Key benefits of school libraries

School libraries in Scotland are under threat. Over 10 years of service reductions have left some Scottish local authorities with no school librarians, and many with one between two or more schools. Findings from a 2023 national survey(this link will open in a new window) illustrate that nearly a quarter of schools in Scotland do not have a school library space, and two-thirds of school libraries in Scotland have no library budget at all.

Access to a school library provides a wide range of benefits to learners and school communities, including:

• Increased positive attitude to reading
• Increased academic achievements
• Improved student wellbeing

Read on to discover research into each of these key benefits of school libraries.

Better academic outcomes

School libraries offer students the opportunity to choose a book that they are interested in and to read outside of the classroom. An extensive body of evidence(this link will open in a new window) highlights the contribution of school librarians to improved exam scores and achievement, and their role in creating a safe, supportive and inclusive learning environment where all pupils have equitable access to curriculum-related learning resources.

A 2013 study from Robert Gordon University(this link will open in a new window) found that having access to a school library improves test scores not just in literacy, but across the board. It also found an increase in positive attitudes to learning overall, including increased motivation, improved attitude towards learning tasks and higher self-esteem.

These positive attitudes towards learning reflect the wide benefits of school libraires on academic success. This is a well-documented effect, with over three decades of research(this link will open in a new window) finding positive correlations between high-quality library programs and student achievement.

Boosting wellbeing

School libraries also bring benefits outside of the classroom. The National Literacy Trust(this link will open in a new window) found that children who use their school libraries have, on average, higher mental wellbeing scores.  Additionally, those who don’t use the school libraries are nearly twice as likely to have low mental wellbeing than they are to have high mental wellbeing. 

A considerable body of international evidence(this link will open in a new window) demonstrates that school libraries support improved attainment, successful curriculum or learning outcomes and positive attitudes to learning.

Value to parents and families

A 2023 report by the National Literacy Trust(this link will open in a new window) found that support for school libraries was universal among parents, with more than 9 in 10 (92.3%) saying that their children having access to a good school library was important. 

It also revealed that in recent years, more parents have reported borrowing books or asking their children to borrow books from their school library. Indeed, parents value school libraries regardless of their financial situation and rate their children having access to a school library as important.

Case study: Life Changing Libraries

In 2022, BookTrust undertook a programme to create a bespoke library space in 6 different primary schools in England, named Life Changing Libraries(this link will open in a new window), with support from Waterstones Children's Laureate Cressida Cowell.

Each dedicated library was stocked with more than 1000 specially curated books, and supported staff with training and mentoring from specialists to develop a culture of reading for pleasure.

A report on the programme(this link will open in a new window) found that: 'As a result of the facilities, pupils were spending more time reading for pleasure and, consequently, experiencing improvements in their wellbeing. Attention, engagement, confidence and motivation to learn were all reported to have increased, and there were reports of improved academic achievement and/or more rapid academic progress since the libraries were installed. In particular, demonstrable improvements in children’s writing ability were described as a result of increased access to books that ignited children’s imaginations and enhanced their vocabulary.

'The schools also reported increased enthusiasm and desire to learn to read amongst key stage 1 and lower key stage 2 pupils, as the library facilitated a shift in children’s attitudes towards reading. Rather than seeing it as a chore, they began to see reading as pleasurable and were excited to improve their reading ability so they could access the wealth of texts in the new library.'

Find out more about the importance of school libraries and how you can help support them