Working for free - some thoughts

In this past week, I was asked by someone online to reconsider my availability for unpaid work as it was seen to be undermining the profession. Here are some thoughts that I shared about working for free, with them and some members of the profession. 

Some might think a persons decision to work for free is going to undermine the profession. At the end of the day, it comes down to the individuals decision of whether or not they are going to offer themselves to work at the award rate, less than the award rate or work for free.

Working for free can benefit an individual. When I did my Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) course, I felt that the course was not going to have the soft and practical skills needed to do the job and offered myself to do some unpaid work as a means of getting experience. Even as a casual teacher, I managed to do this for about a year or so along with unpaid work in a council library.

Personally, doing this free work not only helped me with gaining skills and professional experience but boosted self esteem and confidence. You might not be getting paid for it, but you feel like you are doing something. You then meet people who can refer you on or even offer you work. ​Employers will look upon it in a positive way when they are looking to hire you. At the end of the day, it is better than sitting at home twiddling your thumbs. 

Thank you to those who contacted me with their messages of support and sharing their own experiences of working for free as well.

Some entries where I reflect on that experience are below:

Entry 1

Entry 2

Entry 3

The importance of Reading

Below is a slightly edited extract from a newsletter article that will be published in the newsletter for Kingsgrove North High School here in Sydney focusing on the importance of reading and relating it to Book Week. One of the objectives of Book Week (August 20-26) is to highlight the importance of reading. Reading is a key skill that underpins success not just in learning, but also life. How can a person add or subtract numbers if they cannot read? How can a person explain the steps in undertaking a Science experiment if they cannot read? Currently Australian 15 year olds are ranked 14th in Reading amongst OECD nations, which is actually a decrease when compared with other nations from the year 2000. I have come across students at various schools who tell me that they don't read because they "Don’t like Reading". This perception may have formed because reading has been approached as a chore e.g Students must read certain books or texts in the classroom or one does not understand the context or setting of the text. Reading is then presented as unenjoyable and this will put off students from reading altogether. Reading should be a pleasurable experience. Don't be afraid to read what interests you, whether it is a book, eBook, magazine or newspaper. Aim to allocate fifteen minutes each day to read. Our library collection is not just there to help students learn, but also to stimulate the imagination and curiosity when we need it. The library team is more than happy to assist you. Some do lose interest because their reading levels are not as high as their peers. They may not understand the language or themes presented. How do we make reading more pleasurable for them? Again,focus on their interests, but also do not be afraid to select material that is easy to read. As they gain confidence and start to enjoy their reading, then start to introduce more challenging texts.

Self-Service Printing

Last year, I mentioned about getting a self-service printing and photocopying service while the Teacher Librarian (Acting) at Georges River College -Hurstville Boys' Campus with the focus on establishing learning habits.

What amazes me from reading various Teacher Librarian messageboards and from what I've seen at some schools is how some prefer that it would be preferable for students to see the library staff in their staffroom and do their printing there, whether or not they are charged for it.

My first concern is students being present in a staff area. Staff require their own workspaces to undertake their work, even library staff. It can be intrusive if a group of students are in there. If seeing a student, I aim to consult them on the floor of the library, where I can also supervise students. If the matter is more private, then I would only see one student at a time. Boundaries need to be maintained.

Some students just rush and sit at staff computers and desks and this then becomes a discipline matter as some think that they have entitlement to the facilities reserved for staff. I would remove a student from the library in that instance.

My second concern is that library resources or personal items can go missing. Someone might be there on the premise of "printing" but might want to help themselves to something that is not theirs

My biggest concern though is on productivity and provision of library services. If I am sitting at a desk printing work, then a student who needs to locate a book or seek assistance with an assignment, would have to wait. Also I would be unable to supervise students. If there was self-service printing, I can still assist with printing, but that would be on the main floor of the library and still can maintain an active presence.  If in classtime, I would then have to stop doing whatever task needs to be done.

I am an advocate for schools using self-service printing for the following:

• Allows library staff to be more productive in their work - We can attend to more complex matters or provide direct assistance in providing library resources.
• Keeps students out of staff areas. 
• Independent learning habits - Students assume responsibility for their learning especially in the process of publishing their information and adhering to deadlines. 
• Printing is a quicker process - A photocopier can process jobs with ease e.g. jobs are in a queue. Students just need to login to a computer available
• Less wastage of paper and resources. 
• Additional services e.g. scanning

While there is a financial cost in acquiring the photocopier and upkeep, it can pay for itself through charges for printing and photocopying. Through systems such as Papercut, printing can be monitored and linked to student accounts.Students can purchase credit for use and can be topped up.   Yes there is some administration involved in collecting funds, recording it on the system and paying fees for the software but the benefits outweigh it.

eTextbooks in the classroom

As a student, I remember the hassle of having to carry heavy textbooks in my school bag each day and this wouldn't have helped my back at all.

I was reading an article in the June 2016 issue of ACCESS by Martin Gray (Library Manager, Singleton High School) looking at the role of eTextbooks in the classroom and its a big step forward.

At the moment, I have only encountered the pdf versions of existing print editions. This is handy in terms of allowing portability and access but can create copyright issues. It's easy to create a pdf copy of any textbook or to print out 30 copies of a chapter from a computer or publish a chapter on a learning module like Moodle or Schoology or Haiku (Waverley College) and let the students download the files.

The big challenge is working around the formats and devices. Some providers will may have eTextbooks in one format, but not in another. This creates hassles for schools especially where a BYOD policy is in place. As Gray pointed out, its not easy to transfer from system e.g. Apple to Windows and vice versa. The question is also raised - Do we use eReaders or Tablets or both? Cost is the issue and asking students to buy two devices is cost prohibitive

It is encouraging how eTextbooks could allow for a more immersive experience as opposed to either reading or summarising the content and completing the activities that are attached. The ability to play audio, video and provide links to other resources give greater scope for one to engage in learning.