Write-up of our recent New Developments in School Libraries webinar by SLA Member, Jasmine Brown
The SLA hosted an extremely informative event this October, presenting the newest developments in library practice. It was a jam-packed day of brilliant and interesting research covering topics such as the library being a ‘third space’, the latest data surrounding library use and reading for pleasure, the connection between wellbeing and reading, and media literacy. Overall, it was an extremely informative and inspiring day to attend!
Alison Tarrant explained the Great School Libraries Campaign and what it has been doing for libraries. It can help you reflect on the knowledge, research, and most importantly to help you consider your impact and effective running of your space. GSL can provide data on free school meal students, secondary and primary spaces. Alison gave a great overview of the latest figures to give more context to the day.
Professor Teresa Cremin (and Dr Becky Coles) spoke on Wellbeing and Reading. The research, founded in the children’s perspectives of their library/reading for pleasure, offered insights as to how we as librarians can change our practice to assist in the wellbeing of our students. One of the key takeaways from this research is the evidence of reading for pleasure is linked to wellbeing and to literacy, which then all linked together to confidence and becoming increasingly more engaged with academic endeavours at school. The research also showed that having diversity of resources is also key for improving reading attainment and regular reading at primary level has a rock on effect to wellbeing in the transition years.
Professor Julian McDougal talks of Resilience and the School Library, looking into media literacy and that the library is a ‘third space’. The school library can be seen as an extra space, separate from home and from academics, where students can question without qualms. McDougal presented that the library is the perfect space for media literacy – meaning the understanding of the world around us through any media source. Libraries are uniquely situated to enable this form of literacy and can aid students to become critical thinkers and to develop into digital citizens. Understanding misinformation, awareness of algorithms when using the internet, and simply being capable of using the internet and digital technologies is what we as libraries can build for our students.
Tessa Royon explained their research into Adapting Dewey Systems for the school library They talked of their experience in starting a school library from scratch and how the Dewey system might not be for all school libraries. The research causes us to consider what sort of nonfiction collection we have, does DDC actually have any benefit in the primary setting, how it can be altered for the secondary setting, or do we abandon it altogether for a more user-friendly sorting system. The takeaway from this was that we each need to consider who DDC actually benefits in the small school library setting versus the much larger school/college library, the user or the librarian.
Dr Cristina Clark and Aimee Cole from the National Literacy Trust spoke of the impact of school libraries on students’ literacy outcomes. A lot of research has gone into this project and the key findings were that large libraries, a qualified librarian, and better access to a wide range of resources greatly had an impact on attainment and building lifelong skillsets. Library use has a direct link to reading habits and the library being seen as a safe space, library use being linked to needs of mental wellbeing support, were also results of this research.
Rachel Brrennan talked of Creative Media Education and how the library can be the space for critical thinking and media engagement, further supporting the idea that the library is more than just for books. The library can be a creative media zone and being the place in the school where formal and informal learning can take place. They went on to describe ideas that worked when turning the library into a creative media space – Instagram use, video creations, media based clubs.
Dr Alison Waller and the Reading for Normal Project was inspiration to hear about. It was lovely to see the results of an inter-school book club that focused on an element of normality for teenagers to explore their own place in the world, building relationships with books and each other. The key takeaway from this is that book clubs, and having relatable books in the library by extension, can create and foster the connection with books and building a strong reading culture within the cohort. This project also showed that student would talk of their own issues in connection to the text, which is a fantastic way for them to cope and deal, bringing a sense of ‘normal’ back to them.
The final speaker of the day, Alison David from Farshore, spoke about the ‘Storytime in Schools’ research study which focused on primary age students. They explored, in detail, the data surrounding reading for pleasure and the reasons to why using quantitative and qualitative surveys. The project encouraged a time every day to just read aloud with no teaching element, just immersion and enjoyment. It resulted with an increase in reading for pleasure, reading ages increased dramatically, and there was a significant growth in empathy for others and enthusiasm for school/learning than before.