- Your School Type
- Solutions
- Resources
- Blog
- Events
- More
- Contact Us
- Book a Demo
- Get a Quote
Guest blog: Elizabeth Hutchinson is a Chartered librarian and Fellow of CILIP. With nearly 20 years of experience in school libraries she is now a trainer and adviser and an advocate for FOSIL- Inquiry based Learning. She was awarded the BEM for services to libraries in 2020, is an international speaker, podcaster, blogger and author of a number of published articles.
While this blog is written with a UK school library perspective in mind, the principles and strategies discussed can be applied to school libraries worldwide.
January marks the beginning of a new calendar year, but for school librarians, it’s also the halfway point of the academic year—a perfect moment to reflect on progress, reassess goals, and refocus on strategies to drive success. The school library is more than a resource hub; it’s a cornerstone for student learning, creativity, and critical thinking. To ensure its value is recognised and fully utilised, librarians must proactively engage senior leaders and align the library with the school’s educational vision.
The value of your library depends not only on your passion and hard work but also on the support of senior leadership. As the New Year starts let's begin by reflecting on the goals or questions we discussed in the September blog. Did you define your school library and reflect on your purpose? Did you consider your role as a school librarian and decide if you were ready to try something different? If not these questions might help.
These are important questions to keep you moving forward in your role. If you see yourself as important it is easier to help others see your role as essential going forward.
As we head into the second half of the year you need to remind yourselves of the importance of demonstrating impact to your senior leadership team. Especially as they start planning their budgets for the following year.
Do you do the following?
● Present Impact Reports: Share regular updates with leadership, including statistics on library usage, testimonials from teachers and students, and examples of successful projects.
● Collaborate with Teachers: Ensure library resources and programs are embedded in lesson plans across departments. Highlight these collaborations during staff meetings or leadership reviews.
● Invite Senior Leaders to Events: Host library events that showcase student work, such as research fairs or reading challenges, and invite leaders to witness the library’s impact firsthand.
Position your library as a solution to school-wide challenges. For instance:
● If literacy is a priority, show how the library supports reading programs and student engagement.
● If inquiry-based learning is a focus, highlight how the library teaches critical research skills and fosters curiosity.
● If AI and digital literacy are concerns, offer training sessions or curated resources to address these areas or make it a priority to learn more.
Reflecting on your progress is an important part of keeping you focus and grounded in moving forward. Everyone likes someone who is enthusiastic but you are not a child in a sweet shop who is running around trying every sweet in the shop. You are a professional school librarian who is running programmes and activities with a purpose and vision that aligns with school goals. Make sure this is how you are seen.
If you are interested in learning more about Inquiry-based Learning The FOSIL Group is running their inaugural FOSIL Symposium on the 8th February. It is free and online and is being recorded so if you can’t make it then sign up anyway and you will be sent the recordings. Here is the link to find out more
If you are thinking more about strategic planning I have resources and support for you. Find out more here
Oliver Library Software
LearnPath
