Forging Strong Links

Strategies for Building a Collaborative Information Literate Learning Community through the School Library

Abstract

Integrating information skills into the school curriculum is one of the prime focus areas of the teacher librarian and strong collaboration is a key to the library becoming a vital cog in the teaching and learning mission of a school. This is easily said, but how do we make it happen? What strategies can we use for building information literacy and effecting change? This paper will briefly consider definitions and models of information literacy and collaboration, particularly Montiel-Overall’s work, including the theoretical and pedagogical underpinning of these ideas. As well as reflecting on the role and the mindset of the teacher librarian, a range of practical macro- and micro-strategies for effectively developing information literacy in collaboration with teaching staff will be presented, including technology, special learning needs, building a reading culture, literacy and instructional design. A self-diagnostic tool developed from this paper will be offered to enable each teacher librarian to evaluate opportunities for further developing information literacy through his/her library.