The first SLANSW Professional Learning Summit of 2026 is fast approaching!

Join us face-to-face at Abbotsleigh Senior School, Wahroonga, on Saturday 16 May (9:00am – 4:00pm) for a full day of inspiration, connection, and practical learning.

✨ Theme: All the Literacies: Read, Discern, Discover

We’re thrilled to welcome an outstanding lineup of keynote speakers:

• Libby Baker (Reading Australia Fellow 2025)
• Dr Andrea Salins (Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy, ACU)
• Kate Temple (Australian children’s author)

The program is designed to support you with:

✔ Practical strategies to enhance reading engagement

✔ Insight from industry leaders to help you choose the right tools

✔ Opportunities to connect with fellow library professionals and partners at our Trade Fair

To explore the full summit program or to register: https://slansw.net.au/event-6597483 

This is the flagship event on the SLANSW professional learning calendar for 2026—don’t miss it. Add it to your calendar today!

#SLANSW26 #ProfessionalLearning #SchoolLibraries #Literacy #TeacherLibrarians #EducationEvents #LibraryProfessionals

Join us at the upcoming SLANSW Meet Up: Bringing AI to the Library
This Tuesday the 24th of March online at 7pm.
Register:https://lnkd.in/gByk_pza

Guest presenters from various library and AI backgrounds will lead a discussion on how Teacher Librarians integrate generative AI tools into their teaching practice in the school library.

In this very practical-based meetup our presenters will each share a unique perspective on AI and the school library:

• Dr Tim Kitchen "Creative Thinking in the Age of AI"
• Marika Simon "Ideas to incorporate AI into Guided Inquiry Design"
• Rhonda Creasey "Resources on AI to develop student understanding"

An opportunity for all Library Professionals to embrace and get Premiers Reading Challenge off to a great start for 2026. Join us at the work-friendly time of 2pm on March 18th to get some great tips from Jade Arnold the NSW Premier’s Programs Officer, discuss fantastic PRC display ideas and explore the rule changes and resources to make PRC a success at every school. The group will also discuss books to read aloud in secondary and primary schools to jumpstart your students’ PRC challenge!


The Mentoring Special Interest group is currently taking expressions of interest for mentors and mentees up until the 18th of March. Mentorship provides a very rewarding way to deepen your professional learning and networks. This group will include inspiring teacher librarians of all experience levels. Be sure to secure your place in this dynamic group!

SLANSW will be starting 2026 with a focus on setting up for success!

Join our special guests on Tuesday 17th February 2026 (7pm-8pm) in the SLANSW Zoom Room for a look into the actions that lead to positive and engaging library programs. This session will focus on practical strategies to effectively begin the new school year.

This is a FREE event for MEMBERS. Non-members are also welcome and will pay a registration fee. 

Register now! https://slansw.net.au/event-6554013

Engage your school community for a successful year ahead!

A school library professional development opportunity not to be missed!

Inquiry in the Age of AI: Keeping Curiosity Alive with Dr. Leslie Maniotes, Co-Creator of Guided Inquiry Design®

As AI reshapes classrooms around the world, educators face a critical moment: Will AI replace student thinking — or expand it?

Saturday 7 March 2026 (9.00 - 11.00am AEDT) via Zoom

Register to attend or find out more: https://slansw.net.au/event-6479324

Discounted rates for SLANSW members

The SLANSW All the Literacies: Read, Discern, Discover 2026 Summit is quickly approaching and we are calling for presenters with a passion for;

• engaging readers in an innovative way
• improving literacy in your library space
• supporting students engaging with books
• innovative information literacy programs
• making a difference in the media literacy space
• increasing student awareness of media manipulation

This is a great opportunity to engage in active professionalism and to share your successes with like-minded library professionals.

Complete an Expression of Interest by Friday 6^th February, 2026

Australian School Library Day

Australian School Library Day (ASLD) is  on Wednesday 20 August, 2025. ALIA has put together a page of information and resources at:

https://www.alia.org.au/Web/Web/Events/Australian-School-Library-Day/Australian%20School%20Library%20Day.aspx

There are posters and a fillable card for principals, teachers, students, or P&C to give to library staff.

ALIA and ACORD invite you to join the Schools Cataloguing Community of Practice, a vendor-neutral forum for discussion and sharing on bibliographic metadata and information discoverability in school libraries.

 Free, online and respectful of all voices

Objectives:

• To identify, gather, and share effective bibliographic metadata practices in school libraries.
• To provide a point of contact for Australasian school library staff to ask questions and discuss issues of relevance to bibliographic metadata.
• To report on developments in international bibliographic metadata that could impact discoverability of resources in Australasian school libraries.

Open to anyone with an interest in bibliographic metadata for school libraries in Australasia.

• To join the launch on Australian School Library Day on 20 August 2025, 4.00 - 4.20 pm AEST, register at https://www.alia.org.au/EventDetail?EventKey=SCCOP01
• To join the Community of Practice online space, send an email to education@alia.org.au, with ‘Schools Cataloguing CoP’ in the subject line. Please include in the body of the email your institution and, if you like, a few words about why you’re interested in joining the group.

FIRST MEETING: 27 August 2025, 4.00 - 5.00 pm AEST. Join the group to receive the meeting link by email. Only the presentation section of the meeting will be recorded.