Staff
Running a successful school library requires the involvement of staff, pupils, parents and the governing body. The work involves strategy and mangement, day-to-day routines and whole-school involvment in reading promotions and other activities.
Strategy and Management
A trained person with time and senior management support is needed to stragically manage the library. Their work will includes:
- promoting enjoyment and excitement about reading
- establishing skills for independent learning
- developing library policy and action plans
- identifying and buying good quality resources for the library and classrooms on a regular basis
- managing the organization of library and library management system
- supervise and manage others working in the library - teaching assistants, pupil librarians and parents/volunteers
- ensure the school gets value for money from the schools library service
The person doing this work needs
- Knowledge and awareness of current children's books and resources, both fiction and non-fiction
- Knowledge of information literacy skills and how children can be taught to be independent learners using the library
- Knowledge of classification and library management systems
- Creativity and ability to inspire others to enjoy reading and learning
Day to Day Routines
It is also necessary to run the library on a day-to-day basis. The library co-ordinator/librarian can share the following tasks with additional helpers:
- preparing new books for use
- shelving books and keeping the library tidy
- supervising children using the library
Options
Contact your local Schools Library Service for help and advice on recruiting a primary school librarian. There may be opportunities to share the cost with other primary schools in your area. The Schools Library Service can also help with training and support for teaching assistants, pupil librarians and parents and volunteers.
If there is no schools library service in your authority, neighbouring services are able to offer support.
Click on the links below for job descriptions and person specifications for the different roles outlined above.
What Head Teachers Have Said:
about having a professional primary school librarian:
"there is no doubt that his work with reluctant readers has pushed up our SATS results" (headiteacher, Wapping)
"the staff are so happy to have a functionning, ordered library that they can use and find things in" (Headteacher, Stepney)
" the after school reading club is a great success" (Headteacher, Poplar)
