The bookshy secondary school student : A qualitative study about the school librarian’s opportunities of encouraging reading at a lower secondary school

The purpose of this study is to investigate the opportunities and possibilities a librarian has to encourage reading and supply literature to pupils in the ages 13-16 as well as how receptive the pupils and the teachers are to the librarian’s work. The study is performed using semi-structured interviews and the data is analysed using a qualitative method. The study is using Thomas Brante’s work on professional theories as theoretical basis. Five school librarians were selected for interviews. The result of the study shows that pupils are more interested in reading if approached in an informal manner or as an equal than they are when reading is an enforced task. A librarian’s biggest challenge is more likely to depend on how willing the faculty is to listen, communicate and cooperate with the librarian. The headmaster’s commitment towards the concept of a school library as an asset to the students’ education also has a big effect on a librarian’s work.