FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN GREAT-BRITAIN AND THE UNITED-STATES - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

In Great Britain and the United States common developmental issues hav e resulted in the evolution of two very different models of school lib rary provision. In the United States, school libraries are integrated media centers, separate from public library influence, staffed by spec ialists with dual training in teaching and librarianship, and dedicate d to an educational mission. British school libraries are contested te rrain with two patterns of staffing, support by Public Library Service s, and incomplete formulation of mission and rationale. This article d iscusses five factors which have facilitated or retarded school librar y development in the two countries (standards, staffing and certificat ion, government support, rationale, professionalization) and generaliz es about development factors and the successful promotion of school li braries. (C) 1995 Academic Press Limited