Softlink Education has been conducting annual school library surveys since 2010. Initially just an Australian survey, we have since expanded the survey to include New Zealand, Asia, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
The responses from these surveys reflect the level of commitment and enthusiasm that library professionals bring to their role and their desire to promote a love of reading and learning with their students.
Softlink is very proud to support this in the form of feature documents that share the voice of librarians.
In 2015, we published our first feature document, sharing written comments and feedback provided by respondents in the 2014 Australian School Library Survey. Titled “The Top 7 Challenges for School Libraries” responses were drawn from feedback to an open comments field question at the end of the survey - What is one thing you would change about your library or role?
Since then, we have published 20 School Library Survey based documents which feature responses to open comment field questions in the survey and share the ideas and real voice of school library professionals globally. Details and links to these features are included below.
2021 School Library Survey findings - qualifications held by school library staff in Australia
2021 School Library Survey findings - qualifications held by school library staff in New Zealand
Responses from the 2021 Australian School Library Survey answering the question “What is the best thing about working in a school library?"
Responses from the 2021 New Zealand School Library Survey answering the question “What is the best thing about working in a school library?"
This feature shares comments from the 2020 UK survey, highlighting what respondents would like to change about their library or role
This feature shares comments from the 2020 UK survey, highlighting what respondents think is the best thing about working in a library
This feature shares comments from the 2020 survey, highlighting what respondents would like to change about their library or role
Based on responses to the 2020 School Library Survey - United Kingdom, this feature shares comments answering the question “Who do you look up to professionally?”.
This feature shares comments from the 2014 – 2020 surveys demonstrating the love school library staff have for their library.
These comments have been collated from the 2014 - 2020 School Library Surveys and represent the voice of school Principals in Australia and New Zealand.
We recently partnered with SLA to conduct the 2020 School Library Survey UK which asked a range of questions. This blog shares the impacts of COVID-19 on UK school libraries.
First published in ACCESS, Volume 34, Issue 3, September 2020, this blog post reviews the 2010 Federal Government Inquiry into school libraries and presents data and responses collected from Softlink surveys during this time.
Responses to the annual Softlink School Library Surveys reveal that school library staff are innovators, change managers, and technology leaders. While it is true that advances in technology present a constantly changing and growing environment, in modern times there has perhaps been no more rapid a change than the sudden closure of schools in response to COVID-19.
.
What are the current trending topics in school libraries? In this global feature, we share responses to the 2019 Softlink School Library Surveys and the 2020 Softlink COVID-19 Survey.
Based on responses to the question “What is one thing you would change about your library or role?” in the 2018 School Library Surveys.
Based on responses to the question “What practices are in place or what ideas do you have to promote the library, the services it provides, or the role and skills of the school library staff in your school?” in the 2018 School Library Surveys.
Based on responses to the question “What is the one thing you would change about your school library or your role?” in the 2017 School Library Surveys.
Based on responses to the question “How do you currently collaborate, or what ideas do you have for greater collaboration between the library and the rest of the school?” in the 2017 School Library Surveys.
Based on responses to the question “Do you have an innovative practice story about your library you would like to share?” in the 2016 Australian and New Zealand School Library Surveys.
Based on responses to open-ended questions in the 2015 and 2016 School Library Surveys
Based on responses to the question “What exciting trends are emerging that could impact libraries in the near future?” in the 2015 Australian and New Zealand School Library Survey.
Based on responses to the question “What exciting trends are emerging that could impact libraries in the near future?” in the 2014 Australian School Library Survey.
Based on responses to the question “What is one thing you would change about your library or role?” in the 2014 Australian School Library survey.
Softlink has also used responses and results from the surveys to produce a number of infographics. These infographics provide snapshots of results, or illustrate particular themes that have emerged.
Key findings from the 2019 Australia, new Zealand and Asia Pacific School Library Survey.
Early responses to the 2019 School Library Survey in answer to the question “What is the one thing you would change about your school library or role?”
Key findings from the 2018 School Library Survey in the EMEA region.
Key findings from the 2018 School Library Survey in the APAC region.
Statistics and quotes from the 2015 Softlink Australian and New Zealand School Library Survey.
Drawing on statistics and quotes from the 2015 Australian and New Zealand School Library Survey, “Digital Life - Digital Homes - How apps and devices will transform houses in the next 5 years” published in the Sydney Morning Herald, and the NZ Curriculum, this infographic looks at trends in digital devices in Australian and New Zealand Schools.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published September 2019 and has been updated for freshness, relevance, and accuracy in September 2023.