In our first episode, Cathie Warburton, CEO of ALIA, joins Rosie from the For The Love of Libraries team to explore the core values that shape school libraries and the professionals who lead them. Cathie shares her unique path from a career in law to her role at ALIA, emphasising the importance of aligning personal values with professional roles. Together, they discuss the vital contribution that school libraries make to the educational experience of all students and staff, the ongoing challenges in staffing school libraries, and the importance of sustained advocacy to ensure that the value of school libraries is recognised as essential to all schools.  

Additional resources

• ALIA Schools 
• ALIA CEO – Cathie Warburton 
• 50 years of ALIA Schools (1964 - 2016)
• The history of ALIA 
• ALIA’s strategic plan 
• ACSL resources for School Libraries 

Further Reading  

• Dr Margaret K. Merga – Why are teacher librarians an excellent investment in contemporary schools? 
• Softlink – 2024 Australian School Library Survey 
• Carol A. Gordon - Making your school library essential: A guide to advocacy for Teacher Librarians 

ALIA Schools aims to facilitate networking, support, professional development, and resources for the Information sector with a focus on Schools group practice. Subscribe to the ALIA Schools newsletter and keep up to date with professional development opportunities.

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