Yesterday I gave evidence at the third session of the UK Parliament's Education Select Committee inquiry into the decline in children reading for pleasure.
Receiving the invitation to give oral evidence, which followed our submission of written evidence earlier this year, was a highlight moment for me, as it signalled that our renewed efforts to engage policy makers have not gone unnoticed. It was with excitement that the team and I began the intense period of preparation and information gathering which followed, as we worked to package almost nine decades of School Library Association knowledge, evidence and experience into the clearest possible case for school libraries and their impact on reading for pleasure.
As I drew on my own experience as a school librarian and spoke to SLA members and colleagues from across the sector, I was struck at regular intervals by how difficult it is to distil the enormous benefits of school libraries into easy soundbites: the most important things about them are often the hardest things to say quickly. Especially when you are under unfamiliar pressure – in front of government ministers, TV cameras and a public viewing gallery.
How do you explain, in the space of a 60 minute parliamentary session, what it means when a child who has never thought of themselves as a reader picks up a book and can't put it down? What is the best way to make government policy makers and the wider public feel the significance of the right book at the right time?
The task is difficult because there is simply so much to explain. School libraries change lives in ways that are real and measurable, but also deeply human, and it can be hard to encapsulate that in a neat statistic, especially when you know that so many are relying on you to represent their concerns.
Despite the impossibility of saying everything I would have liked to, I had the opportunity yesterday to share insights into the role of school libraries and school library staff in encouraging reading for pleasure, as well as positively impacting education outcomes, personal and social development, critical thinking and independent learning.
I also made clear the need for school libraries to be a statutory requirement for all primary and secondary schools, for a framework of best practice that is maintained and reported on, and for workforce support and development for all those working in school libraries.
The School Library Association would like to see the government prioritise school libraries, and build on the support announced last year, to ensure they are sustainable, staffed and embedded at the heart of every school community with a multi-year long term funding plan.
If we are serious about re-engaging our children and young people with all the life-changing benefits of reading for pleasure, then every primary and secondary school child should have access to a good school library.
It was a privilege to give evidence to the Committee yesterday. This is a significant moment for the School Library Association and for the whole sector, as government demonstrates a willingness to actively engage with the current pressures and future potential of delivering school library provision. We look forward to continuing the conversation.
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