Question reference: S5W-13761
- Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 10 January 2018
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Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported proposal by The Moray Council to reduce its number of school librarians by half as part of its 2018-19 budget.
Answer
School libraries play a vital role in developing literacy - including digital and information literacy - supporting attainment, giving access to knowledge and encouraging people of all ages to develop and maintain a love of reading. That is why the Scottish Government is funding the Scottish Library and Information Council to develop a national strategy for school libraries and is investing £1 million over three years through the School Library Improvement Fund. I also launched 'How good is our school library?', a companion guide to the 'How good is our school?' framework. Endorsed by Education Scotland, it aims to support library staff and senior managers to evaluate the specific contributions the library makes to school improvement. It is the responsibility of local authorities to determine the requirements for their school libraries, including the recruitment and deployment of school library staff, taking into account local needs. The Scottish Government believes there should be a strong library service in our Schools.