IASL2006

The 2006 IASL Conference

Lisbon, Portugal, 3-7 July

Speaker Topics and Abstracts

Tuesday 4th July 2006

12.00 to 12.45 -- Research and Professional Papers

R.A.01 -- Geneviève Hart, Senior lecturer, Department of Library & Information Science, University of the Western Cape, South Africa
Genevieve Hart has lectured at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town since 1995 - having had many years experience as a teacher and librarian before that. Her teaching and research interests include: information literacy education in schools and libraries; the role of libraries in the transition of South Africa towards a knowledge society; children's literacy; the teaching of children’s literature in South Africa. She has published several papers on her research in schools and public libraries. Over the years she has served on several professional bodies - for example, Chairperson of LIASA's School Libraries and Youth Services Interest Group, 2000-2002. She chaired the Programme Committee of the international IBBY Congress held in Cape Town in 2004 and initiated & piloted its Schools' Programme, which has brought collections of books to over 50 schools.

“Don’t they know how important it is?”: a case study of information literacy education in a small South African town
Abstract: The paper comes out of a month-long case study of information literacy education in two public libraries in a small South African town in the rural province of Mpumalanga, undertaken in October 2004. The participant observation study is the second phase of a two-phase mixed methods study, which explores the capacity of public libraries in South Africa for information literacy education – in the context of the dire shortage of school libraries. The focus in the second phase is on the connections between public libraries and schools. However, the relations between the two libraries and their staff members are found to impact on these relations - with the study finding that historical context impacts significantly on library programming. The paper concentrates, however, on just two threads of enquiry: the views of teachers and principals in the seven schools of the town on the educational role of libraries as revealed in interviews; and pupils’ use of the two public libraries in seeking information for their school assignments. The study reveals a lack of cognizance of the high level demands of information-seeking in libraries among the teachers. They tend to see the library as a warehouse from which things are “fetched”. The study finds a paradox – a gulf certainly exists between the public libraries and schools but the gulf comes from shared limited conceptions of the educational role of public libraries and of information literacy. The intense gaze of the participant observation contributes a nuanced understanding of the challenges for information literacy education in South Africa.

Conference Programme

P.A.02 -- Natália Caseiro, School Library coordinator, Escola Secundária de Domingos Sequeira – Leiria (Portugal)
Graduated in Modern Languages and Literatures–Portuguese Studies and also graduated in Documental Sciences (Libraries), she is now studying to be a Master in Education Sciences - Education and Reading. Member of the board of permanent teachers of Domingos Sequeira Secondary School (Leiria), where she supervises the school library since 1988 and teaches Portuguese Language and Literature. Experience as trainer of teachers and other school staff, in the areas of School Libraries Organization, Reading and Cataloguing. She has published the fiction book “Os devoradores de livros” (Editorial Diferença, 1998)

Reading practices among high school students: a contribution for their understanding / Práticas de leitura dos jovens do ensino secundário: contributo para a sua compreensão
Abstract:
A dispassionate approach concerning the reading practices of secondary school teenagers is the main goal of this study, regarding a particular school library. It’s based on three methodologies of observation: by collecting evidence of pupils’ presence in a school library; by holding an inquiry about their reading and leisure practices and by questioning some young people’s personal statements which escape a sociological and group approach. Through these supports of investigation, we can define a new scenery of teenager’s reading practices: they read but in a different way, different from the adults’ habits. The understanding of these ways of reading establishes the role of the school library in the promotion of reading styles and allows a more realistic approach to its real effects.
Resumo:
Uma abordagem desapaixonada e sem estados de espírito sobre as práticas de leitura de jovens do ensino secundário, no ambiente de uma biblioteca escolar particular (Escola Secundária de Domingos Sequeira em Leiria), é o objectivo central desta comunicação. Em termos metodológicos, vão ser explorados três tipos de dados. Por um lado, as evidências de uso deixadas pelos utilizadores no espaço da biblioteca e acumuladas durante mais de uma década; incluem dados estatísticos de requisição de documentos e marcas de uso deixadas pelos alunos nos livros e que transmitem ao observador distanciado um perfil de leitor e da própria instituição. Por outro lado, e com vista a um conhecimento mais grupal dos práticas de leitura do jovens, foi aplicado um questionário por inquérito, através da amostragem de três turmas do 11º ano de diferentes áreas de estudo da escola. Estes dados foram ainda complementados com abordagens de casos atípicos de jovens leitores que fogem a comportamentos padrão e que fazem da leitura um fenómeno complexo de análise, nem sempre redutível a determinismos familiares, geográficos, sociais ou outros. Apesar de parcelar, este estudo poderá ser um contributo para a compreensão daquilo que lêem e como lêem os jovens de hoje e qual o espaço do livro nos seus hábitos culturais. Nem sempre conforme as idealizações dos adultos e das bibliotecas escolares.

Conference Programme

R.A.03 -- Shieh Jiann-Cherng, Associate Professor, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
He teaches currently in the Graduate Institute of Library & Information Studies at National Taiwan Normal University. His study interests include: Bibliomining, Operation and management of library, Information Architecture, Information Ethics), Database and application of Data Mining, etc.

Chiu Su-Ling, Chinese teacher, Taipei Municipal Bai-Ling Senior High School (Taiwan)
Su-Ling Chiou is currently a Chinese teacher at Taipei Municipal Bai-Ling Senior High School, Taiwan, R.O.C., she is also a advisor to the Student’s Reading Club and school journal, she studies library management knowledge from a master program in the Department of Library Administration at National Taiwan Normal University. She hopes to start a new reading and discussion space for traditional Class Reading Club through the study of Internet Reading Club so as to inspire the reading spirit and interest within the entire school.

Strategic study of on-line reading clubs in senior high school libraries of Taiwan
Abstract:
This research is conducted mainly with “questionnaire survey” and “in-depth interview”, from “The present situations of on-line reading clubs in senior high school libraries” ; “The function and demand handling of on-line reading clubs’ web pages" and “The strategic study of on-line reading clubs in senior high school libraries“. Three main aspects of the in-depth study of on-line reading clubs in senior high schools, these include the current situation, executive guidelines, resource requirements, performance evaluations, strategies and scenarios. Aim is to develop a well-function on-line reading club environment, so to encourage and cultivate inter-school information exchange by senior high school students. The research also includes on-line reading clubs suggestions for their development in senior high school libraries. Hope this will help in the future establishment of on-line reading clubs in senior high schools.

Conference Programme

R.A.04 -- Christiane Etévé, Honorary Professor and Researcher at the National Institute of Research in Education Paris (France)
Before being a Researcher in Education, at, she was a coach for School Librarians in Secondary Level and headmaster in a documentation center for researchers. Then, she focused on Information Literacy and Circulation of Knowledge as Research themes about pupils, students and teachers. Chief Editor of Perspectives Documentaires en Education, the INRP’s journal. Editor of the 3rd edition (2005) of the Encyclopedic’s Dictionary of Education and Formation, Paris, Retz. (Usuels RETZ).

Education for Information: a contribute for a reflection on the interconnection between disciplines, knowledges and practices
L’éducation à l’information : pour une réflexion au croisement des disciplines, des savoirs et des pratiques.
Abstract:
After the «Assises of Information-Documentation» in march 2003, where Professional of School Libraries expressed their disagree with training in Information/Documentation, Secondary School Librarians and Education and Information Researchers link their forces to built a Curriculum from pre-school to universities. The principle was: Information Literacy in not only the result of some skills dispenses and learned through hazard but a continuum training from primary school to higher education and Activ Life. What must Information Knowledges teach and learn? Three research themes where used to respond: Academic Didactics, Sociology of the curriculum and Cognitive education.
Résumé:
Sous la notion d’Education à l’information, un groupe de professionnels de la documentation et d’enseignants-chercheurs, au croisement des sciences de l’information-communication (SIC) et des sciences de l’éducation (SE) a constitué un objet et un programme de recherche-action pour définir les conditions d’élaboration d’un curriculum informationnel, de la maternelle à l’université. Inspiré des travaux de didactique des disciplines, de psychologie cognitive et de sociologie du curriculum, ce groupe propose une analyse des principes et des situations éducatives pour rendre plus cohérente une progression dans la formation à l’information-documentation et ouvrir un débat sur l’épistémologie des savoirs documentaires. L’éducation à l’information, comme notion en devenir, désigne les principes, fondements, démarches et outils d’intervention qui visent à construire, de la maternelle à l’université, un programme d’enseignement et d’apprentissage documentaires.

Conference Programme

12.45 to 13.30 -- Research and Professional Papers

R.A.05 -- Trine Hauger, Principal, Vahl Primary School, Oslo (Norway)
Trine Hauger, BA, has been the principal of Vahl Primary School since 1997. She has taught in multicultural schools for ten years and has been a school principal the last eleven years. Trained as teacher with media, school library and management as subjects, her major interest is learning abilities in multicultural schools.

Gry Enger, Teacher-librarian, Vahl Primary School, Oslo (Norway)
Gry Enger, BA, is a graduate of The State Drama School, and later completed a university degree in religion. She worked 15 years in drama before coming to teaching. For 4 years she assisted in visualizing the teaching of Norwegian to children in a Muslim preparatory school in Oslo, before joining Vahl primary school as teacher-librarian 6 years ago.

Educating and integrating minorities: the added value of the school library
Abstract:
Norway is becoming increasingly multicultural, and nowhere is this more evident than in the capital Oslo where 35 per cent of all pupils in primary and secondary school belong to a linguistic minority. The paper discusses the school library at Vahl primary school in Oslo, which is Norway’s most multicultural school. 95% of the school’s 300 pupils belong to a linguistic minority. 25 languages are spoken at Vahl with Urdu, Arabic, Turkish and Somali as the main languages. The school has 31 teachers including 5 native speakers in the main non-Norwegian languages. Activities at Vahl primary school library are of considerable interest to professional practice in Norway and internationally. The school was for instance elected in 2005 as one of only 2 “best practice” schools in Oslo. The school and the library are regularly visited by school administrators, students and pupils from Norway and abroad (Vaagan & Enger 2004).
The school library is seen and used as an extension of the class room where the teacher-librarian ensures that a broad range of library activities centre on language acquisition and development as well as on creating enthusiasm and interest among the children. Research has shown that language proficiency is the key to social integration and later to the labour market. The paper discusses how different pupil profiles, reflecting current Norwegian society and the multicultural character of Oslo, can benefit from active school library participation. Typical and intensive case sampling (Patton 2002) of 5 anonymized pupils are presented. All were born in Norway, are Norwegian citizens, some use the library more than others, but they nonetheless reflect different stages and aspects of language proficiency and social integration. In various ways, they all embody the added value gained through school library activities.
References:
Enger, G (2005). “The school library at Vahl primary school” (Lecture given to IFLA delegates visiting Vahl primary school 16 and 17 August 2005, during the excursion program of the 71st IFLA General Conference and Council. (unpublished manuscript).
Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods. London: Sage
Vaagan, R. & Enger Gry (2004). "Developing the multicultural school library: Vahl primary school, Oslo". New Library World, 105, (1204/1205), 2004, 337-344 (ISSN 0307-4803)

Conference Programme

R.A.06 -- Patricia Devenish, Educator at the Open Air School in Durban South Africa
Patricia Devenish has taught at the Open Air School in Durban, South Africa since 1990. At present she manages the school library and teaches classes in the Senior Phase of the school (12-14 years of age). She majored in English and History at the University of the Witwatersrand and graduated with an honours degree in English from the University of South Africa. She attended the Rose Bruford College of Dramatic Art in Kent, England and holds two licentiates in Speech and Drama. Her interests lie in developing creativity in children through poetry, story writing, drama, music, art and dance.

Creating a Book Culture in a Special Needs School Library With Specific Reference to Visually Impaired Learners
Abstract:
The Open Air School caters for children with various physical handicaps, including visual impairment. We follow the normal academic curriculum from Pre-Primary to Grade 12. The School offers English as a medium of instruction although 66% of our learners are non-English speakers. Zulu and Afrikaans speaking children’s mother tongues are not being developed and their cultures are being eroded. English speaking children aren’t being challenged. Many children struggle to cope in English. Visually impaired children are particularly affected. Zulu speakers come from a background with a rich oral tradition now lost due to modernization and urbanization. This has not been replaced with a reading culture. We have few story books in Zulu. The library staff is challenged to create opportunities and circumstances to help learners overcome the barriers of physical disability, linguistic incompetence and cultural impoverishment so that they can gain access to the richness of a dynamic and vibrant book culture which includes reading, writing, story telling and listening.
My programme has four components:

  1. To increase the amount of information and knowledge available and make it more accessible to all learners;
  2. To provide visually impaired children with technology to access information and stories more easily;
  3. To develop writing skills though a Writing Club and publish these stories through umSinsi Press, a non-profit publishing organization;
  4. To develop oral skills and keep alive the Zulu tradition of story telling.

The project began 16 months ago when we obtained funds to extend our library. In my presentation I will describe what we have done and critically assess our progress.

Conference Programme

R.A.07 -- James Henri, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
James Henri is Associate Professor in the Division of Information & Technology Studies, Faculty of Education and Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Professional and Continuing Education, University of Hong Kong. He is also active in advancing the profession as Chair, IFLA Section for School Libraries and Resource Centers and Vice President, IASL. James arrived at HKU in 2001 from Australia where he taught at Charles Sturt University.

Sandra Lee, Sessional Lecturer, Faculty of Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Sandra Lee, a former colleague at the University of Hong Kong taught in the programs in which James continues to teach: the MSc Library and Information Management program and the BEd Library and Information Studies program. A BSc in Information Management has been added to the programs at HKU. Sandra is originally from Canada and worked as a youth services librarian and information specialist.

Public libraries in a socially responsible world: implications for school libraries
Abstract:
In our global village dominated by economic rationalism does the public library have a social conscience? Issues given prominence by Patricia Glass Schuman's Social Responsibilities and Libraries, published in 1976 were revisited. As an area of larger community structure and debates of public good, the perennial topic of interest is fast becoming the current hot topic of librarianship. Literacy and learning have long been critical areas where librarians focus service, skills and programming in public libraries. This research project seeks to examine how librarians perceive other issues that often go hand-in-hand with literacy to help individuals and society achieve full potential.
The research in this presentation and paper is part of a coauthored book that primarily examined politics and the public library discussing issues given new flavour in a post 9/11 world, economic rationalism and social responsibility, public Library as Social Space, engaging the poor and those marginalized because of access limitations. Freedom of information and privacy are perennial issues for libraries.
It is clear that literacy continues to be a key issue for public libraries. Researchers analyzed responses received from open-ended questions on library professional listservs and present findings that indicate what librarians perceive as the role of public libraries to further socially responsible policy. They provide some insight into the most compelling issues for librarians, and what changes in librarian's/library roles have been perceived since 9/11.
The findings from the study are also presented in the context of the impact it bears for school libraries, outlining further studies in that area.

Conference Programme

R.A.08 -- Luisa Marquardt, Consultant, CASPUR, Progetto MIUR “Biblioteche nelle Scuole”, Rome, Italy
Luisa Marquardt teaches LIS at the Faculty of Education, University “Roma Tre” (Rome, Italy). She worked as a librarian for 20 years and served the Local Education Authority in Rome for 2 more years. Since 2003 she has collaborated with Caspur, currently involved in the Biblioteche nelle Scuole Project. She is a member of AIB, IASL and LAG library Associations.

Schooling at the library for the social inclusion in Italy: the “Biblioscuole” Project
Abstract:
A three year school library pilot project, launched in Italy to provide teachers, pupils/students and their families an easy access to information, is presented here. Introduction: The risk of new forms of social exclusion is high as the gap between an “info-rich” and an “info-poor”. Learning, information and critical thinking skills are urgently needed to avoid the digital divide and enhance the social inclusion: school instruction has a crucial role to play in it.
The “Biblioscuole” Project: “Biblioteche nelle Scuole” – BNS (i.e., “Libraries at Schools”) is a national three-year pilot project, funded and supported by the Ministry of Education, University and Research, the Department of Technology and Innovation, with the National Centre for the Union Catalogue of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage. The three Italian interuniversity supercomputing Consortia – CASPUR (www.caspur.it), CILEA (www.cilea.it) e CINECA (www.cineca.it) – have been supporting the Ministry of Education with their technological skills since 2004 in order to fulfil the project requirements, especially connecting schools with the local context and the library world by the means of co-operation and the services of the National Library Service. About 3,000 school librarians, teacher-librarians and subject-teachers of about 850 schools at different levels (from pre-school to high-school), organized in 120 local school networks, are involved in the educational and training program.
The Project main aims are: providing wider access to information; enhancing information literacy, and promoting reading. Pupils/students and their families are actually the Project final audience, but at the present time it’s necessary to raise school librarians’ and teachers’ competencies and expertise. Those who are involved in the Project have been being educated since April 2005 in a blended learning context, by the means of dedicated software, accessible through the project portal: http://www.biblioscuole.it, that provides information and an easy access to its on-line service (e.g., e-learning platform, forum, repository, collective opac, etc. An analysis of the interaction between the Project learners throughout the online forum is presented here.
Conclusion: The findings reveal that the Project is stimulating the school library transition into a learning and cultural environment, as stated by several international bodies. The BNS project has also been exploiting school resources; at the same time it is promoting the school librarians’ professional development and their better contribution to school curriculum. School libraries, actually, play a crucial social and cultural role for information literacy and social inclusion, as underlined by e-Europe 2005 Action Plan (www.eeurope2005.org/intro.html).

Conference Programme

12.00 to 13.30 -- Workshops

W.A.10 -- Lesley A. Boon, Director of Information Services, Emanuel School, Randwick, NSW (Australia)
Lesley Boon is currently Director of Information Services at a Jewish Day school in Sydney, Australia. She has been teaching for many years and has been a librarian in various scenarios including schools, universities and the NSW Health department. Lesley has always been involved in the reading programs of the schools she has worked in. She is absolutely passionate about students developing a life long love of reading. She has a Masters of Information Science from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Engaging readers through choice
Abstract
School Library Policies usually include ... “the development of a life long love of reading/literature ...” or words to that effect. Choosing a good book to read is like choosing an artwork for your house. It is subject to personal taste, artistic preference and personal experiences. It is the same when selecting a book to read for enjoyment. The Teacher Librarian can play a pivotal role in supporting students reading for enjoyment, both formally and informally within the school. By personalizing and developing choice as part of a reading program or programs, Teacher Librarians can assist students to develop their love of reading and indulge their passion for certain types of literature in a supportive and encouraging environment. When inciting students to read and enjoy literature, within a formal framework, an element of choice can give a feeling of control. Tim Frederick (p.2) says when offering choice “there was a new energy ... and students were tapping into the excitement we so often see in little children”.

  1. If working with a classroom teacher, plan together. If the teacher likes it, then the program will be supported.
  2. Choose a program and books that will work for the target group. Choose good literature.
  3. Promote the program and the books.
  4. Evaluation and the offer ongoing support, encouragement and feedback.

The rewards can be extraordinary!
Types of Formal programs discussed in the work shop:

  1. Open choice programs
    • Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) or Sustained Silent Reading (SSR)
    • Suggested reading lists for various grades or groups
  2. Literature Circles
  3. The genre list
  4. Electronic reading systems such as ‘The Lexile Framework”
  5. Special interest groups or clubs

The workshop will finish with a very brief ‘Literature Circles’ experience. Access to information and handouts will be offered to participants.

Conference Programme

R.B.01 -- Glória Bastos, Professora Auxiliar, Universidade Aberta, Lisboa (Portugal)
Professor at the Department of Education, at Universidade Aberta (distance education) in Portugal, where she coordinates the first master for teacher-librarians. She has a PhD in Portuguese Studies with a thesis on Theatre for Children and has presented sessions and published articles about children’s literature and the promotion of reading. She collaborates with several institutions on Teacher Training and in reading and children’s literature programs.

Challenging school libraries in Portugal : compromise, consideration, communication and collaboration
Abstract:
The four Cs I have included in the title represent four major challenges that school libraries in Portugal are facing today. I intend to develop a critical thinking on the situation of school libraries in Portugal and on the ways school libraries are dealing with information literacy. We need to evaluate what is really being done concerning several aspects of the integration of libraries in school programs and in collaborative activities between the teacher-librarian and classroom teachers.
In fact, although the Ministry of Education has been implementing, with financial and management support, school libraries in almost the entire country, the situation in the field is still far from what is suggested by international standards.
Consideration and compromise are the first challenges and have implications at several levels. The first level is situated at the Ministry of Education, itself, because we need, urgently, the institutionalized recognition of the position of the teacher-librarian. Research has proved that the existence of the teacher-librarian is critical for the implementation of the school library program but the central administration continues insisting on the maintenance of a situation that causes real damage to efforts for implementation of good school libraries programs. This situation also reflects on the (weak) commitment of school administrators towards the school library. The consequence is the absence of quality criteria in the selection of the school library coordinator and team. These aspects also influence the way classroom teachers look at school-librarians.
The next two Cs are for communication and collaboration. Communication as a fundamental way to share a “vision” of the school library as a central resource for the learning process. The challenge of a collaborative partnership among teachers and teacher-librarian is also at the centre of communication at school and it is a major problem in Portuguese context.

Conference Programme

P.B.02 -- Paolo Odasso, Director, IRRE Piemonte (Italy)
Paolo Odasso is director of the IRRE (Istituto Regionale di Ricerca Educativa - National Institute of Educational Research) Piemonte since 2005. He was a school teacher between 1972 and 1999, and a researcher at the IRRE Piemonte since 1999. He coordinated the AIB (Italian Librarians Association) section of school libraries between 2001 and 2004. Member of the Standing Committee IFLA section School Library and Resource Centre, he coordinated the Italian edition of the IFLA UNESCO Guidelines (2002).

Identity and specific duties of the School Library so that it can carry out a social inclusion function
Abstract:
 The school Library (SL), more than any other type of library, is called upon to carry out a role of social inclusion. The SL is not an independent organisation but is “part of” the school that has social inclusion as its mission.
The SL to carry out its mission must participate to the changes that all educational systems are today experiencing at an international level under the spur of globalisation and of the new information technologies. Two in particular should be mentioned: the passage from a knowledge-centred to a competence-centred school, the increasing importance of international comparative investigations on the quality of educational systems.
Internet and the OPACs, with the facilitation of access to information, have redesigned the duties of the SL and its relationship with other types of libraries.
Its mission is not simply that of “in-forming” the students. Its function is that of “trans-forming”. The SL with the school should trans-form the student into an “autonomous person” able to find information to construct ones personal knowledge. It is therefore important that the SL focus on development of semantic cataloguing, with attention to all that helps an inexperienced person like a student to become more knowledgeable.
SL should become a laboratorium where the student is responsible for his/her own problem-based learning completely different from the de-responsibilizing environment of the classroom-auditorium.
One of its specific and fundamental duties is that of favouring knowledge management policies in order to transform the school into a learning organisation. To cope with this task the SL must know how to valorise the quality of the best practices of its best teachers. As the school is increasingly more subject to accountability processes the SL should make itself subject to analogous evaluation processes in relationship with objectives of the school.

Conference Programme

P.B.04 -- Elsa Maria Conde, Teacher, Ministry of Education – School Libraries Network Office
Member of the board of permanent teachers of Rainha D. Amélia Secondary School. Graduated in History by the Faculty of Arts of Lisbon University. Also graduated in Documental Sciences (Libraries and Documentation) and Master in Multimedia Educational Communication by the Open University. As teacher and librarian, she has worked as trainer in the areas of libraries and documentation. She became a member of the team that supervises the Schools Libraries’ Network Program in 1997/1998. At present she continues to work within the same Program, and she is assigned to accompany and provide technical support to schools from Lower and Coastal Alentejo.

Maria Lucília Marques dos Santos, Teacher, Ministry of Education – School Libraries Network Office
Member of the board of permanent teachers of Avelar Second and Third Cycles Basic School. Graduated in History by the Faculty of Arts of Coimbra University. Also graduated in Documental Sciences (Libraries) and studying to be a Master in Information Management and School Libraries from Open University. She supervised her school library for 12 years and she has experience as trainer of teachers and other school staff, in the area of School Libraries Organization. She has been assigned to the School Libraries’ Network Program since 2004, to accompany and provide technical support to schools from the districts of Leiria, Santarém and Castelo Branco.

João Manuel S. Afonso, Teacher, Ministry of Education – School Libraries Network Office
Member of the board of permanent teachers of Alcains Secondary and Third Cycle Basic School (Castelo Branco). Graduated in Modern Languages and Literatures – Portuguese Studies. Also graduated in Documental Sciences (Libraries). He worked as school library supervisor for several years. He has been assigned to the School Libraries’ Network Program since 2004, to accompany and provide technical support to schools from the districts of Castelo Branco, Guarda and Portalegre.

José António Videira Saro, Teacher, Ministry of Education – School Libraries Network Office
Member of the board of permanent teachers of Guia Second and Third Cycles School and Secondary School (Pombal). Graduated in Classic Languages and Literatures by the Faculty of Arts of Coimbra University. Master in Classic Languages and Literatures by the Faculty of Arts of Coimbra University. He is studying to be PhD in Métodos de Investigación en Biblioteconomía in Salamanca University. He was school library supervisor for several years and he has experience as trainer of teachers in the area of School Libraries Organization. He has been assigned to the School Libraries’ Network Cabinet since 2004, to accompany and provide technical support to schools from the districts of Coimbra and Aveiro.

The Portuguese School Libraries Network: experience report of its direct accompaniment.
Abstract:
The School Libraries Network (SLN) includes today 1650 libraries, whose management is in charge of teams made up of the schools; in primary schools the SLN Programme has been placing groups of teachers in order to support one or several schools.
The work nowadays demanded to school libraries is very complex and wide (promotion of reading habits, support to learning, literacies development, …) and it requires the library integration within the school and its articulation with the school community.
The fast growth of the SLN, together with the difficulties mentioned above, imposed the need of closer and more regular technical support and accompaniment. In 2004, the SLN has begun the placement of teachers in different regions of the country. They are specifically skilled to support the libraries managing teams. Their role is mostly formative. It requires visits, meetings with the schools and other partners. With this accompaniment one aims to:

  1. Support the management of projects to libraries creation and/or development;
  2. Contribute to improve the quality of schools. This will be translated into a more effective management of resources and into the settlement of programmes to sustain learning activities and to promote literacies;
  3. Assess the tasks already accomplished, identifying problems/needs and delineating strategies;
  4. Collect and diffuse information among the schools, the SLN office and among other partnerships;
  5. Support the training of the teams and collaborate on the production of guidance materials.

This is a recent experience and it is yet far from allowing a complete evaluation of its achievements. The SLN office monitoring and the feedback from the schools and other partners have shown the relevance of this programme. We hope it becomes a successful practice in the context of the SLN and of the work carried through out the world in favour of school libraries development.

Resumo:
A Rede de Bibliotecas Escolares (RBE) integra actualmente 1650 bibliotecas, sendo a sua gestão assegurada por equipas constituídas pelas escolas; no 1º Ciclo, o Programa RBE tem colocado, por destacamento, um conjunto de professores para apoio a uma ou a várias bibliotecas.
O trabalho hoje exigido às bibliotecas escolares é muito complexo e vasto (promoção da leitura, apoio às aprendizagens, desenvolvimento das literacias, …), exigindo a integração da biblioteca na escola e a articulação com a comunidade educativa.
O rápido crescimento da RBE, a par das dificuldades enunciadas, impuseram a necessidade de apoio técnico e de acompanhamento às escolas mais próximos e regulares. Em 2004, o Programa iniciou o destacamento, em diferentes regiões, de professores especialmente habilitados para apoio às equipas que gerem as bibliotecas. O seu papel, de cariz eminentemente formativo, exige visitas e reuniões de trabalho com as escolas e outros parceiros. Pretende-se com o acompanhamento:

  1. Apoiar a gestão dos projectos de criação e/ou desenvolvimento de bibliotecas;
  2. Contribuir para que as escolas operem um salto qualitativo, traduzido na gestão eficiente dos recursos, na construção de programas de suporte às actividades de ensino e de promoção das literacias;
  3. Avaliar o trabalho realizado, identificando problemas/necessidades e delineando estratégias de actuação;
  4. Recolher e difundir informação junto das escolas, do Gabinete RBE e de outras parcerias;
  5. Promover a formação das equipas e colaborar na produção de materiais de apoio.

A experiência é recente e está, ainda, longe de permitir uma completa avaliação dos resultados obtidos. A monitorização do Gabinete RBE e o feedback que recebemos das escolas e de outros parceiros têm demonstrado a pertinência desta iniciativa, que esperamos se constitua como prática de sucesso no âmbito da RBE e do trabalho que se realiza em todo o mundo em prol do desenvolvimento das bibliotecas escolares.

Conference Programme

R.B.05 -- Marcia A. Mardis, Assistant Professor, Wayne State University (U.S.A.)
Marcia A. Mardis, Ed.D. is a former teacher librarian, school administrator, and educational digital library director in the United States. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Library and Information Science Program in Detroit, Michigan and Research Investigator at the School of Information at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor.

From one-to-one to one-to-many: An instrumental case study of a pre-service teacher librarian in the U.S.
Abstract:
Pre-service teacher librarians in the United States often are en route from careers as classroom teachers and view field experiences as needless repetitions of student teaching. Meaningful internships can be pivotal in helping students explore potential roles, build collegial networks, and gain valuable on-the-job insight. For an educator in transition from a single classroom to a many-faceted school library, field practica can provide crucial opportunities to shift to the organizational, collaborative mindset outlined in Information Power, the U.S. school library guidelines (1998). This paper presents an instrumental case study gathered as part of an ongoing study of practicum experiences.

Conference Programme

P.B.06 -- Pradeepa Wijetunge, Director, National Institute of Library & Information Sciences, University of Colombo (Sri Lanka)
Pradeepa Wijetunge is presently Director of the National Institute of Library and Information Sciences (NILIS), University of Colombo. (Sri Lanka). She has a B.A. Special (Honours) degree in Philosophy from University of Peradeniya, a Diploma in Library & Information Science from University of Colombo and a Master of Librarianship (Library Automation) from University College of Wales, Aberystwyth UK. Mrs. Wijetunge received a special Leadership Development Award 2005 from the International Association of School Librarianship for promoting school librarianship nationally and internationally.

Promotion of reading habit among school children in Sri Lanka
Abstract
School Library Development is a large scale project which covers 4000 schools and includes building construction, distribution of books, furniture and equipment and training of human resources funded by the World Bank.
BOBLEP (Book Based Language Enrichment Programme) developed from the concept of reading promotion within the library project. A sample of 20 small schools from Kegalle district and 10 similar schools from Colombo District as a control group were selected for the project initially and due to the success of the pilot project, it was expanded to 200 schools and a national co-ordinator was appointed. At the third stage it was expanded to cover 7000 school which received library support by the World Bank as well as schools which did not.
The project not only promotes reading using the purchased books, but it also promotes production of books by school children as well as teachers. A variety of other products based on the books like games, puzzles and activity cards are also produced. For a developing country like Sri Lanka which does not have considerable school library budgets to purchase library books, this has provided a good opportunity to increase the reading material at school, zonal and provincial level. This not only provides low cost reading material but they are produced by the children and teachers to suit their own culture and environment using the material found from their own environment.
When the pilot project was started 35 teachers from 20 schools have been trained but because of the success of the project it is included as a component in the education and training programmes for Teacher Librarians.
The full paper will present the history and the structure of the project and activities carried out by the teacher librarians to expand it from an English language project to a reading promotion project conducted by the school libraries. It is expected that by sharing the information of this project, other developing countries which face similar constraints in providing suitable reading material can gain useful ideas.

Conference Programme

Last Updated 11 June 2006 (KSB)