News
Fears for school libraries as secondary schools cut book budgets
2 Aug 2010
One in three secondary schools has cut their library budget in the last year, according to a survey carried out by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP). The survey of 1,547 state and independent secondary schools identified a growing gap between the best school libraries and the rest. The findings add to concerns about the future of school libraries as budgets face cuts and more emphasis is placed on ICT.
The survey, carried out in the spring term, also highlighted some worrying trends. It found that among librarians with less than £1,000 to spend on stock and resources, only seven per cent got more cash in 2009/10 than in the previous year, while 30 per cent of those with more then £20,000 in the budget saw a rise.
CILIP also asked 651 primary schools about their provision. It found that more than half had seen their budgets frozen since last year and 18 per cent had faced cuts. About four in five primaries surveyed had a library space, 30 per cent had a school librarian and one in seven libraries was not supervised.
The report was prompted by a question by Nick Gibb, now schools minister, in the House of Commons last year when he asked how many schools did not have a permanent library - and discovered there were no up-to-date figures.
The Campaign for the Book, headed by author Alan Gibbons, has now called for a moratorium on school library closures.
Mr Gibbons says:
"Are our reading standards really so high that we can allow these vital professionals and their libraries to vanish from our schools?"
A commission to look into the future of school libraries has been set up by the National Literacy Trust and the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.
The School Library Commission, chaired by Baroness Estelle Morris, aims to set a national agenda to ensure school libraries are delivering exceptional services to help young people reach their potential. The final report will be released on 15 September 2010 after schools and Parliament have returned from summer recess.
Read more about the CILIP survey on the TES website.
Read more about the School Library Commission here.
