6-12 (elementary/middle school)

Many children begin school today at a disadvantage. They may not have been read to on a regular basis, and many have never been to a library. School librarians can make books fun for these students and introduce them to the whole new world ahead of them!

The characteristics of 21st century education have been articulated by many and continue to evolve. However, in order to achieve within this developing context and beyond, it is accepted that students need: Reading literacy Information literacy Technological literacy Skills for personal knowledge building Oral literacy and numeracy Research evidence from the USA, Canada and Australia shows that where school libraries are resourced effectively and managed by a qualified librarian with educational expertise, all of the above are fostered and student academic achievement on standardized tests is higher than in schools where these conditions do not exist.

The school librarian plays an instrumental role in preparing students to be twenty-first century learners: problem solvers, critical thinkers, and effective users of information.

… [R]esearch proves that successful, well-staffed school library programs with a focus on collaboration do have a positive impact on student learning.