TMC9 CALL FOR Submissions: Canadian Scholarly Research and Professional Works Regarding School Library Learning Commons in Canada

Canadian School Libraries (CSL) is pleased to announce that the ninth biennial TMC Symposium (TMC9) will take place in Edmonton, Alberta on Friday February 26 and Saturday February 27, 2027. Full information regarding rates and registration will be available on the TMC website.

Download this Call for Submissions in PDF Format

What is TMC?

Treasure Mountain Canada is a participatory learning experience designed to bring researchers and practitioners together to discuss and debate current Canadian research and scholarly writing which has an impact on the role of school libraries vis-à-vis educational strategy and transformation. Works from previous TMC experiences are archived for viewing and study in the Canadian School Libraries Research Archive.

TMC History: Transforming Research to Action

The first Treasure Mountain Canada, held in Edmonton in 2010, focused on Transforming Canadian School Libraries to Meet the Needs of 21st Century Learners. Since then, seven more symposiums have taken place across Canada resulting in significant projects and support to advance school LLC. See the CSL Research Archive for links to details and past papers. TMC8 was held in Toronto, Ontario with the Ontario School Library Association and was themed around the newly published document, Foundations for School Library Learning Commons in Canada: A Framework for Success. In 2025, Canadian School Libraries released the Digital and Media Toolbox. While this does inform the work of TMC9, it will be only one facet explored within this symposium’s theme.

TMC9 Call for Submissions

Get your researcher hat ready, it’s time for a transformation Mr. Dressup would be proud of. By day you’re just a regular school library professional, but it’s time to don the cape and become a school library researcher!

The goal of Treasure Mountain Canada is to make the school library a key area of academic debate. At this time, the TMC9 planning committee is pleased to extend an invitation to teacher-librarians and educators across the country for submissions for the ninth symposium. These research submissions will be published for participants to review ahead of the symposium, and will form the basis for in-depth discussion at the event. Subsequently all submissions will be made more widely available on the CSL Research Archive website, adding to the growing body of “made in Canada” research generated by TMC.

CSL Research Toolkit

We recognize the outstanding contributions so many of you are making to teaching and learning in Canada. Your work needs to be recognized by the greater education community – and documented, so that it can become part of the debate. To help you in the process of research and sharing your results, CSL has developed a Research Toolkit. Use this rich resource to guide your approach to preparing for TMC!

Considering your own practice, decide on a sub-theme you would like to focus on for your own research. We suggest either teacher action research and/or academic research related to the theme and sub-themes.

TMC9 Theme: Human-Centredness in School Library Learning Commons

TMC9 Sub-Themes:

  • Community in school libraries
    • E.g. E-sports, Girls Who Game, clubs/teams,
  • Allyship in school libraries
    • E.g. Being a safe, brave space, combatting book bans, connecting outside school libraries
  • Critical literacies in school libraries
    • E.g. Examining the various literacies that impact our ability to engage positively with society 
    • E.g. Exploring how the Digital Media Literacy Toolbox can support positive digital literacy for students.
  • Role of AI in human-centered approaches
    • E.g. 
  • Role of school libraries in the modern world
    • E.g. the UN SDG (Sustainable Development Goals), mental health, social justice
  • Proactivity in school libraries
    • E.g. Designing robust policies to protect against censorship
  • Designing participatory learning for agency and change

A submission does not have to fit into a single sub-theme. Many topics will cross between these. For example addressing how libraries are responding to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals may get into the role of school libraries in the modern world, allyship, community, proactivity and designing participatory learning spaces. 

The examples given are not meant to be the only interpretation of these sub-themes.

Focus Your Thinking

Read the CSL Journal article, Announcing TMC8! Strengthening Foundations for School Library Learning Commons in Canada and study the possible topics and focus questions to consider presented under How might you apply a sub-theme to focus your research?

Visit the TMC8 Resources to Get You Thinking webpage to explore articles related to the symposium’s theme. How might these resources kick-start your research?

UN Sustainable Development Goals and School Library Learning Commons in Canada

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Countries that are a part of the UN have committed to achieving these 17 goals that range from ending poverty, gender equality, climate action, quality education and more.  

As we continue to experience a variety of unprecedented changes in our environment, increased violence and war between nations, and continued barriers for women and girls, achieving these goals in a timely fashion is of the utmost importance.  The future of the planet and its inhabitants depend on our success in achieving these goals. 

Libraries can play a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in a variety of ways:

  1.  Awareness – Libraries are places that staff and students should be learning about what the goals are, what has been done to help achieve these goals and what still needs to be done to ensure that the goals are achieved by the target date of 2030. Despite these goals having been set since 2015, there is a lack of awareness about what the SDG goals are about and why they are important to the health and well being of everyone around the world. 
  2. Education – Students should feel empowered and encouraged to actively participate in achieving the SDG goals.  These goals cover a variety of curricular areas and librarians and teachers can work together to create assignments and resources that would allow students to creatively think of strategies to achieve these goals.  Student education about these goals increases the chances of achieving them.
  3. Action – Libraries can connect students with community organizations to work with so that they can have real world, practical and hands-on experience actively working to achieve these goals.  This would allow students to move from the theoretical of what is possible, to applying their ideas in actionable and meaningful ways. 

School libraries play an integral role in bringing the Sustainable Development Goals front and centre in our school environments and can provide the resources to help students be the change that is necessary in the future.

TMC Submissions

For planning purposes, please let us know if you hope to submit research for the symposium. If you have any questions or wish to discuss this initiative further contact any member of the planning committee.

You do not have to attend the symposium to submit research. A checklist of specific requirements for submissions is included below. We will be accepting submissions between December 1, 2026 and January 1,2027. Please send papers to tmc@canadianschoollibraries.ca. Watch for ongoing updates and details regarding the TMC9 program and registration information on the TMC website.

Checklist for TM Canada papers

Content:

  • Educator action research based OR Academic research based
    • Has a clear rationale/purpose for the research/inquiry
    • Has a clearly stated the research question(s)
    • Contains a review of current views and knowledge in the area of study that clearly links to the research questions and purpose
    • Utilizes research procedures, data collection methods, and analyses appropriate to the research questions
    • Explains how findings/insights from this study/inquiry advance the work of other school library professionals

Format and length:

  • Website,
    • 1500 – 3000 words in length
    • Hosted and accessible
  • Video
    • 5-10 minutes maximum
    • MP4 format and in a google drive, one drive or other cloud hosting
    • OR on YouTube or another reputable video hosting site with an unlisted link only
    • If necessary an explanatory document can be provided to support the work
  • Paper
    • 1500 – 3000 words in length
    • In Google Doc or MS Word formats 
  • Slideshow
    • 5 – 10 minute max when presented
    • Accessible (See sample guidelines)
    • In Google Slides or MS Powerpoint
  • Audio/Podcast
    • 5-10 minute max
    • MP3 format and in a Google Drive, One Drive or other cloud hosting
    • OR on SoundCloud or another reputable audio hosting site with an unlisted link only

References:

  • APA format
  • If AI has been used in any way it must be transparently stated and referenced
  • If there are required ethical clearances, they are stated clearly

Biography:

  • 200 words max
  • Digital headshot

Due Date:

  • Submissions accepted between December 1st, 2027 and January 1, 2027
  • Permission to publish your work on the TMCanada website

Note: Submissions will be reviewed by TMC program leaders and edited as required. Copyright will remain with the original creator.

Process for Reviewing TMC Submissions

TheTMC team will use the following review considerations:

Content Considerations

  • Does the submission address the symposium theme and sub themes?
  • Has the author identified a clear rationale/purpose for the research/inquiry?
  • Has the author clearly stated the research question(s)?
  • Does a review of current views and knowledge in the area of study clearly link to the research questions and purpose?
  • Are research procedures, data collection methods, and analyses appropriate to the research questions?
  • How will findings/insights this study/inquiry advance the work of other school library professionals?
  • Have the required ethical clearances been stated?
  • Are sources acknowledged and correctly documented?
  • If there are major problems with the submission, we will work with the author to address concerns.

Editing Considerations

  • Clarity of expression
  • Organization and flow
  • Proofreading for errors
  • Attention to Checklist for TMC Papers

Publishing Process

  • Confirming major edits with the writer
  • Gathering a photo and short bio
  • Conversion to a PDF
  • Creation of a short summary of the paper
  • Publishing on TMC Blog for review and discussion

Questions about submissions should be directed to the TMC Planning Committee (tmc@canadianschoollibraries.ca).

Planning Committee for TMC9

  • Melanie Mulcaster, CSL Board and TMC9 Co-Chair
  • Diana Maliszewski, CSL Board and TMC9 Co-Chair
  • Jennifer Casa-Todd, CSL Board and TMC9 Co-Chair
  • Harold Semenuk, CSL Board and TMC9 Planner
  • Joseph Jeffery, CSL Chair
  • Jonelle St. Aubyn, CSL Representative
  • Sarah Wethered, CSL Board and Treasurer