In response to… “If libraries didn’t exist, would we build them today?” (Parkes, 2010, p.23)
Contrary to popular notions of the redundancy of libraries in the digital age and anxiety over diminishing rates of print books, the importance of libraries is more important now than it ever was and be rest assured, print is alive and growing. Libraries, particularly, school libraries have become social learning places for people to read, research, study, gather, work collaborate and interact with resources and technology. They are certainly more than mere book repositories. Supportively, Gaiman (2013) succinctly asserts “libraries really are the gate to the future”. Libraries have evolved to become communal spaces where the physical and virtual worlds meet.
A well-resourced library, particularly, in terms of choice and access of its fiction collections can transform a school. One of the foremost functions of school libraries is to promote reading fiction, that is, to read for pleasure among its young learners. Students who discover the joy of reading for pleasure are well positioned for “enhanced literacy, language acquisition, cultural understanding, and social skills” (Eichholzer, 2014, p. 4). There are numerous ways to achieving this.
i) Arranging library books by author and genre stickers
As an enabler, teacher librarians have an important role in helping students learn how to find a ‘just right’ book. A vital step for a student towards becoming an engaged reader is knowing how to successfully browse, preview, and select what to read for pleasure. Author arrangement and genre stickers combined to promote exposure to different titles as well as independent access would be a key step in exposing students to a broad range of fiction titles. This system allows students to quickly find books by authors they know and pique students’ interest as well, to read other authors who have written on the same genre.
Credit: https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/51336/how-genrefication-makes-school-libraries-more-like-bookstores
ii) Building an inclusive collection
School libraries can send powerful messages about how we value students as individuals, especially if your collection acknowledges and respects the diversity of your school community. Fiction books that accurately reflect diverse culture, written in English by authors from another culture or in more than one language, for example, bilingual materials, or copies of both the original and translated editions of texts would help students to understand themselves and the world. Offering various formats: books and ebooks, including picture books, sophisticated picture books, easy reads and chapter books; audio books and multicultural book websites, appropriate to different ages and abilities would exemplify a proactive, inclusive library.
Credit:https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=evaluating-a-collection-for-bias-and-stereotypes-with-primary-students
iii) Displaying thematic fiction collections
To ensure visibility and access to diverse collections, teacher librarians must regularly put-up displays aimed at different themes relating to curriculum units or readers’ borrowing records. Strategically positioning the display collections at the library’s entrance would arouse students’ curiosity and invite them into the library. Displays need to be changed regularly to keep students in anticipation of what the library has to offer.
iv) Inviting students to recommend fiction books of their choice
While teacher librarians could elicit readers’ interest by keeping up to date with new and upcoming books in their collections, valuing the readers’ opinion in building the collection is vital. A ‘Book suggestion box’ can be placed near the librarians’ desk to welcome students’ suggestions to the fiction collection based on their individual interest. Teacher librarians could collate the responses and purchase the most popular titles. A sense of ownership and empowerment is developed amongst library users.
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Sustaining a passion for reading for pleasure through these measures would lead to a future-ready library. The challenge of school libraries lies in the promotion of its fiction collections, to address the literary needs of its young leaners and offer utopic user experiences.
References:
Eichholzer, B.(2014). Taking the guesswork out of genre. Connections, 91(4), 4-5. https://www.scisdata.com/media/1215/scis_connections_issue_91_lr.pdf
Gaiman (16 October 2013). Neil Gaiman: Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming. The Guardian.
Parkes, D. (2010). Web 2.0 and libraries: Impacts, technologies and trends . In D. Parkes & G. Walton (Eds.), Transforming the library – e-books and e-buildings, pp. 13-29. Chandos.