Mantle Conference

A couple of the committee went along to the Sydney launch of Josie Mack and the Mega Division by and .draws at .

It was a wonderful launch complete with carrot microphones, games, frog drawings and wombat sculpting.

This is a fantastic junior fiction book that combines animal conservation and environmental issues in a wholesome way. Jade’s spot illustrations add a warmth to this story that young readers will love.

It’s so wonderful to see one of our local illustrators producing such quality work. If you’d love to see Jade in action, make sure you register for .

Meet the committee bringing to you.

Our committee are a volunteer group of TL’s - retired or working with a wealth of combined experience and knowledge.

Amanda is the treasurer and social media manager and has been a TL for 16 years working in the public primary setting. She is passionate about advocating for the library and the TL role.

Kerry is our website guru and tech expert on the committee. She is retired from working in schools but she is a podcaster, author and newly minted president. She has a wealth of knowledge and is often the voice of reason within this group.

Jae is our secretary, merchandise manager and has the sharpest eye for detail you’ll find. She is currently working part time in a public primary school where she has been a valued member of the community for over 20 years.

Carolien is our logistics officer ensuring all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed when it comes to programming and delegate experience. Carolien works across two public primary schools and in her down time is a volunteer wildlife career.

Helena is responsible for bringing our awesome trade partners to you. Helena currently works in a Catholic primary school, though her career has seen her working as a CRT and TL in schools in Australia and England. She works as an executive at her school, maintaining the library and as the technology coordinator.

Jenna is our venue liaison, and presenter experience liaison. Jenna is an experienced TL in primary public schools and is an active member of TL networks in our region. Jenna has brought an enthusiastic presence to our team.

While we each have our roles within the team, we work together to organise presenters and the program. Our robust discussions ensure we deliver quality professional learning that is unique to the TL role.
We do these extra jobs in our own time, on top of our professional and personal lives.

The current committee have been working together for the past two years and we are already working on the 2027 conference ideas and presenters.

We love seeing our merch out in the wild.

The fabulous was up in Newcastle presenting at a local TL network meeting and I was sent these two photos of Deb, proudly displaying the 2025 bag.

We love Deb and all she does and we are chuffed this bag is helping haul all her things around.

If you’d like one of our impressive, limited edition bags, you best sign up for our 2026 conference.

Anna Burkey from is a wealth of knowledge about the reading habits of Australians and it’s an absolute pleasure to have her attending to present a keynote and then a session that will be filled with practical insights.

Keynote
Reaching readers: insights for school libraries
Armed with insights from the new Reaching Australian Readers report, Anna will unpack the key findings to address the question: how can school libraries instil a love of reading in increasingly disengaged students?
Now more than ever, school libraries need to be equipped with the right tools, tactics, messages and data to engage students with books and reading.
Anna takes a look at how we can apply research insights to increase reading, and provides some hope on how we can work together to develop a stronger reading culture for students.
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Workshop outline
Reaching readers workshop
Building on the Reaching Readers keynote presentation, this session will take a practical approach to applying reading research insights in school libraries.
The workshop will provide participants with the chance to explore new tactics for their own libraries, across collections, programs and events, marketing & messaging, and the physical layouts of spaces.

Registration is now open.

Visit our website (link in bio) or check your email if you have attended before.

We are in for a real treat with Joel McKerrow presenting at .

The Power of Story in Transforming Student’s Lives
Often we think of story as an escape. But what if it is actually doing the very opposite for us, even when we feel like it is an escape. What if STORY is taking us deeper into what
life is all about? What if story helps us re-imagine our lives and re-shape our identity and expand our empathy. The power of story doing this in students lives cannot be
understated. Come explore ways we can tap into this with writer, poet and educator Joel McKerrow.

Registration will open on Tuesday 28th April.
Be sure to check your emails or jump onto the website - link in bio.

Matt Stanton will be a welcome addition to presenting a keynote and breakout sessions.

Keynote: Developing a Reading Habit in Children
Bestselling author and illustrator Matt Stanton has published more than 50 children’s books. In this keynote, he shares why—despite the challenges facing reading
today—he remains deeply optimistic about kids’ reading in Australia, and what he’s
learned about helping children not only start reading, but develop a reading habit.

Session: creating meaningful reading experiences
As the author, illustrator and designer of his own books—a rare combination in
Australian children’s publishing—Matt Stanton brings a unique perspective to
creating books kids genuinely want to read. In this session, he’ll share how he uses the tools of writing, illustration and design to create meaningful reading experiences that help build lifelong reading habits.

Peter Carnavas is multi talented, he is a qualified TL, an author and illustrator. He will bring all that wonderful talent to 2026.

His session will be a delight for delegates.

Family, stories and making things by hand
Join Peter Carnavas as he discusses the inspiration behind his beloved books, the personal mission he has assigned himself and why he keeps writing about family (even though he doesn’t mean to).

Binny Talib will bring her wonderful style and warm and infectious energy to 2026.

The Magic of Being a Little Bit Different: Finding Voice in Picture Books
In a world that is increasingly fast, polished, and often generated, Binny explores how to help students find their own very human creative voice, now more important than ever. The most memorable stories come from being a little bit different, and from drawing on our own experiences.
Binny shares how her picture books begin, through a deeply personal and often messy
creative process. From this, she creates authentic, memorable characters with real
emotional soul, alongside a distinctive visual style that feels warm and accessible.
She explores how creative voice develops over time through quirks, experimentation,
observation and play, and why it’s often the imperfect, unexpected ideas that resonate most.
This session offers practical and engaging ways to bring storytelling to life in the library.
Drawing on her real world letter writing program connecting students across schools, Binny shares how simple, playful approaches can help students develop voice, build confidence, and connect through story.
Participants will leave with:
•practical ways to spark creativity and storytelling
•simple strategies to help students develop voice and confidence
•ideas for using letter writing as a collaborative and engaging library program

Registration will open Tuesday 28th April.