History and Change

History and Change. 26.7.10

Just reading about the history of libraries is like going back through my own history. At school in the late 50’s, no library that I can recall. Heading off to high school in 1963, already loving reading, I was delighted to find I could actually borrow books to read, fiction, the Billabong series I recall. The library was in a small classroom and was full of glass fronted cabinets with all these books inside. The librarian, a bespectacled, short, grey haired lady was very severe in appearance and a little scary. Still it was a library. We didn’t really use the library much. I think we may have had library lessons and learnt the Dewey decimal system, but the library was not a place that I frequented much in those school years. I must have used it, but it doesn’t loom large on my personal screen of memories.

Straight from school and into teacher’s college, 3 years training and into an infants school. No library in the infant’s section. I moved to another schoo, this time to a primary class, I can’t even remember where the library was, it may have been in the new brick building with the senior classes. i don't think we did more than listen as the TL read stories.

Back to teaching after children and too many life experiences to think about.
This time a small Catholic primary school, and a library with a top notch librarian. She was keen to do whatever we wanted. Research? She would organise questions and resources for the chn to explore. She was always keen to fit in with what we were doing in class and make library lessons meaningful. She was my inspiration.

Ten years later, a new school, small independent primary school. Here the library is viewed as the centre of learning, new attitude, a very well stocked library and a librarian keen to help. Library lessons once and eventually twice a week became the norm. One lesson for literature, borrowing, meeting new books and one lesson for information skills and research.

Collaboration, depended on the teachers, the librarian was willing, but some teachers often viewed the library as her department, they would even mark books, not get actively involved! Some rethinking needed in these teacher's minds about the research style lessons they prepared.

Now I have moved on and am back looking at the large selective high school I attended all those years ago. Things have changed dramatically here. A gorgeous, spacious, purpose built library, a librarian who is keen to bring the library into the 21st century and has the will and ability to do it. How things have changed. I need to change too and bring myself into this environment willing to experiment and take on the new methods of teaching.

20.7.2010

Here it is, my first blog. Like Annette I spent more time thinking of the title than it took to set up.
Thank you to everyone who has already posted their blog, it was a great help to look at your set up and read your first comments. Best wishes everyone for the coming semester. cb