 Kia ora SLANZA Hui 2025 Attendees,
With the SLANZA Hui 2025 just around the corner, we're getting excited to welcome you to Waiopehu College in Levin! We look forward to seeing you this weekend as we share, support and succeed together and celebrate 25 years of SLANZA. Here are a few last-minute suggestions and reminders to help you prepare. Before you join us we’d love you to contribute to two of our sessions:
Ngā mihi, The SLANZA Hui 2025 Organising Committee
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Workshop Selection for SLANZA Stronger Together Hui 2025
We now have our workshops ready for you to make your choices. If you have registered, you will have received an email with the form to fill in your workshop choices. If you haven’t received an email please register again here and click submit. Saturday 1 hour Workshops Connect, Inspire, Read Together: Tools for developing a reading community Ellie Nicholson, Facilitator National Capability - National Library of New Zealand This practical workshop is an opportunity to explore the tools and resources developed by the National Library to strengthen the motivation, identity and enjoyment of readers in your school. There will be an opportunity to directly engage with materials and consider effective strategies for implementation in your unique environment. We will also explore a specific reading community project currently underway with National Library support, and have the opportunity to ask their librarian some burning questions. A Roadmap to Reading: How a Reading Culture Review is Informing a Whole-School Plan Sasha Eastwood, Librarian and Jared Fretwell, Manchester Street School, Principal Manchester Street School (MSS) is on a journey to foster a whole-school reading culture. As the school Librarian and Resource Manager, we share how our ongoing Reading Culture Review, guided by the National Library's 'Reading Culture Roadmap', is informing our strategic planning. We'll present the key findings—our strengths like strong community connections, and our challenges, such as an aging library collection and inconsistent implementation of reading strategies. The core of this presentation will focus on how we are translating these findings into a concrete action plan, discussing our strategies for securing Board of Trustees buy-in, developing teacher capability, and promoting reading more visibly. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to initiate a similar review, use evidence to drive change, and create a reading plan that supports a lifelong love of reading. Guiding students to the good stuff: information-rich resources Miriam Tuohy, Senior Specialist School Library Development - National Library of New Zealand In an age of overwhelming information choice, how can school library staff and teachers ensure ākonga are accessing the right resources to support their learning? What skills do ākonga really need to become confident and capable searchers themselves? This workshop will help you design library-led class lessons — and mini-PD sessions for teachers — that focus on information-finding skills and strategies — from identifying what’s needed, to selecting appropriate sources, to navigating online and offline resources with confidence. We'll explore a step-by-step approach to planning and delivering library sessions that build these skills across age groups, with practical tools to scaffold students’ learning, and support growing independence. We’ll also touch on how school library staff can work with teachers to improve access to high-quality resources that support knowledge-rich curriculum delivery. During the workshop you’ll create a draft lesson plan, consider a library skills progression for your learners, and discuss ways forward for collaborating with teaching staff on resource discovery and curation. Steve Mushin Workshop Industrial designer, illustrator, science communicator and workshop facilitator. Author and illustrator of UltraWild, Best Designed Children's Non-Fiction book (2024 Australian Book Design Awards), and the 2024 Elsie Locke Award For Best Nonfiction (NZ). I run high-energy creative-thinking sessions to inspire people of all ages to re-imagine rewilding the world’s cities. My talks and workshops include inspiring stories about incredible real-world design, engineering and rewilding projects, laugh-out-loud explanations of my own absurd-sounding, but theoretically possible rewilding inventions, as well as high speed design, drawing and model making activities. My workshops focus on encouraging creative thinking, imagining positive futures, and helping participants overcome anxieties around climate change. Sunday 25 minute workshops - Round 1 Ngā Upoko Tukutuku/Māori Subject Headings in school libraries Ceinwen Jones, Cataloguing Team Lead, SCIS In 2024, SCIS ran a survey on Ngā Upoko Tukutuku/Māori Subject Headings in New Zealand school libraries. This presentation will share the findings which demonstrate the value of having Māori topical terms in catalogue records to many school communities. The plans Schools Cataloguing Information Service (SCIS) has for inclusion of Ngā Upoko Tukutuku/Māori Subject Headings into SCIS bibliographic records will be shared. Be Prepared: processes in place for book challenges Marlies Zyp - van der Laan, Chair of LIANZA. Standing Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Raschel Eesa-Danes, Upper Hutt Libraries Access and Content Team Leader Presented by LIANZA’s Standing Committee on Freedom of Information, this workshop will guide you through preparing yourself and your library to manage challenges you encounter to books in the collection, be that from parents, teachers, or students. Discover the principles of intellectual freedom that underlie libraries, and run through the essential processes your library should have in place by diving into the Freedom-to-Read toolkit and Library Challenges Register. Balancing intellectual freedom with age appropriateness is a nuanced business, especially with the additional values of the school and its community. In this workshop, we’ll discuss specific examples of challenges and give you an opportunity to brainstorm what your steps will be and how you’ll determine an outcome based on professional practice and your library's unique circumstance. Celebrating Diversity in the Library Sally Brown, Library Manager, Riccarton High School Boasting 78 different ethnic groups, Riccarton High is one of the most multi-cultural schools in New Zealand. With this comes challenges but also opportunities for clubs, activities, performances, classes, displays and so much more. Many of them student led. Join Sally in a celebration of diversity and ways your library can promote multiculturalism. Library 101 - Where to begin as a School Librarian Trena Lile, Library Manager, Massey High and SLANZA President Practical tips and tricks on how to begin your journey as a new School Library Kaimahi. How to build a vibe of happiness and library joy in your school library as well as keeping your head above water with all the paperwork. Advocating for you and your tamariki to your leadership. Sunday 25 minute workshops - Round 2 The IFLA-UNESCO School Libraries Manifesto - an international advocacy tool Ceire Hopley, Librarian, Waiopehu College Did you know there is an international document advocating for the importance of school libraries? Produced by IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations) and endorsed by UNESCO, the document sets out recommended standards for the provision of library services in schools worldwide. Recently updated, the document is a useful advocacy tool, as well as a guide to "health-check" your library service. Reader Engagement Class Sessions (Year 9 and 10) Shona Shearer, Assistant Librarian and Megan Ferris, Library Manager at Aotea College Sharing our journey of developing reader engagement class sessions for year 9 and 10 students. Including the year plan, and the why, what, how and content of sessions. Examples: Discovering your favourite genre, navigating the catalogue, how to to judge a book by its cover, highlighting a genre and showing students how to talk about books Aotearoa School Library Week 2026! Trena Lile, Library Manager, Massey High and SLANZA President Come and join me as we work through what ASLW26 will look like. Workshop some ideas for the Activity Guide and what guidelines you'd like for the poster competition. What other things could we be doing during ASLW - how do we make ASLW more visible to the world outside of our schools?  As we get closer to the SLANZA Hui 2025: Stronger Together, we're thrilled to announce an exciting new addition to our schedule that we think you'll love!
Celebrate with us at the SLANZA Awards & our 25th Anniversary This year, in place of a formal dinner, our pre-dinner drinks and nibbles on Saturday evening will be a combined celebration of SLANZA's 25th anniversary and the SLANZA Awards ceremony. You will then have the rest of the evening free to make your own dinner plans. This is a fantastic opportunity to mingle with colleagues and celebrate the hard work being done in school libraries across the country. Don't forget to nominate your peers for the SLANZA Awards! You can find the nomination form and details here: https://www.slanza.org.nz/awards.html This awards celebration is included in your hui registration fee, and we can't wait to see you there! A Special Breakfast with Glenn Colquhoun As an exciting new offering, we are delighted to be organising a breakfast event on Sunday morning with local writer and GP, Glenn Colquhoun. This event is proudly sponsored by SCIS. Glenn is an award-winning poet and children's book author, and this will be a wonderful, relaxed opportunity to hear from him and connect with fellow attendees. Please note, this special event has a cost of $15 which covers a light breakfast and will be held on Sunday morning. Don't Miss Out! The countdown is on to the SLANZA Hui 2025, and we're so excited to bring everyone together. You can find all the details about the hui, including registration information, on our website: https://www.slanza.org.nz/slanza-hui-2025.html We’re starting off with a jam-packed update on the SLANZA Regional Hui to be held in Levin. Plans are well underway to celebrate 25 years of our SLANZA community with the aim to share, support and learn with your fellow librarians and lovers of school libraries. So much goodness is summarised below:
If you want to hear a little more about the driving ideas around organising the Stronger Together Hui, listen to the SLANZA Podcast - Hui in the House! Announcing our Guiding Voice speakers At the hui, we are privileged to be joined by the current Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador Kate De Goldi, Samoan author and publishing powerhouse Dahlia Malaeulu and NZCYA 2024 Non-Fiction winner, author and illustrator, Steve Mushin. Be prepared to be inspired and challenged. Stronger Together Hui Programme released The draft programme is online now! Our focus is on providing practical and relevant content that helps build us into more effective school librarians. There’s an opportunity for you to gather a range of ideas for all attendees on specific topics, hear from individuals, share your win this year as a lightning exchange and find connections with others in similar schools or situations to you. Have you considered submitting a hui workshop outline? The SLANZA 2025 call for Workshop Outlines form is now open and will close at Midday on Friday 1 August 2025. This is your opportunity to share ideas, knowledge, stories of successes (and failures) and much more to an audience of hui attendees. Go on . . . give it a go! Librarians are such good sharers. Registrations are now open….and we’ve saved the best news for last. Early bird SLANZA member registration rates are only $120! For both days! So start filling out your PD application form. There’s even a template letter on the hui website to help you approach your Principal. Register your attendance for the SLANZA Stronger Together Hui here Once you've registered there is also a form to fill out to connect with others for transport. An opportunity to select specific workshops will be sent out at a later date. The SLANZA Horowhenua Hui committee The SLANZA 2025 Regional Hui is being held in Levin on the 20th-21st September. With SLANZA celebrating 25 years as an organisation the hui theme is Stronger Together: Sharing, Supporting, Succeeding! Here’s your chance to contribute by presenting or running a workshop. Please consider sharing your practical experience, strengths and advice with others. We have perfect introductory 30 minute session slots available. If you need more courage, shoulder tap a friend and do one together. It could also be a great way to encourage your school to pay for your Hui PD by also presenting on something your school library is doing effectively. Below are some ideas that attendees are interested in focusing on. If there is an area that you could help build capability and knowledge in, then please apply.
Submissions for workshop outline close Friday 1st August 2025. Presenters will be notified by Thursday 21st August. Please note we have limited space in the programme so not all outlines will necessarily be accepted. Any questions please contact Hui Convenor Kristy Wilson at [email protected]   We are delighted to welcome the award-winning author, publisher, and educator Dahlia Malaeulu as one of our guiding voices for the SLANZA Horowhenua Hui: Stronger Together! A proud Samoan New Zealander from Wellington, Dahlia’s work is deeply rooted in her heritage and a passion for empowering the next generation of Pasifika readers, aligning perfectly with our hui's focus on supporting and strengthening our communities.
Dahlia's journey into writing was inspired by her own children, leading her to create Mila’s Books. As the first all-Pasifika publishing team to win this honor, Mila’s Books was named Emerging NZ Publisher of the Year at the 2023 Aotearoa Book Trade Industry Awards. These Pasifika children’s books are designed to help young Pasifika feel seen, heard, and valued. The judges praised Mila's Books for advancing Pasifika storytelling by sharing the stories of over 90 first-time Pasifika authors, including children, students, educators, and parents. Adding to her list of accolades, Dahlia's book Mataali'i, illustrated by Darcy Solia and published by Mila's Books, is a finalist for the Picture Book Award in the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults (NZCYA). Her groundbreaking Mila’s My Gagana Series provides early language readers to support the development of basic Samoan language in homes and schools. She also authored the board book Going to Te Papa | Asiasiga ‘i le Falemata‘aga i Te Papa and created the Mila's My Aganu'u series. We are honoured to have Dahlia share her insights and inspire us all with her dedication to culture and community at our hui in Levin.  We are thrilled to announce that the remarkable industrial designer, visual artist, and author Steve Mushin will be joining us as a presenter at the SLANZA Horowhenua Hui: Stronger Together! As a part of our exciting lineup, Steve will bring a unique perspective shaped by over two decades of experience working at the intersection of human innovation and natural ecosystems.
Steve's career has been dedicated to reimagining our world through sustainable design. His work, which spans illustrations, design projects, and exhibitions, often involves collaborative efforts with a diverse range of experts, from scientists to farmers, on pioneering projects in urban agriculture and renewable technologies. His open-source aquaponics system won the British Council's Big Green Idea Award, and his satirical future inventions have been showcased in major exhibitions, including a solo show in Japan where he envisioned a self-sufficient Tokyo. In 2023, he published his first book, Ultrawild: An Audacious Plan to Rewild Every City on Earth. The book masterfully blends complex STEM knowledge with stunning illustrations, offering creative and hopeful solutions to the climate crisis. The book has received multiple accolades, including the 2024 Australian Book Design Award for Best Designed Children's Non-Fiction book and the 2024 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, Elsie Locke Non-Fiction Award. It was also named a winner of the Storylines Notable Book Awards - Nonfiction in 2023. Described as "the most astonishing children's book I have read in ages," Ultrawild promises to inspire readers of all ages. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from Steve about his fascinating work and his vision for a greener future as we come together at Waiopehu College.  Kate De Goldi. Image credit: Bruce Foster. Source: https://readingambassador.nz/posts/welcome-to-my-reading-for-pleasure-blog We are thrilled to announce some exciting news for the upcoming SLANZA Horowhenua Hui: Stronger Together - Supporting, Sharing Succeeding!
With the hui details confirmed, we can now share some thrilling Keynote Speaker announcements. We've listened to your needs and interests, and our lineup of speakers is designed to help you support your school community. We are absolutely delighted to announce that Kate de Goldi, the newly appointed Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador for Aotearoa New Zealand, will be joining us as a Guiding Voice at the SLANZA Horowhenua Hui: Stronger Together! Commencing her two-year term in June 2025, Kate is set to be a powerful advocate for reading among young New Zealanders, their families, and communities. Kate comes to this vital role with an impressive background as an acclaimed and award-winning author, broadcaster, teacher, and public speaker. Her profound knowledge of children's and young adult literature is extensive, making her an invaluable voice in promoting literacy. Throughout her career, Kate has consistently championed reading and writing within schools and communities, and she has been a long-standing supporter of libraries and young people's access to books. An acclaimed and prolific author, Kate de Goldi has received numerous awards and accolades throughout her career. Her novel The 10pm Question was a major success, winning the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards Book of the Year in 2009. She also won the Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction for From the Cutting Room of Barney Kettle in 2016. Recognised internationally, her work has been honoured with the German LUCHS Prize and selected for the prestigious White Ravens list. Acknowledged for her significant contributions to literature, she was named an Arts Foundation Laureate in 2001 and received the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal in 2011. The "Te Awhi Rito" name, inspired by the harakeke (flax plant), beautifully symbolises the ambassador's role: the mature leaves ("Awhi Rito") protecting and nurturing the young shoot ("Rito"). We are honored that Kate will be a part of our hui as we connect, share, and learn together. We eagerly anticipate hearing her insights and vision for fostering a love of reading across Aotearoa. |
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