And a Mixed Multitude Went Up: Report on the IASL 2005 Conference Survey

Abstract

This article presents analysis of a survey of delegates at the 34th annual International Association of School Librarianship conference in July 2005. The survey canvassed topics of interest and concern to delegates, most of whom were school librarians. Another focus of the survey was delegates' satisfaction with the conference's organisational aspects. The findings show that school librarians are concerned with operational matters such as total quality management (TQM) and best practice in libraries, measuring the impact of libraries on student learning, information literacy and keys to creating lifelong learners, the integration of information skills activities into curricula and how technology changes the ways school librarians design information and provide information literacy education. Ethical and policy issues such as social justice, addressing the digital divide, government initiatives connecting education and librarianship, and the nexus between policy and practice are considered important. School librarians expressed interest in pursuing networking with other school librarians and developing collaboration with principals, subject teachers and other stakeholders. As three of the authors were members of the conference organising committee, insights are provided on some of the contentious organisational issues and decisions.