What is a collection?

In its publication School Libraries: the heart of 21st century learning the ACT Education Department states that:

"Teacher librarians use professional selection criteria to make resourcing choices that keep your library collection current and relevant to the curriculum and your school context. Teacher librarians are professional curators - they select only the most useful resources for teaching and learning."

They go on to express that:

"Every school community is unique. Teacher librarians carefully select physical and digital resources to personalise your school’s collection for your community. They engage in a constant process of evaluation and critique of resources to ensure items that detract from a quality collection are weeded out. Teacher librarians know your collection inside out and can quickly match a library user with the best resource for him/her."

The key elements of these definitions relate to the need for teacher librarians to use professional selection criteria to select and include physical and digital resources in the school library collection to best meet the needs of the community. This echoes the material in Module One about school libraries being dynamic, changing resource centres that must respond to the needs of students and teachers.

References:

ACT Government, Education Directorate. School Libraries: the heart of 21st century learning [Online publication]. Retrieved from ACT Education Directorate Employee Intranet https://index.ed.act.edu.au/teaching-and-engagement/files-te/pdf/School-Libraries-21st-Century.pdf