Agenda - National Library Services to
Schools Changes
 |
| List of Northland's concerns with Garth, Dee & Alyson |
Whangarei Boys
High School Library - Wednesday February 25
Meeting
opened at 3:45pm.
Present:
Dee Brooker
|
Whangarei Boys
High School
|
Jane Woods
|
Pompallier Catholic
College
|
Alyson
Gates
|
Kamo High
School
|
Catherine
Pilkington
|
Otamatea High
School
|
Trudy
Norrish
|
Kamo Intermediate
|
Sonya
Prchal
|
Morningside
School
|
Garth Rodda
|
Whangarei Intermediate
|
Julia
Smith
|
Kerikeri High
School
|
Apologies: Lisa Salter, Dargaville Libraries; Carol
Crowley, Tikipnga High School
We
acknowledged that these changes prove a conflict of interest for our terrific
National Library Advisor Jeannie Skinner, who was unable to attend the
meeting.
A member of
the National Library Leadership team, Geraldine
Howell, Director, Literacy, Learning and Public Programmes along
with Elizabeth Jones, were invited to attend our Northland meeting but
the invitation was declined due to a clash of dates.
This meeting
was essential to allow members to voice their concerns and openly discuss the
changes proposed. Although we felt this was a fait accompli, we all volunteered
opinions and talked freely on how these changes would affect us. It
was a learning experience for us all to hear how other members viewed the
changes. We were unanimously concerned at National Library's
proposed transformation to services.
We congratulated
ourselves that Northland schools had borrowed 29,595 books in 2014, and wondered
how that data may change this year. Then, as repercussions of the new
services take effect, we discussed the probable drop in usage in 2016. Those
present predominantly represented Intermediate and High Schools that had
no need, inclination, or space for more fiction and high-interest non-fiction.
Therefore we were greatly concerned that the decline in uptake of National
Library books from 2016 onwards may be interpreted that the service is no
longer required, that books are no longer required. Would this decline in usage
be evidence towards the dissolution of school libraries?
Members also
voiced their concern that this was just the beginning of National Library changes;
they feared what would come next for school libraries.
Other
concerns discussed in detail, listed:
·
Lack of
library budget means reliance on NLNZ books
·
Already
buying fiction and high-interest non-fiction
·
Lack of
consultation
·
Connectivity
issues
·
Disparity
·
Timeliness
of announcement – second to last week of school
·
Suitability
and quality of books chosen for your school
·
Quantity of
books insufficient
·
Logistics of
handling books
·
Public
Libraries providing books
Quote of the
day: National Library New Zealand is the envy of the world, why would they
want to damage that reputation? (apologies, Jane or Catherine, please confirm
who said this)
Thanks to
Dee Brooker who asked teaching staff to submit written comments on
their usage of National Library resources, these collectively reflect the
teachers' dismay at the upcoming changes. I will take these to the National
Executive meeting later this month.
We thanked
Garth Rodda for his re-worked letter against the National Library
changes , (original by Bridget Schaumann) which three Northland members I
know of used to gather support and signatures from staff.
Meeting closed about 5:00pm
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