The senior school library service : beyond the traditional school library

Abstract

Senior school libraries are a very important learning resource and complement the educational programme of the school. At this point in their educational development students should feel confident in the use of the library and its support services. The scope of senior school libraries goes beyond the 'traditional' book lending service. This dissertation gives a comprehensive picture of the wide range of services that may be offered. The purpose of the dissertation is to draw up an extensive report to list and to describe the merits of wide-ranging library services and how these may be implemented to form part of the school's curricular programme. The dissertation aims to serve as a tool for school librarians and to underline the importance of the wider extended library service in secondary schools. A literature review was carried out to establish which services and standards are being developed and implemented in this sector. Data concerning the local sector focused on libraries in independent secondary schools and was collected via a questionnaire. This generated a comparison between the various services being offered and shed light on the current situation in this sector in Malta.