National Library Changes - School Awareness

I wondered if some of you may be hesitant/reluctant/scared (?) to talk to your teaching staff about the National Library changes. So I thought I would share what I circulated to all my staff after initialing talking to them briefly at staff meeting, less edits for names and personal references.

You are welcome to use this and adapt as necessary. We have never used National Library for fiction collections and after this year's topic-subject orders, we will not be taking up their offer of fiction books and high-interest non-fiction. Obviously, other schools have different priorities and needs and currently use Services to Schools resources differently so target your talk to what is relevant for your school students and teachers. If you have Garth Rodda's letter to gain support and signatures at the same time or as back-up you will be well-armed.

If it is too much for you, maybe there is someone on the staff whom you could ask to speak on your behalf? This is an important issue that school management, staff and parents need to be aware of yet information and concern doesn't appear to be coming from any other organisations.

 As from July 2015, NLNZ is transforming their Services To Schools programme, into a "reading engagement lending service". They will be focusing on supplying schools with fiction, high-interest non-fiction and enhanced online support. The biggest change is that from term 3 they will no longer supply schools with non-fiction books for topic studies, that is, the boxes of books we order in to supplement the school library's own books on this topic, for example, science fair, disabilities books or fair trade resources.

So how will this effect you? The library is blessed with a healthy budget which gives us the ability to already support our students with fiction, high-interest non-fiction and time to curate some digital resources. Exactly what National Library is transforming to. So the changes will not have a major impact at our school. Timely collaboration and communication between library and departments will be imperative to ensure support of your topics. As this will be the last year we will be able to order subject/topic books through National Library please get your orders into me by 13 March.  

CONCERNS over National Library's Services to Schools Changes

• timing of announcement - one week before school finished for the 2014 year
• NLNZ choosing to supply quality fiction and high-interest non-fiction, the same as most school libraries presently do, means budget changes to buy the more expensive, less used topic non-fiction to cover the curriculum, and less on the fiction to encourage reading engagement
• bulk purchasing and distribution of books to schools by NL is an efficient way to use taxes and funding for education providing equity across schools. Under the new changes, every school will need to purchase these expensive books to support the curriculum which may only be used once a year. Schools with insufficient funding and/or librarian knowledge will be disadvantaged. Disparity across NZ schools will widen to the detriment of our students. 
• lack of access to digital collections due to technology issues - both connectivity and quantity of computers/devices in schools
• appropriateness, quality and quantity of digital resources, particularly for primary students
• lack of consultation with schools or school librarians
• such a minimal cost saving, $392,000 a year to lose such a well-supported service
• distribution/control of NL resources within school - particularly in schools with no library or where librarian does not have the hours or tech support to issue/return non-collection items
• school library budgets aren't sufficient to buy quantity of inquiry topic non-fiction for classes
• small public libraries do not have the budgets or expertise to buy the range of inquiry topic non-fiction required

SLANZA National Executive has been writing letters to Ministers of Parliament, National Library, PPTA, NZEI, LIANZA, New Zealand Principal's Federation and half a dozen others voicing our concerns. Feedback received has been strongly adverse to National Library's changes. ActionStation have taken up a petition supporting our cause and the Labour Party's open letter has gathered over 17,500 signatures to date. We even have Eleanor Catton, Elizabeth Knox and Lorde backing us!

For further information, discussion or to add your voice and/or signature to the outrage over this nonsensical decision, please see me

I hope this may be useful for you. Good luck. And if you do share with staff, please let me know.

Julia