TMC6: Symposium Synergy

TMC6 2020

By the TMC6 Planning Committee

Canadian School Libraries held the sixth biennial TMC Symposium (TMC6) in Toronto, Ontario on Friday January 31 and Saturday February 1, 2020. This symposium was presented in partnership with the Ontario Library Association (OLA), the OLA Super Conference, the Ontario School Library Association (OSLA) and The Association of Library Consultants and Coordinators of Ontario (TALCO).

TMC is a participatory learning experience designed to bring researchers and practitioners together to discuss and debate current Canadian research and scholarly writing which has an impact on the role of school libraries vis-à-vis educational strategy and transformation. Papers and work from previous TMC experiences are archived for viewing and study at the Canadian School Libraries Research Archive. Full information regarding history and goals is available on the TMC website.

The theme for TMC6 was Participatory Learning in the Library Learning Commons, with the sub-themes:

  • Collaborative Environments
  • Culturally Relevant and Responsive SLLC
  • Accessibility for All
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • School Culture

TMC6 papers are available for study on the TMCanada Blog. We thank our live blogger Jordan Graham who captured highlights of the program in her lively posts. For even more reflections check out Diana Maliszewski’s blog post in Monday Molly Musings. We welcomed over 70 participants from British Columbia to Nova Scotia as well as special guests speakers who supported the work of the symposium. We were honoured to receive special guests Leslie Weir, Canada’s National Librarian and Archivist, and Mary Ghikas, Executive Director of the American Library Association. We thank again the many generous sponsors and supporters who helped ensure a successful event.

Friday evening at our kick-off dinner we were treated to an inspiring keynote by Eric Walters. His commitment to supporting readers right across Canada is infectious. It was Eric’s challenge to schools to let books free for the summer that led to CSL Summer Lending Program research. It was his vision and passion that resulted in the recent I Read Canadian Day, a national success story.

TMC6 2020

We honoured Pembina Trails School Division Winnipeg, Manitoba, as the very first recipient of the Leading Learning Implementation Award 2020. We were thrilled to also award three outstanding teacher-librarians the Angela Thacker Award – Alison Bodner of Manitoba, Alanna King of Ontario and Sarah Wethered of British Columbia. All recipients were in attendance which added to the celebratory atmosphere of the evening.

TMC6 2020
Garfield Gini-Newman and David Loertscher.

Saturday we learned from spotlight speakers Laura and Garfield Gini-Newman, Leigh Cassell, and Deborah Dundas as well as all paper writers in attendance. We invested our energies and diverse talents into working on challenges and collaboratively exploring innovative ideas to advance school libraries in Canada. Commitment to leading whole school participatory learning was sealed with a BIG THINK activity that truly demonstrated the collaborative genius of the room!

David Loertscher’s Big Idea: “Yesterday, you had a Learning Commons. Tomorrow, take over the whole school! Be visible and indispensable.”

More Big Ideas TMC6

Participatory learning is really about focusing on who the students are – their lived experiences and identities, learning needs and interests – this applies to collections, programs and learning approaches.

Collaboration is the necessary ingredient for building participator learning – teacher with teacher, teacher with student, teacher with community, teacher with administrator….

School libraries are about enhancing the moral purpose of schools, as well as the educational or scholastic purpose. The moral purpose includes supporting the development of ethical citizens as well as taking the lead in advocating for under-served students.

And New Questions

Rethinking the power of the learning commons beyond the physical space of the school library – how can the entire school be an example of the learning commons?

What systemic structures do we need to dismantle to truly disrupt our current thinking about the library learning commons?

Transformations in the school library learning commons are never finished, always in beta. How can we build this continuous change mindset with administration and staff school wide?

How might we expand and diversify the voices in school librarianship across Canada? What responsibility do we have to lead the learning by amplifying the voices of other practitioners?

We are pleased to share this photo slideshow to share the TMC6 experience.


TMC6 2020

TMC6 Planning Committee: Anita Brooks Kirkland, CSL Co-Planner, Kate Johnson-McGregor, OLA Super Conference Planner, Carol Koechlin, CSL Co-Planner, Andrea Sykes, TALCO Representative, Jennifer Brown, OSLA Representative.