QSLA Information Hub

This area of the website is aimed at sharing documents with all our members. If you would like to submit a document for sharing, please contact us.

Now is the time for school libraries to lead the way in providing resources for their school communities. You probably already offer links to online resources. Perhaps your school offers subscription services as well. Here are some free resources: 

Following the publication of our latest Newsletter (02/02/2023), Jennifer King from Brisbane Boys’ College has kindly shared her PowerPoint ChatGPT – Academic Integrity Implications.

Thanks a lot, Jenni.

ALIA Australian libraries responding to COVID-19. Click here for the checklist for reopening libraries.

Harvard AGPS In-Text Referencing for Senior Students

Jenni King, author of QSLA’s popular Harvard AGPS and APA guides to referencing, has recently written two Harvard AGPS PowerPoint presentations for her school’s senior Humanities and Science students. In the collegial spirit of our times, she is very happy to share these with our members, and hopes that they might be of assistance to many other students as well as her own. Although these PowerPoints are written to reflect the Harvard AGPS format, they could very easily be adapted to the APA style, since in-text referencing for both is very similar.

The Humanities PowerPoint is directed at the Year 10 Nazi Germany unit for Modern History, and uses as its theme the impact of propaganda. It displays an example of what in-text referencing should look like in a paragraph as a model for students. It then examines the reasons for in-text referencing, when in-text referencing is required within an essay, an overview of the two aspects of referencing (both in-text and end-text), and then goes on to provide examples from books and websites (databases and ebooks would be an extra instruction). It illustrates direct and indirect quotes, information-prominent and author-prominent entries, and how to reference significant people from primary sources. It concludes with suggestions regarding appropriate verbs (and those to avoid) for introducing citations, and a model of what the List of References (no longer Bibliographies) of sources used in the examples should look like. Brisbane Boys’ College still has the old CiteAce citation maker program, but any recognised citation programs would be suitable.

Jenni has also provided an equivalent PowerPoint for senior Science students which members may find helpful. She points out that it is important to understand that Science generally rejects the use of direct quotes, as it is felt these do not reflect original thinking, and that paraphrasing without losing the intended meaning shows a student’s true understanding of the information presented. This Science PowerPoint also demonstrates the Harvard AGPS use of graphic in-text referencing for both Figures (maps, charts, graphs, diagrams, photos and pictures) and Tables.

We hope our members might find these useful!

School-based action research by teachers provides experiential knowledge that legitimizes reading practices.  Patsy Norton and Elizabeth Burridge, Craigslea State High School, Queensland with acknowledgement of  teachers Nicole Preston, Angela Mason and Jacqui Scotland

  • Readers Cup In-house Research Report and Appendices - Loris Phair, Teacher-librarian at Hillbrook Anglican College

             Report

             Appendices - I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII

School Library Management

The Queensland School Library Association Inc. has obtained permission from Education Queensland to make use of the material from Resource management for schools with teacher-librarians and Resource management for schools without teacher-librarians, both published in 1991. This permission enables the association to integrate material from the two manuals and to adapt as necessary. It is not proposed to reproduce the manuals in full, but to present topics as issues that may be addressed by schools.

Issues are being prepared on an on-going basis. The editors would welcome comment on the issues already produced as a guide to their work on additional topics from the manuals. Comments should be sent to the Secretariat.

Policy Writing

Policy means different things to different people. Below is a document that contains various quotes that may assist us in trying to formulate a workable definition of policy, particularly as it applies to the school resource centre. 

The ATO has introduced a simplified method for claiming deductions for anyone working from home as a result of COVID-19.  Between 1 March and 30 June 2020, taxpayers will be able to claim 80 cents per work hour for all their additional running expenses, rather than needing to calculate costs for specific running expenses. This new method is designed to make tax returns simpler for anybody who has recently transitioned to working from home due to COVID-19, and ensures they are able to easily claim their relevant deductions.

 This information has been summarised into a Working from home media release. This was specifically designed due to the evolving nature of COVID-19 and the new temporary way of working that businesses have had to apply.

  1. Working From Home Media Release – Explains a new method for claiming expenses related to working from home

  2. Teachers Tax Time Poster – This poster provides helpful information on which expenses teachers can and cannot claim at tax time.

  3. Education Sector Toolkit – This toolkit contains two posters (one for teachers and one for office workers). It also contains a general work-related expense guide for the education sector.

  4. Pre-drafted social media posts and a newsletter article that you can include in your relevant communication channels, available on page 9 and 10 of the education toolkit. 

Here are some other excellent resources you can promote: 

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During this unprecedented time, Story Box Library is endeavouring to support schools by offering 2 free months of access to those who have had to close their doors. As part of this access, educators can not only use it as a component for any at-home learning but also for teacher librarians to use as an extension of their school's collection. We’ve also developed a tips document that is specifically for assisting closed schools, which includes: task sheets based on our stories; theme-based playlists; at home Activity time and Classroom Ideas; plus a reminder of the Accessibility features, such as audio support and closed captions.

If you hear from schools who may be looking for guidance regarding online resources at this time, or if Students Need School Libraries has a list of suggested resources to currently assist teachers and Teacher Librarians, I hope that you will consider including Story Box Library. We are strong supporters of schools and libraries in the best of times, so are especially keen to offer help where we can during this period of uncertainty.

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Well, no one could have predicted the turn Term 1 took (or maybe a few dystopian writers did?). As you will all know, school library teams really stood up and made themselves invaluable during the last few weeks, as always. As you are gearing up for an even bigger Term 2, I wondered if I could take just a few moments of your time.

The Task: We want to know what you, as a library staff member or library team, have been focusing on during this COVID crisis.

The Goal: To continue sharing the word about the importance of school libraries and school library staff. Schools are blessed to have you. And the schools without you are probably wishing they did have you right about now.

What you would need to do: Take 5 minutes to respond to the questions below or write a short paragraph about how your school library is responding to the COVID crisis and email it to blog@studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au Anyone involved in school libraries in any way is welcome to respond, from school library staff to parents or students, authors running virtual visits or publishers providing access to resources.

We will feature responses on the Students Need School Libraries Website and social media pages and we hope to share the stories around the world in collaboration with our international colleagues. We hope we can rally around each together during this time to support each other, our students, school staff and the wider community. Please let us know if you have any other ideas you would like to share.

Snapshot of a School Library during COVID-19.

  1. What has been the focus for your school library/ role during the COVID-19 crisis?

  2. What major tasks have you achieved?

  3. What has been the result for staff and/or students?

  4. What other information would you like readers to know?

  • Do you give permission for this information to be shared beyond the Students Need School Libraries website and social media, for example in an articles for a school library journal? Yes/No/I’d need to be contacted first

  • Would you like this posted anonymously: Yes/No. If no, please answer the questions below.

    • Your role/s:

    • Your school:

You can find more information here. https://studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au/blog/share-your-covid-19-school-library-experience/

Example:

  1. Organising information for teachers  

  2. Making lists of databases with temporarily open access  

  3. Teacher and students are calm and focused on teaching and learning because they can quickly find what they need.

  4. Our school library staff have been busier than ever during COVID. Without the work we are doing students and teachers would be stressed and overwhelmed trying to find some random email for each thing being shared, or they wouldn’t even know that that database exists!

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Good news!

A School Storytime agreement is in place with publishers. Please see link which also provides a pdf of the agreement to download:

https://www.smartcopying.edu.au/docs/default-source/Info-Sheets-PDFs/storytime-agreement-for-schools020514178454.pdf?sfvrsn=4

Please share with your respective networks, corporate communications, curriculum areas etc. and if possible on suitable social media.

Please also share the information that with COVID-19 copyright issues are addressed on  www.smartcopying.edu.au  and the National Copyright Unit can be contacted for further advice.

Katherine  Capper  (Tues, Wed & alt. Mon)
Senior Information Officer (Copyright)
Information and Governance Management Digital Transformation | Information and Technologies Branch Department of Education
P: 07 3034 5235   
E: katherine.capper@qed.qld.gov.au