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Development of a subject specialist library: GTAV Orbis Library

There are many active subject specialist associations across Australia. They provide support to teachers and can also offer resources to support teaching through a library.

The Geography Teachers’ Association of Victoria (GTAV) has developed an extensive collection in its library to support teachers.

Like every other educational institution in Australia, GTAV works a balancing act to keep its finances on track so that it can support the teaching of geography in Victorian schools. It is of significant importance and a great feat that the GTAV has created its own subject-devoted library of both current and archival material. The GTAV Orbis Library is unique – we believe that no other subject association in Victoria has such an asset. The Orbis Library takes its name from the logo of the GTAV. The logo was chosen in quite an extraordinary way by the editors of the GTAV journal in the mid 1960s. At the time, the editors coped with the arduous task of editing by sharing a bottle of red. It is believed that the Orbis logo in fact started life as a claret stain on the galley proofs due back at the printers the next morning. Its potential became startlingly apparent and the doodling became an example of a medieval woodcut map of the fifteenth century known as a T-O map, or wheel map.

GTAV logo

In late 1991, it was decided that something should be done about the mass of 2,500 items gathered over time and at different locations by the GTAV. In its wisdom, GTAV employed a trained librarian to catalogue the items, which have now expanded more than threefold. Items are catalogued according to SCIS (Schools Catalogue Information Service) so that they are aligned with school collections. The collection now has over 7,500 items.

Fast forward to 2009 and the library is a vibrant place where members, trainee teachers and students utilise the collection of textbooks, journals, kits, computer software, DVDs, slide sets, maps, charts and posters. The library also offers support to the AusAID-funded Global Education Project – an ancillary project of the GTAV which aims to support teachers in developing a global perspective across all subject areas. The Global Education Project has its own small library collection which is utilised in the development of projects and professional development for practising and pre-service teachers. The librarian helps source relevant material.

Material is acquired by donations from individuals and organisations, requests from publishers, reciprocal publications from organisations, selected purchases and subscriptions to selected journals. Material can be utilised on site or borrowed. Borrowing is restricted to members – one of the benefits of membership – however nonmembers may utilise the material on site. The library is open 9am – 5pm, including on school holidays.

The library in action with material available to all to use on site

To maintain the collection and disseminate information, a trained librarian is employed six hours per week. That’s usually just enough time to address the inquiries from GTAV staff, Victorian teachers and overseas.

This year the GTAV celebrates its fiftieth year of service to geography teachers in Victoria. The library has been a treasure trove of information for those who have been doing extensive research on the organisation’s past. This research will be published to coincide with the Annual Conference of the GTAV in August.

Geography as a subject is definitely alive and well. The Victorian bushfires in February served to remind us how much we all need to understand the basic geography of this country. There are active geography subject associations in a number of states across Australia, including New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. The Australian Geography Teachers’ Association is the umbrella group which focuses on geography at a national level. It is with great anticipation that we look forward to the GTAV Orbis Library supporting the next 50 years of geography education in Victoria.

Libby Hillman
GTAV Librarian
GTAV website: http://www.gtav.asn.au/