National Library of New Zealand

The beginning of the study tour was marked with a traditional Maori welcoming ceremony, a Powhiri, in which members of the library Staff spoke a greeting and sang to us in the te reo Maori language, and we greeted each other by touching noses. Having never experienced anything like this, I was honoured by the welcome. I was interested at the amount of Te Reo Maori language spoken by non-Maori, the level to which Maori culture is integrated into the everyday. This was demonstrated in several ways, firstly, staff were employed to offer Maori cultural and language services within the library, and exhibits included interpretation Te Reo Maori, English and New Zealand sign language. Secondly, Library of New Zealand had developed Maori subject headings and vocabulary to more thoroughly and correctly describe indigenous materials. Lastly, the library had established relationships with indigenous iwi to gain more complete understandings of material and utilised these to make material available to a wider community. Overall, the Library of New Zealand demonstrated a strong commitment to bicultural practices, and this was a strong reoccurring theme throughout the study tour.

Of particular interest to me as a primary educator and teacher librarian, was the schools service offered by the library to New Zealand public schools. This service offered specialist advice on establishing school library collections, content and online support, loaning materials to support curriculum teaching and learning, and a national Homework Help service. This demonstrated a commitment to public education, and collaboration between government organisations that I have not experienced in my career thus far. Despite its obvious value, I question whether this type of service could be facilitated in Australia, due largely to complex Commonwealth, state and territory resourcing and funding models, but also due to the varied interpretations of the Australian Curriculum.