A beginning...

As a teacher-librarian I know full well that every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. This is the beginning of a journey that will take me I know not where. It will hold some ramblings, ideas, thoughts, questions and challenges about my work as a teacher-librarian. If you would like to journey with me please do, I could do with the company. And please add your comments, or begin a discussion, so that we may work smarter, not harder and problem-solve together.

I would like to share this poster with you. I have just pinned it to my Pinterest account: 
http://www.pinterest.com/123peony/moana-library/

Apart from the fact that it aptly describes so many of the things I do, it also highlights for me the things I don't do, or need to improve or learn. I found it at An Ethical Island, you can link to the site through my Pinterest account. It is well worth the effort as you will find some excellent ideas there.

Before I finish my inaugural post, the beginning of the wild rumpus, I would particularly like to acknowledge all the ancillary staff and parents in the library community who with little or no formal library training, but big doses of passion and common-sense, step in to the role of running and maintaining a library when their school leaders choose not to have a trained teacher-librarian. If you are wondering why I have singled out this group, it is because I recently read a request from a School Services Officer for some information, along with an apology for asking a silly question. My heart went out to her/him, it was so easy to help. I have over 30 years experience and knowledge in my head, I have bought thousands of books to build collections that support both readers and curriculum. I've watched countless amazing teachers at work: this knowledge needs to be shared. I added a rider to my reply - 'there are no silly questions, only unanswered ones'.

So to anyone who stumbles across my blog, be they parents, teachers, SSO's, Leaders or teacher-librarians, my main intent with this blog is to build a community of sharing. So, lets step into the magic boat and sail away to the land where the child things are.