About
ALIA Schools
ALIA Schools aims to facilitate networking, support, professional development, and resources for the Information sector with a focus on Schools group practice.
Terms of reference
Download a copy of the ALIA Schools Terms of Reference.
Executive committee
Dr Helen Weston
Convenor
Helen is based in Brisbane and has worked overseas and throughout QLD in primary, secondary and tertiary education libraries. Her research is grounded in how students use information to learn and she champions Citizen Science Corners in school libraries.
Rosie Maher
Secretary
Based in Sydney, Rosie has 20 years experience working across school, public and university libraries across Australia and Internationally. She is currently managing a K-12 school Library.
Susanne Graetsch
Treasurer
Based in Melbourne, Victoria, Susanne is a Teacher Librarian with over 20 years experience working in secondary schools in both government and catholic sector. She is currently the Head of Library and a Humanities teacher in a secondary catholic school.
Anna Apfelstedt
CPD
Based in Melbourne, Victoria, Anna is a Teacher Librarian with experience in both school and public libraries. She is currently the Head of Library and an English teacher at a secondary school in Melbourne.
Committee
Sarah Hucalak
Social Media
With twelve years of experience working in schools as both a classroom teacher and a qualified teacher librarian, Sarah is the manager of a P-12 school library in Melbourne’s west. Her current focus is on revitalising a neglected library and improving student interest in reading.
Catherine Ryan
Webpage
Catherine Ryan has worked in a university library, newspaper library, library association and a number of school libraries. She is passionate about teaching information skills to tech savvy teens and promoting reading for pleasure as a life skill. She is passionate about reinvigorating libraries that have lost their shine.
Karen Marston
Minute Secretary
Based in Melbourne, Victoria, Karen is School Librarian at a large P-12 Government School. She has been an active member of ALIA Schools for several years; and enjoys working with a diverse range of school library professionals.
Jill Abell
Committee Member
Currently a schools’ registration officer in the Tasmanian non-government sector, remaining involved in senior secondary teaching and assessment. An ALIA member since 1974, having worked as a teacher, teacher-librarian, school leader and researcher in government and non-government schools and colleges.
Committee
Catherine Barnes
Committee Member
Based in Adelaide, Catherine is a Teacher Librarian and University Lecturer in Information Management. She is currently managing a Discovery Centre at a secondary independent school and lecturing in library management and metadata.
Sandra Ryan
Committee Member
Anne Girolami
Committee Member
Anne Girolami has worked in school libraries, in both primary and secondary school settings, for over 30 years. She has also been an active member of ALIA Schools during that time. Anne was conferred with an ALIA Fellowship in 2020.
Shirley Wong
Committee Member
Based in Melbourne, Shirley has worked in libraries for more than 20 years, mostly in university libraries and more recently in school libraries. Having participated in two other ALIA committees in Vic for a long time, ALIA Schools Committee is the first national ALIA committee Shirley is a part of.
Jacqui Lucas
Committee Member
Jacqui is currently Learning Services Coordinator for ALIA and is responsible for ALIA’s ongoing CPD scheme . Prior to this, she worked as a Teacher Librarian and is an accredited Lead Teacher.
Anne Plowman
Committee Member
David Morris
Committee Member
Based in Launceston, Tasmania, David is a Teacher Librarian in a Year 6-12 school. Background in primary, secondary, and tertiary teaching, higher education librarianship and public librarianship.
Linda Guthrie
Committee Member
History of ALIA Schools
Milestones in the 50 years of ALIA Schools
Here is a timeline that covers the milestones in the history of school libraries which became a separate section of the Library Association of Australia, now ALIA, in 1967. It also highlights significant events in the education and/or government sectors. Data from many of the reports commissioned by ALIA was used for lobbying federal government bodies which resulted in funding for school library buildings and resources. This funding, together with an emphasis on positive learning outcomes for students, has ensured that school libraries are influential within the education and library communities. For fifty years ALIA Schools has supported its members to make a positive difference to student learning outcomes. This support has also ensured that teacher librarians and school library staff are effective professionals.