SLANZA Turning Heads Conference 2009

Attending the SLANZA (School Library Association NZ Aotearoa) Turning Heads Conference in Christchurch Sept 28-30 was a brilliant experience.  The keynote speakers were exceptional and inspiring - the workshops which I had selected gave me practical & relevant ideas to bring home to my own school library – particularly on blogging, displays, running book clubs, electronic resources and library homepages -  the mystery dinner was an absolute hoot! - the on-site accommodation at Rangiruru Girls just great - and meeting many of the 220 delegates along the way the highlight.  I can now put friendly faces to many names in the NZ School Library Profession.  Plus the Christchurch spring flowers were spectacular.

 

I highly recommend the SLANZA Conference Experience for the great professional development and networking opportunities - and most importantly for the students using our libraries who benefit greatly from the new ideas, skills, resource knowledge and inspiration which we bring back and pass on through our work.  

 

Speakers and workshops which I attended  (and a comment from me in just a word or two!!)

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

• Suzette Boyd – Scotch College, Australia & Author  – “Turning Heads in the Connected Library”      CHALLENGED US
• Derek Wenmoth -  CORE Education, Christchurch – “I Speak for the Trees”      FORWARD THINKING
• Brian Falkner – Auckland Author & Web Designer – “Without Reading, Your Life Sucks!”       WITTY & TRICKY
• Nathan Mikaere-Wallis - Canterbury University – “Learning Brain: Understanding Neuroscience”      MIND BLOWING
• Denise L’Estrange-Corbet –  World Fashion Designer - “An Inspirational Address”      STUNNING

ADDRESSES

• Geraldine Howell, National Library – “Changes to School Services offered by Nat.Library”
• Nicky Wagner  - MP for Christchurch –“An Address On Behalf of the Minister Education”

PANEL

• Student Panel of eight introduced by Richard Liddicoat of Christchurch City Library  “Addressing questions on student library use, reading, thoughts on future of libraries”      INSIDE INFO  

WORKSHOPS

• Desna Wallace, Lorraine Fuller - Christchurch Leading School Librarians – “Great blogging &  displays”      OUTRIGHT CLEVER
• Elizabeth Atkinson, Tracy Westall, Mary Bodmin – “Avondale College Book Club and Blog”      INSPIRING
• Catherine Leonard – Manager NZ  Softlink – “The transformation of library search interfaces”      INFORMATIVE
• Gerri Judkins – Southwell School Library, Hamilton – “To Padua and Back – Gerri’s  experiences attending  IASL  Conference in Italy Sept 2009      DYNAMIC DELIVERY
• Suzette Boyd – Scotch College, Australia & Author – “Do we need a school library home page?”      OUT THERE
• Kathy George,  Liz Kapi, Alice Heather  - Cook Island MOE & NZ National Library - “The impact of library development in the Cook Islands  - Share the Moment”      UPLIFTING
• Jill Driver – National Library NZ – “Smart and easy searching, using student-oriented e-resources that are gathered into one web-based application”      INFO-RICH