School Libraries: Statement of Intent

School Libraries: Statement of Intent

Strong school library services staffed by professional librarians are crucial assets in Scotland’s education system. In a period of significant educational, technological, and social change, they should continue to play a central role in supporting equity, attainment and wellbeing.

This statement sets out a shared ambition by the School Library and Education Policy Group, composed of library practitioners, stakeholder and advocacy groups, literacy professionals, and representatives from local and national government to recognise the value of school library services, as well as a shared commitment to bring forward a Strategy which supports their continued delivery.

Libraries are hubs of learning, creativity, and inclusion. They provide stimulating, welcoming, and inclusive spaces where children and young people can explore and acquire a love of reading – which research shows supports improved wellbeing, confidence, and attainment. For some children and young people, particularly those experiencing poverty or digital exclusion, their school library provides a vital and reliable point of access to books, technology, and resources which may otherwise be unavailable.

As a whole-school resource, libraries help to support learning across contexts and curricular boundaries, and provide the resources and support for children and young people to become confident individuals, effective contributors, responsible citizens, and successful learners. Libraries therefore advance our collective ambition for an education system that supports excellence, equity, and continuous improvement, and help to lay the foundations for lifelong learning by equipping children and young people with the skills they need to thrive in life and work.

Librarians play a central role in enabling pupils to access the benefits offered by libraries and realise their full potential. They help to inspire and empower children and young people, providing tailored support for individuals and promoting digital, critical, and information literacy by teaching them to safely and responsibly navigate technology and access information.

They curate collections suited to the needs and interests of their school communities, guiding children to select suitable texts, nurturing a habit of reading for pleasure and providing stimulating, and inclusive environments that promote wellbeing and engagement. Working collaboratively with colleagues across the school community, librarians also support interdisciplinary and cross-curricular projects, drawing on their expertise as information specialists and skilled researchers and facilitators to enrich learning and teaching.

These qualities remain as vital today as they were in 2018, when the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) – with support and endorsement from Scottish Government, COSLA, and a range of partners – published Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools: A National Strategy for School Libraries in Scotland.

The Strategy was the first of its kind in the UK, and sought to support and guide decision-makers by clearly articulating the importance of high-quality school library services and the role of skilled librarians in delivering them.

However, we acknowledge that the context in which school libraries operate has evolved rapidly since the Strategy published in 2018. The growth of digital learning, the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, increasing demand for additional learner support, the proliferation of extreme or misleading information, and sustained pressure on resources all reinforce the continued importance of school libraries.

To effectively support these services and ensure they can fulfil their crucial role, we must revisit and update our vision. On that basis, we will work towards a refreshed National Strategy for School Libraries in 2026.

This Strategy will sustain and enhance the principles of its 2018 predecessor, building on its strong foundations while also updating them to ensure it remains relevant, contemporary, and future-proofed.

It will be guided by robust data and evidence and shaped by collaboration with the School Libraries Education and Policy Group. The refreshed School Libraries Strategy will also align with the recently refreshed Public Library Strategy, where appropriate, supporting coherence across Scotland’s library policy landscape.

It will set out a national vision which clearly articulates the value of school library services, and supports those involved in their delivery to recognise and practically realise that value for all children and young people. It will provide a framework for effective school library provision to encourage greater consistency and equity of access, and to support these services and those who provide them with the information and resources they need to respond effectively to new developments and emerging trends in education.

School libraries must remain vibrant, connected, and celebrated to help Scotland’s schools to thrive. This ambition depends on continued partnership working between national and local government, education leaders, library services and the wider literacy and learning community.

This Statement represents the first step towards that shared ambition and is endorsed by the undersigned.