Today and Tomorrow• The Swedish school libraries in a national

perspective and context

Anette Holmqvist

Burgårdens Conference Center, Gothenburg, 9th of August 2010

OH-mallen

The Swedish education system I.

• 10 638 schools (including pre-schools)

• 1 433 310 pupils (21 % of population)

• 4 000 school libraries

http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/2649

The Swedish education system II

• is decentralized since 1991

• includes independent, but public financed

schools since 1992 (9/17)

• is steered and supported by curricula, syllabis

and inspections

• is undergoing the biggest school reform since

1842

The New Education Act

• Government proposition June 2010

• New Education Act valid from 2011-

• Valid even for independent schools

• Compulsary access to school libraries

• The school libraries will be included in the inspection of

schools (The Schools Inspectorate)

• The municipalities receive 3,7 millons euro

The National Agency of Education

The National Agency and school libraries

• head of national school library projects 2000-2007

• publisher of school library research

• school library articles on the web

• discussion list and wiki

• reference group for school libraries 2009-

• printed/digital supporting material 2011- (?)

National Library of Sweden (KB)

KB as national library authority by

• giving national overview (statistics)

• facilitating cooperation between libraries

• promoting library development?*

• following up the work of the libraries

*But needs extra fundings if school library development included in this

The National School Library group

The National School Library group

• 17 organizations and authorities

• Lobbying activities

• School Library of the Year

• Publications

http://www.skolbiblioteksgruppen.se/

The Swedish School Library Association

The Swedish School Library Association

• 5 regional networks

• Lobbying activities

• Seminars (including this) and social activities

• The School Librarian of the Year

http://ww.skolbibliotek.se

Challenges - Governmental level

• Improve school quality and results

• Ensure equality between schools

• Diminish the digital divide (2 millions)

• Define the school library concept

• Compile reliable statistics

• Follow up the school legislation

• Stimulate school and school library

development

• Improve / Reniew education for librarians?

Challenges - Municipal level

• Follow the steering documents for schools

• Improve school quality and results

• Allocate financial resources

• Include school libraries in the planning of school

activities

• Employ teachers and librarians with adequate education

• Give time and space for inservice training and

competence development

Challenges – Individual level

• Part of the school context

– Read and follow the steering documents

– Cooperate with school head and teachers

• Part of the digitial society

– Give yourself and the pupils reading, digital and

information literacy