How can a primary school afford not to have a school library and librarian? You might well argue that primary schools lack the funds to employ a full time, dedicated member of staff for the school library, but they don’t necessarily need to (though this would be the ideal). Schools’ Library Services can help with placing experienced librarians who cover more than one primary within a week, thus saving schools time and money.
Tower Hamlets SLS has successfully offered such a service for many years – schools subscribe on an annual basis to as many or as few hours of a librarian’s time as they can afford and get to experience the following benefits:
Improved outcomes
The prime aim of a school is to educate, and a key part of that is to provide pupils with reading material. Giving children access to a wide range of books that have been carefully curated by an expert offers children more choice and opportunities for improving their reading.
Reading for pleasure
Schools may use reading schemes, but it’s hard to get lost in the adventures contained in formulaic books. School librarians know the world of children’s books well, and can therefore recommend the right book for the right child. It’s crucial that children be given the ability to decide on what they’d like to read.
Children have little say over much their lives, making this one decision that can empower them. A school librarian can also provide evidence of children’s reading improvement, and help schools save money on schemes that may have the adverse effect of preventing children from reading outside of their designated level.
Increased well-being
School libraries aren’t classrooms where only the brightest children thrive. They afford children opportunities to be more casual; to sprawl across a beanbag while reading at a comic (and have that seen as a valid choice).
In libraries, children have the freedom to express their opinion on a book without judgement, and even pick up books on difficult situations without having to disclose intimate secrets to others. A good stock collection policy that meets the diverse needs of the school will offer something for every child, while avoiding unnecessary purchases of duplicate or unsuitable resources.
Creativity
School librarians will often have contacts that are helpful for organising author visits, and can assist with devising displays that prompt children to pick up a particular book, running reading groups and generally putting the fun back into reading.
Dawn Woods is the manager of Worcestershire Schools’ Library Service and treasurer for the School Library Association.
