Collecting Data About the Impact of School Libraries on Education, at International Level, in Developing, Emerging and Developed Countries

Abstract

This paper describes “work in progress”. It outlines attempts being made by the IASL Research SIG, the ENSIL Foundation and the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam to collect consistent data about school libraries in developing, emerging and developed countries, using an international definition of what a school library actually is. During a meeting of the IASL Research SIG on 24 January 2012 it was agreed that a set of simple questions (approx. 10 questions for each group) which could be answered by pupils, teachers, school librarians and school leaders in different countries throughout the world should be developed . Sets of questions are now being reviewed by a selected group of school library practitioners and academics and by a small sub-committee of the Research SIG. Using the agreed sets of questions, preliminary data will then be collected by a number (school) library associations or other affiliated organizations in different parts of the world. Initial progress and results will be presented. It is to be hoped that some (initial) useful data and comparisons will demonstrate the international scope and impact of school libraries to all stakeholders, at international level.