BCTLA Working and Learning Conditions Survey 2025

Working and Learning Conditions Survey 2025 - 2026
Thank you for helping with the BCTLA’s 46th annual survey on working and learning conditions in public school library learning commons in British Columbia.

This survey will take about five minutes to fill in. Your answers are very important for providing current information about the experience of Teacher-Librarians.

If you work in more than one school, please submit a separate survey for each school. If you work in a school with more than one Teacher-Librarian, please have all TLs individually fill one out. The lead TL would answer a more detailed survey including school demographics, staffing, budget, and technology.

The information you provide in the survey will be help us support individual district concerns and strengths and will be shared with the BCTLA Executive, the BCTLA Chapter Councillors. Aggregate data will also be shared with Canadian School Libraries. Your e-mail contact information (optional) will be used for prizes: one of three $40 e-gift cards; one BCTLA membership; and a hotel stay the night before the 2026 BCTLA Conference.

The deadline for completing the survey is Friday, February 13, 2026.
Are you the lead Teacher-Librarian filling out this form?*
Name (Individual filling out this form)

First NameLast Name
School Name
District*
School Type*
What is your position?*

Teacher-LibrarianSchool Union RepresentativeVice Principal or PrincipalOther
What is the current school enrolment? (best estimate)*
If you are a district level library put 0
Has the school population changed from last year?*

No changeFewer studentsMore students
Staffing
Is there a certified Teacher-Librarian assigned to the library learning commons at this school?*

YesNoIn the process of getting certified
If No, who is in charge of the library learning commons at this school?
Please indicate level of Teacher-Librarian training of main TL:*

Some courses in Teacher-Librarianship (with no certificate);Certificate in Teacher-Librarianship (usually about 15 credits);Diploma in Teacher-Librarianship (usually about 30 credits);Master of Education (Teacher-Librarianship);Master of Education, Arts, etc. (related field);Master of Library and Information Studies;No TrainingOther
Has the Teacher-Librarian position in this school changed in regards to employed hours, compared to the 2024-25 school year? (e.g., hours of employment have been added to the position; hours of employment have decreased for this position)*

IncreasedDecreasedStayed the sameDon't know
With this decrease in FTE has it negatively affected your staff? (eg., decreased collaboration, decreased access to library resources, increased classroom workload, etc.)

Yes, my staff has been negatively affectedNo, my staff has not been affected
We realize that districts use different percentages and language to describe Full Time Employment (FTE). For this survey, a Full Time Employment position is equal to 1.0 or 5 Full School Days. For example, this means that 0.6 is the equivalent of 3 Full School Days.

Please provide your best estimates in the next few questions:
What is your school's total current Teacher-Librarian FTE? Please do not include FTE for other positions you may hold like intermediate prep teacher, Early Literacy teacher, etc*
FYI Only: Based on your school population your expected ratio (using the provincial ratio) should be :
NOTE: Ratios are an average across the district this may be accounted for elsewhere. Your district may have a better ratio than the province.
The next 3 questions will ask you about percentages of your work week. If you aren't sure, make an educated guess. The three amounts will add up to 100%. There's a calculation after to help you see if you made a mistake.
What percentage of your Teacher-Librarian FTE are you a prep coverage/relief teacher?*
What percentage do you spend working in the NON-ENROLLING role of a Teacher-Librarian? (e.g., circulation, book exchange, library administration duties)*
What percentage do you spend working with other teachers in collaboration? *
STOP: Quick check, is the number below 100? If not, please relook at your last three answers.
If you provide prep coverage/relief, are you required to submit assessment for reporting?

YesNo
Aside from the Teacher-Librarian, are there other paid on-site employees that assist in running the library learning commons? This can include Library Technicians, Clerk Assistants or others.*

YesNoDon't Know
Have the hours of employment for that employee changed, compared to the 2024-25 school year?

No, stayed the sameYes, increasedYes, decreasedDon't Know
Where is the processing and cataloguing of books done?*

SchoolDistrictBothDon't know
What does the centralized processing do to assist you with your workload?
Were you pulled for Failures-to-Fill from September to December 2025?*

YesNo
Approximately, how many minutes did you cover classes for Failures-to-Fill from September to December 2025?
If you were absent any days from September 2025 to December 2025, did you have a TTOC to cover your position as a Teacher-Librarian?*

I was never absentAlwaysMost of the timeSome of the timeRarelyNever
If you were absent any days from September 2025 to December 2025, how often was your TTOC pulled from the TL position to cover another Failure-to-Fill in the school?

AlwaysMost of the timeSome of the timeRarelyNever
Compared to last year, how has your motivation and morale as a Teacher-Librarian changed?*

Significatly betterSomewhat betterAbout the sameSomewhat worseSignificatly worseNot applicable
If you would like to provide more details, please do so below:
How often do you get your contractual prep time? For most districts this is 120 minute/FTE for elementary teachers and 12.5% for secondary teachers*

All the time (It is owed to me if I miss it)Most of the time (I may miss it and it's gone)Some of the timeRarelyNeverNever but it is because I do not work enough FTE to earn it
Please provide some more details outlining why you do not get your contractual prep.
If your library learning commons is open during lunch, do you provide supervision?*

Yes, I have a duty free lunch at another timeYes, I "give up" my duty free lunch to keep it openNo, there is someone else responsible for supervisionNo, there is no supervisionNot applicable
Budget
What is this school's library learning commons budget ($) for library materials for the 2025-26 school year provided by either the district or the school administration? (Do not include grants, donations, fundraising, or items like textbooks which are learning resources.)*
Did you know that the following is how much your budget works out to per student?
The average hardcover picture book is $26.00. The average hardcover novel is $30.00
How does this compare to the library's budget in 2024-25?*

Significantly higherSomewhat higherAbout the sameSomewhat lessSignificantly lessDon't Know
Which of the following are covered by this school's library learning commons budget? (select all that apply)*

Print Resources for student choice readingPrint Resources for teachingElectronic ResourcesFurnitureEquipmentSuppliesOther
The next three questions will ask you about the rough divide of your budget. The three percentages should add up to 100%. There will be a check field showing you how much your three answers add up to.
What approximate percentage of this school's library learning commons budget will be used for print resources? *
What approximate percentage of this school's library learning commons budget will be used for non-print resources such as ebooks, databases, etc.?*
What approximate percentage of this school's library learning commons budget will be used for processing and general supplies such as barcodes, tape, labels, etc.?*
STOP: Quick check, is the number below 100? If not there's an error on one or more of the last 3 questions. Please revisit them.
Which of the following additional monetary sources supplement this library learning commons' budget for the 2024-25 school year? (select all that apply)*

PAC donationsGrantsOLEP Funding (Federal French Funding)Additional District BudgetBook Fair IncomeLibrary Fundraisers (e.g., read-a-thons, used book sales)OtherNo additional funds supplement this library learning commons' budget
Do you have access to your library learning commons budget? (e.g. Are you told what it is at the beginning of the school year and able to check the balance throughout the school year?)*

YesNoI don't know
Do you have autonomy over how you spend your school library learning commons budget? (e.g. You can buy what you need when you need it; does not require approval from admin.)*

YesNo
Professional Development
To what extent are there adequate opportunities available for Teacher-Librarian professional development through your district and/or local Teacher-Librarian association during school year?*

Very adequateSomewhat adequateSomewhat inadequateVery inadequateNot offered/non existantI don't know
Which of the following professional development topics interest you? (select all that apply)*

Diversity and Inclusion in the library learning commonsCollaborationNew Teacher-Librarian InformationCensorship, Freedom to Read, and Banned BooksDigital CitizenshipNew Technology and AppsLiteracy - Joy of ReadingADST/Makerspace IdeasArtificial Intelligence
Do you find webinars are helpful professional development opportunities for you?

Yes, and I prefer them liveYes, and I don't mind if they are pre-recordedNo
Other professional development areas of interest (not mentioned above) and/or relevant workshops and speakers you would like the BCTLA to explore:
Book Challenges
Does your district have a formal policy for dealing with book challenges?*

YesNoDon't know
Have you encountered any requests for reconsideration of library learning commons materials over the past year?*

YesNo
Please let us know the title/s that was/were challenged, the reasons given, and the result.
Did you enter the challenge(s) into the Centre for Free Expression Library Challenges Database? (https://cfe.torontomu.ca/databases/library-challenges-database)

YesNo
Additional Comments
Please use this space for any other comments (e.g. advocacy ideas, library learning commons staffing, budget, additional funding, resources at your school)
OPTIONAL: Provide your personal email address to be entered into a random draw to win one of five prizes: one of three $40 e-gift cards; one BCTLA membership; or a hotel stay the night before the 2026 BCTLA Conference.
nicole@gotthisin.ca
Thank you for assisting the BCTLA with your survey submission!
Should be Empty:

Working and Learning Conditions Survey 2025 - 2026

Staffing

Budget

Professional Development

Book Challenges

Additional Comments