IASL Research Abstracts

IASL Research Abstracts: 224

Turner, R., Matthews, G., Ashcroft, L., & Farrow, J. (2007). Senior Management and the Provision of Libraries in Independent Schools in England and Wales. United Kingdom.

This article is based on research carried out for an ongoing doctoral project at Liverpool John Moores University about the management of school libraries in independent schools in England and Wales. Findings are based on surveys conducted of school library managers and senior management in independent schools, as well as interviews with practitioners and anecdotal evidence from networks of school librarians. In countries such as Canada, the United States, and Australia, the importance of head teachers’ support for the library has long been acknowledged, but in the United Kingdom, this is more recent. Current guidelines for best practice in school library management have recently started to emphasize the importance of the support of school senior management. The surveys separately sought the opinions of both librarians and senior management on a range of library-related issues, and these are analyzed in this article. The findings demonstrate that school library managers understand the importance of the role of senior management and that senior management is starting to appreciate the importance of the library for improving learning, teaching, and attainment.

School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 1-21.

Subject categories: 6, 20

Abstract submitted by Rachel Pultusker, University of Michigan.