IFLA School Libraries Section 2022 Midyear Meeting

[Darryl Toerien Keymaster]

On 21-22 April 2022, Blanchelande College hosted the midyear meeting of the School Libraries Section of IFLA ahead of the 2022 World Library and Information Congress in Dublin, Ireland, from 26-29 July. The programme (which may be downloaded as a PDF from here) featured the following presentations, which are all available from the links below. The videos are also available directly in this playlist from the new FOSIL Group YouTube channel.

Please post any questions or comments about the event or presentations in this forum topic (below).

1. Welcome and Introductions (Video – 32min) | (PPT presentation)

• Darryl Toerien, Head of Inquiry Based Learning, Blanchelande College
• Rob O’Brien, Principal, Blanchelande College
• Alison Tarrant, Chief Executive Officer, UK School Library Association
• Michael Fattorini, Trustee, Blanchelande College

2. Conceptual Design of Heroic Inquiry (Video – 55min) | (PPT presentation)

• Hugh Rose, Design Director at Blanchelande College, on conceptual design work on heroic inquiry and the Senior Library’s knowledge map (see the College Prospectus for an example of Hugh’s work on the Hero’s Journey)
• Michael Fattorini, one of Blanchelande’s three Trustees, also offers an introduction to the College at the end of Hugh’s presentation

3. Implementing the IFLA School Library Guidelines at Blanchelande College (Video – 34min) | (PPT presentation)

• Darryl Toerien, Head of Inquiry-Based Learning at Blanchelande College, Originator of the FOSIL Inquiry Cycle, Elected Member of the Standing Committee of the School Libraries Section of IFLA, and Co-opted Board Member of the UK School Library Association

4. KEYNOTE – Our Evolving Understanding of Inquiry: 1988-Present (Video – 68 min) | (PPT presentation)

• Barbara Stripling, Professor Emerita at Syracuse University, Originator of Stripling’s Model of Inquiry / the Empire State Information Fluency Continuum, and current President of the Freedom to Read Foundation

5. Curricular Inquiry: Learning Between the Library and the Classroom (Video – 65min) | (PPT presentation)

• Joe Sanders, Teacher of Politics and International Relations, Senior Lead Practitioner, Initial Teacher Training Co-ordinator and Senior Tutor at Oakham School
  Jenny Toerien, Curriculum Librarian and EPQ Co-ordinator at Blanchelande College

6. Extracurricular Inquiry: Learning Beyond the Classroom – Lessons from the IB Diploma Programme Extended Essay and the Extended Project Qualification (Video – 34min) | (PPT presentation)

• Jenny Toerien, Curriculum Librarian and EPQ Co-ordinator at Blanchelande College

7. Mapping Inquiry-Based Learning in a Dynamic Curriculum (Video – 34min) | (PPT presentation)

• Kevin Heppell, Dynamic Curriculum Adviser at Sequential and co-creator of the Mondrian Wall

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The School Libraries Section 2022 Midyear Meeting reflects the strategic importance and value of the following two key IFLA publications, both of which will be launched at the 2022 World Library and Information Congress in Dublin, Ireland:

• The revised IFLA/UNESCO School Library Manifesto (2022), which revitalises the principles upholding the IFLA School Library Guidelines (2015)
• The latest book in the Global Action on School Libraries series, Models of Inquiry (2022), which reaffirms the centrality of inquiry to achieving our educational and moral purpose

[Elizabeth Hutchinson Participant]

Thanks, Darryl and Jenny for organising such an amazing event! You should be very proud of yourselves!

[Ruth Participant]

Thank you for posting these. Although I couldn’t be there in person I really appreciate the opportunity to hear what was presented.

Thank you,

Ruth

[Jenny Toerien Keymaster]

Thanks Ruth. Glad they are useful. Sorry you couldn’t make it in the end – we missed you!

[Barbara Stripling Participant]

I am so pleased that the conversation about inquiry-based teaching and learning is continuing through this Forum.  I enjoyed creating my presentation and sharing the ongoing questions that Darryl and I are pursuing through our weekly conversations.  We have so much left to learn and develop to bring inquiry-based learning alive in all of our schools.  Darryl set an important context for our work in libraries – the culture of education itself through the entire school.  The implementation presentations by Jenny and Joe were phenomenal.  Yes, we can do this!  And they are proof that we, as educators, can change our whole approach to teaching and make a huge difference in the quality of learning for our students.  Their presentations (one with both of them; the other by Jenny alone) were definitely worth getting up at 5 AM (my time).

I am looking forward to our continuing conversation.  I have much to learn.

[Darryl Toerien Keymaster]

Thank you, Barbara – we have much to learn from each each other indeed!

I have written a personal report on the Midyear Meeting for Standing Committee of the School Libraries Section, which I have reproduced here.

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On 21-22 April 2022, Blanchelande College was honoured to host the midyear meeting of the School Libraries Section of IFLA ahead of the 2022 World Library and Information Congress in Dublin, Ireland, from 26-29 July.

The Business and Professional Development Programme reflected the strategic importance and value of the following two key IFLA publications, both of which will be launched at the 2022 World Library and Information Congress in Dublin, Ireland:

• The revised IFLA School Library Manifesto (2022), which is currently with UNESCO for ratification, and which revitalises the principles upholding the IFLA School Library Guidelines (2015)
• The latest book in the Global Action for School Libraries series, Models of Inquiry (2022), which reaffirms the centrality of inquiry to achieving the school library’s educational and moral purpose

Standing Committee member Darryl Toerien, who is Head of Inquiry-Based Learning at Blanchelande College, was joined by Standing Committee members Valérie Glass (Chair, France), Luisa Marquardt (Secretary, Italy), Albert Boekhorst (Brazil) and Hans-Petter Storemyr (Norway), and by Ali Kennedy, Vice-Chair of the Board of the UK School Library Association.

We were joined in person by Guernsey-based colleagues and online by colleagues who were not able to travel to Guernsey, and the Professional Development Programme was both streamed and recorded (see the FOSIL Group YouTube playlist). We are deeply grateful to those colleagues who contributed so freely of their time and expertise to the Professional Development Programme – Hugh Rose, Barbara Stripling, Joe Sanders and Jenny Toerien, and Kevin Heppell. We are also deeply grateful to Valérie, Luisa, Albert and Hans-Petter for their active contributions to proceedings in addition to their attendance, which enlarged and enriched the local context.

We were very pleased to draw the attention of the Guernsey Press to the work of IFLA and the School Libraries Section, with coverage in the national newspaper on both days of the Business and Professional Development Programme (see below for photograph by Luke Le Prevost from an article by Cloe Presland for Guernsey Press).

Because school libraries serve an educational purpose – improving teaching and learning for all – and a moral purpose – making a difference in the personal, social and cultural lives of young people – we were delighted supplement the Business and Professional Development Programme with an informal cultural programme that was made possible through the generous support of the following:

• Guernsey Museums for the early bird visit to the Guernsey Museum at Candie, including Victoria Tower, Candie Gardens and The Priaulx Library
• Blanchelande College for hosting the midyear meeting, including refreshments and lunch for all delegates, as well as transport to and from the College
• Sarnia Hotels for providing accommodation at Moores Hotel, as well as hosting the opening reception and dinner
• The UK School Library Association for sponsoring the opening reception and dinner at Moores Hotel
• The Bella Luce for hosting the pre-meeting dinner and planning session
• Maisons de Victor Hugo Paris – Guernsey for a guided tour of Hauteville House, to coincide with the 160th anniversary of Les Misérables, which Victor Hugo published while living here
• The Guille-Allès Library for a guided tour, to coincide with UNESCO World Book Day (April 23rd)
• Guernsey Museums for a guided tour of Castle Cornet, as well as hosting the closing lunch

We are also deeply grateful to Elizabeth Hutchinson, previously Head of the Schools Library Service at the Guille-Allès Library, for assistance with all aspects of the formal and informal programme.

Rob O’Brien, Principal of Blanchelande College, highlighted in his welcome that the pandemic had tested the potential and limitations the school library as a virtual learning space, and that, in turn, the proposal that the library is both a virtual and physical learning space integral to the educational process could never be more promising. Michael Fattorini, a Trustee of Blanchelande College, confirmed this in his closing remarks, and reaffirmed the role of the school librarian in this space as a teacher whose subject is the inquiry-based educational process itself.

A fitting start and finish to very special time with enormously talented colleagues, who have also become dear friends, as we individually and collectively work out our long obedience in the same direction.

[Author]

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