영국의 학교도서관 운동

영국도서관정보전문가협회, 즉 CILIP(Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, 2002년 영국도서관협회(LA)와 정보전문가협회(IIS)가 통합된 조직)은 2009년 9월 이사회에서 정책포럼의 권고를 만장일치로 승인했다.

 

이 권고란 학교도서관을 법적 자격을 지닌 직원에 의해 운영되도록 하기 위해 CILIP이 청원 운동을 전개해야 한다는 것이었다. CILIP은 학교도서관을 법적인 것이 되도록 하기 위해 청원운동을 전개하였고, 지금까지 5,707명의 사람이 e-청원서에 서명했다. 그러나 영국 정부의 반응 은 이 청원에 대하여 학교도서관을 법적인 것으로 바꿀 계획은 없다는 것이었다. 

 

CILIP 의장인 비디 피셔(Biddy Fisher)는 2010년 2월 10일 고든 브라운 총리에게 공개서한을 보냈다. 이 서한에서 비디 피셔는 고든 브라운 총리가 2008년 "독서는 빈곤을 벗어나게 하는 사다리.(Reading is a ladder out of poverty.)"라고 언급한 것을 거론하며, 정부의 반응에 대해 다음과 같이 지적하고 있다.

 

정부의 반응은 학교도서관 직원의 직무를 단순하게 도서와 장비의 공급과 관련된 것이라는 통상적인 오해를 표나게 드러내고 있다. 하지만 좋은 학교도서관과 도서관인은 학교의 교수-학습 과정에 필수불가결한 요소이며 공립 교육과정을 완수하는 데 결정적 기여를 한다. 이 부문의 연구 결과는 자격을 갖춘 도서관인이 있는 학교와 좋은 도서관이 있는 학교는 그렇지 않은 학교보다 훨씬 더 좋은 결과를 성취하는 것을 보여준다. 학교도서관은 정부의 자원 가운데서 분명 점증하는 사회적 유동성과 통합에 필요한 하나의 강력한 자원임에 틀림이 없다.

The government response highlights a common misconception that school librarianship is simply about the provision of books and equipment whereas good school libraries and their librarians are an integral part of the teaching and learning process in schools and make a vital contribution to delivering the national curriculum. Research in this area has clearly shown that schools with a qualified librarian and a good school library achieve better results than those without. School libraries should rightly be a powerful weapon in the government's armoury for increased social mobility and inclusion.

 

참고1:

Campaign work

A small group of people from the Youth and School Libraries Joint Committee have met to take this campaign forward. They are putting together a Libraries for schools manifesto. The text below is the latest draft February 2010:

 

학교도서관 선언(초안)

School Libraries Manifesto (Draft)

We believe that throughout their education every child is entitled to:

• Support from designated library staff with extensive knowledge, enthusiasm and experience to advise, encourage and inspire wider reading and reading for pleasure
  
• A skilled library practitioner with responsibility and time to help children and young people to develop the skills needed to manage today’s information overload, to become lifelong learners and to meet the future job market’s need for problem solvers and independent thinkers
  
• A safe and secure library environment for learning during and outside school hours, where help, resources and advice are freely available to all
  
• High quality and wide-ranging library and classroom resources to support their curriculum which have been carefully selected to meet the needs of their age, learning style and ability and organised to provide easy access and availability
  
• Be valued as an individual, having access to reading materials which are exploited by a knowledgeable person to support the emotional, cultural, leisure and wider needs of the whole person

We believe that every school’s teaching team is entitled to:

A designated library professional who:

• understands the curriculum and pastoral needs of teaching staff and who will support these with managed resources
  
• will collaborate with staff on curriculum planning and be involved in teaching
  
• will develop partnership working with other key organisations within and beyond the school
  

Commission on school libraries
A commission to examine the future of school library provision in England has been launched by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) and the National Literacy Trust (NLT). The commission will be chaired by former Secretary of State for Education and Skills Baroness Estelle Morris and will deliver its findings in June 2010.