Curious and Wild - Book Week and International School Library Day 2020

Written by Madison Dearnaley, Teacher Librarian, Pacific Lutheran College

I’d love to meet you at the National Education Summit Brisbane where I will be presenting at the Capacity Building School Libraries Conference on 5 & 6 August 2022…..come along and say Hi!

What do you love most about school libraries? For you, maybe it’s a memory of a cherished special corner to disappear to at lunchtime, or a book you came back to over and over. Maybe, as a teacher, it’s the resources or teacher librarian who can grab you exactly the books or video or link you need just minutes before your next lesson. Or maybe, it’s as a principal and you love how the library is the bubbling, vibrant, beating heart of your school. Maybe as a parent, you love the piles of books your child brings home and asks you to read the same one over and over again. Maybe, as a school counsellor you love knowing the students you are working with can find a safe space in the library. Or maybe, as a school library staff member you love the crazy, busy atmosphere and the chaos that all results in a whole lot of learning, escaping to new and imagined worlds, finding just the right book to fall in love with, or finally learning how to master that essay/bibliography/photocopy machine. All of this and more in just one day in any well-loved school library.  

I would challenge anyone to step into a colourful, happening school library today and not fall in love. While 2020 changed a lot about what was happening in school libraries, there was still time to celebrate some very special events in the last part of the year to spread the word and love about school libraries. 

Due to COVID-19, the dates of CBCA Book Week 2020 were switched from their usual place in late August to the 17th to the 23rd of October. This change meant that International School Library Day fell right in the middle of Book Week, on the 20nd of October. It seemed a perfect match; two special events that promote and celebrate literature, reading, school libraries and how they and their staff serve their school communities and support a love of reading and learning in students. On top of that, October was named International School Library Month by the International Association of School Librarianship. The theme for which in 2020 was “Finding your way to good health and well being.” All up, it was a month-long, week-long and special one-day celebration. And this year, despite the extra precautions needed to work with COVID restrictions, despite a year of challenges and setbacks, it was a big celebration.  

Book Week

The Book Week theme for 2020 was Curious Creatures, Wild Minds. More details about the theme and the official artwork can be found on the CBCA website - https://www.cbca.org.au/cbca-book-week. Book Week is always a very special week for libraries and book shops around Australia, especially school libraries. It is a time to shine, to share with their communities just how special books, reading and libraries are.  

While some schools stuck to the original August dates for Book Week and others host it at another time all together, no matter the time or place Book Week is celebrated, it is always a lot of fun. Many schools study the CBCA Book of the Year shortlist and notable books in the lead up to Book Week. Many libraries run competitions, special activities, displays, reading picnics, and author visits. Others give out prizes, host special morning teas, have colouring in sessions, and run story times. And then, of course, are the Book Week costume parades. Perhaps parents dread these as they scramble to put together a costume so that Millie can dress up as Billie B Brown, or Peter can come as Petey (he’s the villainous cat from Dog Man). But the excitement of the students as they try to guess who everyone is dressed as, as they show off their home-made costumes and compare their favourite books, is worth all and any agony. Book parades are so much fun. In 2020, school libraries got creative with how they involved parents and the whole school community due to COVID-19 restrictions. Some created and shared videos of classroom-based parades, others completed neighbourhood walks, and others shared Facebook Live events. I encourage you to discover what happened in your school library during Book Week 2020.

Madison book week 1.png

International School Library Day

This year, the Students Need School Libraries campaign teamed up with ALIA to promote and celebrate International School Library Day - https://studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au/isld2020/  On the 20th of October, right in the middle of Book Week, the international community helped spread the word and love about all the amazing things school libraries and their staff do. ALIA launched a colouring-in competition and provided a range of beautiful graphics to help school libraries promote the day here - https://www.alia.org.au/ideas-campaigns-and-events-your-library/international-school-library-day  School libraries celebrated with special displays, author or illustrator visits, story times, writing competitions, and more.

Madison book week 2.png

The Students Need School Libraries campaign started the Curious and Wild blog post series as a culmination of Book Week and International School Library Day - https://studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au/isld2020/curious-and-wild/. School library staff are often curious and a little bit wild. Curious about the latest technology, the best resources for students, new and exciting opportunities for learning and how they can best serve their school communities. They are also wild – wild about dressing up, trying new things, hosting parties and book clubs and author visits. The blog post series aimed to promote all the varied and amazing things school libraries do, as well as offer a chance for people to ask their questions about the things they were curious about school libraries. Anyone can submit their curious questions and wild statements, which are then featured on the Students Need School Libraries website and social media accounts. It’s not too late to get involved, so we encourage you to contribute your own curious or wild responses here - https://studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au/isld2020/curious-and-wild/curious-and-wild-submissions/

Madison book week 3.png

The Students Need School Libraries campaign also hosted a Zoom Live event for parents about everything they need to know about school libraries. It was a great success, with 25 engaged attendees from around Australia and the world. The attendees used the event to listen to Holly Godfree, Students Need School Libraries Campaign Coordinator, talk about the role of school libraries and their importance, as well as ways parents can check what is happening in their school library. The session attendees asked lots of questions and reported that this event was both useful and interesting. The presentation format used is available for parents, teachers, school library staff and others to download and use to promote school library. The presentation slides and notes are available to download from the Students Need School Libraries website.

Madison book week 4.png.jpg

Keep an eye on the Students Need School Libraries website and socials for more details about these events and more - https://studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au/  

Instagram: @StudentsNeedSchoolLibraries

Twitter: @NeedSchoolLibs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StudentsNeedSchoolLibraries/

I encourage you to get involved with your school library. I hope you can help spread the word about the importance of school libraries and all the amazing opportunities they provide to students.

I’d love to meet you at the National Education Summit Brisbane where I will be presenting at the Capacity Building School Libraries Conference on 5 & 6 August 2022…..come along and say Hi!

Margo Metcalf