Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year

Pledger Consulting Pty Ltd (LinksPlus/WebLinks)

The Australian School Library Association Inc. and Pledger Consulting Pty Ltd (LinksPlus/WebLinks) are proud to sponsor the Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year Award.

Past Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year Awards: 2009 | 2008 |2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003

This national award recognises and honours an exceptional Australian teacher librarian in a school setting whose professional practice has a positive impact on student achievement and information literacy. This award carries a $1500 cash prize, payable to the Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year, and $500 of products for the respective school community. This award is made possible by Pledger Consulting Pty Ltd (LinksPlus/WebLinks).

Who can be nominated?

Qualified teacher librarians with a minimum of 3 years experience as a teacher librarian, who are financial members (personal or school) of one of the ASLA member associations.

Nominations for the Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year should be sent to the relevant Member Association for endorsement on or before 31 May 2010 . Re-nomination of previous nominees is encouraged.

Selection criteria

ASLA describes the role of a teacher librarian as having three key professional standards:

• Professional Commitment
• Professional Knowledge
• Professional Practice

The Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year will be awarded to a teacher librarian who demonstrates a high level of achievement in each of these three components of their role and thus provides a library and information services that improves student learning.

What is a teacher librarian?

A qualified teacher librarian is defined as a person who holds recognised teaching qualifications and qualifications in librarianship, defined as eligibility for professional membership for the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) (Learning for the future: Developing information information services in schools 2001, p. 60).

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.

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.

Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians (2004) outlines three major standards excellent teacher librarians demonstrate -Professional Knowledge, Professional Practice and Professional Commitment.

Download the nomination form for 2010 [Word document] - deadline to ASLA Member Associations 31 May 2010 . The contact details for ASLA Member Associations is included on the form for your convenience.

Notes to nominators and nominees:

• Only one nomination form needs to be submitted.
• The nomination must be endorsed by the Principal/Employer and at least two members of the nominee's school community.
• Provide the information either on the nomination form, or in labelled attachments.
• Nominators need to ensure that their comments relate directly to the criteria.  Provide specific examples in a school setting of evidence based practice, excellence in, and educational benefit of, the nominee’s work which has had a positive impact on student achievement and information literacy.

Following the close of nominations the respective Member Associations of ASLA will process nominations received through a selection procedure to determine the successful state or territory nominee for submission to the ASLA national selection panel for final processing.

Member Associations will be required to submit their final selection on or before 30 June 2010 to the ASLA Executive Officer.

The successful state or territory nominee will need to provide a brief outline (maximum length of 500 words, or 5 minutes for image files) on a learning activity that demonstrates improvement in student learning through the library and information services provided. Submit this learning activity to the ASLA Executive Officer for consideration with their original nomination by the judging panel. The nominee will also need to provide a head and shoulders photo to the ASLA Executive Officer for inclusion in the national journal, Access, and the ASLA website.

The Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year for 2010 will be announced on International School Library Day in October 2010.

Last updated 26 March 2010