Is the school library important? An investigation among students, teachers, the school librarian and the management of education in a selected junior high school in Bergslagen.

The purpose of this essay is to illustrate the importance of the school library in a selected junior high school. My investigation is based on both theoretical and empirical studies. The aim of the theoretical part is to create a platform and refer to thoughts, roles and laws concerning the activity of the school library. The empirical investigation consists of two parts: questionnaires among students and teachers, plus interviews with students, teachers, headmaster, school librarian and the management of education. Everybody shows a positive attitude towards the school library and considers it important for the students exams. Almost everybody involved in this investigation is proud of the school library and it seems that one of the most important functions the school librarian has, on this school, is to be some sort of social worker for the students. First when the interviews take places, some critical opinions shows up. There are requests for employing an educated librarian, increasing the opening hours and installing computers with Internet-connection in the school library. There are also wishes made to buy new literature and improve the school library to create a cosier atmosphere for studies. The only one who is totally pleased with the school library, both with its function and what it looks like, is the school librarian herself. During the investigation it appears to me that even if the school library seems to be matter of course, the school library and its function hardly ever seems to be discussed in meetings about school activities. Even if both teachers and the headmaster say, during this investigation, that they want the school librarian to participate more in the school activities the school librarian says she wont. Lack of education, money and will to change the present situation seems to be the largest obstacles for a deeper co-operation between the school activities and the school library activities.Uppsatsnivå: