Impact on Reading and Literacy

… [H]igher and lower scoring elementary schools are distinguished by the amount of time school library staff spend in teaching students and teachers how to access and use print and electronic information resources. At higher achieving schools library staff spend three days on such activities for every two by lower achieving schools… At higher achieving schools at all grade levels, library staff are involved in committees and provide in-service training to teachers. Library staff at lower achieving schools usually do not engage in these activities at all.

Oregon reading test scores rise with increases in:total staff hours per 100 students (including both professional and support staff),print volumes per student,periodical subscriptions per 100 students, andlibrary media expenditures per student.

Key to a truly exemplary library program was that the teacher-librarian took on a broader educational role within the school, providing support for classroom teachers through partnering and collaboration, supporting all students through shared teaching and cross-cirricular support or integration of curriculum.

Library staffing is associated with an increase in grade 3 reading performance. The presence of trained library staff is associated with higher achievement in reading for grade 6 students.