Collected #33 by School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa

ISSN 1179–8548

Building Communities

issue 33/2024

EDITORIAL

Doris Lessing once said Whatever you’re meant to do, do it now. The conditions are always impossible.

It can be challenging to deviate from normal day-to-day activities in our libraries. When your new idea has been swirling around up there for weeks, there are always considerations – time, budget, energy, resources, and those seeds of self-doubt that stall you. Sometimes you need that one person who inspires you to just do it! I hope that this issue of Collected will spur you to action when you see how communities are thriving in our school libraries around Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our libraries provide so many things for our ākonga, and there are probably things you don’t even realise that you are doing to fill the need in someone’s day; Sarah at St Oran’s College was taken by surprise by the community that she unintentionally created around Sheldon, you need to read on, soon you’ll be feeling the Sheldon-love too. Michelle, and Liz have created quite the community at Logan Park Library based on a cupboard – unfortunately not to Narnia - but to more face-to-face contact, and a bit of healthy competition. Despite that competition, those students seem to have a good sense of comradery, Liz’s library is the heart of the school due to her ability to let the students take the reins. Liz, you’re a better woman than I!

The atmosphere inside a library sets the tone for how your students feel about coming in, it may seem like half your school is sheltering from the weather right now, but you can use this to your advantage. Leonie has just come into her Coolest-LibrarianEver Era (look what you made me do!) after creating an opportunity for community amongst Taylor Swift lovers; and Ellie is bringing in the hoards with warm and cosy curated spaces. How privileged we are to be in jobs where we can influence children by just being ourselves and sharing our skills.

What we do doesn’t just affect our school communities, Sally has the unique position of being in a school library inside a public library, (so meta – my community teaches me the new slang). No only are her students part of their school community, they are connecting with members of the wider community in ways that can only enrich their shared interests. Trena discovered that community is at the forefront of Story Store’s mission to get books into schools in need, I urge you to read about the good work they are doing, and do what you can to help them to spread book joy throughout the motu. After all, who are we without our books? We couldn’t call ourselves librarians.

Our young people approach libraries in different ways and for different needs; Reuben from National Library has summed it up beautifully: we come seeking ourselves and our histories, to feel affirmed. There are many young people in our schools needing this more than ever; if you read our new Student Voice section, you will see that Wilson’s time spent at the school library has fulfilled these needs exceptionally.

I know that you all aspire to fulfil every need in your own libraries, at times your conditions may seem impossible, but you are the best person for the job, you are meant to do this. It is because of you that your library community is thriving.

School librarians also need each other in order to thrive, so here is your reminder that SLANZA’s conference is on in Christchurch Sept 29th to October 2nd, and what a coincidence – the theme is building communities. What better time to come and connect with your community, especially if you are in need of finding yourself, and job affirmation. I’m told there will be ample time for networking which is so valuable for everyone in our school librarian community.

Personally, I’m excited to finally get to meet the many people behind the articles and who have helped with Collected over the past few years and thank you all in person.

A huge thank you to all who have contributed to this issue, those who have submitted articles, proof-readers, our graphic designer, and especially our business members, without their support, we would not be able to publish this magazine.

Lauryn Urquhart Editor, Collected Magazine

President's’ Column

COLLECTED 33

Libraries build relationships and relationships build communities.

I am a firm believer we have one of the best jobs out there, with varied roles and responsibilities, and a variety of tasks on our to-do list, no day is ever the same. One of the biggest thrills for me in my role as Librarian & Resource Manager at Manchester Street School is the knowledge that I am helping our ākonga develop relationships, most of the time by stealth! They don’t even realise it.

School librarians help our ākonga build relationships with libraries, books, reading, learning, with their fellow students and school staff, and the community around them. How powerful is that! We are at the heart of ensuring our students develop a lifelong relationship with libraries and their school community from the first day they start at our kura.

At a wider level we help build relationships between our schools and many other organisations – our local public libraries and museums, booksellers and resource suppliers, and with national organisations such as Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa National Library of New Zealand, especially Services to Schools, EPIC for schools and AnyQuestions.

Whilst discussing the theme of this Collected issue I remembered an article written by Adie Johansen, Library Services Manager, Manawatū District Libraries about how ‘my’ school library and our local public library work together. There are many such examples of community based collaborative efforts around our motu. One of the biggest national initiatives is the Pūtoi Rito Communities of Readers project - ‘a collective impact project working with different communities across New Zealand to grow reading for pleasure and well-being for children and young people’. Communities working together to help build a nation of readers, because we are all in this together.

SLANZA is your community, we are your people, you are SLANZA.

SLANZA prides itself on being a member driven community. There are so many ways we connect and grow as a community, and it only happens when our members get together to create, produce, and offer these opportunities:

• the listserv as a place where subscribers come together to discuss the many facets of school library life, and support each other through it all.

• the many networking and PLD opportunities around the motu organised by your regional committees.

• offering relevant online professional learning as modules through iQualify.

• producing a biannual Collected magazine,

• sharing SLANZA related information via our website and social media accounts,

• valued resources such as the SLANZA Reading Lists site and Aotearoa School Library Week Activity Guides, and for your listening pleasure we have a fortnightly podcast SLANZA Sessions, created by members for members.

• with our biggest opportunity to connect with and learn alongside your community at this year’s SLANZA Conference He Puāwaitanga where attendees look to Growing communities, developing knowledge and building confidence – so don’t forget to register, we hope to see you there.

A SLANZA National Executive update:

• We continue to work on developing our Ohu Mahi to further grow our organisation whilst sharing the workload. Find out more about how you can use your interests and unique skills to get involved further on in this issue.

• The Aotearoa School Library Research Project is well underway with the

Part 1 survey that was sent out to over 1900 schools around the motu. This mahi is crucial to creating a snapshot of the school library landscape that we can use to advocate for and further develop our sector. This survey is open until the end of Term 2. Please get in touch with Miriam Tuohy Miriam.Tuohy@dia.govt.nz if you haven’t received your survey link. Your voice is essential!

• Our Aotearoa School Library Week Ohu Mahi is working hard on refreshed resources that we are aiming to have available to you by the end of the term. Watch this space!

• We have recently created a new Ohu Mahi to work on Advocacy. This group worked with our Comms Ohu Mahi on the recent media release ‘Building on Structured Literacy: The Need to Fund School Libraries’ responding to this year’s budget.

• Stay up to date with all we do on our News Blog

I’d like to leave you with some inspirational quotes about Library Joy from a recent School Library Journal article where the delightful and uplifting Mychal Threets “shared five reasons he loves libraries with SLJ. The common thread among them is library joy and the human connection he says libraries represent. Here, he is joined by 22 others who are pretty fond of libraries, too.” I thoroughly enjoyed reading these affirming words about why we do what we do, I hope you enjoy them as well.

Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi

Sasha Eastwood

SLANZA National Executive Team Updates

Introducing Leonie Grigsby – SLANZA President Elect

Ko Mauao te maunga

Ko Wairoa te awa

Ko Ngāi Te Rangi te iwi

Ko Ngāi Tukairangi te hapū

Ko Hungahungatoroa rāua Whareroa ngā marae

Ko uri tenei no John Lees rāua ko Ruawahine Irihapeti Faulkner

Ko Leonie tōku inoga

Kia ora, I am the Lead Librarian at Sacred Heart Girls’ College Hamilton and have been working in high school libraries since 2017.

I am passionate about encouraging students and staff to develop a lifelong love of reading by fostering a culture of reading across the school. I enjoy promoting the library and its resources through creative displays, clubs and activities and my self-professed super power is matching people to books. My vision for my school library is a future-focused learning space with a strong focus on learning, literacy and wellbeing. It is important to me that the Library is a safe and inclusive space for everyone.

I am the Mum to three adult children, enjoy reading extensively, and knitting in my spare time.

I first joined the WaiBOP SLANZA committee in 2018 and after a break, rejoined in 2022 when I took on the role of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty representative on the SLANZA National Executive. I love that by being part of SLANZA we can have a hands-on approach to school library advocacy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Kia kaha te Pānui!

Ellie Nicholson – Wellington NE Representative

We welcome Ellie Nicholson who joined National Executive as the new Wellington representative in March. Ellie has been chair of SLANZA Wellington, but nationally you may recognise her as the organiser of the Wellington online conference Whakaohooho. Previously a teacher, Ellie retrained with a post-graduate library diploma and has been Library Manager at St Patrick’s College in Wellington.

When I was a small bookworm, tucked in a corner reading a book, my Grandad predicted I was destined to be a teacher or a librarian. I have now proudly been both. I started my career as a teacher but put it to one side for children and travel, and when I returned, I discovered I would have to retrain. Given I wasn’t sure that I could be the teacher I wanted to be and the mum I needed to be in the number of hours there are in a day, it was time for a rethink. What I did know was that I wanted to stay in education, so I completed a post-graduate library diploma and started my new career as Library Manager at St Patrick’s College in Wellington.

As Chair of SLANZA Wellington, and organiser of the online conference Whakaohooho, I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work with amazing people who share my passion for libraries. Most recently I have accepted a new role as a facilitator for the National Library and can’t wait to meet and work with librarians all around Aotearoa. As NE rep for Wellington, I look forward to bringing my passion, experience and knowledge into continuing to support my amazing fellow librarians.

Regional Reports

AORAKI

Aoraki have been busy with PD in Ōtautahi.

Our Paper Plus Hornby buyer’s night was, as always, well attended. We preceded the evening with our AGM.

Photos are of our most recent PD event, a joint event with National Library. We did a roadie to Ashburton to visit their beautiful new public library. If you are ever visiting Ashburton, do check it out.

We followed this with a buyer’s night at Whitcoulls and dinner together. It was great to connect with members from further south.

We are very keen to do more events like this. If you have any ideas, please do get in touch.

Our next planned event is a Book Club. More details will be announced shortly.

Also, we have our national SLANZA conference here in Õtautahi in September. I do hope you have registered. We are very excited about the programme.

The committee have put together some resources from the day. If you are interested, please do get in touch via email aoraki@slanza.org.nz

Sally Brown, Aoraki SLANZA NE Representative

CENTRAL

Kia ora koutou from the Central region,

We kicked off the year with our AGM and Chat with Alan Dingley held at Freyberg High School and via Teams on 21st March, this was attended by 14 people. Local high school librarian and Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador, Alan Dingley, chatted with us about his journey to becoming our ‘national reading role model’ as the second Te Awhi Rito. We followed this up with a quick but productive SLANZA Central AGM, where we farewelled Sue Stephens and Katie Mcmillan and welcomed Katherine Wilkin, Ceire Hopley, Miriam Tuohy and Maxine Hartley to our SLANZA Central committee.

We have an upcoming What’s New in Books – Publisher & Book Buying evening on June 20th at Palmerston North Paper Plus, which is always a popular night out in Manawatū, and a PLD & networking morning is being planned for Term 3.

Meet your Central Committee tīma:

We were delighted to welcome new members to our committee at our AGM earlier in the year and thought we would take this opportunity to introduce ourselves.

Sasha Eastwood – Chair & National Executive Rep

School & Role: Librarian & Resources Manager at Manchester Street School

What is your favourite part of being a school librarian? Working with students and buying books that will get them/keep them reading.

What is your favourite book to movie adaptation? The Hobbit – the landscape and characters were so close to how I had ‘read’ them to be.

What is the best reaction from a student about a book you have recommended? Being asked for the next book in the series by the same author.

Favourite pastime when not working or reading? Watching TV on dreary days and gardening on sunny days.

Miriam Tuohy – Treasurer

School & role: National Library Services to Schools — Senior specialist school library development

What is your favourite part of being a school librarian? My favourite part was getting to work with kids – constantly surprising, often challenging, never a dull moment! (Oh and buying books with someone else’s money!)

What’s your favourite book to movie adaptation? The Princess Bride

What is the best reaction from a student about a book you have recommended? Seeing a student haul his friends into the library to show them the book and insist they read it too. (The book was Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve.)

Favourite pastime when not working or reading? Going for walks beside the Manawatū River with family and friends

Andrea Knap – Secretary

School & Role: Awatapu College / Library Manager.

What is your favourite part of being a school librarian? Student conversations

What’s your favourite book to movie adaptation? The Stranger by Harlan Coben

What is the best reaction from a student about a book you have recommended? Ooh do you have another?

Favourite pastime when not working or reading? Netflix

Christina Bate

Librarian at St. Matthew’s Collegiate. My favourite part of being a school librarian is helping students find fiction they will enjoy, and assisting students with research. My favourite book to movie adaptation is Jane Austen’s Emma. The best reaction from a student about a book I recommended to them was when they came back to get the next two books in the series because they liked the first book so much. In my spare time I enjoy spending time with family and friends or walking.

Ceire Hopley

I am the Librarian at Waiopehu College. My favourite part of the job is the variety, and connecting people with books that are on point for them. I love it when students get really excited about a book or series, and when they tell me a book has made them cry. Outside of work, my favourite thing is travelling, and snowboarding with my husband and kids.

Susan Hosokawa

I work as the librarian at Hastings Boys’ High School. I’ve been in this role for just over 2 years.

My favourite book to movie adaptations are Alistair McLean’s ‘Where Eagles Dare’ because it was true to the book, and ‘The Lord Of the Rings’ trilogy because I don’t know how Peter Jackson figured out what to keep and what to leave out and still tell the story! The best reaction to a book I recommended was the student going on to read the whole series (7 books). As for what I do outside of work and reading - there’s something outside of work and reading??? Spending time with family is always special.

Katherine Wilkin

My School is New Plymouth Boys’ High School. My role is a little blurred, as my title is Information/Archives.

I’ve always considered that to mean Library Manager, but I do seem to do a lot of IT work. However, my favourite part of being a School Librarian is working with books. Shelving them, buying them, mending, reviewing, issuing them to and discussing them with students. My second favourite thing is my lovely student librarians. Never a dull moment!

Book to movie - that’s too hard - there’s so many, but I think the recent Dune (pt 1) did a pretty good job of recreating what I had imagined. Can’t think of a specific student reaction to a recommendation, but I love the amazed look on their faces when they ask for a title, and we have it!

Favourite pastime - board games. Real ones, or computer adaptations. Off to the Wellycon Board Game Convention for King’s Birthday. Can’t wait!

Maxine Hartley

I am sole Librarian at Rathkeale College in Masterton, a state integrated Anglican boarding school for boys years 9-13. We have girls in year 12 to 13 from St Matthews College who come for lessons.

My favourite part of being a school librarian is building relationships with the staff, and students, and helping a reluctant reader get into a book.

My favourite book to Movie adaptation is: I am cheating, as I can’t pick a winner from these three favourites!

1: The Handmaid’s Tale

2: The Unbearable Lightness of Being

3: Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The best reaction regarding a recommended book was when a student could not remember a book he loved, which he had read a few years ago. He could not remember who wrote it or the author. I managed to track it down, it was not part of the school collection, so I ordered it in and issued it to him as a surprise. He was so happy and surprised, and could not believe I had found and purchased it for him. The book was “Night Vision” by Ella West.

My favourite pastime when not working or reading or watching movies would be tramping, I love getting into nature and the outdoors, I also love going to the beach.

You can stay up to date about our region on our Central blog

Ngā mihi mahana, SLANZA Central Committee

OTAGO

Our long talked about Queenstown road trip finally came to fruition in Term Three last year, thanks in particular to Kirsty Adam in Invercargill who spear-headed the joint Otago-Southland initiative. Mandy Henk was our guest speaker and she was simply awesome! The event was called ‘A Bit Sus’ after the roadshow Mandy’s organisation, Tohatoha, and SLANZA were jointly involved in running as a part of the NZLPP. She spoke on misinformation and a short session on AI. Six of us from Otago went over and the event was really inspiring. It was great to meet Southland SLANZA members but also those from our Central Otago catchment. We hope to run a combined event again this year.

To end our year, we got together and enjoyed a literary themed Kahoot and food at Taieri College.

At our AGM we sadly accepted Michelle Summerfield’s resignation as Chairperson and as a committee member. Michelle has shown outstanding commitment to the Otago SLANZA committee. We thank her for her outstanding service on the committee as well as our NE rep, she will be greatly missed.

Colette Mahoney has taken on role of Chairperson and Liz James has stepped into the secretary role. We currently have 12 members on our committee.

In Term Two, three of our members will be involved with NZETA conference which will be held at John McGlashan College. We will be running a workshop titled What can your school librarian do for you?: top tips for your teaching toolbox.

Other Term Two events are our annual Day of Goodness in association with National Library, and a book buying evening at Paper Plus Dunedin.

We would like to acknowledge Pam Garry from John McGlashan College who has recently retired, we thank her for her enormous contribution to SLANZA Otago.

Lauryn Urquhart, Otago SLANZA NE Representative

SOUTHLAND

It’s been a quiet start to the year in Southland SLANZA. We all met for the AGM at a local restaurant in March where we recommitted to our office bearer roles and made plans for 2024. Along with a Paper Plus buying night and our Readers Cup celebration, many Southland members are heading to Christchurch for Conference in September and are really looking forward to this event. After the success of last year’s combined PD event with our Otago colleagues in Queenstown, we are planning another event in Term Four.

Our next PD event will be joint hosted with the Otago SLANZA committee. Mandy Henk from Tohatoha will be delivering the A Bit Sus workshops at Wakatipu High School in Queenstown. This is a fabulous opportunity, not only to learn more about recognising and preventing the spread of misinformation, but also to meet and chat with our colleagues from Otago and Central Otago.

Kirsty Adam, Southland SLANZA NE Representative

TE TAI TOKERAU

Te Awhi Rito visit Whangārei Girls High School Library

Our Aotearoa Te Awhi Rito, Alan Dingley, attracted close to thirty people to Whangārei Girls High School on Wednesday 13 March for an after-school meeting as our Term 1 SLANZA event for Te Tai Tokerau.

Alan talked of how his grandfather was his reading role model and nurtured his reading journey.

Advice for school librarians included ensuring the school library is a safe place, avoiding book snobbery, and trusting the students’ choices in selecting their own books – it takes bravery and independence. He also talked of screen time versus book time, and how we must make reading books a normal activity. Alan suggested our students should read aloud to their younger siblings to create reading role models. Lastly, he said we have a duty of care to distinguish between young adult books and the often asked for ‘new adult’ romance stories.

Something else Alan said that we would all agree with, teachers need to be seen reading in every SSR time.

Although Aotearoa does not have a strong reading culture, reading is so vital we need to bring reading for pleasure to the fore.

Our thanks to Alan for giving up his evening on his busy tour of Northland schools with the National Library.

Julia Smith, Te Tai Tokerau SLANZA NE Representative

TAMAKI MAKAURAU AUCKLAND

At the end of 2023 we hosted Graci Kim at our Summer Celebration. She had us all inspired, ready to go back and face the last few weeks of Term Four and encourage all of our students to read over the summer.

This year started with our traditional Term One PD LibCafe. This is an informal session with all of us sharing ideas through slides. Mixed between slides we ‘take a stand’ on a controversial topic and hear each other’s point of view on these sometimes devisive topics. We played a round of Killer Basketball which is all about strategy and great for training KidsLit teams.

Our AGM was also held at the LibCafe, where we farewelled Claudine from her SLANZA Manukura position and welcomed her back to the Tamaki Mākaurau Auckland committee along with a new member, Natalie Sutton.

In Term Two we will be holding a quiz night, trying to create an atmosphere of camaraderie that we seem to have lost over the Covid years. It looks like it’s shaping up to be a great night and a lot of fun.

Term Three will see advocacy at the top of our PD list as we all start the slide into budget allocations, negotiations of hours, and reporting to the Board of Trustees. We hope the timeliness of this PD will stand our TMA members in good stead for 2025.

Trena Lile, Tamaki Makaurau Auckland SLANZA NE Representative

WAIKATO/BAY OF PLENTY

Membership

Waikato/Bay of Plenty currently have 66 paid members.

Waikato/ Bay of Plenty Committee

Sadly, Kathleen Van der Putten and Rosemary Middleton retired after many years of amazing and faithful service to the Waikato/Bay of Plenty committee. We would like to thank them for their long term loyalty and hard work for us all, and always putting their hands up to support events in our region.

Since our AGM, Rangi Iles, from Sacred Heart Girls College, has joined our committee and has come on board as our regional Secretary. Welcome Rangi! We still have a vacant position for Chair.

We are really keen to encourage more of our members to join our committee so we can be in a position to offer professional development and events.

Please contact waibop@slanza.org.nz if you would like to join.

Leonie Grigsby, Waikato/Bay of Plenty SLANZA NE Representative

TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA WELLINGTON

We finished 2023 with a great session at Tawa College all about Term Four and those wonderous tasks we all dread, be it board reports, stocktake or summer reading. Term Four can be a challenge for everyone so it was great to gather and share ideas on what works for everyone. It was a lovely and social and I certainly came away inspired! We finished the year with our usual Christmas gathering where we were introduced to the fun of a ‘Stealing Santa Book Swap’ as wonderful inspiration to curl up over the summer break with a great book. Thanks to St Oran’s College for hosting and Kristy Wilson for organising our entertainment!

To start 2024 the Wellington Committee held an AGM at Raroa Intermediate on February 12. We had a few Committee changes as Clare Forrest stepped down from SLANZA Wellington after many years of service on the Committee, as Chairperson, and most recently a wonderful advocate on the National Executive. Clare’s contribution has shaped the Wellington Committee into the vibrant, exciting, passionate group of people it is, she is one of the most determined and knowledgeable library advocates, and we will be forever grateful for her wisdom, kindness and support. Geraldine Dai, Sarah Hunt and Kristy Wilson have also stepped down, but we are so fortunate to be welcoming a number of wonderful new committee members who we look forward to working with. The variety and diversity of the committee makes a big impact on the work we can do to represent and serve our community, so a big thank you and welcome to everyone. In light of Clare’s departure Ellie Nicholson has now stepped into the role of NE Rep and Helen Muxlow has once again taken on the role of Chairperson.

We finished up Term One with a fantastic full day of professional development at the brand-new St Patrick’s College Library. The day was called Guiding the Information Highway: Strengthening Research Skills in a Misinformation Era and focussed on both the impact of mis and disinformation and how to teach our students to avoid it, and also a refresh on some of the skills and resources available for teaching research. The keynote speaker Mandy Henk from Tohatoha started the day by inspiring us all by making us aware of the seriousness of the crisis around mis and disinformation but also showing how we can make a difference. Throughout the day we heard from presenters from the National Library, Wellington City Libraries and some of our own local school librarians who all generously shared their knowledge. Just in case anyone thought it was too serious though, we also got to play with a wonderful escape room resource available from Tohatoha and had Hell pizza for lunch!

Term Two started with our now annual pilgrimage to book buying in the form of the Shop Local Book Fair which was a great success. We had a number of wonderful stall holders, some from previous years and others brand new, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their night. The standout for many librarians was the knowledge of the bookshop owners who gave wonderful advice and recommendations, and went out of their way to make sure everyone found what they were looking for. So much so, that we have been inspired to ask Chelsea from

Alphabet Books to come and talk to us again in Term Three about what we need to know to support our rainbow ākonga and how to make sure our collections reflect positive representation. If you aren’t in Wellington, but are heading to conference, Chelsea and Alphabet Books will also be there so make sure you say hi!

Ellie Nicholson, Wellington SLANZA NE Representative

Conference Update Programme

We’ve been teasing out exciting themes and speakers that are awaiting you over three days, packed with library love! And becase we are librarians, we’re not just about the sessions - we are about supporting each other, exploring new and innovative school libraries, and having fun along the way!

Socials

Check out our full draft programme

Keynotes

Dr Hana O’Regan ONZM

Dr Margaret Merga Gabrielle Mace

Workshops

Literacy development --- Reading cultures --- What to read --- Library engagement --- Library spaces --Collaboration --- Change and more change --- AI ---Embrace new skills --Self care --- Author panel --- Fun!

Kowhai Sponsor

Welcome drinks --- Focused networking opportunities --- Pizza and quiz night --Competitions!

Visits

School Library bus tour --- Guided tour of Tūranga, Christchurch City Library

Accommodation

Great value accommodation in the Rangi Ruru Girls’ School Boarding House

Single bedroom in a 6-room flat with shared lounge, kitchen and bathroom, including continental breakfast

*Flat only for conference attendees.

$76/night (min 3 nights )

Books that will delight and inform – from big names such as Joy Cowley, Gavin Bishop, Stacy Gregg, Tessa Duder, and Donovan Bixley, as well as talented newcomers – have been announced as finalists in the 2024 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

The shortlist highlights the best books for young readers, with picture books that entertain, junior fiction novels that offer escapism, young adult fiction that doesn’t shy away from the complexity of the teenage experience, non-fiction that expands minds, and beautifully illustrated titles that showcase Aotearoa’s creative talent.

The judges are mindful of the role the shortlist serves as a curated annual guide to the best in local publishing for children and teenagers. Maia Bennett, convenor of judges, and public and secondary school librarian in Wānaka, says the diverse 2024 shortlist offers something for every type of reader.

You can find a wealth of resources here to help you promote these books in your library: www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/resources/

The ASLA Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Children’s Book Award is back for 2025 to celebrate and spotlight even more underrepresented children’s book creators!

The DANZ Children’s Book Award was established in 2023 in partnership with the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) and the School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA) with the aim to recognise and celebrate diverse children’s stories that challenge stereotypes and celebrate diverse and marginalised communities written by Australian and New Zealand authors.

“DANZ is more than an award; it’s a valuable resource,” says DANZ founder and children’s author, Kate Foster. “A list like this, curated by both adults and children, will support teachers, librarians, booksellers and more, and help put the best representation into the hands of young readers everywhere.”

Find out more here www.thedanzchildrensbookaward.com

Information about being part of the 2025 awards will be available soon on the SLANZA website.

SLANZA OHU MAHI

Many hands make light work, and with that adage in mind, we have been working on establishing our Ohu Mahi during the past year. Ohu Mahi give SLANZA members the opportunity to be involved in member-driven future-focused mahi that benefits our school library sector.

It has been encouraging to see many people registering for working groups relating to their passion, skills, and interests, and despite the varying degrees of geographical separation, these groups are working together to benefit you as SLANZA members.

Think about your work life:

Do you walk into your office and check the date on your SLANZA wall planner?

Do you log into your email to check the latest discussion on the listserv?

Do you search the Reading Lists for Level 1 English reading responses?

Have you used resources from the School Library Week ideas?

Do you look at the SLANZA Facebook page or Instagram?

Have you used information from SLANZA’s website to help you write board reports?

Have you ever been the recipient of a study grant?

Then you have benefited from the work of the people volunteering in SLANZA’s Ohu Mahi.

By joining a group your working life will become less isolated, you will meet new people (who will no doubt become your friends!), you can utilise your interests and skills that you may not be using in your everyday job, you will gain a more holistic view of how SLANZA operates, and you will discover a warm sense of belonging in our library community.

Maybe you are tentative and just want to find out a bit more. We welcome enquiries and registrations of interest here: https://www.slanza.org.nz/slanza-ohu-mahi.html

If you are not quite ready to take on a working group role, you might like to think about joining your local SLANZA committee. There are committees in every region throughout the motu who meet several times a year for PD, social gatherings, networking and the like. Being part of your committee is a great way to make connections with fellow librarians in your area and is beneficial for your well-being, and motivation as a school librarian.

You can find out more here: https://www.slanza.org.nz/regions--contact-us.html

The Library Made Me Queer - Queer History Month Aotearoa Pumahara Ia Te Wa 2024

REUBEN

LOVE

He kitenga kanohi, he hokinga mahara He kawenga mahara, he hāpori kitea

A familiar face stirs one’s memories

A collection of memories is a community seen

Aotearoa’s first Queer History Month Pūmahara Ia Te Wāi s coming in July, breathed into being by Kawe Mahara Queer Archives Aotearoa in partnership with the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.

Around Papatūānuku libraries are queer people’s chosen whānau. This idea has a long history. We come to libraries seeking ourselves and our histories, seeking the manaakitanga to find our stories, seeking the affirmation that our memories and our communities are not only welcome, but actively invited in and protected.

School libraries are essential pātaka kōrero for students to feel affirmed and less alone in navigating their identities and the stories of their communities. With limited curriculum guidance and erased queer and takatāpui histories, students turn to school libraries, community libraries, and the internet to find their people.

School libraries are also safe spaces for queer people to escape the stigma and bullying they frequently face. According to the University of Auckland Youth19 study in 2019, young people of other minority genders were more than four times more likely than their cisgender peers to experience bullying at school on a weekly or more frequent basis. Learning about our queer tīpuna and our taonga affirms queer lives and resilience, and is a vital part of the whakapapa of takatāpui and tāgata Moana in Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. Queer people always were and always will be.

This Queer History Month Pūmahara Ia Te Wā we encourage school libraries across the motu to show your manaaki for your local queer communities by holding space, planning displays, or simply having kōrero with your kaimahi or rainbow student groups about how you can help promote queer storytelling and further learning about Aotearoa’s queer histories.

Celebrate Aotearoa’s queer histories with us

Kawe Mahara Queer Archives Aotearoa are hosting an all-day hui to mark the passing of the Homosexual Law Reform Act in Aotearoa on 9 July 1986, and to reflect on the importance of preserving and sharing Aotearoa’s iconic queer histories.

Join us on:

Tuesday 9 July 2024, 9AM to 4:10PM

Online by registering here, and in-person at the National Library of New Zealand in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington

Nurturing Our School Community

LIZ JAMES - LOGAN PARK HIGH

Like many school libraries, our doors are open from before it is fully daylight until long after the 3 o’clock bell.

The reasons our students have for being here are varied. It’s always warm and the seating is comfortable, however it’s just as likely to be the appeal of that one desk, carefully placed around the corner, or the jigsaw puzzle just the right size for one person to complete in 20 minutes. There are communal spaces where people do origami together, or perhaps just side by side.

In addition to our book collections, the library has a great selection of puzzles, board games, card games to support te reo Māori study, or the periodic table. We have found these resources to be popular amongst all year levels, they fly off the shelves at every opportunity.

With a school roll of over 800 students, our library is a busy space, supported by over 30 student librarians rostered on at one time or another during the week. There are librarians who float, happily stepping-up to lend a hand, to help someone out, or to fill a gap.

Our Book Club meets regularly and this enthusiastic group of talkative and energetic young people regularly organise events for the benefit of our school community. There’s a strong sense of comradery within the group, and together with our Library Prefects and student librarians, they take care of the bulk of the day to day running of the library.

Who is better placed to know what our school community is looking for in a library than the students themselves?

Senior students crack into a new jigsaw puzzle before school

Year 9 students play Articulate!

Students lend a hand relocating a collection

Origami

Master Puzzler

Book Club brainstorming session

Origami

Book covering tutorial with Book Club

UPPER RICCARTON SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LIBRARY TE KETE WANANGA O PUTARINGAMOTU 2024

SALLY BROWN

Our library opened in 2006, 18 years ago.

It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating our 10th birthday and here we are close to our 20th.

At the time we were the first joint-use urban community and secondary school library in New Zealand. And even today, 18 years on, we remain one of only a few purpose-built facilities that serve a multi-cultural community and school population.

The library began with a collection of 65,000 items. We now have a physical collection of 44,000 items plus access to a large digital collection of 43,235 items. Our multi-cultural community and school used to be made up of 40 different nationalities, this has now grown to 72.

The Vision

The library came about due to a joint vision by Christchurch City Libraries (CCL) and Riccarton High School (RHS).

“Both parties are innovative and have a history of trying new ideas, taking opportunities to work in different ways, to use and adapt technology to their advantage” (Eskett).

CCL aims to “provide new libraries which give customers a different experience” (Eskett) and from the then City Council Chief Executive “Libraries are at the hub of our communities … libraries help create inclusive communities, and are centres for lifelong learning, fun and creativity” (McTurk).

RHS’s principal at the time believed the library would provide “an increased opportunity for our neighbours to be part of the school and to see how keen our students are to contribute to their community. The library will provide a place to break down social barriers and encourage positive interaction between all community groups” (Coburn).

Both parties were committed to the library being an important community focal point as well as the learning information and communication centre for the school. In a nutshell the school needed a new library and had land. The Council wanted to build a library in the area but didn’t have land. It was a perfect aligning of two needs by two groups dedicated to bringing about one vision. Furthermore, trust and mutual respect had already been established between the two parties from working together on other projects.

Together CCL and RHS created a vision statement, summarised as:

• the library will be an important focal point for a population of about 30,000 residents, and the learning, information and communication centre for the school population of approximately 1100 students and staff.

• the library will be sited not only to allow for integration with other school activities, but so that it will be recognised as a community facility, which can be easily and safely accessed by the community as a whole.

• the library will house a book and audio-visual collection of 50,000 items, and provide facilities for residents and students to study, access information, acquire information and communication technology, and information literacy skills.

• the library will include spaces for reading, socialising, listening, learning, participating and relaxing.

• the design will include a café, comfortable furniture, and spaces for community artwork, notices, and city information.

• the library will include four flexibly designed learning spaces, including a computer room, which will be available for community learning programmes outside of school hours.

The Brief

The school’s original collection was integrated into the new community library collection. Slowly these books have been withdrawn over time. Even 18 years later the odd one will make its way to my desk.

There are three dedicated classrooms available to RHS during the school day, 8.30am – 4pm. One classroom has 30 computers. There is a fourth space, the Young Adult area, that can be used as a space for teaching and activities.

CCL acquire and process the collection, provide the IT equipment and maintain the building. The school is charged an annual fee for acquisitions and maintenance. This is based on a formula which considers the space the school occupies and the number of hours the school uses these spaces out of the total opening hours. The CCL Team Leader and RHS Library Manager work in partnership, meeting every three weeks to chat about the library. A Joint Use Management Advisory Committee meets once a term. This group includes the RHS Library Manager, CCL Team Leader, RHS School Principal, CCL Community Libraries Manager, CCL associate team leader, School Board Rep, and RHS teacher Andrew Jefferson, who worked on the original project.

A Joint Management Agreement between the Christchurch City Council and the Board of Trustees of Riccarton High School provides the guidelines that underpins library operations. This is checked and updated periodically by the Joint Use Management Advisory Committee.

RHS employs a Library Manager and Assistant Librarian. CCL has six full time staff and 12 part time staff, including shelvers. New CCL staff are recruited on the basis that they are open to the concept of a joint use library and working in a community with hundreds of teenagers using the library every day.

RHS has teachers on duty at interval and lunchtime to help manage student behaviour. With that and ‘The Riccarton Way’ underpinning our school culture, we have very few incidents in the library.

Report Card

So, 18 years on, how are we doing and what is different from when the library opened? In fact, not much.

Students use the library every day, attending classes, participating in activities, and just enjoying the library during break times and after school. The public see the students as people and vice versa. They interact with each other respectfully and members of the public often comment on the good behaviour of the students. Students have a sense of ownership and belonging, bringing about a better respect for the library space.

The wealth of resources from a school’s perspective, is phenomenal. We have everything we want and need, and love promoting the library to students and school staff. Coming from a research library background, I am always blown away by the breadth of what we can offer. We have a large Young Adult collection and children’s collection. With literacy rates dropping, having access to ‘learn to read’ books that don’t look babyish is great. We have language collections for young adults and children, and I love being able to promote student’s home languages.

The Nuts and Bolts

Clubs keep school staff and students busy. We have book club, table tennis, chess, Rubik’s Cube, Esports, zine, robotics, craft, ukulele, tabletop wargaming, board games, homework club and more. We love having a variety of activities available to students.

The school showcases the library at every opportunity, including school open evenings and information evenings for parents. Plus, the café is a regular meeting place for teachers.

Connections with the community is what makes our library extra special. For example, each week GenConnect is an opportunity for members of the public to seek help with their technology issues from teach-savvy students. This initiative has since been rolled out at other public libraries. Students help with community events, such as holiday and after school activities, as well as performing in the library for occasions such as Chinese Language Week, Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Philippines Independence Day and May Music Month.

The “think yes” attitude that got this project off the ground is still very apparent today. The library is a vibrant hub for both the school and the local area. It is where two communities merge and benefit from an innovative, creative, ‘yes’ space.

Bibliography

Coburn, Gary, Principal, Riccarton High School (resigned Dec 2005), Upper Riccarton Newsletter no 2.

Eskett, P., Jefferson, A. and Simpson, J. What’s yours is mine and mine is yours. Synergy in joint use libraries. Wellington New Zealand, LIANZA 2006.

McTurk, Dr Lesley, Draft Strategic Framework for Public Libraries of New Zealand: A Strategic Framework 2005 to 2015. This document was due to be released in final format on 1 May 2006.

Christchurch City Libraries, & Riccarton High School. (2003). Vision for the Upper Riccarton Community / School Library. https:// christchurchcitylibraries.com/Bibliofile/2006/UpperRiccarton/ Planning/Vision11-06-03.pdf

Sometimes creating a community in your library can come down to the little things, and sometimes it takes you by surprise and starts a chain reaction.

About two years ago, we got to know one of our students, who was a Year 9 at the time. She was very quiet and neurodivergent, and an incredible crochet artist. She would come in with her latest creations to show us what she was working on. This sparked the idea to start a crochet and knitting club because we were sure there were other talented people hiding in our midst.

Sure enough, there were, and soon we were all sitting down together and sharing our skills with each other. It was such a joy to see our more experienced students passing on their skills to others.

Fast forward to Library Week in June 2023, our theme was ‘Reading helps you grow’, and we came up with the idea to have a library mascot. Who better to create it than our talented now Year 10 student.

And so, our sweet little bookworm who sits on our library desk was born, and after a Library Week competition, he was named Sheldon.

Since then, Sheldon has become an icon of the St Oran’s Library and we have unintentionally created a community around him.

He has become an influencer on our Instagram page, reaching out to our senior students. The library assistants love to change his accessories (also crocheted). He travels with us when we go on holidays or to conferences where we snap lots of photos. He hosted a teddy bear sleepover for our new Year 7 group this year, whose teddies got up to all sorts of mischief after dark. We’ve also had students asking if they can crochet some friends for Sheldon.

- ST ORAN’S COLLEGE

Most recently, during Library Week this year, we threw Sheldon a first birthday party. Our library assistants and some staff members made cupcakes which we sold for a koha as part of the school’s charity fundraising initiative. We decorated with balloons and made a slideshow of his life so far (with birthday music and everything). Even though the party was just outside the library doors, the library itself was packed, and the Sheldon-love was spread around the whole school.

Our now Year 11 student who made him walked past the party as it was winding up and I said to her, “Look what you’ve created, isn’t it great”. She had the biggest smile on her face, you wouldn’t believe how much her confidence has grown since Year 9.

What started as a cute idea for Library Week has blossomed into something so joyful, and the issues desk has become a little bit busier with our little library community stopping by to say hello to Sheldon.

Sarah

Phillips, Library Manager, St Oran’s College

ST PATRICK’'S COLLEGE LIBRARY

ELLIE NICHOLSON

Reprinted with permission from Library Life Magazine.

St Patrick’s College Library is a school library catering to 700+ boys. In March 2024, it opened the doors to a brand-new purposebuilt space that brought the library into the heart of the school.

The vision of the new learning hub building was to take the school from a classic example of brutalist architecture that almost dared anyone to come beyond the gate, to something made of glass and light, allowing the community to feel part of the school.

In my completely biased opinion, using this space to house the library was inspired. After all, libraries are one of the last institutions in our modern world that remain free. Free to enter, free to borrow, free to be yourself. So, what better way to embody freedom in a new design? Unlike the old library, which was tucked out of the way, the new building has brought the library down to the main level, where everyone walks past. The warm, inviting atmosphere and exciting displays entice people in.

With soaring double-height ceilings, the illusion of space is immense and all the epithets of light, bright, and airy that epitomise a modern library are realised in a building that succeeds in connecting the school and community.

The challenge for me, as the librarian, was what to do with essentially a large open rectangle. How to create zones that are easy to navigate and cozy spaces amongst the soaring, airy heights. Thinking about the kura and how the space would be used was the most important part of my design process. Like any library, our biggest zone definition is between fiction and non-fiction. These are now defined by furnishings ― both the shelving and the cozy nooks between them. The fiction bays along the windows have small seating areas, encouraging students to socialise or curl up with a good book. The non-fiction collection, on the other hand, has small study pods at the end of each bay promoting individual research.

Around the library there are also elements of zoning unique to the needs of our kura. For example, the sports section and displays, situated at the entrance, tempt the interest of many of our students. The New Zealand non-fiction books also have their own section adjacent to lockable shelves for rare New Zealand reference items, supporting local knowledge and the new histories curriculum.

Of course, any major construction comes with problems and pitfalls, and the biggest lesson I have learned is that being a school librarian requires a certain fierceness ― not to be the grumpy, shushing, crotchety old meanie of librarian stereotypes, but to advocate for your students and kura.

Creating a library space inevitably involves many experts. Architects are experts in buildings, while others might be experts in project management. But we must remember that librarians are just as expert in our field. Our expertise should not be forgotten or overlooked.

Throughout this project, I worked with various combinations of people in these different roles and saw what a difference those who were open to true collaboration made to the success of the final design. My best advice to anyone involved in a library building project is to advocate for your space and trust that you are as much an expert in your field as all the other experts are in theirs.

As I sit and reflect on the vision to open up a closed and defensive space, the battles won and lost, and the back-breaking work of packing and setting up, I am awed and grateful for what we have created. School libraries are ultimately about the people. For school librarians, that means the students. They are who we do this for, and when I see the different zones, soak in the joy of all the living plants and books nestled together, giggle at my carefully placed Manga section drawing that crowd of students like bees to honey, I take great joy in knowing that I have been a big part of creating something for them that draws the best of the old library into something truly fantastic for the future.

Ellie Nicholson

LIBRARIES ARE CENTRAL TO DEVELOPING SCHOOL CULTURE

MICHELLE SUMMERFIELD AND LIZ JAMES

School libraries are integral in developing an inclusive school culture, building community, and helping students find connection. So many school libraries are doing amazing mahi in this space!

Here at Logan Park, we have had an opportunity to do this in a new way. Like many secondary schools we run a group class system (form class, whanau class etc.). Our Year 9 students are placed into a group with students from all year levels, and they stay in that group for the duration of their time with us. They move from being the nervous Year 9s finding their place, to the senior leaders welcoming in the newest cohort. It is a system we love, but the actual 20 minutes we spend in group each day had become tired. Many groups had fallen into simply doing admin., chasing attendance, reading the notices, and playing on phones (not that this is an issue anymore!). In an effort to refresh our Group system, I was given the role of looking at how to renew the experience for students. My first thought was - how can the school library, as the heart of the school, support this initiative?

After surveying staff and students one of the ideas was board games to be available for Groups to use. I was given a budget and the directive was for the games to be safely housed and available to all but not belonging to specific groups. So, some kind of resource collection space, some sort of cataloguing system and a simple but effective way of managing these assets.

Who possibly could have these skills?

Enter our incredible library manager Liz James, she found space, catalogued the many, many games and now, with a smile, issues these games out to our Groups. The games are really popular, they’re flying off the shelves.

As a Dean, I walk the corridors often during Group time and the buzz is palpable around the school since these games were introduced. Students are talking to each other more, competing (in a healthy way) and the library is at the heart of this change.

Michelle Summerfield and Liz James

The cupboard is bare!

STORY STORE - SPREADING BOOK JOY

TRENA LILE

Trena Lile spoke with Joanna Baynes at Story Store to hear about the connections being made with books.

Joanna Baynes started Story Store with a vision of helping school libraries in the in-between funding areas, those whose government funding wasn’t enough and the communities around them couldn’t afford to top it up. Story Store is based in Onehunga in Auckland, but services school libraries in need across the motu.

The reality is that Story Store is helping more and more schools at the much lower end of the funding scale, schools who have nothing to spare for books for the library.

Ideally Joanna has three criteria to apply to Story Store:

• Need

• A library-supportive SLT

• Passionate library staff

Most schools who apply have only the first two, which to us is sad to see, but they do have passionate teachers.

Story Store is in a building shared by CORE Education, Springboard Trust and Mitey – Sir John Kirwan’s Mental Health programme for schools. The premises are leased from EPIT an Education Trust aiming to equalize access to Education across NZ. These premises are part of the seed funding they received from EPIT when they first started.

The aim is to create a shopping experience for librarians and teachers from the schools in need - an enjoyable shopping trip to top up their library needs. Joanna uses all the tricks that we do in our school libraries, face-out displays and the days specials are all there waiting to be chosen to be taken to their new home. The place comes alive with that familiar buzz of book joy that we all know and love.

There are plenty of volunteers waiting in the wings to help out when needed as Story Store is now a charitable trust. All the trustees are former school librarians passionate about getting books in to the hands of tamariki.

You can check out their online catalogue thanks to the generosity of Rob and Desiree at Athenaeum. These books are their A grade books, books that are in pristine condition, newish and popular too. They also have B grade books which aren’t in great shape but are still serviceable. Schools can choose a certain amount from each grade to take back to their library.

Joanna is often asked what she needs to keep this service going.

Her simple answer to this is

1. Books which are in fabulous condition and relatively recently published.

2. Money for administration costs.

3. Schools who have no budget to buy books.

What can we do to help?

1. Visit Story Store’s website https://storystore.org.nz/

2. Direct schools in need to Story Store.

3. Donate via their website.

4. Send beautiful books in great condition.

5. Purchase books using rewards points and send them to Story Store.

SWIFTIE WEEK!

BY LEONIE GRIGSBY - SACRED HEART GIRL’S COLLEGE

At the start of Term Two, Sacred Heart Girl’s College library was overtaken by SWIFTIEmania!

A week of fun activities to celebrate Taylor Swift’s new Album, The Tortured Poets Department, saw double, and sometimes triple the number of students using the library space during lunch break.

A beautiful collection of great reads was on display themed to the songs on Taylor’s new album, and each borrowed book received a special Swiftie bookmark and sticker. Activities ran at each lunch break which included a Book Club Quiz named Author, Poet, Swift, friendship bracelet making, Swiftie karaoke, and zine making. The bracelet making was incredibly popular and could probably run every day for the rest of the year (but, limited budgets!).

Themed weeks require a lot of preparation and are very intense to run, however, the benefits are huge with students engaging in the library space and building community.

Leonie Grigsby, Sacred Heart Girl’s College

STUDENT VOICE

THE DIFFERENCE A LIBRARIAN CAN MAKE

WILSON CHENG

My first term of Year 9, the library was seen as a place to go on your Chromebook and gather with friends and hope the librarian didn’t notice you. However, this all changed on the first day of Term 2, which I still remember vividly. As I walked into the library, I turned to the side where the librarian would usually sit and heard,

“Good morning”

It was a different voice and even though I was still half asleep, I noticed that there was a new librarian! It felt right away like this new librarian would start to bring a new face to the library, and she delivered more than I could imagine with the passion she brought into the library, as well as her passion for student involvement.

The library had always had device-free Friday, where students who enter the library were discouraged from phone use. I would usually wait by myself in the library until one of my friends would turn up to talk to me, but the first Friday after the new librarian started swept that out of the window. As she saw me walk through the door the librarian invited me to play Sushi-Go, a card game which I’d never heard of. A librarian asking me to play a card game with her? Little did I know this would spark the competitiveness I have with her to this day!

Throughout my years of college, the librarian established many new features of the library, making the library not just a place for books to sit on the shelves but instead an interactive resource for staff and students to benefit from. She made sure that we all got to read by working with the English Department to make reading a part of the programme, and getting all the students to come with their tutor classes to pick a book as part of Reading for Wellbeing. She really wanted students of all year levels to start reading for their mental health, and she explained that reading isn’t just for English class but should be for our overall benefit, with facts such as: Reading six minutes a day can lower stress levels by 68% This shocked most of us, and I really noticed reading around the school being more accepted and praised. Seeing boys read became more and more common over the years I was at school.

I loved talking to my librarian and being part of the Library Committee, which my librarian said was important to make sure the library would always stick to its core roots of being student led. It is worth mentioning that the Library Committee was the first committee at my school to have not only Year 13s but a majority of junior year levels and to have student leaders as young as Year 10. My Librarian says it’s not about how old you are or getting something just because you are in Year 13, it’s about what you do, and recognising hard work and talent in anyone no matter how young!

Her passion for helping students that I saw when I was Year 9 has not deteriorated, but has grown. I saw every day the effort she made to ensure as many students as possible got the opportunity to listen to a visiting author. She also took us on trips, ran clubs, and did loads of other background work that is not seen by many.

I made friends for life on the Library Committee, and they all agree, our appreciation for our librarian can never be summarised fully with words. She has taught me that kindness can go a long way and making time for people, especially those you care about, is the most important thing you can do. Which is why, even though I finished school two years ago, I still like to drop by every time I am back home to challenge my librarian to a board game - and sometimes, I even win!

By Wilson Cheng

Book Reviews

BEYOND THE COLOUR LINE - RACE AND RACISM IN AOTEAROA NZ

– BY ROYDON AGENT

Reviewed by Lauryn Urquhart

Set out in a textbook-like style, this book is intended as an entry level primer on the study of racism aimed at secondary students. It includes a clear introduction with guidelines about using the book, cartoons, coloured maps and engaging pictures, and each chapter is set out in easily read sections that will engage readers.

Throughout the 18 chapters, the material covers the origins of race and early social structures, the theories that led to slavery and colonialism, to the issues of recent history and modern day.

What makes this book fascinating is that it covers many issues that are not common knowledge, such as The Theory of Monogenesis and Polygenesis, Eugenics, and explanations of how the Bible was interpreted to justify slavery.

This book will give students, and anyone wanting more understanding on the topic, a broad and equitable view of the gradual evolution of racism in the world, how it has affected New Zealand, and how we can go forward as a nation.

Thank you to Edify, who have generously donated copies of this book. One copy is up for grabs for a school library, if you would like it, email collected@slanza.org.nz with “I want this book” in the subject line. (First email received will get it.)

EDDY, EDDY – BY KATE DE GOLDI

Reviewed by Izzy Cresswell, St Patrick’s College, Kilbirnie

Nineteen year old Eddy lives with his Uncle Brain, (no not a spelling mistake, just an apt name) in post-earthquake Christchurch. Eddy too, has suffered an earthquake of sorts. So city and boy must rebuild together.

And rebuild they do, in this character-driven novel, filled with an odd but authentic cast of the furred, feathered and fingered! I desperately want Bridgie and Ginge to come over to mine, wine in hand and talk about cats. I can’t help imagining Sue Lombardo as Kate De Goldi. And every teacher has at least one Delphine in their class; a Tiny Tim surrogate, curious and exhausting, but also cherished.

Delphine isn’t the only nod to A Christmas Carol. Eddy is Ebenezer, learning to grow and feel again after being visited by ghosts of past, present and future. He’s Seinfeld,

surrounded by characters both ordinary and lunatic, in a story about nothing and everything; his crises, momentous and mundane.

But best of all is Kate’s jaw-droppingly vibrant writing. The first half of the novel, before the advent of Boo, is bleakly Dickensian. Things are thunderously silent, monstrously swollen, enfeebled, torrid, sclerotic, and repugnant. Great care is taken with the cadence of sentences. And the dialogue is every bit as witty as I assumed I was after a night of Mac’s Gold at Trekkers.

This is such an astute and ambiguous novel (to be fair, a sui generis in YA literature) that it won’t be for everyone. But there will be readers for whom this resonates deeply.

IN OUR OWN BACKYARD – BY ANNE KAYES

Reviewed by Izzy Cresswell, St Patrick’s College, Kilbirnie

Tailor-made for school assignments, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring! It just means that the themes of power and control, and racism and sexism are interwoven and easy to see. Also made clear are the parallels between 1981 New Zealand, divided by the Springbok Tour, and 2020 New Zealand, divided by Covid opinions and Black Lives Matter.

The development of the main character, Liza, is intertwined perfectly with Shakespeare’s Kate. As Liza studies The Shrew in school she realises she too, is being tamed.

The book was authentically written. Kayes obviously had first-hand knowledge of the importance of Treks vs. Charlie Browns! (School shoes, for those born later!) But most importantly, you know it’s a good book when it sparks debate in real life. I was inspired to ask my parents how they felt about the tour, and whether their opinions have changed with hindsight. All in all, a very cleverly written YA novel by an author who knows her target audience.

ONE OF THEM – SHANEEL LAL

Reviewed by Izzy Cresswell, St Patrick’s College, Kilbirnie

“I look Indian. The Pacific, Maōri and Pākehā students call me a “curry muncher”. That kind of racism is normalised even within communities that experience racism themselves.”

Shaneel Lal is 2023’s Young New Zealander of the Year and the driving force behind the 2022 law banning conversion therapy. They are a strong voice for indigenous queer youth, and a role model proving that while barriers like age and migrancy may make the going tough, they can be overcome. This memoir deserves a place on our secondary school library shelves for this representation alone.

The first half of the book describes Shaneel’s life growing up queer in Fiji and Auckland. I sped through this, loving the clipped sentences of an ESOL speaker. The discrimination is confronting. And Lal’s feeling of alienation is poignant and raw.

The second half felt defensive and angry. I felt dismissed for being pale and stale. My worry is that in the race to be seen as fierce, negotiation and compassion have become unfashionable. That said, Lal remains a skilled commentator on X, promoting discussion in ways perhaps the pale and stale cannot. I look forward to their continued activism.

THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF HOODIE ROSEN – BY ISAAC BLUM

Reviewed by Izzy Cresswell, St Patrick’s College, Kilbirnie

Some books stand out. It’s not always easy to pinpoint why, they are just brighter, more effervescent, and sharp. That’s how I felt about Hoodie Rosen, a YA novel about an Orthodox Jewish boy who creates a furore by befriending a gentile girl. Full disclosure: I listened to the audiobook version because there’s a lot of Hebrew which I didn’t want to mangle.

Hoodie’s Jewish community has recently moved to a small, non-Jewish town, just outside of New York. Antisemitism is rife and Hoodie’s new friendship is seen as a spectacular betrayal. Hoodie is conflicted, finding comfort and meaning in his religion

but also finding some rules archaic and arbitrary. He has to figure out what he believes and what happens if it’s at odds with his community. As he says, “The whole thing was like a jacket that didn’t fit me right anymore. But it was the only one I had. I was naked underneath. I didn’t really want to wear it, but I couldn’t take it off either, because then what would I have?”

Hoodie is funny, sarcastic, and wise. You don’t have to be Jewish to connect with his spiritual journey or his cross-cultural friendship. In fact, I loved the book more for being a window into a group so seldom seen in fiction.

KEEPING KIDS SAFE: A ROADMAP FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS & OTHERS

– BY GLORIA MASTERS

Reviewed by Lauryn Urquhart

“Notice and trust children’s behaviour, over their words: That is where the truth lies”

These are the words of Gloria Masters which appear on her website Gloriamasters.com Gloria is a survivor of sixteen years of child sex abuse at the hands of her own family members. In this, her third book, she has shared a valuable resource for adults to understand and act upon the signs of sexual abuse in our rangatahi.

This book is well set out into sections pertaining to guidelines for how to get the most out of this book, definitions of the terms used, and at the end of each chapter there are checklists and space to write

notes. While it is confronting, this book contains an informative mix of information and anecdotes, valuable advice along with helpful websites, and an explicitly clear glossary of terms. It also includes Gloria’s global hand signal for children who are not safe to use. #handsign4kids

This book would be a very good resource to have in the staff resources section of your school library, it provides valuable information and practical tools which will be of benefit to everyone working with children.

Accessit Library News Roadshows are back in 2024

For years the Accessit Roadshow events were a huge part of our calendar, and we’re excited to bring them back this year. We’ve reimagined the day to make it easier for those with less time available to give you a great morning of professional development, and we’ve got our amazing Customer Support team working hard on putting together a fantastic schedule of training sessions.

Get your Early Bird tickets quickly as spots will fill up. Plus, invite a friend whose school doesn’t have Accessit and you’ll be one of the first people to WIN our new Accessit Library Health Checks!

Find out more at www.accessitlibrary.com/roadshow

NEW LEADERSHIP AT ACCESSIT

Over the past few months, we’ve welcomed Natalie Screen to the Accessit team as she takes over from Martin Neyland as our General Manager as he moves into a well-deserved retirement. Natalie brings over a decade of experience in software having previously worked at Xero, and she also brings a lifetime of experience with Libraries as she confesses to “always having the library as her constant growing up”.

Natalie says “It is an honour to join such a fantastic team and take the reins of a company which works so hard to serve librarians throughout New Zealand and the world. We have big plans for Accessit’s future, the first of which is bringing back Roadshows reimagined in 2024, and continuing to build on V9 with faster and more regular updates as we listen to your feedback and ideas.”

Look out for Natalie as she pops into a few of the Roadshow events throughout the country and maybe even look out for her at the SLANZA conference!

ACCESSIT LIBRARY HEALTH CHECKS

Feeling like your Accessit needs a tune-up? Want to get the best in the business to go through your setup and see how you could get even more out of your library system? We have the solution!

Accessit Library Health Checks are a quick and easy way to have one of our team work with you to ensure you’re getting the most out of Accessit and that it’s set up for your school’s needs. We have two options that are designed to be low cost but big power - from the basic Health Check to assess your settings and setup in your database over approximately an hour, through to the Health Check Plus which can be run over three one hour sessions and gives you a deep dive into your setup, settings and new features to get you fully up to speed with the latest changes in a oneto-one setting.

Reach out to the team on support@accessitlibrary.com to find out more and book your Health Check!

Wellington August 5-9th

North Island

Wellington

Accessit Office, Victoria Street 5th-6th of August

Rongotai College 7th of August

Hutt Valley High School 8th of August

Tawa College 9th of August

Auckland

Howick College 12th of August

Carmel College 13th of August

Cornwall Park School 14th of August

Lynfield College 15th of August

Kings College 16th of August

South Island

Christchurch

Rangi Ruru Girls College 19th of August

Hornby High School 20th of August

TO BE CONFIRMED 21st of August

Invercargill

James Hargest High School 22nd of August

Dunedin

John McGlashan College 23rd of August

Christchurch August 19-21st

Auckland August 12-16th

Dunedin August 23rd

Decoding Decodables

Currently there is much being said about reading attainment and best instructional practices in schools. Teachers are looking for solutions that will cater for a wide variety of needs and ability levels within their classrooms.

At ePlatform we have created a series of decodable fiction and non-fiction books that use a systematic phonics instruction approach which introduces letter-sound correspondences in a structured sequence over 10 levels. This method helps children understand the alphabetic principle (the relationship between letters and sounds) which is essential for decoding unfamiliar words while reading. Decodable readers are specifically designed to help early readers practise decoding skills by focusing on phonics and letter-sound relationships.

At the core of quality literacy instruction is the development of phonemic awareness, which is the ability to recognise and manipulate individual sounds in words. By focusing on phonetically regular words, decodable readers help children develop a strong foundation in phonemic awareness, which is a crucial skill linked to reading success.

Decodable readers allow gradual progression beginning with simple, phonetically regular words that gradually increase in complexity as children progress. This gradual progression allows children to build their decoding skills incrementally, mastering one set of phonics patterns before moving on to more challenging ones. Decodable readers are typically used in conjunction with explicit phonics instruction, providing opportunities for students to apply the phonics skills they have learned in context. When decodable readers are carefully sequenced and scaffolded to align with phonics instruction, research indicates that they can support effective reading instruction and improve students’ literacy outcomes.

Because decodable readers contain words that children can sound out using their phonics knowledge, children experience success in reading early on. This success boosts their confidence and motivation, encouraging them to continue practising and improving their reading skills. Decodable readers provide opportunities for repeated practice of phonics skills within a meaningful context. This repetition helps children develop fluency in decoding words, allowing them to read more smoothly and efficiently over time. Reading decodable texts with engaging storylines and characters provides opportunities for the reader to practise their skills in context. This contextual support helps children comprehend the text as they decode, reinforcing their understanding of vocabulary and language structures.

Decodable readers are designed to be accessible for all learners, including those with dyslexia or other reading difficulties. By focusing on phonetically regular words, decodable readers provide struggling readers with a structured and supportive framework for learning to read. Many of the decodable reader resources often come with teacher guides or supplementary materials that provide additional support for educators. These resources may include lesson plans, phonics activities, and assessment tools to help teachers effectively implement decodable reader instruction in the classroom.

Overall, decodable readers offer a powerful and effective approach to teaching children to read by systematically building their phonics skills, fostering confidence and fluency, supporting comprehension, and providing accessible learning opportunities for all learners.

At ePlatform, our team talk to schools every day, so we know that the printed Phonics readers are very expensive to purchase - meaning that the students rarely get to take them past the school gates for home learning and reinforcement.

Our cost-effective Decodables program offers open and unlimited access – allowing this dynamic literacy resource to be used in every classroom, every day.

Business Members

With the added resources of colouring-in pages and book specific worksheets, this ensures ongoing engagement and revision of themes learnt at school. Built in analytics track progress of every student.

The beauty of a digital Phonics reading program is that it enables 24/7 access to continue the learning journey - after school, on the weekendand most importantly – during the holidays, to help avoid stalling or reversing progress made in class. An added bonus is that the parents can get involved too.

The recent NZ Government rule on banning phones in schools has been widely embraced. However, we need to be mindful that a ban on phones is not a ban on all digital devices.

For Special Education Needs, ESOL, and struggling students that need meaningful literacy support, ePlatform offers digital solutions to the many challenges our students face today - opening up a world of possibilities.

Kate Minehan | Programs and Content Manager

Cheryl Marsden | Customer Success Manager

Gale Support Hub for New Zealand School Libraries

The Gale Support Hub is designed to help New Zealand Schools get the most out of your EPIC Gale subscriptions. Scan the QR code below to access or go to: https://www.gale.com/intl/anz-epic-schools MATERIALS INCLUDE:

• Training videos & Documents

• Technical Support (access, support, statistics, MARC records)

• Marketing (newsletters, guides, posters, social media images) New support materials & videos are added regularly to the hub.

Contact Lynette Lewis & Alison Foster, Gale ANZ Tech Support for more information about the Gale Hub.

SLANZA is committed to providing quality professional development opportunities to its members, and we are very grateful for the ongoing sponsorship of professional development provided by Book Protection Products. This sponsorship is invaluable and greatly appreciated by the National Executive as it significantly broadens options for regional committees. The funding provided by The Book Protection Products team goes to the regional committees so they can organise professional development sessions that will fulfill your personal learning needs. Please continue to support Book Protection Products as they are SLANZA’s major sponsor, and if you have an idea or topic for professional development in your area, let your committee know!

BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP

Business members support the work of SLANZA. Current members are:

Book Protection Products Limited

Accessit Software Limited

Bibliotheca

Britannica Digital Learning Asia Pacific Cengage

Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa eplatform

Harper Collins

Int.workspaces

KOWHAI LIMITED (NZ Geographic)

The Library Supply Company

Library Tech NZ

One Tree House Overdrive

Perform Education

Softlink Pacific Limited Wheelers

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN SLANZA

The benefits of membership include:

Connection and networking with other school library staff locally

Discounted conference and professional development registrations

Support for school libraries at a national level

Opportunities to gain skills and professional development from people who do what you do

Opportunity to apply for the SLANZA awards

Opportunity to apply for study grant assistance with library–related studies

Permission to use the cover images of publications of major publishing houses

Access to the LIANZA professional registration scheme

Access to our collection of Professional Development eBooks

Fee-free study opportunities with the Open Polytechnic

NEWS + CONTACT

If you’re not sure who does what or who can help you, check out our Contact page on our website. It links to all region representatives.

Follow our blog for up to date information

Check out our Facebook page.

SLANZA Members can also join our group or follow us on X