Abstract:
Seventy metres of virtually unhandled Māori language readers in the Māori Junior Non-Fiction collection! From wherever we looked – lending, liaison or learning – this was an unsatisfactory state of affairs. Nearly all the titles were designed to promote literacy development. Comparable English medium readers in the Sylvia Ashton-Warner Library are very well used. Why wasn’t this rich resource being borrowed, or even browsed? Perhaps channels of communication were blocked? Our investigations revealed that intellectual and hence physical access was in disarray. In collaboration with literacy specialists from Te Puna Wānanga, the Library decided to reclassify and enrich two decades of junior Māori language records. Our collective purpose was to improve not only access, but equity, literacy development and liaison. In the process the Library discovered the excellent Ngā Kete Kōrero Framework (NKKF) for levelling Māori language readers, which we have successfully used as the primary means of organisation and now enthusiastically promote. Te Puna Wānanga, the School of Māori Education within the Faculty of Education, has identified a number of benefits resulting from the replication on Library shelves of the levelling system used by schools. The most obvious is the greater usage of the Māori readers by students enrolled in the Māori medium teacher training pathway, Huarahi Māori. Systematic reading of graded te reo Māori material is an effective language acquisition strategy for speakers and learners of te reo Māori. In addition, student engagement in the levelling process has enabled students to develop their knowledge of the NKKF criteria and their application. From a cataloguing perspective the main objective was to empower older bibliographic records. We upgraded the records using Nga Ūpoko Tukutuku, the Māori Subject Headings, and by applying NKKF’s abbreviation schema. Our discussion will canvas highlights and difficulties encountered using these tools, and how we proceeded. Others will be able to benefit from the enhanced records in the National Union Catalogue (Te Puna). The collaborative work between Te Puna Wānanga and the Library has been an extremely positive way to give voice to the Treaty of Waitangi, by actualising the intent of the Treaty around principles of partnership, biculturalism, equitable outcomes and protection of taonga – namely te reo Māori. Other library supporters have come from Te Rōpū Whakahau, National Library and elsewhere. We are pleased to know that the reconstituted collection will be an ongoing support for te reo Māori. Specific benefits are already evident: on rummaged shelves, in successful Catalogue searches, in strengthened relationships, and for teaching and learning. Describing and connecting these works more thoughtfully has given them place and voice and power.