What is a balanced collection?

Discuss the pros and cons of buying bundled sets of resources, for instance a journal database or a Standing Orders service.
Pros
Free up time.
inexperienced or new TL able to resources a library due to the simplicity of obtaining resources
resources are screened
Reputable publishers and popular authors
Age suitability
Discounts
Continual supply
Wider variety of fiction types, horror, fantasy

Cons
Some double ups on titles.
Not meet the interest of students.
Issues may arise with regards to platforms if bundling ebooks and limitations to specific devices.

Consider also the pros and cons of selecting content that is provided via online access but which the library does not own.
Pros
Physical storage space not required
24/7 access
Initially cheap as you may not have to buy outright and allows for review and analyses of resource.

Cons
Access to online resources might be problematic for some.
Over time may be expensive for renewals of subscriptions

I am interested to read the ideas of others as I have only produced a limited list of pros and cons which reflects my inexperience.

Developing collections to support teaching and learning.

How is the teacher librarian's expertise and role in 'selecting and using resources' is different from that required by all teachers? Not having experience working in a library and after viewing Standard 3, focus area 3.4 of Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, I would greatly appreciate the ideas of others with regard to the differences between teachers and TL’s role in 'selecting and using resources'. How could teacher librarians effectively collaborate with the school community in the selection of resources in a school with which you are familiar? Within the school I’m currently working, TL might effectively collaborate with the school community in matters relating to selection of resources by developing a committee comprising of staff members from each KLA. These members may meet as a group in an allocated time slot and discuss resources they may need, budgets, acquisition, accessioning through the library and how resources may meet outcomes across KLA’s. Consider also how to engage your learners in selection of resources for their school library. I personally believe learners (students) need not be involved in the selection process. If Standard 1 of Australian Professional Standards for Teachers ‘Know their students and how they learn” is effectively meet by teachers then the selection of resources can successfully be done by teachers and TL’s. For the purpose of this forum though I would identify stages where this process would be efficient (stage 6 possibly stage 5) develop a committee where possible resources are brought forward after teachers have made a short list. Students can, under the guidance of teachers, offer their opinions. This shortlist provided to the committee could reflect significant and relevant aspects of the learner’s community and interests. Who should have the final say on what is included in the school library collection? Why? The final say of the selection of resources ultimately should be the Principal as they are the face and leader of the school. However, this process could be put to a panel of teachers and executive staff that are leaders in their fields providing a unbiased system that could reasonably resources the curriculum needs of the teachers and learning needs of the students.

From your experience and knowledge of schools with which you are, or have been familiar, consider how effectively these schools are addressing the resourcing for learning in the 21st century.

Video conferencing, laptop rollout (DER), ipads, Xsel students using adobe connect for specific classes are all thing that I can see schools that I am familiar with resourcing for learning in the 21st Century. Although these are broad and specific activities, hardware and software I believe it is a step in the right direction. I can see the challenge in resource for the New National Curriculum from a TL’s point of few but there are also the opportunities for TL to show their expertise.

Do you agree with Johnson that students, and indeed younger teachers, are increasingly 'post-literate' in the manner that he defines and uses this term?

I agree that students and young teacher are increasingly ‘post literate’ as Johnson defines. I also agree with his statement that it is a return to more natural forms of communication, speaking, storytelling, dialogue debate and dramatisation. From the readings in this course and ETL401 I believe that school libraries are already adopting some of the critical attributes of Johnson highlight in his article. This may be a natural progression for school libraries as they adapt to the changing needs of teachers and students with regards to fiction and nonfiction resources.

Consider how a school library program collection provides access information at each stage of the academic information cycle. What are the implications if people have access to information from only one stage of the cycle?

Each stage of the information cycle News, Scholarly and Books may be accessed electronically or hard book copies within a school library (KLA referencing). As each stage of the information cycle is as important as the previous stage, if access to information from only one of these stages of the cycle occurred implications may occur. Access to news only, will provide students with facts and fables. Without access to Scholarly articles students will not have the resources to distinguish between fact and fiction. With access to books only, students may not identify the relevance or significance of all the specific information compiled into the one source of information. Access to only one stage of the information cycle may create significant gaps in students learning and understanding of information provided to them.

ETL503 "What to watch for in 2013"

Reading Shatzin’s blog “What to watch for 2013”, I was slightly pleased to read that there are many unresolved issues that will hopefully prolong the life of hardcopies in an actually library staffed by TL’s and SASS Library Assistants . The longevity of hardcopies may be a result of Shatzins ideas that picture books and illustrated books due to screen sizes will not have the same impact digitally and on the other hand a reference book displaying disinteresting charts my also lead to the readers disappointment. I believe that Shatzin’s points of the merger of large publishers and increase competition amongst platforms will provide consumers (schools or individuals) with greater purchasing, viewing (ebook or hardcopies) and security options. These ideas put forward by Shatzin, I believe will impact school libraries and their collections in such a way that there will be numerous modes for reading books and there will be more options for TL to resources their library. Knowing how students learn and what they want to read have been traditional roles of the TL and teachers, TL’s now have an additional role of knowing how they want to read (ebook or hardcopy). It’s also important for the TL to identify the needs of the teacher and other community members while being flexible and continually up-skilling in this ever changing environment.