Children’s learning will never be the same without the guidance of school librarians through empowering students with lifelong literacy skills such as information literacy, knowledge creation, valid inquiry, reading ability, and responsible retrieval of information. Moreover, school librarians exist to cultivate children’s social and emotional development through collaborative projects, utilization of tools for learning and sharing, bibliographic instruction, provision of resources to meet personal needs and wellbeing of the children, and fostering cooperation with all students continuously, through the years of their stay in the school.
Literacy and reading promotion
Reading
does not only empower an individual to develop in many ways, it is also very
significant especially in this modern era where information explosion is a big
issue. Tella & Akande (2007) express that reading can transform a person’s
life and his whole community. Reading is a universal phenomenon that promotes human development and it can teach discipline on every individual. It can help in the
survival of a society, and it depends on the extent and effectiveness of the
approach or strategy. Therefore, it
is relevant for every person to enrich a culture for reading. Since there are
great benefits of reading to human existence and success, everyone must have a
good practice of reading.
Mojapelo
(2018) emphasizes that without sufficient educational resources, it is
difficult to accumulate reading, writing, and computing skills at appropriate
levels. With broken-down structures, lack of school libraries and laboratories,
inadequate and underqualified teachers in many schools, the quality of teaching
and learning accomplishments are affected. The researcher also emphasize that the national government has a crucial role in creating, constituting, and finally,
implementing a school library policy to roll-out decent, standardized,
state-of-the-art and active libraries for all schools to develop learners’
performance and quality of instruction in general. In addition, other
significant shareholders also have a responsibility to progress and champion successful
library growth initiatives in all schools.
In
today’s school librarianship, new concepts, and approaches are now emerging like
Makerspaces, innovative learning environments, online communities, augmented
realities, and digital citizenship. Learning in this digital era is quite a
challenge for the school libraries because of the disruption when it comes to
technological directions and the problem of information explosion. Empowering
literacy is now complicated, and the school libraries need to cope up with the
trends to render effective services (Ellis, 2016).
Siu-Runyan (2011) states that because
of the weakening of libraries, all of the language education is in a predicament. A lot of people need to know that libraries are for the utilization and the
contributions these learning establishments provide are compelling to literacy
development and it closes the gap between children from high and low-income
classes in the society in terms of reading achievement.
On the other hand, Farmer and Stricevic
(2011) reported that stakeholders such as library staff, potential readers,
teachers, publishers, and other community members are involved in the
promotion of reading and literacy. As professionals, librarians are the
shareholders who mostly use research in promoting reading and literacy. Their
works will rely on local initiatives and circumstances. By associating their
efforts in research, librarians can improve library and information services. Furthermore,
every stakeholder provides exceptional outlooks and resources and the librarians’
ability in retrieving resources is counterbalanced by the proficiency of the media’s
communication and the connections of the teachers with the parents, for
example.
According
to the abovementioned researchers, the following are the factors to be
considered in selecting prospective partners:
·
Partners’ goals and values towards reading and
literacy promotion
· Character of the stakeholders
·
Partners’ support in terms of resources and
competencies
·
Power of the stakeholders’ participation and
librarians support
·
Healthy relationship with partners
In the other hand, three secondary school libraries in the United Kingdom were examined to evaluate the impact of promotional strategies on reading abilities and performance of the students and to determine children's reading behaviors, inclinations and how they select what to read. A case study method was implemented, involving the collection of library documentation, semi‐structured interviews with librarians, Heads of English, Headteachers and survey questionnaires were distributed to Grade 7 and 9 pupils, to evaluate attitudes to reading and its promotion. Furthermore, the study has shown that there are dominant forces in the world, often beyond the control of librarians and teachers, which outline the attitudes of children to reading. A significant minority of pupils chose not to read for pleasure, and also there were significant gender dissimilarities in reading behavior. Lastly, the researcher has recommended that there should be a consideration in the promotion of reading as an issue of the entire school community, with the library's strategy for marketing activities establishing part of a school‐wide policy for this matter (Bates, 2009).
Suffield
(2019) has organized reading initiatives that have helped to enhance the
borrowing numbers of their school library by 400 percent over the past five
years. The following strategies are done to improve library circulation:
·
Accelerated
Reader scheme
It
is done through the combination of reading and taking interactive quizzes on
tablet devices to acquire instant feedback and a real sense of accomplishment.
Suffield (2019) works thoroughly with the literacy coordinator, vice-principal,
and other individuals who can support the program. It is very useful because the
reading ages of the learners have developed significantly. It just needs so
much time and effort, but there’s a significant improvement on the library
circulation statistics.
·
Golden
tickets
Suffield
(2019) places golden tickets in some books, and when a student reads one having
a ticket, the school librarian will ask the student to write a summary about it
for the student to be able to win a prize. The great advantage of this is that unpopular
books will surely be taken out and read by the students.
·
‘Get
caught reading’ raffle
Those who will be caught silently reading will
win a prize. Everyone can win many times, but each day, a student can receive a
reward once.
·
Twitter
review raffles
Students
will be encouraged to do a short review of the book they take out of the
library. The students should post these reviews on the official twitter page of
the library. For every output, a student will receive a raffle ticket, and the
students will have the chance to win a prize such as reading-related goodies
bags. There are possibilities that the authors of the books will like, retweet,
or reply to the posts. It will inevitably cause exhilaration to the students
for them to read more and more.
·
Book suggestion
box
It
is one of the basic strategies that school libraries can do to improve the
reading attitudes of the students. The students will be given a chance to
suggest a book that is not present in the library. However, the school
librarians should still assess if the book is worthy of being purchased or
collected. Feedback will be sent to the students to update them about their
wish list.
·
‘What
should I read next?’ book jar
Since
some students find it hard to select a book to read, a book jar that has
colored paper slips that will serve as the guide for the students. These paper
slips contain genres and recommendations. Students will be encouraged to select
a theme, then take out a piece of paper that matches the genre color. It will
inevitably cause excitement to the students, and it will leave them rushing to
find the books on the shelves.
·
Book
clubs
It is excellent to organize book clubs to empower the love for reading among the students. It will also enhance camaraderie and literacy at the same time.
·
Harry
Potter Book Night
It
is very useful to organize a Harry Potter Book Night bi-annually, which is very
fun. This event is for students who have made improvements with their reading,
are dynamic readers, and who uphold reading throughout the school. The students
will experience answering quizzes and other exciting activities about Harry
Potter.
·
Author
visits
In
this kind of activity, there should be the support of the whole school community.
Book authors will be invited to visit the school, share inspiring words, and
facilitate workshops. It will surely inspire students to read even more.
·
Creative
writing club
Having
a writing club will surely inspire students to read and write more. Stimulating
activities will be done to enhance the students’ passion for reading and
writing.
·
Stan
Lee Excelsior Award
Stan
Lee was a very famous writer of graphic novels or manga, and this ceremony is
done to encourage students, who are passionate when it comes to reading graphic
novels and manga, to vote for their favorite writers based on cover design,
images, and text. Suffield (2019) found out that this activity improves the boys’
commitment to reading and it increases the number of borrowing for these
genres.
·
Displays
Creative displays attract the students to read more and more. It is essential to use bright, colorful, and unique designs that will catch the attention of students.
In
the study of Danlandi (2018) about the role of school libraries in promoting
reading culture among secondary school students, results show that students have
unfortunate reading habit. It was embodied by 51.4% who read for only 1-2 hours
daily, which is substandard. Moreover, students mostly depend on textbooks and
lecture notes as sources of reading materials. Therefore, the students only
read to pass examinations; this is a manifestation of undesirable reading
habits. Furthermore, the findings also have shown that the library did not
assimilate into the school curriculum, and the students do not have opportunities
for borrowing books from the library. Correspondingly, it showed that there
were significant factors that hinder students from reading, such as watching
television, addiction to phone and social media, and lack of stimulating books.
The researcher also highly
recommended that the teacher-librarians should organize and facilitate reading-related
activities or programs at school to promote reading, make attractive displays
of books in the library to awaken the interest of learners; school librarians
should take benefit from the advantages of social media. School librarians should
manage social media platforms, such as a discussion forum in the social media in
which the students can talk over about books they have read. Lastly, the researcher has recommended that school administrators and the government need
to participate in these reading programs and activities.
Media and information literacy instruction
One
of the objectives of a school library is to create information literate
students who are accountable, and ethical members in the society. Students who
are information literate are self-directed learners who are cognizant of their
information needs and dynamically involved in the world of thinking (IFLA
School Libraries Section Standing Committee, 2015). School libraries assist in instruction
and learning. Hence, its collection must be aligned upon the curriculum and specific
needs and concerns of the school community and reflect the multiplicity of
society outside the school community. Professional librarians, known as
teacher-librarians, have a critical responsibility of upholding school libraries,
(Uzuegbu, & Ibiyemi, 2013).
In
his study, Ingvaldsen (2017) mentions that Media and Information Literacy (MIL)
is a multifaceted set of skills that are necessary through the entire learning
process, abilities that are vital in all forms of education. Research reveals
that children need to fortify these skills. Projects in the Norwegian School
Library Program 2009–2013 intended at using the library as a tool in media and
information literacy instruction. Information from the projects validated the
need to anchor the library in school’s management and plans, emphasized that cooperation
between teachers and librarians is essential to incorporate the library into instructional
work. There were also similar involvements in research projects in another
place and the results point out that scholars and academic librarians
instructing teacher education students and library science students should take an account of the use of school libraries in the curriculum so that the students
are not only media and information literate themselves but also capable of
utilizing the library as a resource when starting their instruction and library
work.
Collaboration between Teachers and School Librarians
According
to Mandrell (2018) in her research study, the role of the school librarian has
significantly advanced from its inauguration as a person who facilitates the
library borrowing and reading of children. School librarians are essential
catalysts of schools and, when developed aptly, can be a vital part of the
students’ learning process. When integration
occurs habitually, collaborative interactions between school librarians and
teachers have been found to develop the academic performance of the students.
Furthermore,
the researcher’s paper describes suggested action research, which roots in the poor
connection between the school librarian and teachers at a middle school in
South Carolina. The study concentrates
on teachers’ discernments of the role of the school librarian and how those insights
affect the teachers’ probability to collaborate with the school librarian. Using an action research methodology, the
researcher formulated a questionnaire to identify the perceptions of teachers
and administrators concerning the role of the school librarian and integration. Results revealed that there is a need for
professional development on the part of the school librarian to instruct
teachers on multiple methods in which the school librarian’s competencies and
knowledge are applicable for the furtherance of student learning. Moreover, teachers
left the professional development sessions enthusiastic about what they learned
and confirmed their interest in their answers on the post-questionnaire. The
researcher will need to frequently promote the school library program until
collaborative relationships become a priority for all shareholders. When students and teachers become attuned to
working with the school librarian, the disintegration existing between what
classroom educators and school librarians do will vanish.
In a study piloted by Montiel Overall (2008), results have shown that every
effort should be made to migrate from traditional practices between teachers and
librarians to a modern way of collaboration which integrates joint planning,
teaching, and assessment of students. Moreover,
Dando, Folk, and Levitov (2017) mention that the American Association of School
Librarians (AASL) established an initiative with the principal message being,
“School Librarians Transform Learning” which concentrated on the relevance of
school librarians being seen as catalysts for change along with having the skill
to renovate the method in which teachers teach, and students learn in the classroom
this modern era.
As shown in the results of the study
of Gavigan and Lance (2016), students were more active to perform at the maximum
performance levels on standardized tests in South Carolina when librarians consumed
at least 50% of their time teaching the students. It implies that through strong
connection and collaboration established between librarians and teachers, students
can gain more literacy.
According to Hartzell (2002), many school principals consider librarians as support staff to the teachers instead of being instructors in their own right. This perception often makes it difficult for others, both inside and outside education, to see the depth, breadth, and relevance of what media specialists contribute or should be contributing, to schools and schooling. Education programs do not tend to promote the role of school librarians, which leaves the teaching up to the librarian herself/himself. The most effective suggested approach of changing the discernments of principals is self-promotion and demonstration of competencies as educators. Moreover, Hartzell (2002) mentions that the only way to change principal perceptions is to assault them directly, repeatedly, and from a multiplicity of directions.
In the Philippines, it is very much often that the significance of school libraries and school librarianship is clearly misunderstood and belittled by many. This dilemma is undeniably a reality in our country's librarianship, specifically in the public school libraries where there are serious problems such as the lack of funds, poor and inadequate book collections, deficiency of space and equipment, lack of competent personnel, and the leadership problem of those who are in power. Moreover, these setbacks post a severe threat to all school librarians for these will surely create a strong barrier that will prevent the school librarians from functioning efficiently.
Disappointingly, there are issues that hinder public school librarians from working at their best. The public school librarians are seriously facing concerns like recruitment, education, and retention of librarians, support from administrators and principals, funding or budget allocation, and the impact of information technology on library services.
Amidst these adversities, most of our school librarians are still thriving. They are still surviving and flourishing at work even if there is no constant support from the administrators and the government. Kudos to our "Dakilang Laybraryans"
References:
Bates, P. (2000). The role of secondary school libraries in the promotion of reading, New Review of Children's Literature and Librarianship, 6:1, 155-176, DOI: 10.1080/13614540009510637
Dando, P., Folk, M., & Levitov, D. (2017). School librarians transform learning: Advocacy begins with you! Teacher Librarian, 45(1), 8-12.
Danladi, D. R. (2018). The Role of School Libraries in Promoting Reading Culture among Secondary School Students: a case study of Federal Government College, Jos. Retrieved last August 30, 2019 from https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5424&context=libphilprac
Ellis, S. (2016). School libraries supporting literacy. Retrieved last August 30, 2019 from https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-99/school-libraries-supporting-literacy/
Farmer, L. & Stricevic, I. (2011). Using research to promote literacy and reading in libraries: Guidelines for librarians. Retrieved last August 30, 2019 from https://www.ifla.org/files/assets/hq/publications/professional-report/125.pdf
Gavigan, K., & Lance, K. C. (2016). SC study shows link between school librarians and higher test scores. School Library Journal.
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Mandrell, J. C. (2018). The Effect of Professional Development on Teachers’ Perceptions of the Role of School Librarians: An Action Research Study. Retrieved last August 31, 2019 from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6019&context=etd
Mojapelo, S. M. (2018). Challenges in establishing and maintaining functional school libraries: Lessons from Limpopo Province, South Africa. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 50(4), 410–426. doi:10.1177/0961000616667801
Montiel-Overall, P. (2008). Teacher and librarian collaboration: A qualitative study. Library & Information Science Research, 30, 145-155.
Siu-Runyan, Y. (2011). Public and School Libraries in Decline: When We Need Them. Retrieved last August 30, 2019 from https://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/CC/0211-sep2011/CC0211Presidents.pdf
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Tella, A., & Akande, S. (2007). Children reading habits and availability of books in Botswana primary schools: implications for achieving quality education. The reading matrix, vol.7(2)
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