Wheelers ePlatform Important Upgrades

The Wheelers ePlatform team have advised that they have made improvements to their mobile apps, and as SLANZA provide our members access to a selection of eBooks via this ePlatform we thought you may like to know just what improvements have been made.

Remember if you have not already signed up for the Wheelers ePlatform you can do this here to take advantage of some great PD resources.

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We're delighted to announce major improvements to our mobile apps which will go live this Sunday night / Monday morning.  This is a very significant upgrade, and apart from the improvements to the mobile apps themselves, it heralds the arrival of our superb Audiobook solution.

The mobile app upgrade includes:

• Audiobook Capability 
• Full Screen Reading Mode
• Quick Access to Common Functions
• Navigation Improvements
• Numerous Bug Fixes (eg. IOS Library Search Issue)

These upgrades will affect all of your students and patrons who use ePlatform. The attached PDF highlights the key changes in more detail. The main technical change you need to be aware of is your students/patrons will need to go through the 'Find Library' step again, which was unavoidable to ensure a bug free experience.

We are offering Audiobook Shared Collections to school customers in AU/NZ/UK. This extraordinary innovation means Audiobooks are within every customer's budget for the first time.

Any questions please let us know, or feel free to register your interest in our Audiobooks solution.  

Kind Regards,

ePlatform Team

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ePlatform Team

Check out our ground-breaking eBook and Audiobook consortiums for schools – same day setup! Click here – ePlatform One

Media Statement from SLANZA in response to TVNZ report: Overcrowding Forces 178 NZ Schools To Go Without A Library

“Figures released under the Official Information Act show more than a hundred schools in New Zealand don't even have a library.”

(TVNZ, 2017)

The School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa, SLANZA, are seriously concerned at the announcement of closures of school libraries to accommodate the growing roles within schools in New Zealand.

We believe the school library is a fundamental resource for students and staff and we strongly believe all schools should not only have a library, but that it be staffed by a specialist librarian.

Research in New Zealand and in over sixty overseas studies, show that having a school library staffed by a qualified professional librarian increases student achievement. (I Love Libraries, 2015), (National Library of New Zealand, 2010).

“There are 178 New Zealand schools that don't have a dedicated library, while 330 schools have less library space than they're entitled to.”

(TVNZ, 2017)

The Ministry of Education is required to provide enough classrooms for schools who have increasing rolls; it is a dire predicament when schools are forced to use other facilities such as their libraries to cope with the demand for space. SLANZA questions the Ministry’s attitude to these space issues and indeed their attitude to school libraries.

School libraries and librarians have a huge impact on the educational quality of a school. SLANZA presumes that principals, teachers and parents are voicing their outrage that government policy is not responding to the growing school rolls and supplying adequate building funds. SLANZA stands alongside parents, teachers and principals to promote the positive educational outcomes that a school library and a suitably qualified school librarian make in every school. We support the right for every student in New Zealand to have access to a school library and school librarian.

REFERENCES

I Love Libraries. (2015). Student Success. Retrieved from http://www.ilovelibraries.org/school-libraries/school-libraries-and-student-success

National Library of New Zealand. (2010). School Libraries and learning. Retrieved from http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/school-libraries/effective-practice/school-libraries-and-learning-research

TVNZ. (2017). Overcrowding forces 178 NZ schools to go without a library. Retrieved from https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/overcrowding-forces-178-nz-schools-go-without-library

The Sapling - New Zealand website celebrating children's literature

SLANZA wants to ensure that all members are aware of The Sapling, the brilliant New Zealand website celebrating children’s literature. We believe anyone promoting and raising the profile of reading for New Zealand children is an enterprise worth supporting and we wish Jane Arthur and Sarah Forster every success.

Morena lovely school librarians,

My name is Sarah Forster and I’m one of the editors, alongside Jane Arthur, ofwww.thesapling.co.nz, which I’m guessing most of you will know is a brand-new website created to talk about children’s literature. We will cover everything from board books to YA books, in a variety of formats - essays, interviews, reviews and more.

We are already very proud of what we have created, and we hope you have had a chance to look around the site. Here is Kyle Mewburn’s plea for a Children’s Laureate, Nina Powles’ tribute to Hermoine, and Kate De Goldi’s love letter to public libraries as a starter. And an interview between David Elliot and Gavin Bishopfor another.

One of the monthly pieces we will run is an interview with a school librarian from somewhere in NZ. In March we will feature Desna Wallace from Fendalton Open Air School, and in April, Kimberley Atkinson from Robertson Road School. We will reach out to school librarians in all sorts of situations all over New Zealand for this piece, in an effort to recognise the efforts you all make to help your kids to embrace literacy.

I am writing to ask you if you could please promote this valuable space for children’s literature in your school newsletter by whatever means you have at your disposal. I have included a brief info-note below, that is hopefully around the right length - if you’d prefer a lengthier press release email me ateditors@thesapling.co.nz.

“The Sapling is a website all about children’s books, because books grow humans. We take kids’ lit seriously, and we show it by commissioning essays, interviews, reviews and even crafts from some amazing kiwi writers and illustrators. You can find us at www.thesapling.co.nz, and follow us on Facebook @thesaplingnz and Twitter @TheSaplingNZ. Join our conversation!”

If you want to know a little more about us, we had a long interview in The Pantograph Punch the other day you’re welcome to check out. (PS if my name is familiar it’s probably from my time with the NZ Book Council.)

Thank you so much for reading about The Sapling, I hope you all enjoy exploring it as much as Jane and I have enjoyed creating it.

Enjoy your day,

Sarah Forster

Editor

The Sapling

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TheSapling.co.nz

The Sapling on Facebook

The Sapling on Twitter

Connected digital learning - Fake News module reminder

This is a reminder that Registrations for the Digital Literacy - Fake News module of the Connected Librarians course close this Friday 17 March.  

Being digitally literate is an increasingly important part of allowing people to participate as informed citizens in today’s society. It encompasses a variety of knowledge, skills and behaviours, some of which need to be explicitly taught.

As digital literacy is such a large area to cover, this module will focus on just one key aspect - the ability to identify, mitigate and deal with “fake news”.

The course will be starting on Monday 27 March. 

This course is designed by New Zealand school librarians, for school librarians - for anyone who is ready and willing to learn and try new things and share their thoughts and learning with others. 

The course is free for SLANZA members. 

Please visit the Online PD page on our SLANZA website for further information and to register.

Membership fees reminder

We wish to thank all the SLANZA members who have already paid their membership fees for 2017. At present, 50% of members have paid their subscription.

SLANZA is the voice of school libraries throughout New Zealand, aiming to strengthen and promote the role of school library staff as well as the library itself.

Your membership allows us to extend our professional development, resources and relationships that benefit all our members. For example, our current online professional development, both the Connected learning module of Fake News and the Google+ professional discussion on Censorship, are offered free and exclusively to SLANZA members.

Please note that the $60.00 membership fees for 2017 are due by 31 March. We sincerely appreciate your support.

If you are unsure if this year’s subscription has been paid, please enquire with your school accounts person in the first instance, before contacting Ngaio Blackwood at admin@slanza.org.nz. Receipts are a little delayed this year but will be out shortly.

Fake News - the next topic for Connected Librarians

Registrations for the Digital Literacy - Fake News module of the Connected Librarians course are currently open.  

Being digitally literate is an increasingly important part of allowing people to participate as informed citizens in today’s society. It encompasses a variety of knowledge, skills and behaviours, some of which need to be explicitly taught.

As digital literacy is such a large area to cover, this module will focus on just one key aspect - the ability to identify, mitigate and deal with “fake news”.

Applications close on Friday 17 March and the course will be starting on Monday 27 March. 

This course is designed by New Zealand school librarians, for school librarians - those just starting out with online tools, who are ready and willing to try new things. 

The course is free for SLANZA members. 

Please visit the Online PD page on our SLANZA website for further information and to register.