A survey of library facilities in the Newfoundland and Labrador regional, central and junior high schools

Hickman, George Augustus (1971) A survey of library facilities in the Newfoundland and Labrador regional, central and junior high schools. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The basic assumption underlying the study was that high school students in the Province do not have access to library facilities which are sufficiently conducive to the advancement of the teaching-learning process, and a full program of library services would do much to enhance education generally. This investigation was specifically designed to accomplish two purposes: (i) to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses evident in a select number of Newfoundland and Labrador Regional, Central and Junior high school libraries, and (ii) to determine, as far as possible, the adequacy of these school library facilities, resources, expenditures and personnel by a comparison of these aspects with the quantitative standards recommended by the American Library Association. -- The data for the study were obtained from responses to a questionnaire constructed by the investigator and a colleague, Norman Harris, who is engaged in a companion study, and mailed to principals of schools, chosen at random, in 24 Regional, 64 Central and 10 Junior High Schools in Newfoundland and Labrador. The questionnaire consisted of seven sections and solicited information on the status of school libraries with respect to identification data, print and non-print materials (this study was concerned with basically print-materials only), finance, physical characteristics, supervision, professional qualifications and maintenance, utilization, and general miscellaneous items of interest. Eighty-six percent of the respondents returned the questionnaire, completed in detail. The data were presented in descriptive and tabular form. -- An analysis of the data confirmed the basic assumption that library facilities were inadequate in the high schools of the Province. Information gathered indicated a dire need for improvement if students are to receive the obvious benefits of a full program of library services. Furthermore, a comparison with minimum standards recommended by the American Library Association revealed that the vast majority of schools failed to even approach these standards in terms of facilities, resources, expenditures and personnel. Generally, responses to the questionnaire indicated an increasing awareness of the importance of the school library as an integral part of the instructional program, but principals were hampered in their efforts chiefly by lack of funds to make the necessary improvements. -- The five most important recommendations emmanating from the study are: (1) the school library should become an instructional-materials centre containing the full range of both print and non-print materials; (2) a specific number of schools be chosen, brought up to recommended standards, and a full program of library services be instituted in an effort to demonstrate the advantages of such a program to all concerned; (3) efforts should be made to establish system-wide resource-centres which would also serve as major distribution centres; (4) not only should the Department of Education assume a leading role in the development of school libraries, but school boards should take a greater responsibility in this respect; and (5) in-service projects for teachers, administrators, librarians and students should be held on a regular basis to better acquaint them with the role of the school library in the teaching-learning process.

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