Do you have a qualified teacher-librarian in your school library?
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128 No 3, 5 May 2023, page no. 22
“Every school needs a school library – it’s a no-brainer. Reading underlies every area of the curriculum and the key is having a well-stocked school library and a passionate school librarian who can put the right book into the right hands at the right time.”
Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton, children’s authors
The QSS Staffing Allocation Guidelines, available on OnePortal, outline the responsibilities the principal has to navigate in making sure that the school’s workforce meets the needs of the school.
One staffing area that has been highlighted in the media in recent times is the allocation of qualified staff in each school library. Qualified teacher-librarian numbers have dwindled in schools across the state, and the management of school libraries has been left to teacher-aides or volunteers.
The Students Need School Libraries campaign (https://studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au) calls on all schools to ensure every student has access to a dynamic, well-resourced school library run by qualified library staff.
Depending on your student enrolments, your school may be entitled to a full-time teacher-librarian with the fractional allocation outlined in the QSS Staffing Allocation Guidelines.
The teacher-librarian is responsible for managing the school library and resourcing across the curriculum, as well as engaging students in reading and teaching critical information fluency skills as part of the school’s literacy policy.
There is an expectation that primary teacher librarians will contribute to the provision of non-contact time, with a maximum of 40 per cent of their FTE providing NCT.
We encourage members to check the allocation that their school is entitled to receive. How does the teacher-librarian full-time equivalent (FTE) number look in your school?
If you’d like to discuss the role of teacher-librarian in your school, please email your QTU Rep or join the QLD Teacher-Librarians Special Interest Group Facebook Group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/312225133908595).
Further information
2023 update to the Primary and Secondary School Staffing Allocation Planner with link to the primary and secondary school staffing allocation planner (XLSM, 5.2MB)
https://intranet.qed.qld.gov.au/about/newsandmedia/news/Pages/school-staffing-allocation-planner-update.aspx
Staffing allocations for Queensland state schools
https://intranet.qed.qld.gov.au/Services/HumanResources/payrollhr/careers/workforcemanagement/Pages/staffingallocationsforQueenslandstate schools.aspx
Factsheet QSS Allocation of school resources
https://intranet.qed.qld.gov.au/Services/HumanResources/Forms/Documents/qss-school-staffing-allocations.pdf