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About SLAV

About SLAV

The School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV) is a dynamic professional organisation dedicated to supporting and empowering school library staff across Victoria. Founded in 1964, SLAV has been at the forefront of advocating for the crucial role of school libraries in education for over 60 years.

SLAV represents a diverse community of teacher-librarians, library technicians, and other school library staff. We are committed to promoting information literacy, fostering a love of reading, and ensuring that school libraries remain vibrant hubs of learning in the digital age.

Our mission is to enhance student learning outcomes by promoting excellence in school library services. We achieve this through:

Professional development opportunities, including workshops, conferences, and webinars
Networking events that foster collaboration among library professionals
Advocacy for school libraries at state and national levels
Resources and publications to support best practices in library management and education
Partnerships with educational institutions and literacy organizations

The association operates an active branch network across the state that supports the local level through regular meetings and activities. These branches provide a representative to SLAV’s State Council that governs the association on behalf of its members across Victorian schools.

Mission Statement

The School Library Association of Victoria offers dynamic and inspiring opportunities for teacher-librarians and library teams to build their essential role in engaging and developing lifelong learners.

Leadership: Enhancing awareness of global educational research, innovation and best practice in school libraries.
Advocacy: Articulating the role of the school library as a partner in the learning and teaching process.
Collegiality: Connecting members through a local and a state-wide network and community.

Statement on School Libraries

School libraries are central to the school’s community of learning.

They reflect and contribute to the achievement of the school’s mission by:

Providing an engaging and welcoming physical and virtual cultural space that is challenging, inspiring and secure,
Unlocking the potential for learning through the support of independent and collaborative learning opportunities that encourage critical and creative thinking and enrich student outcomes,
Managing and curating equitable, inclusive and diverse physical and digital collections that reflect both a local and global perspective,
Initiating programs that develop literacy, information literacy, a reading culture and essential lifelong learning skills,
Guiding the school community to become digital citizens, competent in the safe and ethical use of information.
Qualified school library professionals have the knowledge and skills to collaborate with teachers to achieve curriculum outcomes.

Ratified SLAV Council 1st December 2018

Printable Download (.pdf)

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Victoria and pay respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples.

Abbotsford Convent, C 1.22 Convent Building, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, VIC, 3067