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Qualifications held by school library staff in Australia


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School library staff qualifications Australia

Conducted by Softlink on behalf of the school library sector, the annual Australian School Library Survey looks at key statistical information related to school libraries. The aim of survey is to support staff to advocate for school libraries by providing relevant data.

In the 2021 Survey, we asked questions about school library staffing.

Key staffing findings

  • 47% of respondents said that they think their school library is adequately staffed.
  • 67% of respondents said that their staffing levels had not changed from 2019, 7% reported an increase in staffing, and 26% reported that staffing levels had decreased.
  • The top 3 responsibilities of school library staff (over and above managing the collection) were:
    • Curating relevant information and resources to support the curriculum (59%)
    • Providing regular timetabled library lessons (52%)
    • Performing a teaching role (45%)

The survey also asked an open-ended question about qualifications held by staff in their school library.

Overall, 17% of Australian schools reported that no staff in their library had school library related qualifications, 19% reported that they have more than one qualified staff member working in the library, and 5% reported that at least one member of their library staff is currently studying to obtain a qualification or upgrade their qualification.

A breakdown of reported specific qualifications held by primary, secondary, and K-12 school library staff, as well as a breakdown by state, has been provided below.

Primary school library staff qualifications overview

When looking at the qualifications held by primary school library staff, 32% reported that no staff in their library had school library related qualifications, 3% reported that they have more than one qualified staff member working in the library, and 5% reported that at least one member of their library staff is currently studying to obtain a qualification or upgrade their qualification.

Qualifications held by primary school library staff

The top reported qualifications held by primary school library staff include:

  • Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship): 30%
  • Bachelor of Education (Teacher Librarianship): 4%
  • Graduate Diploma of Teacher Librarianship: 4%
  • Diploma of Library and Information Services: 4%
  • Library Technician: 4%

Other reported qualifications held by primary school library staff include: Master of Information Studies, Master of Librarianship, Master of Applied Science (Teacher Librarian), Master of Information Management, Postgraduate Teacher Librarianship, Bachelor of Librarianship, Bachelor of Library Science, Bachelor of Applied Science (Teacher Librarianship), Bachelor of Library Technology, Bachelor of Arts (Library Science), Bachelor of Information Studies, Bachelor of Education, Graduate Diploma of Teacher  Librarianship, Graduate Diploma of Information Technology, Graduate Diploma of Information Management, Graduate Diploma of Information Management, Graduate Diploma of Education, Graduate Diploma of Teaching, Graduate Diploma of Library Studies, Graduate Diploma in Librarianship, Graduate Diploma of Library and Information, Associate Diploma of Library Studies, Associate Diploma of Applied Science (Library Technician), Diploma of Library Science, Diploma of Library  and Information Studies, Diploma of Records Management and Archives, Diploma of Information Technology, Diploma of Library  and Information Management, Diploma of Library  and Information Technology, Diploma of Library Practise, Diploma of Teaching (Librarianship), Graduate Certificate of Teacher Librarianship, Graduate Certificate of Information Services, Graduate Certificate of Applied Sciences (Teacher Librarianship), Certificate IV of Library Studies, Certificate IV of Library and Information Services, Certificate III Education, Certificate III Library and Information Services, and Certificate II Information Technology.

Secondary school library staff qualifications overview

When looking at the qualifications held by secondary school library staff, 4% reported that no staff in their library had school library related qualifications, 28% reported that they have more than one qualified staff member working in the library, and 7% reported that at least one member of their library staff is currently studying to obtain a qualification or upgrade their qualification.

Qualifications held by secondary school library staff

The top reported qualifications held by secondary school library staff include:

  • Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship): 49%
  • Library Technician: 14%
  • Diploma of Library and Information Services: 9%
  • Master of Education (Information Services): 8%
  • Bachelor of Librarianship: 6%
  • Certificate III Library and Information Services: 5%

Other reported qualifications held by secondary school library staff include: PhD Information Science, Master of Information Management, Master of Information Studies, Master of Librarianship, Master of Arts (Librarianship), Master of Learning Innovation (Teacher Librarianship), Master of Applied Science (Teacher Librarianship), Master of Library and Information Management, Bachelor of Education (Teacher Librarianship), Bachelor of Education (Librarianship), Bachelor of Library and Information Studies, Bachelor of Arts (Librarianship), Bachelor of Arts (Library and Information Management),  Bachelor of Applied Science (Library and Information Studies), Bachelor of Library and Information Services, Bachelor of Librarianship and Corporate Information Management, Bachelor of Library and Information Management, Bachelor of Information Studies, Bachelor of Education, Post Graduate Diploma of Library and Information Services, Graduate Diploma of Teacher Librarianship, Graduate Diploma of Information Studies, Graduate Diploma of Information Services,  Graduate Diploma of Library Management, Graduate Diploma of Information Management, Graduate Diploma of Education, Graduate Diploma of Applied Sciences (Teacher Librarianship), Graduate Diploma of Library and Information Services, Graduate Diploma of Librarianship, Graduate Diploma of Library Science, Associate Diploma of Library Technology, Diploma of Teaching, Diploma of Library and Information Technology, Diploma of Teacher Librarianship, Graduate Certificate of Teacher Librarianship, Graduate Certificate of Information Studies, Graduate Certificate of Applied Science (Teacher Librarianship), Certificate IV Library and Information Services, and Certificate IV Library Studies.

K-12 school library staff qualifications overview

When looking at the qualifications held by K-12 school library staff, 7% reported that no staff in their library had school library related qualifications, 39% reported that they have more than one qualified staff member working in the library, and 4% reported that at least one member of their library staff is currently studying to obtain a qualification or upgrade their qualification.

Qualifications held by K-12 school library staff

The top reported qualifications held by K-12 school library staff include:

  • Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship): 31%
  • Master of Library and Information Services: 15%
  • Library Technician: 15%
  • Diploma of Library and Information Services: 10%
  • Master of Information Studies: 8%
  • Bachelor of Librarianship: 7%

Other reported qualifications held by K-12 school library staff include: Doctorate, Master of Information Management, Master of Information Services, Master of Librarianship, Master of Learning Innovation (Teacher Librarianship), Master of Applied Science (Teacher Librarianship), Master of Library and Information Technology, Bachelor of Education (Teacher Librarianship), Bachelor of Education (Librarianship), Bachelor of Library and Information Studies, Bachelor of Information Studies, Bachelor of Applied Science (Library and Information Studies), Bachelor of Library and Information Services, Bachelor of Library and Information Management, Bachelor of Library Science, Bachelor of Education, Graduate Diploma of Teacher Librarianship, Graduate Diploma of Information Studies, Graduate Diploma of Library Management, Graduate Diploma of Information Management, Graduate Diploma of Education (Teacher Librarianship), Graduate Diploma of Applied Sciences (Teacher Librarianship), Graduate Diploma of Library and Information Services, Graduate Diploma of Librarianship, Graduate Diploma of Library Science, Diploma of Library  and Information Studies, Diploma of Education, Diploma of Library  and Information Management, Diploma of Information Studies, Graduate Certificate of Teacher Librarianship, Graduate Certificate of Information Studies, Certificate IV of Library and Information Services, Certificate III Library and Information Services, Certificate II Library Management, and Certificate II Library Studies.

School library staff qualifications by state

To find out the reported school library staff qualifications of schools by state, click on the links below. 

Note: only 4 participants from the Northern Territory responded to this question. 2 reported that they have no qualified staff working in their school library; 2 reported that they have qualified Library Technicians working in their school library.

ACT
NSW
QLD
SA
TAS
VIC
WA

More from the School Library Survey


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