About Us

Libraries give students opportunity

Students Need School Libraries

School libraries are vitally important for students, now and into the future.

School libraries and the team of qualified library staff who create and provide them ensure that students know how to:

  • evaluate websites
  • build a positive digital footprint
  • evaluate information in any form, print or digital
  • read and synthesise information
  • use technology well (not just use technology), and
  • bring these skills together for practical applications.
Teacher-librarian assisting boy in selecting books from bookshelf in library

The school library staff, services and resources impact the teaching and learning of every student and every teacher in every lesson every day because:

  • time is saved finding quality resources,
  • high quality assistance is provided through collaborative working relationships in which teachers and library staff work together to develop students' information literacy, and
  • a thriving culture of reading underpins academic and social health.

A strong school library is a vital, practical part of the solution to many of the problems facing educators today.

Why We Do What We Do

In the face of Australia’s falling ranking in educational outcomes among OECD countries and rapidly changing expectations for the future workforce, a coalition of Australian school library associations formed to advocate nationally for the reinvigoration of school libraries. We believe that all children need excellent school library services delivered by qualified staff to learn the digital and information literacy skills required to succeed in the 21st century.

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Our Goals

Spread the word about the importance of school libraries run by qualified staff.

Work together to ensure that all children have access to quality school libraries.

Empower children with knowledge and skills that equip them with a confidence in digital and information literacy. 

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About Us

SNSL Logos About Us

Leading Organisations

The Students Need School Libraries campaign is supported by the School Library Coalition, a cooperative working group of the school library associations in Australia including two national library organisations and five state library organisations.  

  • Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA)
  • Australian School Library Association (ASLA)
  • School Library Association of New South Wales (SLANSW)
  • School Library Association of South Australia (SLASA)
  • School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV)
  • Queensland School Library Association (QSLA)
  • Western Australian School Library Association (WASLA)
Our Members

Our Volunteers

The development and running of the Students Need School Libraries campaign is done by volunteers who are passionate about school library services.  The leadership team coordinates our volunteer network of hundreds of interested people.  The leadership team includes Holly Godfree (Campaign Coordinator, a teacher librarian in the Australian Capital Territory), Cherie Bell (mother librarian* in Victoria), Madison Dearnaley (Website Coordinator, a teacher librarian in Queensland), Sue Johnston (a teacher librarian in South Australia), Suzanne Livett (a teacher librarian in Queensland) and Hajnalka Molloy (a teacher librarian in South Australia).  

The campaign has over 140 volunteers from across all Australian states and territories, NZ and the world, who have joined together to advocate for all students in Australian, to ensure that they have equitable access to quality school library services. Our volunteers include

  • Teacher-librarians, school librarians, library technicians, and library aides.
  • Teachers and education specialists
  • Parents
  • Authors and illustrators
  • Bloggers
  • People who care about young people's education

* A mother librarian is defined as a parent, lovingly curating a collection for her children, as well as studying towards librarianship.

Our Supporters

Our Supporters

Our supporters in this advocacy mission include

  • Australian Children's Laureate Morris Gleitzman, Room To Read Ambassador Tristan Bancks, Terry Denton, Hazel Edwards, Mem Fox, Jackie French, Andy Griffiths, Leigh Hobbs, Gabrielle Lord, Michael Salmon, Craig Smith, and many more of their author and illustrator colleagues.  
  • Dymocks Children's Charities
  • Library supplier, Syba Signs
  • Library Consultant Kevin Hennah, and others from the school library community.
  • Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
  • Professor John Hattie, Professor Michael Gaffney, and others from the wider education community.
  • Other campaigns, like the Great School Library campaign.

Want to become an active supporter or partner of the Students Need School Libraries campaign? Contact us.

We invite you to join us in our fight to ensure that all Australian students have access to quality school libraries.

Our Strategic Plan

SNSL Strategic Plan
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Working together to ensure student access to high quality school library services.

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