The reality is that no one can predict what the future holds. Consequently, one must consider current and emerging trends to offer a degree of insight as to what the nature of school library collections might look like in the future. Reports which keep atop of latest trends and research include the EDUCAUSE New Horizon (Teaching and Learning) report (2022 report released earlier this week) as well as the Consortium for School Network (CoSN) (Driving K-12 Innovation: Hurdles and Accelerators and EdTech Trends) reports.
Technology is often at the centre of many discussions. The place of digital resources in library collections is becoming increasingly popular and pertinent; and I believe that this is a trend here to stay, with students requiring continued access to resources in various formats and modes of delivery. With generally tight library budgets, I would argue that the sharing of electronic resources and databases between communities of schools seems likely, along with the more commonplace implementation of patron driven acquisition systems.
The teacher librarian is a key to ensuring school library collections stay relevant to the school community of users now and into the future. This includes maintaining a fresh and up-to-date collection that align to the school mission and goals, choosing resources that support curriculum aligned teaching and learning programs and also identifying and catering for varied student reading interests – with resources that reflect a diversity of viewpoints, identities and representations.