School Libraries Work! 2016 Edition

Sannwald, Suzanne
CO
Scholastic. (2015). School libraries work!: A compendium of research supporting the effectiveness of school libraries (2016 ed.). Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/SLW2016/ 

Summary: The 2016 edition updates the previous 2008 version, and it includes new research and trends such as makerspaces. This is a seminal document that Teacher Librarians should study and become familiar with, because it summarizes well the power of school library programs. It may also be shared with other members of the school community as an advocacy piece to help inform them. Of importance, the report not only shares statements about the importance of staffing and funding school libraries, but it bases these assertions on summarized research. Some key ideas shared include the following:

• Libraries are transforming into learning commons.
• School libraries consist of (1) The Place, (2) The Professional, and (3) The Program.
• Successful school libraries contribute to ELA achievement, reading performance, information literacy, 21st century skill building, and overall student success.
• Successful school libraries require commitment from district and school administration.

Evaluation: I had a difficult time picking a category for this resource since it spans a lot of topics, but I ended up picking “CO” Collaboration since I think it is a strong document supporting the value of collaboration with school libraries. This is a powerful reference resource for all Teacher Librarians!