Thursday, May 6, 2010

Noble librarians.

Judith Ridge posted about this on Facebook. Parliament is holding hearings into Australian teacher-librarians.

I personally can't imagine the hearings would need to go for long. My transcript.

Parliamentary Person: So, teacher-librarians are pretty ace, then?

Everone in Australia: Yep.


Parliamentary Person: Well, that's all right then. Let us shower school libraries with buckets of cash for books and reading programs and author visits. And new technology.


Everyone in Australia: Hurrah!

Parliamentary Person: Oh, and while we're at it, annual holidays to Paris and foot massage vouchers for all teacher-librarians as well.

Everyone in Australia: Huzzah!

Parliamentary Person: Any other questions?

Everone in Australia: Well, we really loved reading Harry Potter and Keys to the Kingdom, what else do you recommend?

Parliamentary Person: No idea. Go home.

People of Australia: Boo!

ENDS

The real terms of reference and transcripts are available at the House Standing Committe on Education and Training in the link above. The next hearings are on 13 May at Parliament House in Canberra. (I nearly forgot to write 'Canberra' because that is where I am, but you are probably not.)

Incidentally, one of the things I find endearing about Canberra is the fact that quite a lot of Real Adults walk around along footpaths reading from novels as if it is perfectly normal. They never seem to get run over while crossing the road, which is also nice.

12 comments:

Ampersand Duck said...

What an ace and jolly post. This is my fave for the week, methinks.

FWIW, I learned the valuable skill of walking and reading when I was a schoolchild in Canberra. No one else seemed to do it then, but they all do it now.

genevieve said...

I'm woefully ignorant (for a recent graduate) as to the terms of this inquiry, but from what I've heard, it is considered that teacher-librarians are becoming scarce. So it is not exactly the motherhood proposition you might like to think it is.
Sorry to be a sad sack.

cristy said...

Should I read Keys to the Kingdom? I'm all intrigued about it now.

I think that the interminably long bus rides are part of the reason for the walking-while-reading behaviour. Certainly this is why I started (also as a schoolchild in Canberra).

ThirdCat said...

huzzah!

Jacqui said...

I'm off to find Keys of Kingdom. Love this post.

naomi said...

I always read whilst walking and I grew up in *coughs* Tasmania. OK, so there were not many cars, but I never got run over either.

If you really want to know, I still can do it! Even though I am thirty 11!!

Anonymous said...

My sister and I used to read while walking to school (in Melbourne). I've never met anyone else who did it. At last, I feel "normal" ...

Penthe said...

Glad to hear so many of you have history of walking and reading. Cristy, I think you might be right. I find myself doing it as I mosey towards the bus stop most of all.

Genevieve, I reckon it is indeed an interestng inquiry, despite its limitation. While I was being flippant, I do really think that improved resources, respect (and annual holidays to Paris) would be a good starting point for attracting and keeping more teacher-librarians. I can't imagine my childhood without them, and have had the pleasure to work with many utterly spiffing teacher-librarians as an adult, mostly in Brisbane.

And I do recommend Keys to the Kingdom if you feel like something inventive and adventurous at breakneck speed. The Noodle and I enjoyed them very much indeed.

Helen (another one) said...

Helen, I'm another Helen who used to walk along reading, first in Adelaide then in Melbourne. (You're not my doppelganger, are you?) Then my daughter was born and she became an older child and a teenager and she did it too. Our local friends laughed about it, in the nicest possible way. I still do it.

Genevieve, I'm ashamed to say that after all these years of knowing you bloggily I never knew you had a special Gaddis blog. What a wonderful thing. I love Gaddis so much. I've never read T.Recs, only A Frolic of His Own and Carpenters Gothic, several times each. Must order T.Recs - Gaddis books never available in melbourne bookshops, why??!

genevieve said...

OUR APOLOGIES FOR THE HIJACK OF THREAD.
ooh Helen, you cleversocks. I cannot handle Carpenters Gothic, it's so INTENSE. That husband just freaks me out.

The Gaddis blog was not mine at all! I invited myself to it, and the nice US bloggers said, OK. And lo, yet another blog was born along with the profile. One more of the hundred million or so.

I never saw any Gaddis in bookshops until four years ago - bought my own T.Recs then, however it has a loathsome pink cover. There is a fantabulous website to go with, makes it very enjoyable. Don't know how people read him or Pynchon before teh Internetz.

Penthe, kind host! I can make a toasted sandwich and read at the same time. I don't know if I can walk along a road and read though.

Penthe said...

Helen(s) and Genevieve, please make yourselves at home. I wish I had some toasted sandwiches to offer you while you chat. Intrigued by your Gaddis chat.

I find apples to be good reading food. Provided they are not too juicy.

genevieve said...

thanks muchly! I'll be back for more.