Page 239 - DLIS001_FOUNDATION_OF_LIBRARY_AND_INFORMATION_SCIENCE

Foundation of Library and Information Science

Notes

Task List the informational headings of a Model Public Library Act.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
16. The ……………… of the Act should clearly spell out the objectives of library legislation.
17. The Chief Executive at State level shall be called the …………….. of Public Libraries.
18. …………… should be made by the State Library Authority for all the sections and for
smooth functioning, administration and control of the offices and the staff.

Case Study A Government Mandate for School Libraries in
Sweden

or many years in Sweden, the school library was ignored by authorities, by principals,
and by most teachers. Nevertheless, throughout those years, many people were
Fworking to establish the school library as a well-developed and effective resource to
support students in their learning. These people wanted a new and enhanced role for school
libraries in education. For this to happen there would need to be a number of changes:
further training, development projects of various kinds, attention at different political levels
and in the media, and, last but not least, legislation that supported the new role for school
libraries. The new Education Act of 2010 made the school library mandatory. Head teachers
and policy makers on both school and municipality level were required by law to establish
school libraries. This was a new situation in the country, even for school librarians and
teachers. The Education Act made it clear that all students in primary schools, compulsory
schools, special schools, Semi schools, secondary schools, upper secondary schools and
independent schools must have access to school libraries. The big difference from the previous
inclusion of school libraries in the Library Act is that all students, regardless of type of
school, are covered by the Act. Many library associations were involved in lobbying activities
to reach this result. Another important contribution to the result was the advocacy created
by school library development projects, funded by the Government of Sweden through the
National Authority for School Improvement, which helped school libraries to become a
more active part of school development. The initiatives that led to the to the school library
projects came from enthusiasts from the university world, from school library organizations,
and from governmental organizations and municipalities.
Since 1996 the School Library Act was included in the Library Act. The 1996 Act was very
vague and committed to nothing. Leaders in the school library field wanted the school
library to be part of the Education Act and to be more specific. Although the school library
legislation was weak, there was considerable ongoing activity related to enhancing the
role of the school library.

The National Authority for School Improvement, founded in the new millennium as an
agency of the government department for education, started a project with a focus on the
school library. The purposes of the Room for Language project were to support the
Contd....

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