A school library, for some children, is the only place for them to read for pleasure or use the

Internet. Research has shown that school librarians and their resources have several positive effects on student achievement.

Students Read More

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School librarians provide advice to help students choose books that fit their interests. They also help students navigate digital text to read e-books and online materials. Richard L. Allington's six-state survey of first- through fourth-grade teachers in 2002 and Sam Pack's 2000 study in which fourth-grade library and non-library users took pictures to document their after-school activities suggested that students with access to a school library collection spend more time reading and enjoy reading more than students with no access to a school library, or those with access to a small classroom library. The Pack study suggested that positive influence from parents further strengthens the effects of library use. Also, studies indicated, students tend to read more when they have a quiet, comfortable reading spot and the privilege of taking out books for free.

Students Use and Process Information Better

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School librarians guide students through their reading and research process -- they motivate students to evaluate information sources, think critically and make decisions about conflicting viewpoints. Librarians encourage students to produce original and creative work by teaching them about intellectual property rights, showing them how to cite their sources when writing papers and encouraging them to compare their knowledge and writing with that of other students.

Increased Information Literacy

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Students today use the Internet more often -- both at home and at school -- than students in the 1990s, but a 2008 study by Ian Rowlands and David Nicholas indicated that millennial students are lacking in information literacy. They don't typically use advanced search features, and they don't review the content they find online to ensure accuracy. Explicit guidance -- provided by the school librarian -- helps students search, retrieve and evaluate online resources; this enables them to find relevant, high-quality information they can use in their schoolwork.

Higher Test Scores

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Extensive, modern research that controlled for confounding variables such as socioeconomic students shows a positive correlation between school libraries with qualified librarians and high student performance. Other factors within the library can further improve performance. These include library size; currency of the collection; collaborative instruction between school and public librarians and teachers; presence of licensed databases; and school library spending.

References

Rutgers University: School Libraries, Now More than Ever Valdosta State University: The Impact of Home/School/Community Collaboration on Student Achievement ERIC: What I've Learned About Effective Reading Instruction from a Decade of Studying Exemplary Elementary Classroom Teachers ERIC: Public Library Use, School Performance, and the Parental X-Factor: A Bio-Documentary Approach to Children's Snapshots