here

ASLA is deeply concerned about the impact of this decision on students, families and school communities. At a time when Australian students face significant challenges in reading and literacy, removing specialist teacher librarian expertise risks weakening the very support students need to develop strong reading habits, critical thinking, research skills and the ability to navigate misinformation and generative AI.

ASLA is particularly concerned that clear information has not yet been provided about how school libraries will be professionally resourced and staffed following these changes, including how the distinct qualifications and responsibilities of teacher librarians, librarians, library technicians and library assistants will be recognised.

These roles are complementary. They are not interchangeable.

School libraries are essential to education. Every school needs a library, every library needs qualified staff, and every student deserves the opportunities that a professionally led school library provides.

ASLA will continue to advocate nationally for well-resourced school libraries and qualified school library professionals for every Australian student.

Martha Itzcovitz
ASLA President

ASLA continues to advocate for well-resourced school libraries in all Australian schools. This includes all school library staff.

Kate Temple has a petition up and running that has now hit over 15000 signatures. Please add yours and share widely via your networks 
Mandate qualified teacher librarians in schools!

Kay Oddone has created a handout about the assumption that every school has a teacher librarian - yet there is no national mandate. theanswerisinthelibraryA3.PDF

Students Need School Libraries advocacy campaign is continuing its support of school library staff with coordinators Elise Ellerman and Hajnalka Molloy speaking on national media. Resources can be found on the website.

We are indebted to the many authors who have added their voices in support of the T/Ls in CSNM and school library staff across Australia.

Let's keep the momentum going.

For further information, email asla@asla.org.au

The Australian School Library Association (ASLA) is deeply concerned by the announcement from Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle that teacher librarian positions are proposed to be cut across 58 schools in the Diocese. 

According to a letter circulated to schools this week, staff restructures planned for 2027 will see teacher librarians redeployed to other curriculum areas, with school libraries potentially managed by library assistants or student support officers. 

School libraries are not simply rooms containing books. They are essential learning environments, and the staff who lead, manage and support them are vital to the educational life of every school. 

ASLA is particularly concerned that these proposed changes fail to recognise the professional expertise required to develop and sustain an effective school library. 

Read the full statement here 

Martha Itzcovitz 
President – Australian School Library Association

Explore ways to advocate for your school library by streamlining your impact and feeling more confident in the vital role you play in the school's ecosystem. Thursday October 8, 9am to 1.30pm

Find out more here

Are you leading innovative programs, inspiring a love of reading, or redefining how your school library supports learning and student success? Presenting at ASLA 2027 in Hobart is an opportunity to showcase your work, contribute to professional learning, spark meaningful conversations, and help shape the future of school libraries. Find out more about submitting an abstract HERE. The abstract submission deadline is August 31, 2026.

Visit the ASLA 2027 website for more information

Ela Sircelj from Loreto Kirribilli, NSW, has been awarded the ASLA School Library Advocate Award in recognition of her outstanding leadership, advocacy, and commitment to school libraries. Read winner Ela Sircelj's speech HERE

We are thrilled to announce that ASLA 2027 will be held in beautiful Hobart, Tasmania, April 8-10. Visit our conference page to keep up to date with announcements.

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ACCESS Journal Volume 40 Issue 1