Standard: Facilitating Collaborative Engagement to Cultivate and Empower and Community of Learners
Theme: Vision for Learning
Growth Phase: Leading
Growth Indicator: LLC builds learning communities and is responsive to evolving school, district and global changes.
This article outlines experiences and proceedings of the September 2019 “Jornada de Bibliotecas Escolares” in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This event was created to invite international perspectives to inform Argentina school library development focusing on the cultural shift in school libraries – “to stir up ideas, demonstrate possibilities and show ways to begin the work from different aspects”. The author brings her experience as a Canadian school library leader from Ontario as a keynote speaker and panelist for the event. Multiple perspectives from a variety of nations are shared with her.
King, A. (2019, November 4). La Jornada de Bibliotecas Escolares – The Day of School Libraries. Canadian School Libraries Journal 3 (3). Retrieved from https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/la-jornada-de-bibliotecas-escolares-the-day-of-school-libraries/
The British Columbia Ministry of Education video showcases the transformation of traditional libraries to the learning commons model including examples from elementary and secondary schools to post-secondary institutions.
British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2012). Learning commons in BC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LglFl1BYfFs&lr=1&feature=mhsn
Transformations made to address building a culturally relevant and responsive school library learning commons learning community in a senior high school are presented in this symposium shared video.
Fusco, Carlo. (2017). Revisioning the Library as a Learning Commons. Video https://researcharchive.canadianschoollibraries.ca/2017/11/21/revisioning-the-library-as-a-learning-commons-video/
This outstanding virtual learning commons from an Ontario elementary school has led the adoption of curricular learning around the indigenous framework of the “Seven Teachings”. The teacher-librarian has facilitated this work so students and teachers have ready access to quality information on indigenous perspectives and supports for learners in response to the “Calls for Action”. Many unique and purposeful resources are online here, even a link to resources for “Math and FMNI”.
Wilkinson School. (2019). Wilkinson Library. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/tdsb.on.ca/wilkinsonlibrary
The Coordinator for Libraries and Information Services in Richmond (BC) School District 38 shares many exciting examples of student-centered learning commons development and success in a variety of elementary and secondary schools. The video includes interviews with the showcased school’s teacher-librarians, lauded as educational leaders with “the potential to be great, innovative change agents in the entire learning community”.
Richmond (BC) School District 38. (2018). Library Learning Commons [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sadWGKFs4k
This article was a featured paper for the sixth biennial Treasure Mountain Canada Research Symposium and Think Tank, January 31 – February 1, 2020. The author reflects the ongoing development, accomplishment and possibilities of a virtual library learning commons in action. Readers will be guided through virtual commons recommended components, growth and support of the author’s provincial curriculum (British Columbia), and will learn how successfully the virtual learning commons can address diversity in student learning needs.
Davies, P. (2020, June 2). Exploring Digital Horizons within the Culture of the New Learning Commons. Canadian School Libraries Journal 4 (2). Retrieved from https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/exploring-digital-horizons-within-the-culture-of-the-new-learning-commons/
Toronto teacher-librarian Freibauer, editor of The Teaching Librarian (Ontario School Library Association magazine) and member of Canadian School Libraries (CSL) Board of Directors and CSL Journal Editorial Board, reached out to several education and library thinkers for their thoughts “through a library lens” regarding UNESCO’s Education in a post-COVID world: Nine ideas for public action. Responses were generous and thought provoking. Includes list of related references.
Freibauer, C. (2021, May 12). UNESCO’s Nine Ideas for Education. Canadian School Libraries Journal 5(2). Retrieved from https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/unescos-nine-ideas-for-education/
Dianne Oberg, PhD, Professor Emerita in teacher-librarianship in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta in Canada, introduces the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) School Library Manifesto 2021 updates and its importance in the advancement of the work done in school communities.
Oberg, D. (2021, November 8). IFLA School Library Manifesto 2021: Inspiration and Aspiration. Canadian School Libraries Journal 5 (3). Retrieved from https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/ifla-school-library-manifesto-2021-inspiration-and-aspiration/
The Chair of Canadian School Libraries (CSL) and co-editor of CSL Journal discusses the ethical foundations of school librarianship in this article originally written for the publication Synergy, the journal of the School Library Association of Victoria, Australia, published in CSL Journal with permission. Brooks Kirkland envisions the critical need to move from neutrality to activism, focusing prominently on “equity and inclusion, cultural competence and anti-racism, and supporting diversity in all aspects of school library practice”.
Brooks Kirkland, Anita. (2021, November 8). Library Neutrality as Radical Practice. Canadian School Libraries Journal 5 (3). Retrieved from https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/library-neutrality-as-radical-practice/
A British Columbia teacher-librarian shares exciting developments in the expansion of a secondary school library, designing areas to meet many student needs – maker spaces, collaborative spaces, breakout rooms, reading areas, quiet spaces. The author ponders the challenges of creating areas for a great variety of needs following library learning commons pedagogy and wonders how others are addressing this.
Crompton, M. (2022, March 1). Does Your Learning Commons Fit Your Community? Canadian School Libraries Journal 6 (1). Retrieved from does-your-learning-commons-fit-your-community
A Coordinator of Library Services with New York City Public Schools shares a detailed list of activities and roles that school library advisory committee (or LLC leadership team members) perform, with suggestions for having successful and productive meetings that also work to inform others of the many faceted roles of teacher-librarian practice. Cited works include CSL Foundations and Leading Learning.
Sarles, P. (2024, March 14). What is a library advisory committee and what do they do? Canadian School Library Journal 8, (1). https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/what-is-a-library-advisory-committee-and-what-do-they-do/
CSL Director Armstrong writes about the process, background, and importance to LLC advocacy of the Canadian Federation of Library Associations / Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques position statement on the status of school libraries in Canada. Includes references.
Armstrong, L. (2024, May 22). Canadian School Libraries partners with Canadian Federation of Library Associations on the status of school libraries. Canadian School Library Journal 8(2). https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/canadian-school-libraries-partners-with-canadian-federation-of-library-associations-on-the-status-of-school-libraries/