INSIGHT
‘‘ School Libraries Group Great School Libraries campaign I
N October 2022, I became co-chair of the Great School Libraries campaign, taking over from the incomparable Caroline Roche. I had my first meeting with Alison Tarrant, the equally impressive co-chair, and Valentina Mirabella, our project manager just as we received the first draft of the second survey into school library provision in the UK which had been commissioned earlier in 2022.
The survey was designed to allow us to gather data on the number of school libraries in the UK and to assess the impact of the pandemic on this provision by comparing the results to the first survey that was carried out in 2019. It found that there has been a 10 per cent drop in the number of secondary schools who have a library and that one in seven primary schools have no library. Two-thirds of school libraries do not have a budget and nearly a quarter of secondary schools had no budget to staff the library. While a quarter of secondary school librarians have head of department status, the vast majority of primary library staff combine their role with other positions across the school. Only eight per cent of primary librarians report having no other role in the school.
Report
The campaign committee created a report based on the survey findings which we launched in February in the House of Commons to an audience of Lords, MPs, authors, librarians, head teachers, funding partners and charities. The Rt. Hon. Dr Stuart Lawrence and Anthony Horowitz spoke passionately about the importance of school libraries the panel discussion which followed agreed that there was much to be done but that by harnessing the support from those in the room, it would be not impossible to
26 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL
ensure that all children, no matter where they are at school and what their socio- economic background, could have access to a school library and a librarian. One MP at the event, Margaret Greenwood, was especially positive about our campaign and she organised a second event at Westminster Hall on 5 July. Billed as a drop-in information session for MPs, she invited all her colleagues from across the political spectrum to come and visit Nick, Alison, Valentina and I in a room just off Westminster Hall between 2pm and 4pm on a warm Wednesday afternoon in London. Just in case we weren’t enough of a draw, we also enlisted the support of the extraordinary Michael Rosen and there is no doubt that the crowds of MPs who arrived in a continual stream throughout the afternoon were drawn to the room by the utter brilliance of that wonderful wordsmith who created the most joyful, electric atmosphere which emanated throughout Westminster and garnered the support of over thirty MPs.
Role
There is no doubt that we still have much to do. It is clear to us is that the role of the school library and its librarian is not always fully understood by the wider school community. There is no denying that their role in developing reading for pleasure and providing a safe space for children is crucial, however this is to ignore the arguably more fundamental position of the school library as the hub of learning, inquiry and intellectual curiosity.
Darryl Toerien puts it clearly and unequivocally, saying: “The fundamental purpose of the school library is to enable students to come to know and understand the world and themselves in it through reading, both non-fiction and fiction. This process of coming to know and understand is a learning process, and specifically an inquiry learning process.
This purpose, in turn, aligns the school library with the fundamental purpose of school – [the journey through] knowledge and understanding – regardless of whether the school, or the broader educational system in which the school operates, favours an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning or not.”
The next step for our campaign is to create a School Leaders Network to champion those schools for whom their library is a fundamental part of the school and to use these headteachers to promote our campaign amongst their networks. If you know of a school whose library is beacon of excellence, please send them our way! IP
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www.greatschoollibraries.org.uk July-August 2023
Mary-Rose Grieve is a school librarian at an English curriculum international school in Dubai. She was UAE School Librarian of the Year in 2019 and is a member of the CILIP SLG National Committee. She runs an OU/ UKLA Teachers Reading Group in Dubai and is a governor of a prep school in Scotland.
It is clear to us is that the role of the school library and its librarian is not always fully understood by the wider school community.
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