The future of secondary school libraries

Secondary School libraries have arguably never been more essential, or more threatened.

The challenges are ongoing, and the growth of technology – AI in particular – is a potential risk both to libraries and librarians.

In this rapidly developing landscape, is it possible to predict the future for Secondary School libraries? Let’s try.

What will happen to libraries 10 years from now?
The importance of school libraries as learning environments has long been recognised. Yet many schools still lack a library, or have a library but no dedicated library staff. And when budget cuts loom, both can generally be found near the top of the list.

So school libraries that do survive until the mid-2030’s will be far from traditional. They will no longer be places of quiet study only, or even of just books. A 24/7 society, with its demand for instant responses and personalised service, means libraries of the future will be utilising the latest technology, and offering a range of resources such as e-books, online newspapers, videos and audiobooks. They will provide spaces where these can be accessed and enjoyed in comfort, and not necessarily in silence. They will stage events and author visits, will tailor their stock to a more diverse school population, and will have librarians who provide mental health advice as well as reading suggestions.

These libraries will be integral to the fabric of the secondary schools of the future. Those which are not will not exist.

AI and school libraries
School libraries are not immune to today’s hottest technology topic: AI. A fast-developing technology which can learn, improve, solve problems and make decisions, its impact will inevitably be massive.

Used correctly, AI has the potential to enhance learning and development for students, teachers and the school community. In the library, it can augment literacy skills and aid students in expanding their knowledge base. Some AI tools – including Grammerly, MusicLM and QuestionWell – are already proving their worth.

AI even plays a role in the Reading Cloud library system for Secondary Schools, by suggesting further reading.
However, AI also brings challenges. It will only widen the digital divide which prevents students from disadvantaged backgrounds from gaining equal access to technology. Also, the sheer quantity of information AI makes available will require students and staff to develop skills to evaluate it, check its reliability, and navigate the expanding information landscape.

Librarians have an important role to play as AI arbiters, ensuring that the technology and its tools are used responsibly and ethically. In addition, librarians can ‘teach’ AI. It relies on inquiry-based learning to work effectively, and this is a skill librarians already possess.

In fact the knowledge and dedication of librarians may well be key to the future of libraries, as Adam Lancaster, Head of Literacy at Monk’s Walk School, Welwyn Garden City, suggests.

‘The future of school libraries needs to be led, in my opinion, by the future of schools. School libraries should always at their core reflect what their school requires of them and especially what their students want and need of them. As always there are so many opportunities for libraries to flourish and be an active part of their school, whether this be through the introduction of more AI in schools or whatever the next big thing might be over the next decade.

‘However, it requires us in the library world to do our own bit, we can’t pass up on these opportunities or they will pass us by, we need to be adaptive to these changes, upskill ourselves to meet these demands and put ourselves in a position to continually add value to our schools. That is how we stay relevant and required.’

What’s next for school librarians?
So the role of the school librarian is continually expanding: from suggesting reading choices to supporting students’ wellbeing; from encouraging learning and development to nurturing staff-student connections.

When lack of funding means the lack of a dedicated librarian, not only these benefits are lost. Students also lose support and guidance for their reading choices. Events promoting reading engagement and literacy don’t happen. Even library stock management can deteriorate. Together with the growing need to help students safely and ethically navigate the online environment, it is clear that technology, rather than making it possible to replace librarians, actually makes them more vital than ever.

A continuing decline in secondary school libraries is not inevitable. Libraries and librarians are adaptable. If they position themselves at the forefront of technological change, then they will remain a vital part of school communities, of students’ educational journeys, and of the future.