John Dean – Crime Writer

The Scottish Book Trust is seeking support for its campaign to ensure that it becomes a legal requirement for Scottish secondary schools to provide their own library.

No such requirement exists at the moment but the trust says that recent research highlights that school libraries play a vital role in supporting pupil well-being beyond academic achievement but face significant challenges, including declining budgets and staffing.

The trust’s research demonstrated how school librarians cultivate a lifechanging love of reading by understanding pupils’ individual interests and matching them with appropriate books. They make reading relevant by connecting literature to pupils’ lives outside school, including their hobbies, interests and current trends. This approach combats negative attitudes toward reading that often develop during teenage years, says the trust.

Libraries also serve as safe spaces, which is particularly important during the difficult transition to secondary school and for pupils with additional learning needs or marginalised identities. By supporting pupil autonomy and encouraging ownership over library activities, librarians also help teenagers develop independence.

The campaign to make school libraries a legal requirement for all of Scotland’s secondary schools is backed by the School Library and Education Policy Group, the National Library of Scotland, the Scottish Libraries and Information Council (SLIC) and the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIPS) in Scotland.

More details of how you can become involved can be found at https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/

As the Crime Writers’ Association’s Libraries Champion in Scotland, I urge people to offer their support.