Engaging and Empowering School Libraries

Bookish Banter: From Book Clubs to Blue Peter

We decided we would like to talk about book clubs on this podcast due to the fact that we had heard that Blue Peter Book was launching a book club on the 9th September. There was and probably still is much excitement around being able to get your hands on a Blue Peter badge created by Sir Quentin Blake. Unfortunately for those of us who would love to get our hands on a much coveted Blue Peter Badge, they are only available for children between the ages of 5 and 15… yes I did check! 

Tonight we are joined by Lou Morrish, Secondary School librarian and author and Sally Hamerton, Primary school librarian and this year's winner of primary school librarian of the year alongside my usual co-hosts School Librarian Ruth Maloney and bookseller Sabrina Cox

Membership Information https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership

Resources talked about in this episode

Blue Peter Book Club https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/joinin/blue-peter-book-club 

Information Book Awards https://www.sla.org.uk/information-book-award Hampshire Book Awards https://sls.hias.hants.gov.uk/course/index.php?categoryid=127 

School Library Service UK https://sls-uk.org/ 

Chatterbooks - Reading Agency https://readingagency.org.uk/children/quick-guides/chatterbooks/ 

Federation of Children's Book Groups https://fcbg.org.uk/ 

UKLA Book Awards https://ukla.org/awards/ukla-book-award/ 

Summer Reading Challenge https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/ 

 

 

 

School librarians and the DfE Reading Framework

The Updated DfE Reading Framework has been talked about a lot over the summer, Elizabeth and Cathi even wrote a blog about it so this week we are turning things around a bit, Ruth Maloney interviewed Elizabeth Hutchinson, trainer and advisor for school libraries and Cathi Woods, School librarian. We were also delighted to welcome back to our podcast English and History teacher, literacy coordinator and school library advocate, Alice Visser-Furay. 

When we started reading the framework it wasn’t immediately obvious that this was a document for school librarians this meant it was an important discussion for the new school year. We hope you enjoy it. 

Reading Framework Link https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1178136/The_Reading_Framework_2023.pdf

Estyn's Welsh report on reading - https://www.gov.wales/developing-pupils-english-reading-skills-10-14-years-age-html  

Elizabeth and Cathi's blog -  https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/post/unpacking-the-dfe-reading-framework-for-school-librarians More information about Engaging and

Empowering School Libraries membership https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership 

Upcoming webinars

AI: The future of school libraries - https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/service-page/ai-future-for-school-libraries?referral=service_list_widget 

Unpacking the DfE Framework https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/service-page/unpacking-the-dfe-reading-framework?referral=service_list_widget 

AI: Friend or Foe? The School Librarians Perspective

Today we revisited our discussion around ChatGPT and AI. As this new technology unfolds it is important for us to continue talking about our new learning and the impact these new tools will have on education, especially for school libraries. We were joined today by my co-host school librarian Sabrina Cox and our guests were Darryl Toerien, Head of Inquiry Learning and Jenny Toerien, School Librarian and EPQ Co-ordinator both at Blanchelande College in Guernsey and Dr Kay Oddone Course Director and Lecturer, Master of Education: Teacher Librarianship, Charles Sturt University, Australia. 

IFLA School Library Guidelines https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf 

The Golden Threads of Your School Library https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-5ir4s-1416762 

More information about Engaging and Empowering School Libraries membership https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership 

 

The benefits of a cohesive Senior Leadership/Librarian partnership

In this episode, we talk about the role that senior leaders play in not only creating a good school library but helping ensure that it is used across the curriculum too. As always I am joined by my co-host Sabrina Cox and we are delighted to welcome back Peter Middleton, headmaster of Oswestry School alongside his school librarian Claire Livsey. They were joined by School librarian Ruth Maloney who some of you may recognise as my other co-host but is wearing a different hat this evening alongside her deputy head Joe Jardine-Viner. 

Great School Libraries campaign https://www.greatschoollibraries.org.uk/

Engaging and Empowering School Libraries membership https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership 

As always if you would like to comment on anything you have heard this evening we would love to hear your thoughts.  

International collaborations via your school library

Tonight I was joined by my friend and colleague Stony Evans. We have been working collaboratively for nearly 7 years, starting when we were both ready to open the doors of our school libraries internationally for the benefit of our teachers and students. Tonight we are going to share our journey of international collaboration, highlighting the benefits as well as giving some ideas that you may want to try yourselves. 

Find out more about my membership https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership 

https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/post/4-online-tools-used-to-engage-teachers-in-collaboration-and-information-literacy 

The golden threads of your school library

This week we are discussing how school librarians can empower themselves and the profession by focusing on the organisations and schools they work in.  We also covered the importance of building support networks within and beyond school libraries. 

I was joined by my co-hosts and school librarians Sabrina Cox and Ruth Maloney and our guests were Sue Wills MBE Assistant director: Arts, Culture, Heritage at Surrey County Council, Sue Williamson MBE Vice President of CILIP and Luke Burton Director of Libraries at Arts Council England

More information about my membership can be found here https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership 

ASCEL - https://www.ascel.org.uk/ 

CILIP - https://www.cilip.org.uk/ 

SLA - https://www.sla.org.uk/ 

Libraries Connected - http://www.librariesconnected.org.uk/ 

Steam up your library -https://www.librariesconnected.org.uk/sites/default/files/STEAM%20Up%20Your%20Library%20Guide.pdf 

 

If you have any comments on this podcast we would love to hear your thoughts. 

 

School libraries and online resources. Bedrock Learning, Massolit and more: Insights from school librarians

This week we are returning to the topic of online resources for school libraries. Back in November we chatted to school librarians about how school libraries could provide online resources on a budget. This time however we are looking more closely at 2 resources that bring something else to teaching and learning. The first is Bedrock learning, the second is Massolit, and for those with very little budget we are including some free ones for you to consider too. 

In this session I am joined by my co-hosts and school librarians Sabrina Cox and Ruth Maloney and our guests are also school librarians Gareth Evans and Clare Brumpton.

More information about my membership can be found here https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership 

 

Resources spoken about during podcast discussion and some extra ones from Gareth

• Abbeyfield School Bedrock Learning Help Zone: https://sites.google.com/view/abbeyfieldlrc/bedrock-learning-help-zone

• Bedrock Learning: bedrocklearning.org

• Britannica Magazine: https://britannicamagazine.co.uk/ 

• IDL Literacy and Numeracy : idlsgroup.com

• Into Film +: www.intofilm.org 

• Issues Online: https://www.issuesonline.co.uk/

• Newspaper for Schools “News Library”: https://www.nlamediaaccess.com/newspapers-for-schools/ 

• Open Access Research Databases: https://sites.google.com/view/abbeyfieldlrc/open-access-research-databases 

• The National Theatre Collection via Drama online: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learn-explore/schools/national-theatre-collection/#uk-state-secondary-fe 

• VLeBooks: VLeBooks (brownsbfs.co.uk)

• QFiles: https://www.q-files.com/ 

We would also recommend that you use your local public library to gain access to free online resources

 

Great School Libraries: Campaigning, misconceptions, AI and a way forward

This week we are talking about campaigning for school libraries and why it is important. The Great School Libraries Campaign was set up 4 years ago as a joint venture between the School Library Association, CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) and CILIP SLG (School Library Group). 

Tonight I am joined by my co-host and school librarian Sabrina Cox and our guests this evening are the joint Chairs of the campaign, Alison Tarrant, CEO of the School Library Association and Mary-Rose Grieves, a school librarian working at the Hartland International School of Dubai.  

We talk campaigning, misconceptions, Ofsted, AI and the future of school libraries. The future is bright...

Great School libraries campaign https://www.greatschoollibraries.org.uk/ 

 

Letter to the mp is on the 'how can I help' page 

https://www.greatschoollibraries.org.uk/how-can-i-help

 

https://twitter.com/GreatSchLibs

https://twitter.com/uksla

https://twitter.com/CILIPSLG 

Check out my membership here https://www.elizabethahutchinson.com/aboutmembership