We speak with four experienced and expert school library professionals to glean their advice, ideas and tips for excellent library provision.
We discuss the most important elements in effective library provision and why schools should consider employing a qualified librarian as part of their provision.
We consider how school librarians can work effectively with teaching staff to support whole-school teaching and learning and ideas for how librarians can engage with colleagues across the school.
Of course, we focus on literacy and reading and the role libraries and school librarians have to play, including ideas for library-based initiatives, managing library stock, engaging struggling readers, and boosting reading for pleasure.
And it’s not just about books, we also consider the hidden roles of a school librarian, including the pastoral side. And we finish with our ideas corner when we ask each of our guests to offer their ideas for library provision that schools can adapt and adopt.
This episode is hosted by Pete Henshaw, the editor of SecEd and his guests are:
- Elizabeth Hutchinson is a school library specialist with more than 20 years’ experience. She runs a training membership for school librarians called Engaging and Empowering School Libraries and is an advocate for FOSIL- Inquiry-based Learning. She holds a British Empire Medal for services to libraries in 2020. She is a Fellow of CILIP and a CILIP mentor and assessor. Visit www.elizabethahutchinson.com and find her previous articles for SecEd via www.sec-ed.co.uk/authors/elizabeth-hutchinson
- Clare Brumpton has worked in school libraries for over 25 years. She is head of research centre at the International School of London, an IB school where she is responsible for the libraries and the Research Institute. She sits on the ECIS Library and Information Services Committee and is active in a number of UK and international librarianship groups. Find her previous articles for SecEd via www.sec-ed.co.uk/authors/clare-brumpton
- Mary-Rose Grieve is a school librarian at Hartland International School in Dubai where she has worked for nine years, running the primary and secondary libraries, and has recently completed an NPQSL. She was UEA School Librarian of the Year in 2019 and is co-chair of CILIP SLG Great School Libraries campaign, which works to ensure that all children have access to a library and librarian. She has a special interest in working with teachers to embed inquiry and reading for purpose into the curriculum.
- Sarah Pavey has been a school librarian for more than 20 years and is founder of the education training consultancy SP4IL. She is a Fellow of CILIP and is currently studying for a PhD at Edinburgh Napier University looking at the impact of England’s 2012 curriculum reforms on the school librarian role and in the context of information and digital literacy delivery. Sarah is author of The Networked Librarian (Facet Publishing). Read her previous articles for SecEd via www.sec-ed.co.uk/authors/sarah-pavey
To hear other SecEd podcasts, or to subscribe for free to new editions, search for 'The SecEd Podcast' in your podcast streaming application of choice. Or visit www.sec-ed.co.uk/podcasts. For details about The SecEd Podcast, or to suggest future topics, email editor Pete Henshaw at editor@sec-ed.co.uk