What the ResEARCh is Saying
There is a great deal of research that has been done about the value of professionally staffed school libraries and what is happenng to standards when school library staff is reduced or removed. The following collecton is designed to provide evidence-based information to support the need for and value of maintianing a well staffed and resourced library resource centre. The research has been categorised to distinguish information from different countries.
Australia
Future learning and school libraries. Australian School Library Association (2013) (PDF)
This paper provides information to support decision making for future focused learning in Australian school libraries and seeks to enhance understanding of international trends for Australian schooling. It also argues for rigorous evaluation and explores the contribution school libraries and teacher librarians can make to student learning.
Knowing and showing how school library programs help students learn Ross Todd (2004): (PPT)
The United States
School Libraries Build Strong Students - American Library Association
An infographic about the value of school libraries
AASL Toolkit for Promoting School Library Programs
A comprehensive tookit for promoting schol library programs. Downloadable as a PDF.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES WORK!
A research-based report that highlights the value of school libraries. A very useful document.
Together for learning: School libraries and the emergence of the learning common
This paper explores the value of re-imagining the library as a laerning common.
Important New Impact Study on Quality School Libraries and Academic Achievement: Published April 2015
The South Carolina Impact Study- How Libraries Transform Schools by Contributing to Student Success: Evidence Linking South Carolina School Libraries and PASS & HSAP Results (2013)
This study, which documented the contribution of school librarians to student success, used test results for three ELA standards—literary text, informational text, and research and two writing standards—content and organisation. The school library characteristics of staffing, expenditure, collaboration with classroom teachers to help students develop information literacy skills, circulation numbers, collection size, access to computers, and number of times classes visited the school library each week, were associated with these measures of student achievement.
Informational brief: impact of school libraries on student achievement (PDF) (2011)
A survey of US and Canadian research between 1993 and 2011 collectively known as the “School Library Impact Studies” highlights the relationship between school libraries and student achievement. It looks at demographic data, technology, budgeting, staffing, professional development, and collaboration. The survey concludes that school libraries have a positive impact on student outcomes, as they teach 21st century skills, promote achievement, and play a major role in closing the achievement gap.
School librarian staffing linked with gains in student achievement (PDF) (2012)
Lance, Keith Curry, Hofschire, Linda (2012). School librarian staffing linked with gains in student achievement, 2005 - 2011. Teacher Librarian. Oct. 2012, Vol. 39 Issue 6, p.15-19.
School Library Impact Studies
Offers a comprehensive list of research studies from the US.
Canada
Value of school libraries Article by Stephen Abram
Value of School Libraries - Read Plus - A collection of articles about importance of school libraries
School Library Research Summarized - Keith Curry Lance
The United Kingdom
Do school libraries make a difference? Some considerations on investigating school library impact in the United Kingdom
Gildersleeves, Lucy. Do school libraries make a difference? Some considerations on investigating school library impact in the United Kingdom. Library Management 33,6/7 (2012), pp.403 – 413.
Successful primary school libraries
Scotland NEW
Vibrant Libraries, Thriving SChools: A national Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland 2018-2023
Europe / World
IFLA School Library Guidelines (2nd revised edition)
www.ifla.org/files/assets/school-libraries-resource.../ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf
School Libraries and Their Impact on Student Performance
School libraries: what’s now, what’s next, what’s yet to come (2011)
A crowdsourced collection of over 100 essays from around the world about trends in school libraries written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors. Edited by Kristin Fontichiaro and Buffy Hamilton.
School Libraries Impact Studies
An extensive range of reports about the impact of school libraries
IFLA Trend Report (2013)
The IFLA Trend Report aims to map broad societal changes occurring, or likely to occur in the information environment. The Report reflects a year’s consultation with experts and stakeholders representing different disciplines from around the world and explores the question: “How will we access, use and benefit from information in an increasingly hyper-connected world?"
Australia
Future learning and school libraries. Australian School Library Association (2013) (PDF)
This paper provides information to support decision making for future focused learning in Australian school libraries and seeks to enhance understanding of international trends for Australian schooling. It also argues for rigorous evaluation and explores the contribution school libraries and teacher librarians can make to student learning.
Knowing and showing how school library programs help students learn Ross Todd (2004): (PPT)
The United States
School Libraries Build Strong Students - American Library Association
An infographic about the value of school libraries
AASL Toolkit for Promoting School Library Programs
A comprehensive tookit for promoting schol library programs. Downloadable as a PDF.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES WORK!
A research-based report that highlights the value of school libraries. A very useful document.
Together for learning: School libraries and the emergence of the learning common
This paper explores the value of re-imagining the library as a laerning common.
Important New Impact Study on Quality School Libraries and Academic Achievement: Published April 2015
The South Carolina Impact Study- How Libraries Transform Schools by Contributing to Student Success: Evidence Linking South Carolina School Libraries and PASS & HSAP Results (2013)
This study, which documented the contribution of school librarians to student success, used test results for three ELA standards—literary text, informational text, and research and two writing standards—content and organisation. The school library characteristics of staffing, expenditure, collaboration with classroom teachers to help students develop information literacy skills, circulation numbers, collection size, access to computers, and number of times classes visited the school library each week, were associated with these measures of student achievement.
Informational brief: impact of school libraries on student achievement (PDF) (2011)
A survey of US and Canadian research between 1993 and 2011 collectively known as the “School Library Impact Studies” highlights the relationship between school libraries and student achievement. It looks at demographic data, technology, budgeting, staffing, professional development, and collaboration. The survey concludes that school libraries have a positive impact on student outcomes, as they teach 21st century skills, promote achievement, and play a major role in closing the achievement gap.
School librarian staffing linked with gains in student achievement (PDF) (2012)
Lance, Keith Curry, Hofschire, Linda (2012). School librarian staffing linked with gains in student achievement, 2005 - 2011. Teacher Librarian. Oct. 2012, Vol. 39 Issue 6, p.15-19.
School Library Impact Studies
Offers a comprehensive list of research studies from the US.
Canada
Value of school libraries Article by Stephen Abram
Value of School Libraries - Read Plus - A collection of articles about importance of school libraries
School Library Research Summarized - Keith Curry Lance
The United Kingdom
Do school libraries make a difference? Some considerations on investigating school library impact in the United Kingdom
Gildersleeves, Lucy. Do school libraries make a difference? Some considerations on investigating school library impact in the United Kingdom. Library Management 33,6/7 (2012), pp.403 – 413.
Successful primary school libraries
Scotland NEW
Vibrant Libraries, Thriving SChools: A national Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland 2018-2023
Europe / World
IFLA School Library Guidelines (2nd revised edition)
www.ifla.org/files/assets/school-libraries-resource.../ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf
School Libraries and Their Impact on Student Performance
School libraries: what’s now, what’s next, what’s yet to come (2011)
A crowdsourced collection of over 100 essays from around the world about trends in school libraries written by librarians, teachers, publishers, and library vendors. Edited by Kristin Fontichiaro and Buffy Hamilton.
School Libraries Impact Studies
An extensive range of reports about the impact of school libraries
IFLA Trend Report (2013)
The IFLA Trend Report aims to map broad societal changes occurring, or likely to occur in the information environment. The Report reflects a year’s consultation with experts and stakeholders representing different disciplines from around the world and explores the question: “How will we access, use and benefit from information in an increasingly hyper-connected world?"