Booktrust believes that effective school libraries provide the most socially inclusive means of giving all children the opportunity to enjoy books.
Yet there is no statutory requirement for schools in England to have a library, and anecdotal evidence suggests that provision of books in schools is patchy.
Recommended spending levels
Our 2007 survey of library provision in state primary and secondary schools in England includes information on spending and stock levels in school libraries. You can download the following information here:
- A brief summary of the 2007 study into library provision (Microsoft word 51.5KB)
- Recommended levels of spending for primary and secondary school libraries (Microsoft word 39.5 KB)
- The full report of the 2007 study into library provision (Adobe 314.18 KB)
What makes a good school library?
Our 2008 study into what makes a good primary school library includes case studies of six state primary school libraries which are effective despite challenges such as limited space and tight budgets. You can download the following information here:
- A brief summary of the 2008 study of what makes a good primary school library (Microsoft Word 106KB)
- The full report of the 2008 study of what makes a good primary school library, including case studies (Adobe 137MB)
Why do school libraries matter?
Read two articles by Madelyn Travis, exploring the role of school libraries in inspiring a love of reading in children:
Download our Making the most of your primary school library resource
Based on our research into school library provision and the factors that make a successful primary school library, we have developed a resource containing tools and information to help primary schools create and manage a successful library.
- Download Making the most of your primary school library (Adobe Acrobat, 365 KB)
