½¿É«µ¼º½

Early in my career, I had an amazing mentor – a senior librarian who had been working in school libraries for 26 years. She supported young people with everything, from reader development to information literacy, and extended essays to pastoral care. One of the most valuable lessons she taught me was how to collaborate with teachers and make the case for libraries with senior leaders. I was so inspired by her knowledge and passion, that I nominated her for the (SLYA). While she didn’t win, she did make the honours list. The experience is cemented in my memory as a fitting tribute to someone who had dedicated her career to helping children reach their full potential through the school library.

Fast forward 15 years, and I am honoured to be CEO of the (SLA), which has recently celebrated the . It is a privilege to be able to champion librarians who work tirelessly to help pupils discover a love of reading, engage with learning and develop curiosity about the world.

‘It is a privilege to be able to champion librarians who work tirelessly to help pupils discover a love of reading, engage with learning and develop curiosity about the world.’

One of the first projects I became involved with at the SLA was a research study conducted with Farshore and HarperCollins Children’s Books. The project was a longitudinal 12-week trial of a social book club aimed at disengaged readers in year 8. After 12 weeks of trialling an innovative new approach, the study showed that pressure-free book clubs in school libraries can significantly boost reading engagement and emotional wellbeing. This study highlighted the vital role of not just libraries but librarians in creating inclusive, social environments for reading.

There is much research evidencing the impact of school libraries on pupils’ academic achievement, their relationship with reading and their literacy outcomes (Williams et al., 2013; Lance & Kachel, 2018). However, research increasingly shows that it is not simply the physical space that makes the difference but the presence of a dedicated and knowledgeable member of staff. Staff who are engaged with children’s reading are crucial for supporting the development of a reading for pleasure culture across schools. This is discussed in more detail in Professor Teresa Cremin’s contribution to this Special Issue.

At the centre of all the work done by the SLA is an emphasis on supporting and strengthening reading culture, but this can only be done with dedicated members of library staff in place. By delivering training, support and recognition for those staff, the SLA hopes to keep school librarians engaged in the vital work they do.

Our members work with approximately one million children every day, and through programmes like the SLYA and the , we can highlight the transformation of education outcomes that investing in their work affords. The role of a librarian in fostering skills for learning and life should not be underestimated; just look back at the past 20 years of SLYA honours list of librarians and you will see so many examples of innovative, inspiring practice that has made an impact on generations of children and young people. With the ongoing cuts to library provision in school and associated redundancies, it is even more important that we champion the role and value of school librarians.

The significant impact of the professional validation offered through our awards programme can be seen from the 2024 winners:

My confidence and skills have grown through new opportunities such as speaking on podcasts and radio, writing articles and blogs, and contributing to training and conferences … It has been a real privilege to have the light shone onto the day-to-day work that I do. – Leia Sands, librarian at Steyning Primary School, Peter Usborne Primary Library Award winner

The SLA awards allow us to see shining examples of good practice, and to share our challenges and successes. I have gained so many insights and felt hugely encouraged by the award winners in previous years, so to be able to ‘give something back’ to my fellow school librarians this year has been wonderful. As an award winner, I’ve been provided with an even wider platform to showcase what school librarians are doing every day to support students.

– Heather Grainger, Librarian at Weatherhead High School, SLYA winner

The ‘ripple effects’ created by the SLA awards programme are clear: librarians who feel empowered and appreciated and who are given opportunities to expand their professional skill set, become more confident and capable advocates, both for the children and young people they support and for best practice within the profession.

References

Lance, K. C., & Kachel, D. (2018, March 26). Why school librarians matter: What years of research tell us. KAPPAN.

Williams, D., Wavell, C., & Morrison, K. (2013). Impact of school libraries on learning: Critical review of evidence to inform the Scottish education community. Robert Gordon University.