Schools Library Services research
Understanding the service breadth, gaps in provision, different business models, funding arrangements and health of SLSs across the country.
We commissioned University of Leeds to carry out research into the provision of Schools Library Services (SLSs) in England, to understand the service breadth, gaps in provision, different business models, funding arrangements and health of the service across the country. We requested that strategic evidence also be provided to offer advice for the maintenance and development of a successful SLS.
The research took place between January to November 2024 and shines a crucial spotlight on the role and impact of SLSs following a 20-year gap in evidence.
Read the SLS report summary here.
The key research findings from are
- 62% of SLSs are part of the library service in their area, with the remainder of respondents being part of the education service, different council service or independently run.
- 100% provide services to primary schools and 67% provide services to secondary schools.
- The number of schools served by SLS ranges between 12 and 480, with the majority serving between 20 and 120 schools.
- 100% of SLS respondents agreed that users valued their services and 100% agreed their services contributed positively to teaching and learning.
- Book loans are the most common service, followed by advice and consultation, book awards and artefact loans.
- The ratio of SLS staff to number of schools ranges from 1:7 to 1:43.
- Just 9% believed their SLS had financial stability for the future.
- Key ingredients for a successful SLS include: meeting the needs of schools, a high-quality wide-ranging offer, high calibre staff, financial security and a strong local profile.
The report includes quantitative and qualitative evidence from 39 SLSs (while confirming there are 41 in England, with evidence to suggest a further 16 are also in operation). It provides a sound baseline of SLS provision in the country, and clear evidence-based information on the ‘key ingredients’ for these services to thrive in the future.
Read the full report and discover the key study learnings.
Excerpts from the case studies within the report include:
The knowledge of the staff is astounding. The team are constantly reading and reviewing books, which despite being time-consuming, is very much worth it. This develops their own expertise of children’s books and themes, something they can readily offer the schools and teachers they work with.
There’s a whole generation of teachers and even SLT who haven’t experienced a good quality, working school library. There’s a memory gap to fill and SLSs need to be good at demonstrating what they can offer.
The SLS team’s expertise can help expand the books the teachers use in their classes to include more contemporary, local and diverse literature.
It’s clear from this research that SLSs offer a wide range of important services to schools and that these services are valued by users. However, with only 9% saying they had financial stability for the long-term future, greater advocacy is needed across the country.
This research was funded by Arts Council England.
Books, Bags and Boxes: A study of the role and impact of the Leeds School Library Service funded by a research grant from the UK Literacy
Association (UKLA) sought to investigate the role and impact of the Leeds SLS and identify future directions for the service.
Report shared by Dr Lucy Taylor and Dr Paula Clarke