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The Museum Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) is to work with the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to promote school libraries and reading. Roy Clare, chief executive of the MLA, has written to Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to discuss how they can work together to promote the value of school libraries and reading to head teachers and governing bodies.
Clare has also announced that the MLA is to work with the School Library Association on a charter to outline what constitutes an excellent library service, including better links with public libraries and providing extended services out of school hours to families and the community.
The announcements follow the first conference organised by the Campaign for the Book, which took place in Birmingham at the weekend and which could help to drive a new political interest in school library provision.
Clare also said that schools and public libraries needed to develop better relationships with each other to give children a love of books and reading. "Children should have easy access to books, either in school, or via their local public library, and the fact school libraries are not statutory should not be used as an excuse."
Clare was one of a number of speakers at the conference that also included shadow culture ministers Ed Vaizey, Conservative, and Lib Dems' Richard Younger Ross. New Labour was not represented, following Lyn Brown's promotion to a Whip. The conference addressed a number of issues surrounding public and school libraries, School Library Services, and advocacy of these services.
Speaking following the conference, organiser and author Alan Gibbons said the Campaign for the Book would continue to press for the provision of school libraries to be made statutory and for continual training for school librarians.
He added, "I would also like to see the DCSF indicate clearly that School Library Services should be the main delivery service for book stocks into schools that would otherwise not have a book stock, and to reinstate Ofsted's duty to consider book provision in a school, whether that is through the school library or a School Library Service."
The MLA highlighted the areas that a quality school library service should address, including the following:
- Range of services—books, magazines, internet access, reader groups and a welcoming, flexible space for project work. It should also be flexible and take into account changes in the curriculum and technology.
- Information, advice and guidance—this should be available from library staff as well as other support networks such as careers advice and pastoral care.
- Learning activities and skills development—for example helping students develop as independent users of information.
- Partnerships—facilitating learning in and out of school through class visits, homework clubs and ICT networks with public libraries; considering using the skills and expertise of the Schools Library Service.
- Extended services—the potential to open up school libraries for out of hours learning and activities for families and the wider community.