Abstract : Igniting a passion for reading and research is core business for school libraries, inevitably placing the library at the centre of the twenty-first century reading and learning experience. Teacher librarians, librarians and library teams in Australian and New Zealand schools are responding to the learning needs within the school community with a focus on curriculum integration empowered by digital environments. School libraries are challenged to build learning opportunities and lifelong learning through integrated and innovative approaches to information literacy, critical thinking and creativity. The importance of school libraries in connecting students with local and global concerns as part of the curriculum is expected in both countries, placing significant emphasis on digital media, information management and responsive school library collections. Despite differing staffing approaches in Australia and New Zealand, the overall professional expertise is clear and expectations are highlighted through relevant professional standards. School library and information services in Australia and New Zealand continue to have a bright future.
? The school library exists to provide a range of learning opportunities for both large and small groups as well as individuals with a focus on intellectual content, information literacy and the learner.
? The school in the past was entirely dependent upon the textbook. At present, however method of teaching in school has changed.
? It provides vital information and ideas that are fundamental for the functioning successfully in our increasingly information and knowledge based society.
? School library is capable ofundertaking this important responsibility. It serves to arouse curiosity for learning and supplements the instructional programme for a creative life.
? The issues relating to collection development are very similar to those in Australia.
? The issues that schools face fall into three main categories: the ebook genre and purpose, the infrastructure required to make ebooks accessible, and the technology required to read the texts.
? It has been observed that when the teachers and the school librarians work together, students achieve higher levels of literacy, reading, learning, problem solving and information and communication technology skills.
? Although the number of school libraries in primary, secondary and the higher education is growing, yet there are many problems to overcome.
• A library is a storehouse of information and a key to the knowledge, but the era of information technology revolution has relegated the librarians especially in schools to the background.
• The audiovisual media specially the Internet has lured the budding readers away from the printed works like the Pied Piper.
• There is a great need for the upliftment of school libraries in India. If the reading habits of the students have to be changed, the conditions of the school libraries have to be improved.
• This purpose, the central as well as the state government, the school authorities, the school librarian and the teachers will all have to work together.
? It provides details about teacher librarian practice to those involved with performance appraisal.
? Provide access to information resources through efficient, effective and professionally managed systems.
? Operating relevant and efficient library systems to make resources available.
? SCIS has used AACR and AACR2 as its standard for descriptive cataloguing since its inception before the introduction of RDA.
? One of the distinguishing features of information literacy teaching in schools is the range of models that have been developed, though only a limited number are designed to be used by students themselves.
|