@Elizabeth @sjbloomers @dawnwoods2000 @micwag Same. Hadn't come across it. Don't think I'd be confident using it in a sentence myself yet. :)

I do use the craap test and I have experienced some of the limitations that Mike talks about. It is quite a time-consuming process and doesn’t always lead to clarity for the student. However, it can be a great starting point to think about information literacy and the internet. I have been reading some of Mikes work and I’m interested in the Four moves especially reading laterally.

@Elizabeth yes this is my biggest worry. I've started to consider how I ensure I have other senior leaders on board and highlight why I have the support I currently get now in case of changes in the future. Constantly communicating the important role the library is playing :)

As I mentioned earlier I'm a hesitant tweeter but I'm @rhewireed I tend to tweet books and the odd library display. I use it more for PLN than a promotional tool for my library

@micwag not patronising at all. Thanks for the support. After I finished posting my responses I tweeted :) I will add that #GreatSchoolLibraries to my tweet deck. We have a similar campaign going here too #studentsneedschoollibraries

I do a couple of things to highlight our services but the most effective thing has been running professional development on using ICT in the classroom. This led to me running a support group that meets 3 times a term and team teaching. I think it has allowed my colleagues to see my skill set and has opened up other conversations relating to research skills and library resources. It has definitely increased the amount of projects/programs I’m running/collaborating on.

I like using twitter a lot, but I am guilty of lurking. I find it hard to post something meaningful. I’d be keen to make stronger connections and perhaps connecting school to school.

We don’t do too much fundraising here. We just have a donations pot of money that parents can contribute to. As I’ve mentioned my principal is extremely supportive and I’m lucky I can talk to them if I need extra for specific projects. We do a lot of fundraising for charity at our school and we support a couple of charities through our library events, such as book swaps and cake stalls.

I thought these bits provided good insights into possible scenarios and how to overcome them. This is something I haven’t completely planned for in the past as I currently have a highly supportive principal. However, it is something I will consider more carefully in the future.

@Elizabeth @dawnwoods2000 @Annie perception is our biggest hurdle - we have to constantly sell ourselves and our services.

They were realistic but I'm in week 11 (bit tired). I’ll definitely revisit these next term. What I have done is print out the mission statement that was hidden away in the policy and procedures manual and looking at rewording it for the students and displaying it in a more engaging and prominent way. The rewording of library expectations (rules) is another one I'll probably do this week :)

@Elizabeth the wish list grabbed me too. I have book request slips but displaying requests more publicly as suggested would hopefully engage more students.

I found the tone of the book very high energy and enjoyed a new perspective on things I have tried and things I had thought about trying. I think what stands out to you will depend on where you are in your practice and the context of your school needs. The chapters that stood out for me were hacks 2 & 10. The policies and procedure was pertinent as I’m revisiting mine due to our organisation introducing a new risk management process to replace biannual stocktakes. It gave me some fresh perspective on library rules for students and the push I needed to re-engage with our website which needs some TLC. The celebrate reading hack gave me some quick ideas to promote a reading culture in the school. It tied in nicely with a online meetup I did last month hosted by the School Library Association of NSW where Dr Margaret Merga talked about supporting struggling readers. I’ve purchased her new book Reading Engagement for Tweens and Teens for my next read.