Friday, September 4, 2026

2:30 PM - 3:10 PM

Courtyard Room

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Overview

Hear from industry experts on how libraries support critical thinking. Using Australian research articles, primary sources, and multimedia content, see how students learn to evaluate evidence, assess credibility, recognise bias, and build informed perspectives through authentic, curriculum-aligned resources. Tools for teaching critical thinking Online tools such as Informit Explore provide opportunities for school library staff and teachers to develop students’ critical thinking skills in a controlled environment. This session will engage participants in the use of curated collections of authentic Australasian content for factchecking, lateral reading and critical thinking. It will also consider the importance of selection criteria and collection management in the context of AITSL Professional Standards for Teachers, and ALIA’s Foundation knowledge skills and attributes for information professionals. School libraries as part of a wider library ecosystem The State Library’s role in supporting education libraries extends from research basics and critical thinking to subject-specific sessions and self-guided visits, plus a wealth of unique resources. This session will highlight the power of the library network, and the ways schools can make the most of collections. Drawing on standards in the university library sector where all accredited higher education institutions must have a library, we question – why is that not so for the school sector? As school libraries are a fundamental part of the wider library system, we encourage school library staff to connect with and make the most of the free, authentic resources – and support - available via this vital professional network.

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Speaker