home

=Teacher Librarians Campaign 2010 Federal Election=

RESULTS NOW ANALYZED ON THE HUB WEBSITE.
Conducted by [|The Hub: Campaign for Quality School Libraries in Australia]

We are sending emails to as many candidates as possible. For their education as much as anything else! :-). So far letters have been sent to every Liberal/National Party candidate, Independent candidates, the Greens education spokesperson and leader, incumbent Labor candidates, Family First and the Democrats. Many more candidates to contact. [|Our letter to Labor candidates]. Candidates are more likely to give considered responses to their own electorate constituents, so please write to members in your electorate now. [|Here is one letter to use] or change as you wish. Here is a longer sample letter you can adapt for your local federal candidates, or use as a follow up. You can [|find your electorate] here and [|find your candidates here]. Write a letter today and put the candidate response on this Hub Campaign wiki. Let’s get every political candidate supporting the need for a teacher librarian in every school library now!

See also the template letters on the [|ALIA election site]. Using [|your state or territory’s hearing transcript] for relevant quotations is a great idea of Karen Bonanno’s. Whatever you do, do let your candidates know that school libraries make a difference to student learning and literacy and it is time to arrest their national decline!

Some of the questions we asked of the candidates:

 * We wish to know if you will stand up for the profession of teacher librarianship and its value in building a literate and information literate nation?
 * Do you support the staffing of every state school with the full time equivalent of a qualified teacher librarian?
 * Do you support the development of federal standards for school library staffing and funding?
 * Will you give federal support for the increase of TL tertiary training courses and sponsorship of the number of places needed for the FTE of a qualified TL in every state school?
 * Do you support collection of national data on school library staffing, funding, and scheduling, through requiring thorough and consistent collection by all states, territories and sectors?
 * Do you support development of leadership programs through the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership in best practice in administering school library programs and developing excellence in teacher librarians?
 * Will you include a statement of support in your education platform for well-staffed 21st century school libraries for Australia’s students?

How the candidates responded. Please include any responses received.

 * Democrats
 * Greens
 * Liberals
 * Labor
 * Nationals
 * Family First
 * Independents
 * Other