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Pledger Consulting Pty Ltd (LinksPlus/WebLinks)

Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year Award 2004
International School Library Day, 25 October 2004

The winner of the Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year Award for 2004 is:

Margaret Holman, Black Forest Primary School, South Australia

This national award recognises and honours an exceptional Australian Teacher Librarian in a school setting whose professional practice has a positive impact on student achievement and information literacy.

This Award carries a $1500 cash prize from Pledger Consulting Pty Ltd and $500 WebLinks - LinksPlus products.

ASLA describes the role of a teacher librarian as having three key professional specialisations:

•  Curriculum leader
•  Information specialist
•  Information services manager

The Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year 2004 is awarded to a Teacher Librarian who demonstrates a high level of achievement in each of these three components of their role and thus provides a library and information service that improves student learning .

We congratulate all the state and territory nominees for this award:

ACT: Jan Sismey , Ainslie Primary School	NSW: Cecily Trevillion, St John the Evangelist Catholic HS
QLD: Denise Tarlinton, Kurwongbah State School	SA: Margaret Holman, Black Forest Primary School
TAS: Judy Moss, The Friends' School	WA: Jeff Herd, Ballajura Community College

The task of selecting one winner was very difficult as nominees showed excellent performance on the selection criteria, all received enthusiastic endorsement from their Principal and school-based colleagues and provided strong evidence of programmes which made an impact on student learning in their school.

The winner of the Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year Award for 2004 is:

Her Principal and referees describe Margaret's professional contribution in the following words:

“Margaret believes that her main role as Teacher Librarian is to assist children to become confident and critical users of information, and this is mainly achieved through the Resource-based Learning (RBL) programme. She ensures that children are also confident and critical users of digital information and electronic communication facilities, and her programmes of work incorporate the use of digital information.

She sets the scene for the whole school literacy programme, as she is the driving force behind it through her experience, knowledge, skills, understanding and promotion.

Margaret was also the driving force behind the current RBL/ICT programme. The RBL/ICT programme has improved the learning outcomes for pupils (and teachers!) and staff selected it as the most valued programme in the school.

Margaret managed the development and implementation of the school's Information Communication Technology Policy – this has made a significant impact upon our students' achievements, and Margaret had an active role in establishing a Learning Exchange Group in our site to look at the broader range of theories and applications that are occurring across education.

Margaret ensures that the library is a stimulating and vibrant place. This starts with the organisation and breadth of the resources all the way through to the visual element of displays.

Margaret has the wonderful ability of encouraging and supporting whilst, at the same time, challenging. Her interpersonal skills are such that she finds out what children and adults are good at and then encourages them to use and extend those skills. She takes on a mentor role for staff, supporting them and encouraging them to take their learning and practice further. In her teaching role she offers children a wide range of opportunities and learning experiences that allow all children to achieve success and to be challenged.

She is an inspirational teacher and leader and her qualities are such that she offers children structure, whilst at the same time offering them diverse and exciting tasks. Margaret's confident, personal, friendly style has enabled her to translate the big picture of learning into meaningful experiences for staff and students

In summary, her Principal states:

“Margaret's enthusiasm for education and her position as Teacher/Librarian, is infectious and over the last 10 years has had a major impact upon student learning across our school, District and State.”

It is with great honour that Pledger Consulting and ASLA announce the winner of the 2004 Teacher Librarian of the Year Award. Margaret will be presented with her award at Parliament House, Canberra as part of the ASLA Biennial Conference Dinner on Tuesday 12 April 2005.