Webinars

Dynamic Partnerships: Citizen Science and School Libraries

Recorded Aug 1, 2026

Access the recording via the ALIA Shop. Free for members or $55 for non-members.

School libraries have great potential to transform learning environments and create real change by empowering young people intheir actions for sustainable devlopment. Citizen Sience Corners are innovative, interdisciplinary integrations of STEM into school libraries.

This session explains how the implementation of a Citizen Science Corner has the potential to revolutionise your library space and create significant benefits for students.  It provides insight into how engaging and collaborating with science colleagues in your school might be some of the best collaborations they will ever experience.

Promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island voice through diverse collections

Recorded Mar 21, 2026

Access the recording via the ALIA Shop. Free for members or $55 for non-members.

Dr Lilly Brown, a proud Gumbaynggirr woman and CEO of Magabala Books, together with Rachael Cosentino, Teacher Librarian at St Andrew’s Cathedral School / Gawura School, explore best practice in developing collections that genuinely reflect the diverse knowledges, cultures and perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communitiies. Their presentation emphasises cultural safety and racial literacy, offering practical guidance and real examples to help schools align everyday library practice with core professional values.

Your AI conversation is overdue

Recorded Nov 8, 2025

Access the recording via the ALIA Shop. Free for members or $55 for non-members.

Education and Artificial Intelligence consultant Matt Esterman discusses the school librarianship landscape through an AI lens. This talk explores the current landscape of AI in education (and beyond) and the potential for teacher librarians to be the vanguard of responsible use by staff and students alike. Critical thinking? We’ve been talking about it for ages. Information literacy? Welcome to the party. Much of what the general public (and some academics) say we need to do has already been done in libraries for years. Let’s explore how AI can help us do that even better.

We know all too well that the AI landscape is rapidly changing – every time we check in, there is a new tool, guideline or bot. If you don’t know where to start, start with Matt Esterman’s resource list (pdf).

Maximising your school library budget: achieving more with less 

Recorded Aug 30, 2025

Access the recording via the ALIA Shop. Free for members or $55 for non-members.

With ever-shrinking budgets, decreased staffing, and a surprising number of books published before 1986, the experience of the average school library staff member can often seem worlds away from the Instagram-perfect libraries we often see online.

This webinar provides valuable insights into three varied school libraries all led by staff who are using what they have at their disposal to make incredible things happen for their students. By sharing the achievements of staff employed in schools of different sizes and across different sectors, this webinar is designed to help all school library staff feel confident in the success of their own libraries by providing lived experience as an example of what can be achieved on a budget – regardless of what that budget might be.

We have a booklet (pdf) to help you make the most of what you have, whilst still being impactful and innovative. 

Engaging readers: a novel approach with Jacqueline Harvey

Recorded May 17, 2025

Access the recording via the ALIA Shop. Free for members or $55 for non-members.

Jacqueline Harvey spent over twenty years working in primary education before becoming a full-time author. She now travels the country visiting the broadest range of schools and has seen it all. From students who are completely disengaged with literacy to those who are never without a book in their hand. From teachers who aren’t readers (some of whom have proudly told her so), to teachers who are complete bookworms! So, how do you make reading interesting and fun for all students and ensure that their teachers are engaging with books on a regular basis too? How do we help students to become the readers we want them to be? Jacqueline has some tips and tricks to help bring the joys and delights of stories to everyone. Participants will come away with inspiration, ideas, practical tips and a wealth of tried and tested titles that engage readers.

We have a list of recommended reads (pdf) curated by Jacqueline Harvey and ALIA Schools committee members, that are guaranteed to engage readers. 

Ethics and school libraries: our foundation, our connection

Recorded Mar 29, 2025

Access the recording via the ALIA Shop. Free for members or $55 for non-members.

ALIA launched the ALIA Code of Ethics for the Australian Library and Information Services Workforce in late 2024. The Code articulates the principles that are the foundation of library work, and the behaviours that connect everyone who works, or aspires to work, in a library or information service. The Code also strengthens the foundation of the ALIA Skills, Knowledge and Ethics Framework.

ALIA Schools have created an editable pdf template that can be used to contextualise and implement a Code of Ethics for your school library.

A Code of Ethics is a vital advocacy tool that can help make your work visible and support you in clearly communicating the importance of the school library. 

In this webinar, ALIA’s Jacqui Lucas shares how the Code of Ethics was developed and lead participants in using the template to create your own branded Code of Ethics for a school library with action examples relevant to your unique school context. The webinar is for all primary and secondary school library staff.