For Administrators – Canadian School Libraries

Learning for the Future

Every child in Canada deserves an excellent school library. Here’s how.

Reinvest in School Libraries as Learning Commons for Whole School Improvement.

Leading Learning Standards
The Learning Commons is a whole school approach to learning and needs instructional leadership, but it is too big a project for one person to carry on their shoulders. This is where you need a team of collective and creative minds that understand the learning shift. As you imagine the possibilities, we ask you to think about how you, as a school or district leader, can leverage the potential of the model for the whole school’s move from great to excellent.

Leading Learning Moving Forward

What do you need to know?

How can we help?

What is an excellent school library?

School library programs should be a force for change at the centre of teaching and learning with a focus on enabling student achievement and growth as productive citizens in Canada.

Why should your school/district transform their library/libraries?

Shifts in education driven by global realities open up opportunities for school libraries to play a significant role in school improvement through the learning commons transformation.

Where can you see Library Learning Commons in action?

Showcasing the work of the learning commons and sharing successful approaches helps everyone to grow. Visit a school learning commons in person and explore many virtual examples to discover what features align best with district goals.

Who is leading the way?

Many school leaders in Canada already recognize the library learning commons as a sustainable investment in learning for the future.

What does the research say?

A large body of Canadian and international research demonstrates the connection between school library programs and student success, and explores the specific factors that are associated with effective library programs.

How do you launch a Learning Commons shift?

Leading Learning provides a guide for the transition of school libraries to vibrant centres of teaching and learning responsive to the diverse needs of learners today and into the future. It also serves as a measurement tool to help schools determine where they are now with library facilities and programs and where they want to advance to.

How do schools start?

Transitioning to effective learning commons practice is a continuous journey that will take different amounts of time for schools. It is a whole school effort with a team approach and varied roles and responsibilities. Collaborative teams leading whole school ownership of learning commons development and responsibilities will propel development, implementation, experimentation and sustainability. Everyone needs to be welcomed to the process and do their part – principals and other school administrators, teachers, teacher-librarians, other information specialists, parents and students. The important part is to begin, set goals, achieve, celebrate and keep getting better! Suggestions for getting started are found in the section of Leading Learning called Moving Forward, with implementation strategies as well as background resources that provide further direction and support for schools and districts.