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Essential guide for anyone looking to develop reading in schools
DR Margaret K. Merga has become a well- known name within the school library sector due to her research and publications on the value and impact of school libraries.
Her new book, Creating a Reading Culture in Primary and Secondary Schools, is an excellent addition to this growing body of work. If people are going to make changes to their current practice, there needs to be acknowledgement that these will bring benefits so the book begins by exploring why a whole school reading culture is important before investigating how to imple- ment research-supported practices, with the aim of nurturing a whole school culture that creates lifelong readers. Wider stakeholder engagement and managing change are also discussed as is the importance of evalua- tion and ethical reporting. Extensively researched with practical and realis- tic strategies that can be integrated into a comprehen- sive approach, this eminently readable and accessible book, with its use of sub-headings and bullet points to break up the text, should be required CPD reading for all educa- tors engaged with promoting reading within their institu- tions including library staff, teachers, support staff and senior management. The extensive list of references
46 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Practical strategies for comunity- based sustainability
Merga, Margaret K. Creating A Reading Culture in Primary and Secondary Schools – A Practical Guide. London: Facet Publishing, 2023. 327pp. ISBN 978 1 7833 0638 1. £50. CILIP members 35% off.
will provide LIS students and researchers with numer- ous opportunities for further reading around the topic.
Barbara Band School Library Consultant
IN 2022, CILIP announced their Green Libraries Campaign and this book, whilst written from a US perspective, fits in well. The four editors and seven- teen contributors come from an assortment of public and academic libraries, as well as two of them being library architects, bringing a range of experiences. The core message is that libraries play an impor- tant role in sustainability by providing information to their communities, by increasing awareness of local and national environmental issues, and by ensuring eco-friendly practices within their own establish- ments.
The contents are divided into four sections: leadership, planning, programming and transformation. Chapters one to nine feature a collection of essays and case studies from rural to urban libraries with practical tips and suggestions for implementing sustainable processes and ideas. These include such things as repair clinics, makerspaces, DIY events, seed libraries and swap shops – all presented in short and concise text bro- ken up with sub-headings for accessibility. I particularly liked the chapter on running environmentally sound and economically feasible events and conferences; no more plastic giveaways! The last three chapters present a more holistic approach, encouraging readers to focus on their librar- ies as community models and
Tanner, René; Ho, Adrian K.; Antonelli, Monika and Aldrich, Rebekkah Smith (eds). Libraries & Sustainability – Programs and Practices for Community Impact. Chicago: ALA, 2021. 160pp. ISBN 978 0 8389 3794 5. £36.
facilitators, encouraging people to change their mindshift to a society that values the environ- ment over money. As the book states: “Everything is connected and interrelated… library systems and process- es will need to be developed and redesigned to respond to evolving needs” – needs that necessitate building and oper- ating within an environmen- tally responsible infrastructure and adopting sustainable habits.
Barbara Band School Library Consultant
April-May 2024
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