Last week, my school was privileged to host the Brisbane South Readers Cup competition, welcoming more than 100 students and 23 teams from schools across the region. The evening was a celebration of reading, literature and intellectual curiosity, bringing together young people united by a shared love of books.
Readers Cup is far more than a quiz competition. At its heart, it is about creating a community of readers. In an age where young people are often characterised by what they are not doing, events such as Readers Cup remind us of what they are doing. They are reading deeply, discussing complex ideas, debating interpretations and finding joy in stories. They are building friendships around books and discovering that reading is not a solitary activity but a shared experience that connects people across schools, backgrounds and communities.
As I walked through the venue on the night, there was an unmistakable energy in the room. Students who had spent months reading and preparing came together to test their knowledge of this year’s texts. The competitive element was certainly present, but what stood out most was the enthusiasm. There is something powerful about seeing so many teenagers willingly spending an evening discussing literature when they could be almost anywhere else.
The event was made even more special through the generosity of Nick Croydon, CEO of QBD Books, who volunteered his time as Quiz Master and donated gift vouchers for competitors. His involvement reinforced an important message: reading matters, and supporting young readers matters. In a world where time is perhaps our most precious resource, the gift of time is often the most generous contribution of all.
Yet behind every successful school library event lies a story that is rarely told.
While students see the competition, the prizes and the excitement of the evening, they do not always see the countless hours of preparation that make these opportunities possible. Nor does the wider public often recognise the significant volunteer labour that underpins many literacy initiatives within schools.
Readers Cup did not run because it appeared on a calendar. It ran because teachers, school officers and volunteers gave generously of their time beyond their normal duties. Teachers stayed after hours to judge, supervise students, keep time and assist with logistics. Library staff coordinated registrations, communication and event planning. Support staff ensured spaces were prepared and functioning. Volunteers stepped into countless roles that often go unnoticed, from scoring and administration to simple acts of hospitality and encouragement. We should also acknowledge the extraordinary work of the Children’s Book Council of Australia and its volunteers, who quietly dedicate countless hours to fostering a culture of reading through programs such as Readers Cup. Their contribution, like that of many school library staff, is often invisible to the broader public. Yet these initiatives continue because people believe deeply in the power of stories and are willing to give their own time to ensure young people have opportunities to engage with them.
This story is not unique to Readers Cup.
Across Australia, school libraries quietly deliver a remarkable array of programs that enrich the educational lives of students. Book clubs, literature festivals, writing workshops, visiting authors, reading challenges, Readers Cup teams, lunchtime activities and literacy events often exist because school library professionals believe deeply in their value. Much of this work occurs outside timetabled lessons and beyond recognised workload allocations. It is driven not by obligation but by commitment to students and a belief in the transformative power of reading.
The reality is that much of the work of school libraries remains largely invisible. When literacy outcomes improve, when students discover a love of reading, when reluctant readers find the right book, or when communities gather around literature, the effort behind those successes is not always visible. The planning meetings, the emails, the risk assessments, the book selection, the venue preparation, the volunteer coordination and the countless hours of organisation rarely make headlines.
Perhaps that is because school libraries have always been places of quiet service. They are spaces where support happens in the background, where opportunities are created without fanfare and where success is measured in the achievements of others.
However, events such as Readers Cup remind us that this work deserves recognition.
The evening was a triumph not simply because a winning team emerged, but because it demonstrated what can happen when a community invests in young readers. It showed the collective impact of educators, library professionals, support staff, volunteers, community partners and organisations such as the CBCA working together towards a common purpose.
As school libraries continue to advocate for literacy, information literacy and lifelong learning, it is important that we also acknowledge the unseen labour that makes these opportunities possible. Behind every successful event stands a network of people who choose to give more of themselves than is required.
To every teacher who stayed late, every volunteer who helped, every CBCA member who has contributed to Readers Cup over the years, every staff member who worked behind the scenes, and to Nick Croydon and QBD Books for their generosity and support, thank you.
Readers Cup may celebrate books, but it is also a celebration of people. The readers who inspire us, the educators who support them, and the communities that quietly make these experiences possible.
Sometimes the most important stories are not found in the books on the table, but in the people who make it possible for those books to change lives.
Learning through the Library 